Death's Bargain

by Haseo

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Alternate Universe, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Adventure
Length: 85649

The elements are gone. Soul Tearer is gone and even Princess Celestia is gone. Where is faith when you need it the most? Maybe even Death will become a reliable ally in face of the upcoming danger. Official sequel to: 'The darkness among the S

The madness has fallen in face of the unrivalled power of the saviour of Equestria. The sun decided to go on a long journey to gather new expierences and allies. So it was up to her younger sister to rule the land.

Two years had passed under the peaceful reign of the night and the ponies of Equestria had returned to their normal lives. Every day they worshipped and praised silently the name of their saviour, Soul Tearer.

But peace is evanescent and not suited to last for long. A new evil is throwing its shadow upon the small villiage of Ponyville. The ponies of Equestria are tired of fighting, tired of misery and loss but they won't budge that easy. Applejack and her friends will be forced to oppose these shadows with all the power they have left.

But what will they do? The elements are gone. Soul Tearer is gone and even Princess Celestia is gone.

Where is faith when you need it the most? Maybe even Death will become a reliable ally in face of the upcoming danger.
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Proofread by Switches
Cover-Art by FoxinShadow (Deviantart)

Published 2013-08-02 21:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-17 15:35:06 UTC

Chapter 1 - Whisper in the dark

Chapter 1
Whisper in the dark

The noonday sun shone brightly down at the ponies of Ponyville. They bathed their coats in the intense warmth of the celestial orb and couldn't worry any less. Little foals played along with their parents in the parks in and around Ponyville and the birds sang the tune of light-heartedness. Two years filled with happiness and peace had passed since the Princess of the Sun had left Equestria on a long journey. Under the rule of Princess Luna, Equestria had bloomed once more to its full beauty. Nothing dark nor bad could happen on such a lovely day, so Applejack decided to stay a little bit longer at her apple-stand. The ponies were still saluting her as the honest Applejack despite the fact she had to give up her Element by force for the good of their beloved home.

Countless ponies she knew crossed her field of view and waved to her fondly. Only a few passed her without any form of greeting. One pony that didn't belong to that particular group was Pinkie Pie. “Hey there, Applejack!”

Applejack took her old stetson from her head and waved it in a welcoming manner in front of her body. “Howdy, Pinkie! Wanna grab some Apples?”

The bubblegum coloured mare bounced on her seemingly rubber-like hooves over to Applejack and came almost instantly to a halt. Only her puffy mane bobbed in the pattern she bounced before. “Sure I do!”

Pinkie Pie's neck stretched in an unnatural way when she dove into the basket of apples. The moment she pulled her head back, two golden blinking bits fell out of her mane and landed gently on the wooden desk in front of Applejack. Still astonished over the strange skills Pinkie possessed, Applejack simply laughed. “Ya are always making ponies smile, Pinkie. Ya never run out of jokes.”

With her mouth filled with an amount of apples that any other pony would choke on, Pinkie Pie tried to press words through the massive hindrance of apples. “Ah wut hea'ing to Twalight's, 'e won'ed to 'ass me a 'ook.”

Applejack scratched her head and shot Pinkie a uncomprehending look. “Right… nevermind. Ah hope ya enjoy whatever ya are up to!”

Pinkie's mouth was still full of apples when she left the stand and waved Applejack goodbye.

The streets of Ponyville emptied themselves while the time passed. Many ponies were taking their foals from school or kindergarten now. Only a few crossed the marketplace now. Fluttershy stumbled over the cobblestones. Her eyes were wandering from one side to another. She was certainly looking for something.

From the distance Applejack called for the timid and secluded butter-coloured pegasus. “Fluttershy! What are ya doin' here? Lookin' for somepony?”

Fluttershy jumped a few inches into the air. She was startled by the unexpected salutation of her friend. Nervously, she turned her head until she caught sight of Applejack. Her nervous frown turned into a friendly, albeit shy, half-smile while she hovered over to Applejack's stand. “Hello Applejack, I was just looking for Lyra. My little critter friends seem to be troubled and her play usually calms them down.”

Applejack's green eyes wandered around their environment and her ears pointed in two different directions but there was no trace of Lyra's presence nor her lovely lyre-play. “Ah'm sorry Ah don't know where she is either. Now that ya mention it, Ah haven't seen her for quite a while. Maybe she is outside town with Bonbon.”

Fluttershy shook her head gently to prevent her pink wavy mane from getting ruffled. “I've already ask her, she said Lyra didn't come home the last two days. She said that with much luck I will catch her somewhere mingling in Ponyville, or she could be in Canterlot for another concert in the worst case. So I thought I should try my luck.”

“Oh darling, I'm so glad you are still here!” Fluttershy and Applejack turned to their left and saw a troubled looking Rarity approaching them with quick steps.

With a raised eyebrow and the faint hint that Rarity wanted something, Applejack welcomed her friendly. “Hey Rarity, Ah'm here, like every other weekend ever since Ah been bucking apples!”

Rarity waved gracefully her hoof around and dismissed an invisible thought. “I forgot that this is how you earn money, my dear. I need some luggage with new fabrics and knitting material pulled from the train station to my boutique. But I can't find your brother.”

A vein inside Applejack's orange forehead began to pulse. She pushed her eyes shut and forced the answer to sound as friendly as possible. “Sassy like ever. He should be picking up Applebloom from school by now. Otherwise he should be working out in the fields. But Ah haven't seen him since yesterday. Ah think he is very busy right now.”

Rarity threw her freshly hoofi-cured hoof towards her forehead and waved her long purple mane around. “Me? On your dirty fields? Don't be ridiculous, darling. I would never touch this filthy mud or orchard, however you may call it, with my pure white hooves. Just tell your brother that he should come around if he is willing to help.”

“Nah, he’s not there. I already checked.” The ponies turned around and watched their bubblegum coloured friend bouncing towards them.

Applejack wiped over her forehead and mumbled something incomprehensible into her golden mane. “What the hay were ya doin' there?”

Pinkie Pie proceed to bounce around her friends and let their gazes following her bobbing mane. “I went to Twilight's and wanted to pick up the baking recipe book she promised me, but she sent me right away. She didn't even open the door, she just yelled from her basement that I should go for a walk or something. I did it and now I'm bored, so I came back to you.”

The pink mare smiled apologetic over both ears and didn't move anymore. The others looked at her disapproving. Rarity turned away and remained in her stuck-up Canterlot manner. She pointed her nose to the sky and walked most gracefully back to Carousel Boutique. “A mare of my attitude and standard won't deal with such senselessness. Let me know if there is something new.”

Applejack followed the stuck-up mare until she vanished from her field of view. In disgust she turned to Fluttershy. “Ever since things had settled down, she became this stuck-up fancypants pony. As much as Ah care for her as a friend, sometimes Ah could hit her with one of her fancy hats and cover her with mud.”

Fluttershy covered her mouth with her hooves. She couldn't believe that inside Applejack's mind such nasty thoughts were boiling. Her mind wanted to shout but her timidness refused her this desire. “Applejack! Why would you do such a terrible thing? You know that many ponies have changed since Soul left. Even if they didn't know Soul personally. But the moment the world seemed to fall apart in front of their eyes it showed them their true self, their true desires, and their true dreams.”

Her eyes wandered over to the general direction of Carousel Boutique and a sad frown formed on the lips of the beautiful mare. “And some ponies are closing up to others... please be patient with her… if that won't be a problem for you.”

Applejack drew circles into the dust beneath her hooves, well hidden from the eyes of her friends behind her apple-stand. “Ah suppose you're right, but it is not only Rarity. Rainbow has been training her flying skills since we knew her, but now we barely see her anymore. It is the same with Twilight. She locks herself up in the basement every second she can spare to do some fancy experiments. Not even Spike sees her more than twice a week.”

The sound of whistling air underlined the conservation, Pinkie tried to levitate her mane through her out-breathing and barely paid any attention to her friends. Fluttershy stared at the bubblegum coloured mare until she literally felt her drilling gaze. Pinkie looked from one friend to another and flashed them a goofy smile. “Oh sorry. I see Twilight very frequently. Almost every night she drags some very heavy-looking books into the library. The bag from yesterday was by far the biggest. Even your brother would fit easily!”

Applejack eyed the pink mare carefully. “What exactly were ya doing in the middle of the night outside ya bed?”

Pinkie Pie began to bounce again and bounced higher and higher with every rebound. “I looked for new friends! I know everypony in Ponyville while it is day, but I never met a pony that only comes out when it is dark. So I'm looking for one.”

Fluttershy hovered to the same eye-level as Pinkie Pie and tried to lay a hoof upon her friend, but the constantly bouncing kept her from touching her. “But it is unhealthy to stay up the whole night. How can you stay awake all the time?”

Pinkie Pie made a massive leap and bounced down the road into the direction of Sugar Cube Corner. “SUUUUGAR!”

Applejack turned the 'Open' sign of her little stand around and walked past Fluttershy. “Well, that was obvious, but now we should pay Twilight a visit.”

The timid pegasus was torn between both of her friends. Confused she looked after each of them but finally decided to follow Applejack. “Applejack! Wait! She won't let us in. How will you make her?”

The farmer didn't stop nor look back. “Ah think we will be lucky today.”

The sun was already setting as they reached the library inside the giant tree. No lights were lit inside the windows of different shapes. Everything seemed silent and peaceful. Fluttershy hovered upwards and passed a few of them. The rooms were empty and bare, she couldn't find her lavender friend anywhere.”Maybe she isn't home?”

Applejack bucked against the door in a rapid rate. “Horsefeathers! Where should she be? Of course she is home.”

The knocking remained unanswered and the inside of the library still. Applejack pressed her ear against the wooden door and listened carefully. Everything was silent, except for a quiet, little noise from deep down, beneath the roots of the library. It was a similar sound to something really hard being pulled over a wooden surface. “Twilight! Ah can hear ya! Fluttershy and Ah are here to speak with ya. Please open the door.”

The sound inside the library faded and was replaced by absolute stillness. Fluttershy hovered down to the ground and looked inside the kitchen window. “Maybe we should leave her alone. We could come again tomorrow.”

The farmer made a small jump to push her hat off her head and she caught it with her mouth. She wiped it against the door and threw it back on her head. “We will come back for ya. Ya will see!”

Applejack sighed in defeat and turned finally to Fluttershy. “Ah'm sorry. It is so late that even the sun is setting. Ya lil' critter friends will be furious about your absence.”

Fluttershy smiled warmly at her and carelessly began to hover again. “I'd do anything for a friend in need. My friends will understand.”

Their hugged each other firmly and slowly searched their way home. The sun almost vanished behind the mountains of Canterlot by now.

Soon night had fallen upon the luscious green apple trees around Sweet Apple Acres. Small critters were sleeping between the branches and inside countless tree holes. Through the darkness, the light of a single window shone along the woods.

The room belonged to a little cream coloured filly that refused to go to bed before she heard another fairytale from her bigger sister. “C'mon Applejack! Just one more, Ah promise ya.”

Applejack stroked the red fluffy mane of her little sister and watched her mane go up and down every time she let her hoof glide over it. “Alright, lil' sister. Which one do ya want to hear?”

Applebloom's face lit up, a huge grin formed upon her childish lips and her eyes glimmered in excitement. She slipped deeper into her blanket and covered her small smile. “The story of Soul Tearer, saviour of Time and Space!”

The orange mare smiled weakly at Applebloom and slipped underneath the blanket of her sister as well. The two sisters cuddled each other dearly before Applejack broke the embrace and shove her sister gently aside. “Fine, where do Ah begin? Two years ago a frail old geezer of a black unicorn stallion with wonderful clear sapphire blue eyes appeared out of nowhere inside Twilight’s library. The floor around him was covered in blood and fragments of armour he once wore. The midnight blue shards and the dark colour of the blood almost merged perfectly. All he could was cough and shoot Twilight a look when she found him. Instead of throwing the seemingly dying stallion out, she called for Fluttershy and took care of him together. His wounds healed and so after some time he finally woke up. This was the day he met Rarity. She couldn’t take his appearance, his grey mane was uncut for years and so was his coat unclean and filthy. Rarity forced him to visit the spa with her. The old geezer became a fine, stylish gentlecolt.”

Applejack’s words stopped while she dwelled in her memories. Her wide smile made her little sister beam. “Don’t stop! Go on!”

She snapped out of her thoughts and offered her little sister a warm smile. “Ah’m sorry. Where was Ah… The following day was the very first time Ah met him. He wanted to work for a few bits to pay Rarity off. The whole day we bucked apple trees and sweated a whole load a water. Ah noticed that something was bothering him, so Ah asked him and he told me. But in exchange he wanted to know what was wrong with meh. It was this moment when Ah fell for him. It felt like Ah learned everything about him in an instant. Out of nowhere Ah knew everything about his character. The same evening was a surprise party planned by Pinkie Pie. It was the same evening Ah talked for a second time to him, it made me sure that though the obvious age difference, he was the right stallion for meh…”

Applebloom felt a warm liquid dripping on her muzzle, she looked up to her sister and saw streams of tears running down her cheek. The little filly tugged at Applejack’s golden blonde mane and gave her a worried expression. “Why are ya crying, big sis’?”

Tears had found their way through Applejack’s closed eyes, even unnoticed by the usually so stubborn and emotionally strong mare. Her eyes shot open and the flow of tears stopped almost in the same moment. “Ah’m sorry, Applebloom. Ah lost mahself in mah thoughts. It was the first time Ah met him and it was for a long time the last time. After that evening he vanished. My blind love and untamed feelings drove meh crazy. Ah was ready to sacrifice even mah friends to find him. We went out to search through the Everfree Forest, but what we found wasn’t Soul. Strange creatures called Leyfeeder lurked after us. They feasted on the life-energy of the living. Before they could get us, we were saved by Prince Shining Armor, Twilight’s brother. We were brought to the castle of Canterlot and got the opportunity to attend the Grand Galloping Gala for a second time. We mingled in the crowd and even had some fun, but everything changed when the Mare in the Moon reappeared. Nightmare Moon attacked and fought against meh and the other Elements. Together with the Princesses we managed to defeat her. Everything seemed like Soul was the culprit behind the scenes, so the Princesses decided to set up a tournament to built a team to fight Soul off.”

Applebloom tugged a second time at the mane of her sister. “But he wasn’t evil, am Ah right?”

Applejack stroked through her mane and nuzzled her sisterly. “Ya heard the story before, so just wait a second. The night was rough and straining, Ah could hardly sleep. The tournament came and many battles were fought, but again the Nightmare showed together with her sister Radiant Flare. It seemed like everything was over, but the moment our loss seemed to be certain, Soul appeared with unknown intentions. But a new enemy showed up made from madness itself had brought Soul to the limit of his power. In order to defend us, he almost lost his life. During the fight the fabric of reality got damaged, but Soul managed to defeat them. All of us could return to the castle and we forged a new plan. Soul planned the siege of a wicked place with the name of Demon’s Run. They spoke about an artefact that should have brought salvation all over Equestria and heal the broken fabric of reality. So we went out to look for it, but what we found wasn’t the artefact alone. The madness was already waiting for him. Soul put the Princesses and meh under a magical shelter and fought the madness alone. The fight was long, and mostly Soul’s blood was spilled. After minutes of struggle, Soul collected all of his power and forced the fabric of reality together. But the strain was too much for him and the Madness struck him down. The fate of Equestria seemed sealed but with his last breath he spoke a final verse… he called it Hell’s Verse, the ultimate sin. He forced the Madness inside his own body and left together with him through a purely white gate. This was the last day of Soul Tearer on Equestria’s surface, and so Equestria was saved another time.”

The little filly cuddled inside the coat of her sister and made her nearly immobile. “Do you still love him?”

The orange mare hesitated for a moment before she slowly answered her sister. “Yes, yes Ah do. But now it is time for ya to sleep. Tomorrow will be a whole new day to explore!”

Applebloom cuddled into her blanket and received a quick kiss on the forehead from her sister. “Good night, sis’. Ah love ya.”

Applejack switched the light off and slowly closed the door behind her. “Good night. Ah love ya, too.”

It was only a few steps until she reached her own bedroom. She staggered inside and leaned against the window frame. “And Ah'm still waiting for him.”

The faint flapping noise of midnight blue wings sounded through Applejack’s ears. “My dear Applejack, you still don’t tell her the truth?”

Princess Luna hovered in front of the window and shot Applejack a sad frown. The orange mare turned slowly around and simply nodded her head but remained silent. “How is Twilight doing after these two years?”

Applejack turned her gaze away from the Princess of the Night and prepared her bed for the night. “Ever since Princess Celestia left, she locks herself in every spare minute of her time in her basement. She said since she has besides us nothing to hold on, she wants to accomplish something great. So Princess Celestia can be proud about her when she finally returns.”

Princess Luna nodded slightly and lifted the tired farmer into her bed. “Good night, my dear. May your dreams be safe and your sleep refreshing.”

The Princess of the Night hovered over to the darkest point at Sweet Apple Acres without waiting for Applejack's response and landed gracefully on her hooves. “Shadow are you there?”

Out of the shadows appeared a pony clothed in black fabric that covered his whole body and hid his original coat colour. Only his fine brown eyes were visible. “Yes, your highness.”

The pony bowed down and lifted his head when the Princess carelessly waved her hoof. “Anything new about the situation?”

Shadow didn't dare to meet the gaze of Princess Luna. As former member of the Nightmare Legion, he was still used to the association with Princess Selene. “I'm sorry, but there are no hints about the missing ponies all over Ponyville.”

Princess Luna hissed into her mane and pressed her hoof into the ground and left a deep imprint. “You shall be dismissed for today, keep your eyes open.”

The shadow pony bowed a second time to her and vanished along with the Princess without a trace into the night.

The window of Applejack's room closed and the orange mare fell quickly into her peaceful slumber. The home of the Apple family fell completely silent except of the whistling noise of the gust that entered through one of the open windows of the upper floor.

“Apple... can... hear... now. Ponies... ahead. Ponyville... will... Sparkle.”

Applebloom reared up from her peaceful slumber and searched through her room. It was completely empty, nopony to be seen. “Weird...”

Carefully she laid her head on her pillow and fell asleep again. This time she heard nothing more.

Chapter 2 - The Basement door

Chapter 2
The Basement door

The sound of countless, tiny hooves that rushed out of the classroom of Miss Cheerilee filled the environment around the only school in Ponyville. Applebloom circled the huge flag in front of the school in joyful expectation of her brother.

From the distance, the gold-voiced Sweetie Belle watched her little friend waiting for somepony dear to her. “Hey Applebloom! What are you doing?”

Applebloom stopped in front of her friend and looked back at the deep imprints her countless rounds around the flag had left before she turned her gaze toward Sweetie Belle. “Ah'm waitin' for mah brother. He’s late again, and he didn't come yesterday at all! Can ya believe this?”

The white filly puzzled her friend for seconds before she answered. “Did you ask him why he don't come for you?”

The little Apple sat down on her plot and rubbed her chin with her right hoof. “Well, Ah didn't see him since the day before yesterday. Ah suppose he is doin' some extra work at the fields. That's not really unusual for him.”

Sweetie Belle opened her mouth and closed it again without having said anything. Her eyes were fixed at the ground between her’s and Applebloom's hooves. “I will wait here with you. You don't have to be lonely until Big Mac is here.”

Applebloom happily clapped her hooves together and hugged Sweetie. “Thank ya, Sweetie Belle. This is really nice o’ ya.”

She sat down next to her friend and watched the clouds in the sky. The clouds hung immobile in front of the sun, sending relaxing shadows to the ponies below. “I always wanted to ask you about Soul Tearer. You met him once, right?”

Applebloom played with her red mane and swirled the ends around her hoof. “Why are ya asking meh this right now?”

Sweetie bobbed back and forth. Barely, she could open her small muzzle. “Rarity told me once about him, but I think that she didn’t tell me the whole truth. Maybe you know something more.”

Applebloom threw herself on her back and joined her watching of the clouds above. She felt the gentle stroke of the wind whistling over her face. “It was out in the orchards, Granny Smith told meh to bring them some apple juice. Sometimes Ah'm a lil' bit afraid when Ah'm alone in the orchards and the darkness is comin'. But when Ah got close to them, Ah felt safe. He looked older than Applejack and was really big, even Big Mac' wasn't taller than him. Ya could feel that he was strong even without being a unicorn. He had such a warm and caring smile, like Applejack's and Big Mac's smile when they are really happy or proud of me. Applejack told me later that this was the day she fell in love with him. Everytime she told meh the story, her eyes got this happy expression. It is so sad that he’s gone now. Ah would wish, for Applejack's sake, that they could be together.”

She could feel something soft on her shoulder, and she let her eyes strive to her left side and looked Sweetie directly into her watery eyes. “That’s so cute! I really wished that Soul Tearer and Applejack could be happy together. I really wish I could have met him once, you're so lucky Applebloom!”

They could hear the grass behind them been pushed down by another being. Step for step it got closer to them. “Don't make me laugh! A stallion of his attitude, a stallion that saved the whole of Equestria, even more powerful than the Princesses and your sister together? Sorry, but I can't take it!”

Diamond Tiara fell to the ground due to her heavy laughter. The tiara on her head got stuck in the ground while she rolled over her back, over and over again. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle shot their schoolmate a disapproving and dangerous glare. Applebloom stomped at the ground and pressed another imprint deep into the ground. “Why wouldn't Applejack be happy with him?”

The pink filly struggled free from her uncontrolled laughter and slowly calmed down. She straightened her ruffled mane, grabbed her tiara from the ground and put it back on her head. “Oh come on! You can't be that blind! Do you ever look at your sister for more than a second? She is always covered in mud and I don't want to know what else. Her mane is full of dust, I'd bet that there are even bugs in there. She is as filthy as the rest of your dirty family! No wonder your parents ran away! In their place I would ran away, too! I can fully understand them!”

Tears of her inner pain ran down the cheeks of Applebloom and dripped, drop for drop, on the ground. “That is not true! Stop talkin' like that 'bout mah family! Ya know nothin' 'bout them!”

Sweetie stepped protectively in front of Applebloom and took her into ancaring embrace. “Don't you dare to talk to her like this! You can't even imagine how hard it is to barely know your parents at all!”

Diamond Tiara rolled with her eyes and looked at her hoof, searching for even the smallest stain of dirt. “Oh boo hoo. What about your parents? If I remember right they dumped you by your sister Rarity. Just be honest with yourself! They don't want you anymore, they wanted to get rid of you. They simply couldn't take your guts anymore!”

Sweetie couldn't hold back the tears that already knocked from behind her eyes. Frankly, her tears met Applebloom's on the ground. “Why are you so mean to us? What have we ever done to you?”

Diamond Tiara enjoyed the misery of them. A wicked smile formed on her lips. “Nothing at all. I'm just sick of your blank flanks. You would do every pony a favour if you just disappear from Ponyville and...”

“Diamond Tiara? Where were you for so long?” The three fillies turned around and watched Diamond Tiara's father, Filthy Rich approaching. His outfit suited him perfectly on his brown coat. His black mane was neatly styled back over his scalp. As usual he wore the tie with the Bit symbol embodiment.

The pink filly quickly turned around to face her father. She tried to put her most convincing smile in her face and looked at him with huge forgiving eyes. “Hello dad, we only talked about school.”

She flashed him a self-confident smile until her father focused on the other fillies. “Then why are they crying?”

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle still had tears in their bloodshot eyes. They let their eyes wander to Diamond Tiara, she shot them a warning glare. They quickly changed their field of view to Filthy Rich. “Of course this is the truth. We are just allergic that is all. Diamond Tiara just came over and asked if everything is alright, Mr. Rich.”

Their speech in perfect unison made Filthy Rich suspicious. He narrowed his eyes and put on a thoughtful expression for the blink of a moment. “Diamond Tiara? We will go home now. I think we have to talk.”

Filthy Rich grabbed his daughter and walked away from Sweetie and Applebloom. From the distance they could hear her moaning. “But dad! I didn't do anything! I promise!”

Her father answered only sternly. “We will see about this at home.”

They looked at each other and began to giggle maniacally. More tears were shed, but the sadness was gone and replaced by happiness about Diamond Tiara's bust.

From the edge of her eyes, Applebloom saw her sister approaching even during the laughter. “Applejack! What are ya doin' here? Ah thought Big Mac' was comin' for meh.”

Applejack approached her in a rapid step. It seemed like something was bugging her for quite some time. She wore a big frown in her face, her eyes were filled with sternness and anger. “Hey there, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Ah waited for ya at the barn but there were no trace of ya or Big Mac'. Ah would bet that slacker is sleepin' somewhere. Ah haven't seen him the last two days, Ah will tell him somethin' when we get home!”

Applebloom puzzled her bigger sister with huge eyes. “Ya didn't see him either? Ah thought he was just doin' some more work.”

Applejack raised her eyebrows and watched the dish-like eyes of her little sister. “Ya mean that none of us have seen him since two whole days ago? Ah think we should really check for him around Sweet Apple Acres.”

Energetic, the little filly nodded into the direction of her off-galloping sister and followed her almost with the same pace. While running she looked behind at the clueless little unicorn. “See ya later, Sweetie Belle!”

Left alone, the filly waved weakly at her friend. Following their way on the road that led to Sweet Apple Acres. “And how am I supposed to get home?”

Both members of the Apple family roared down the dirt road, heading for their beloved home. The dust whirled up after their hooves met the ground. Sweat was already running down their faces. Applebloom had problems keeping up with her older sister. She panted heavily and gained more and more distance from her sister. “Applejack, wait! Ah can't run this fast!”

The mare with the golden-blonde mane turned her head slightly around but didn't dared to tilt her head fully off their running direction. “We can't lose more time! He could be hurt or even worse!”

Applejack even increased her pace and let the distance between them grow rapidly. “Applebloom! Ya can check the farm again, Ah will try to find him out in the orchards!”

The little filly raised a hoof to her forehead in mid-run and saluted. “Consider it done, big sis'!”

Applejack smiled at the creditable attitude of her little sister. She took a sharp right turn into the seemingly endless apple orchards and let her eyes wander through the different shaped tree trunks in order to spot anything red near the ground.

Her muscles began to itch, but she didn't dare stop. The hooves beneath her body carried her faster and faster over stick and stone. Tears formed in her eyes while she covered more and more of the ground that belongs to their family. She already reached the border to the Everfree Forest once and was heading to the second point where the forest and the orchard met.

The endless mix of brown wood, green leaves and red apples whirled over her retina. Something disturbed the multicoloured picture inside her mind. Slowly, her running speed decreased and she began to observe her surroundings more precisely. The apple trees were bare, they didn't carry any fruit for the last few feet she ran.

The gust blew through her golden blonde mane, and she began to search for any evidence of Big Mac's presence. Carefully, she inspected the space behind every single tree trunk and bush. She scanned a countless number of them for nothing but the very last tree before she reached the second border to the Everfree Forest, and it showed her something promising.

Deep hoof-prints were pressed into the ground. They led away from the tree trunk and were accompanied by a grinding trail on each site. She bowed down and hovered her nose only mere inches above the ground. Applejack closed her eyes and took a deep sniff. Almost instantly her face shot towards the sky and she ripped her eyes open again. “Apples!”

She began to follow the stain on the ground through the orchards. The trails should belong to Big Mac' and two of their apple-collecting-baskets. With every passing trunk the trails deepened due to the additional weight of the freshly picked apples. Her walking pace increased and changed quickly into a gallop again.

The trails led back to Sweet Apple Acres, something must have happened between here and their farm. The sun stood high in the sky and blinded the rushing mare slightly. Single strands of her mane flew into her eyes. Her hat remained only barely atop her head.

She dashed past two close-together standing trunks and entered a clearing in the orchard. The light blinded her completely and left her stunned for the fraction of a second. Her eyes accommodated to the brightness and began to search through the grass. In the distance she saw two big baskets filled with apples. She followed the trail until she found the centre of the clearing where the forsaken baskets stood.

The deeps trails ended here. Exactly in front of Big Mac's hoof-prints apparently were another set of them. They were significantly smaller and pointed towards the ones of her brother. They seemed to appear out of nowhere. Their owner only made one small step towards Big Mac' before both of them seem to disappear. He even let the heavy stacks of apples behind.

The gears inside Applejack's mind began to grind. The other pony have to be either a pegasus or a unicorn with the ability to teleport. She scratched her chin and checked the possibilities. On one hoof, not even Rainbow should be able to lift Big Mac' and let alone carry him through the air. He would have resisted, it is impossible to abduct a pony of his measures without catching attention. On the other hoof, she knew only four ponies who were able to teleport.

Two of them were Princesses, she doubt that any of them had something to do with this. As a matter of fact the hoof-prints were too small for them. The third pony she knew was already dead, so there was only the fourth one left. Twilight.

Her legs began to move again, the gust in her face became stronger and stronger the faster she got. A small liquid drip fell from her cheek. She didn't know if that was actually a tear or only sweat from the strain of running. “Darn it! Twilight can't have somethin' to do with this! She just can't!”

Soon she left the orchards behind and let Sweet Apple Acres come into her view. Hastily she let her gaze strive over the red building. In front of the barn she spotted her little sister.

Applebloom sat there completely still, she just stared into the seemingly empty barn. As fast as she could Applejack closed the distance to her. Only a feet behind her, she came to a halt. Applejack stared into the dark barn and identified a darkish shade at the other end of the barn right behind a pile of hay. “Applebloom? Stay here, Ah will go and check.”

Without verbal response Applebloom accepted the order and simply answered with a small nod.

Hesitating the farmer made it step for step slowly into her own barn. She got closer to the ominous object but still couldn't tell what it exactly was. Every step produced a dumb and hollow sound but the step she took next was different. Something liquid splashed under her hoof, she stepped into some kind of puddle.

Applejack froze on the spot, she didn't even dare to think what this liquid might be. Her body began to shake violently. With all of her will-power, she managed to lift one hoof after another. The shadow almost completely hid the shade behind the pile of hay. Her hooves were completely covered in the unknown liquid.

In disgust she closed her eyes and slowly raised her hoof to lay it on top of the pile. With one powerful single strike she shoved the majority of the pile aside. Applejack opened her eyes only a little bit, so she could get a slight impression of the object in front of her.

Applejack breathed deeply in and opened her eyes fully. The now better lightened object was simply a bag of oats. She looked at her hooves and saw the white liquid surrounding her. With a closer look she identified it as milk. Somepony had to toss the bag of oats over and spilled some milk in the same moment.

It felt to her like the weight of the whole fell from her shoulders. “Applebloom! Everythin' is alright! It is just a bag of oats!”

Applebloom's frown disappeared while she leaped to the air in delight. “Thank Celestia!”

She had thrown herself on her back and looked into the endless blue of the sky. “But where is Big Mac' if he isn't in the barn?”

A cold shiver ran down Applejack's back. It was the last thinkable possibility in her eyes. “Ah may know where he is. But ya will stay here with Granny Smith. Ah don't want ya to get a wrong impression about the pony Ah'm suspecting in case she is innocent.”

Quickly, her little sister came back to her hooves and leaned against Applejack. “But Ah want to come with ya! Big Mac' is not only ya brother, he is mine too!”

Applejack gently shoved the tiny hooves of Applebloom aside and offered her a warm smile. “Ya need to watch over Granny Smith as long as Ah'm gone. Ah promise Ah will be back soon.”

Unwilling, the little filly accepted the order of her older sister. “But hurry. Ah don't want to sit here all alone and bored.”

Applejack ruffled through Applebloom's mane and gave her a friendly nudge. “Ah will.”

She turned around and made a massive leap forward with help of her well-trained hind legs. Years of apple-bucking have their advantages for sure. The sun was already sinking behind the mountains of Canterlot, the dawn was soon to come. She had to hurry. From the distance she could see the first lights of Ponyville.

The orange mare rushed like lightning over the dirty side path to Ponyville. Every single muscle inside her body ached under the massive strain of this day. She hadn't had to run such a distance in her entire life until now.

Buildings came into view, but as fast as they came, the orange lightning-like mare passed them. She left everything aside in order to reach the Library-tree in time. The muscles in her legs began to clench. Unavoidably, Applejack was forced to slow down, but fortunately the library appeared at the now crimson horizon.

Though the homes around the tree were already lit up, the library itself was dark. Her legs felt numb, every step drained her power. She dragged herself to the front door and leaned upon it. Applejack's ear was pressed against the wooden door once more.

There it was again, the sound of something being pulled over a wooden surface. Applejack panted heavily, her legs were shaky from the pain of running. “Twilight! Ah can hear ya! Open the door! Ah have to speak to ya!”

The noise behind the door stopped immediately but she wouldn't surrender so easily. “If ya don't open the door, Ah will buck it in!”

Applejack distanced herself from the door, but just before she turned around in preparation to kick in the door, she could hear the door magically unlocking. The door slightly swung open and offered her a small gap. Carefully she opened the door fully and stared into the dark library.

The dark shape of her unicorn friend sat there, covered with a blanket and a cup of tea clenched between her hooves. Her mane was ruffled up and the dark rings beneath her eyes made it easy to tell that Twilight wasn't getting much sleep recently. “What are ya doin', Twi? Ya look pretty tired.”

Twilight set down the full cup of tea and wiped a single streak of her mane out of her face. “I was just doing some research about some certain spells.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes and looked closely at everything around Twilight. “Without any books opened? Here in complete darkness?”

From the corner of her eyes Applejack could see that a faint light was shining beneath the basement door. Twilight grabbed her mane firmly when she noticed the direction of Applejack's look. “There is nothing down there.”

Applejack didn't listen to her anymore, she went straight for the door. But when she lifted her hoof to open the door, she caught attention of the unicorn behind her again. “Stay out of my basement. Please leave now.”

She could hear the faint sparking noise of Twilight's horn behind her. Applejack's hoof that was still lifted, shivering from the previous strain and the fear of her own friend. She didn't know if Twilight was really up to attack her. Sweat ran down her cheeks. “What is down there, Twi?”

Twilight hesitated for a short moment. Applejack could hear the uncertainty in her voice. “A research project that I want to show to Princess Celestia when she returns. Please don't do this to me. Don't go there.”

Applejack reached for the doorknob, she could hear the sparking noise behind her rapidly increasing. The unicorn behind her stammered quickly. “I'm sorry Applejack. I hope you can forgive me someday.”

She felt like her coat was to burn, the heat around her was unbearable. Luckily the heat was quickly replaced by a cooling gust. Applejack looked around herself and stared at the red barn of her family. “Argh, horsefeathers!”

Angrily she stomped inside the barn.

The gust brew up a second time, this time more stronger than before. Through the open window it streamed into the room of the barely sleeping Applebloom.

“Twilight... brother... dangerous... Luna... evil... I'm here... the statue... me back.”

Chapter 3 - Black Magic

Chapter 3
Black Magic

Applejack paced from one side of the barn to another. Her friends followed the movements of the troubled mare with their eyes. She stopped abruptly and turned in their direction. “This case is serious, Big Mac's been missin' for three days now. Ah already informed a member of the Royal Guard before Ah all invited ya here.”

Rarity jumped off from her cushion and squeezed Applejack's face together. “That is truly horrible, Darling! This way he can't even carry my stuff to my boutique. I can't stand it anymore, I have find a solution for my problem.”

The fashioner spun around and faced the others. “Who is willing to carry my stuff?”

The disapproving gazes of her friends didn't even make her feel uncomfortable, she waved her mane back and pointed her nose in a stuck-up manner to the sky. “Well, if nopony can see the real problem here, even I can't help you anymore. When somepony regains their ability to see clearly, I’ll be in my fabulous, little boutique, knitting fancy dresses.”

Rarity tossed Fluttershy aside and walked out of the barn. She looked back a last time and bucked the door close afterwards. Rainbow hovered down and helped Fluttershy stand up. The timid mare shook the last bits of dust out of her mane while Rainbow shot a disappointed gaze after Rarity. “I can't believe she’s behaving like this. Rarity changed so much in the last few months. Only two years ago, she even gave some of her dresses away to ponies who couldn't afford them, and now she is charging insane prices for a tiny scarf.”

Pinkie bounced to Rainbow's eye level and even managed somehow to remain there for a few seconds. “You are not different. You are barely coming around anymore and didn't even come to Gummy's birthday party last week!”

Rainbow looked at the pink mare with disgust, her mane wasn't as puffy as it is used to be, and her eyes didn't show the same happiness that beamed before. “Yeah? And what about you? I'm sick of your insane party themes. A schizophrenia party? Seriously? Nopony could even understand what they had to do!”

Applejack looked at her fighting friends with worries, but she was unable to part them. “Fluttershy, please do somethin'!”

Fluttershy looked weakly at Applejack but quickly turned away. “I'm sorry… I can't do anything.”

Applejack bit her lips and gnashed her teeth. “What is wrong with ya girls? Rainbow, ain't ya the pony that always brags about her loyalty to her friends? And ya Pinkie, ya always made everypony smile; now ya only try to make yourself smile. Even ya Fluttershy, the old Fluttershy would never allow them to fight this way. What happened to us? When did we became like this?”

Ashamed, they turned their gaze away from each other and looked bashfully at the ground. Fluttershy combed through her mane with one of her hooves and covertly looked at Applejack. “I don't know, it just happened some day. I think it all began when Twilight began to lock herself up, over and over again, until she almost completely disappeared.”

Rainbow's ears perked up by the mentioning of Twilight. “Yeah, since she feels too fine to hang with us, our gang is breaking apart. Maybe we should do more stuff together again.”

Pinkie sheepishly scratched her head, but a small smile began to form. “I think you are right, Dashie. Maybe it is a good idea to have a big reunion party or something.”

The pink mare's smile turned into a giant grin that she flashed towards her friends and waited with exertion for an answer. Applejack couldn't do anything but smile. “This is so typical for ya, Pinkie, but Ah think it might really be a good idea.”

Fluttershy scratched her hoof against the ground to catch their attention. Without raising her voice. “I'm sorry, but didn't we forget about something? I mean, we met here for a different reason.”

Rainbow rocketed into the air with an amazing looking back-flip. “She is right! We have to find Big Mac' as fast as we can!”

Pinkie jumped high in the air and grabbed her winged friend. “And then we have to party the whole night!”

With determination in their eyes the three mares turned to Applejack. In unison they stated their fidelity creeds. “We will do anything to find Big Mac'. State your orders Captain Applejack.”

A huge grin formed on Applejack's lips, she looked through the line of ponies in front of her. “Listen, girls. I'm serious now. I've found evidence that Big Mac' could be colt-napped. Out in the orchards were his hoof prints, they ended in the centre of a clearing. He left two full apple baskets behind, but there were a couple of smaller footprints that appeared out of nowhere. So Ah guess the culprit is either a very strong pegasus or a unicorn with the ability to teleport.”

Rainbow Dash began to laugh, but with her last strength she bit on her lips and tried to cover it, tears ran down her face from the heavy laughter. “A pegasus colt-napping Big Mac'? I think we can leave out that one. No pegasus, not even a Wonderbolt would be able to carry him around. So there is only the unicorn thing left. What pony might be able to teleport that we know.”

Pinkie Pie bounced up and down, her head almost reached the ceiling of the barn and her violently waving hoof produced a stream of air that blew weakly through Applejack's face. “Uhh, I know, I know! Is it Sweetie Belle? Or Vinyl? No! No! It is Lyra? Wait! I've got it now! IT. IS. Pumpkin Cake!”

Applejack gently rubbed her forehead with her hoof and tried to comprehend Pinkie's suggestions. Fluttershy weakly raised her voice and flapped her wings to gain some height. “I don't know if it is important, but I didn't find Lyra the other day, too. Maybe there is a connection between the two of them.”

The orange farmer was taken aback by Fluttershy's hint. “Ah didn't suspect Lyra anyway, but Ah should report that to the guard. Ah only have one pony in suspicion because Ah know that she is capable of teleportin'. The Princesses are out, Ah doubt that they have somethin' to do with it, but they are able to teleport. Then there would be Sou,l but as we all know… he is gone. And last there is Twilight. There were no signs of a fight or anythin', so Big Mac' must have known his colt-napper. Only Twilight is able to teleport, knows Big Mac', and in addition to her recent behaviour, Ah think she could have somethin' to do with it.”

Applejack felt the pain inside her heart when she thought about Soul again, but she tried to cover it as best as she could. “Rainbow, ya will search for more hints in the area of Ponyville. Pinkie, ya will grab your spy stuff and meet meh at the library. Fluttershy, ya will fly to the Everfree Forest and ask your critter friends if they’ve seen somethin'.”

They looked at each other in concern before they stared at Applejack once again. Rainbow hovered a tiny bit forward and scratched her hoof through her ruffled up mane. “Twilight? Seriously? I know that Twilight fits your offender profile, but it is Twilight that we’re talking about!”

Applejack returned the answer with a almost sad frown. “Ah know, but since the fight against Nightmare Moon, she turned more and more fragile.”

Pinkie bounced between Rainbow and Fluttershy, back and forth, her main bopped in the same pattern as her head. “Hmm… what happened anyway, besides the whole everypony-against-Nightmare-Moon-thingy?”

A faint trace of sweat built up upon Applejack's forehead. She rubbed the back of her head and looked casually around the barn. “Well, Ah don't know how to explain it. But to convince ya. Ah think Ah have to tell ya the truth.”

Fluttershy wings set up by the mentioning of Nightmare Moon, the struggle of fear in her mind, escaped into a faint whisper. “You mean the circumstances of Phalanx's death, right? I always wondered why Nightmare Moon only got him when she could easily take down any of the ponies that were around at the time.”

They looked at Fluttershy with their eyes wide open. Only Applejack nodded weakly at the usually so timid pegasus. “We told ya that Nightmare Moon had killed Phalanx during the battle, but the sad truth is that he was killed by the hoof of an ally, or better by a horn. Shining Armor's 'Crystal Knight' spell was broken and its shards were spread on the ground. Twilight grabbed a few of them and hurled them into Nightmare Moon's direction. But unfortunately Ah distracted Nightmare Moon, and the shards missed her and found Phalanx’s neck.”

In horror the three friends covered their face with their hooves. When they looked into Applejack's eyes, they could clearly see her sorrow and agony. “The shards killed him instantly without any struggle, at least he died quickly.”

Silence turned in while they looked in concern to the ground. “Ah don't know what Twilight is able to do in her mental state. So please trust me, Ah wish as ya do that she has nothing to do with all this, but we have to check.”

The ponies saluted to Applejack and stormed out of the barn. Except for Fluttershy, she carefully hovered outdoors. Applejack followed them outside and raced down the road to Ponyville, she had to inform the guard as soon as possible, since more ponies seemed to be missing.

She roared down the lonely road, a unusual, cold chill for the time of the day ran down her spine. It seemed like something was sticking to her flank, she turned her head around but nothing was there. But before she could focus back on her way something hit her and tossed her into the woods.

The world around her became dark while she slipped down the slope. Thorns and single branches cut into her orange coat until she reached the valley. “Get off meh, ya pervert!”

The strong mare bucked out in order to hit the offender behind her, but her hooves didn’t meet anypony. The flow of adrenaline left the mare hastily searching through the woods until her eyes rested upon a dark figure in front of her, and her mind forced her to bow. “Welcome, your majesty.”

Princess Luna stepped out of the shadow and extended her majestic wings in front of the trembling mare. Another unicorn seemed to materialize out of the shadow next to the Princess. He bowed formally and pointed his gaze in Applejack's direction. “I feel highly sorry for the drastic measure, Miss Applejack. But we had to contact you as soon as possible.”

Applejack grabbed her hat from the ground and placed it back on top of her head. “Ya could have gently asked instead.”

Princess Luna folded her wings and presented her proud and jewelled chest. The Princess had quite grown since she became the sole ruler over Equestria. Not only in the physical aspect, but she matured mentally as well. She was almost as big as her older sister and the jewellery she wore was created in model of her sister's. Even her eyes had changed, they didn't show the nativity nor the pain of being locked away for a thousand years, but the signs of pride and glory gained during the two years of her reign. “I greet you, dear Applejack. I have to excuse the harsh method of my subordinate; Shadow. But when I heard about your concerns, I decided to focus the investigation of the guards on your older brother. I simply couldn't let a pony suffer who had faced the ponified madness along-side me.”

Applejack could only offer her a weak smile despite the great news. “Thank ya, but did ya find out anythin', yet?”

A deep frown of concern formed on the lips of the Princess. “Shadow had shaded many possible culprits, even every one of the former Elements of Harmony. During the investigation we found out that many other ponies were missing, too. For example, we can name the unicorn Lyra and the pegasus, filly Scootaloo, who both went missing recently. We couldn't see any specific pattern nor any hints that would convict a single being. But nevertheless, we found a pony that could match the profile.”

The faint smile of the orange mare faded quickly, without any hope of return. “Is it Twilight?”

The Princess of the Night was taken aback, she blinked rapidly at the smart mare in front of her. Her mouth tried to form single syllables while she struggled for composure. “I guess my sister didn't lie when she spoke of your extraordinary intelligence, my dear Applejack. It is a shame that you are not working for me.”

Even the complement from the Princess couldn't cheer Applejack up. Stoic, she kept her petrified expression. “Ah'm glad that ya are thinking so highly of meh, but please excuse if ah only want to focus on the rescue of mah brother.”

Princess Luna nodded and took a deep breath before she began. “Another member of my Night Guards could isolate Twilight with a chance of 97.1% to be the head behind the series of pony missing reports. Since the fierce battle of Demon's Run two years ago, Twilight's behaviour had changed. She continued to send letters, with the slight difference that they were addressed to me instead of Celestia. In her very first letters she wrote about coping with the loss of Phalanx, but over the time the themes become more and more abstract. Subjects like the possibility of changing the past and the effect of death on creatures of different kind. My answers were short and unspecific, but I have reason to assume that Twilight is researching black magic.”

Applejack's mask of stone cracked by Princess Luna's statement. “Ah don't understand anything of that fancy magic of yours. Surely, Ah understand that black magic means something bad but where is the connection to mah brother?”

Princess Luna sighed deeply, her astral mane fell over her left eye and hid it under its ethereal beauty. The temperature around the magically darkened area seem to fall, another chill ran down Applejack's spine. “Some spells that can be classified to black magic require a blood sacrifice of a living creature to work properly.”

The mortal mare couldn't bear the suspicion the immortal alicorn mediated her. “Does that mean mah brother and the others are...”

The unwanted sobs interrupted her mid-sentence. Little tears rolled down her cheeks. The Princess gave her a sympathetic smile and stroked Applejack with one of her plush wings. “Please don't cry, my fair Applejack. Your brother might still be alive, his blood is only valuable to her while he is still alive. We plan to access the library within the next minutes, and I'm willing to assign you as leader of the mission. The Night Guards may assist you.”

Applejack's flow of tears broke and forced the weak smile from before back on her face. The shadow of a stallion stepped forward and bowed once more in front of the still faintly weeping mare. “I swear my unconditional loyalty towards the mare my former Captain adored so much.”

She flashed the stallion a dark and sinister gaze. “Ya are one of Soul's former soldiers?”

Shadow raised his chest and opposed the drilling gaze of the orange farmer. “I was once a proud member of the Night-crawler, a special unit that worked beyond the border of authority of the Nightmare Legion under the direct control of Black Terror. I mean under the control of Soul Tearer. We were trained to investigate in the shadows hidden from the eyes of public, if necessary, even to kill.”

Applejack's eyes narrowed to thin slits, the blood inside her was boiling. “Do ya seriously suggest we kill her?”

The stoic gaze of the former special agent was more of a response than Applejack needed. Princess Luna stepped a little bit forward to catch Applejack's attention. “Nopony wants to harm Twilight, but we don't know how black magic will affect her. Black magic isn't forbidden for fun, some of the spells can corrupt its user or do even worse. We have to be prepared for every possible case.”

The mare grunted but couldn't see any flaw in Princess Luna's logic. “Fine, but ya won't do anythin' unless Ah order it!”

Shadow nodded clearly and waited for the first orders of his new commander. A small smile formed on Princess Luna's lips and her horn faintly glowed. “I won't came along with you, you have to face her on your own. But keep in mind that I will watch you from a far distance.”

The faint glow changed into a bright flash of bluish light and blinded Applejack. She began to blink rapidly after the light seemed to be gone. Her sight returned and the lonely road she travelled before stretched in front of her. Without conscious thought, her hooves began to walk down the road and quickly shifted into a gallop.

Soon she was about to reach Ponyville once more, the library came into view. Applejack stopped her gallop and slid a few feet until she came to a halt. The lone library tree was directly in front of her, no sign of another pony.

She stepped in front of the door but the rustling noise of the little bush next to her caught her attention. “Psst, it’s me Pinkie.”

The skintight suit pressed head of the pink mare slowly raised from in between the leafs. Her eyes were covered by her orange night-vision goggles. “Okay, we have to do this very smooth, just be careful.”

The bubbly mare carefully raised her hoof and stepped out of the bush. She pulled her hind leg after her and got stuck on a loose branch. Face first, she slammed into the door and produced an ear splitting sound.

Applejack's disapproving gaze followed her friend's head sliding down the wooden door. Excusing, Pinkie Pie looked back at Applejack and smiled sheepishly at her. “Hehe, I'm sorry.”

The door clicked open and the pink mare fell head first into the library with a loud thud. Light fell into the darkened room and illuminated the basement door. The faint shine of a few candles shone underneath the doorstep into the room. While Pinkie Pie turned around and stood up again, Applejack set her left front hoof into the library.

Her walk stocked as the basement door clicked open as well. The door slowly opened only a small slit-wide. Applejack eyes narrowed to focus on the pony that would come out of the door. “Twilight? Is that ya?”

The movement of the door stopped for a few seconds but was followed by a massive bucking sound that ripped the door out of its hinges and smashed it against the opposing bookshelf. The light inside the basement was extinguished and red glowing eyes stared at the orange farmer and the pink party pony.

The thing unleashed a terrible roar and made a massive leap forward. Applejack and Pinkie Pie turned around fled in terrifying fear. They could only flee several feet before Applejack spotted her little sister and Sweetie Belle in front of her. “Applebloom! Sweetie Belle! What are ya doin' here?”

The small filly smiled at the appearance of her sister, but something seem to bother her. “Hey Applejack! Ah met Rainbow Dash a few minutes ago, and she told meh that ya went to Twilight’s. Ah wanted to tell ya about some weird dreams Ah had. Ah've heard a weird voice tellin' meh somethin'. Ah only go somethin' about a statue and some evil pony, Ah guess. Do ya know what that means?”

Applejack shoveled her little sister on top of her back with her nose when the terrible roar behind her rose up again. Her eyes focused on the shape inside the door frame. Its red eyes drilled into her mind like it tried to suck the life out of her. The shape stepped out of the darkness and was exposed to the sunlight. It closed his eyes shut and covered its eyes with its claws. Pinkie bounced up and down and smiled like a silly filly. “Oh! It is only Spike!”

The little dragon ripped his eyes open, the red orbs took Pinkie into focus and a blazing ray of fire shot towards the mare. Out of Applejack's shadow the former unicorn member of the Night-crawlers materialized and blocked the inferno with a magical barrier. “He isn't the dragon, you know! Look closely at him!”

Applejack observed Twilight's assistant, it seemed like something really hard was hurled against his scaled head. Several small unhealed injuries covered his body. It looked like Spike wasn't able to feel the pain entirely. “What happened to him?”

Applejack struggled for her composure. Shadow charged his horn with the shadow magic Soul had taught him over a thousand years ago. “My guess? I think Twilight Sparkle is experimenting with resurrection spells.”

The fuse inside the mind of the farmer snapped and drove her to shout from the centre of her lungs. “Applebloom! Sweetie Belle! RUN!”

Applebloom jumped from her sister's back and began to run shortly followed by Sweetie Belle. “Where are we running?”

The little Apple didn't stop. She continued running and shouted over to her friend. “Ah don't know, but Ah can feel that this is the right direction!”

They raced down an overgrown trail until they dived into a light-filled opening. The light blinded them and made them stop instantly. Slowly, they regained their sight and looked around their environment. It was the graveyard of Ponyville. Sweetie Belle nudged Applebloom's shoulder and shot her a dark gaze. “You're trying to save us by bring us to a graveyard? Smashing... simply smashing...”

Applebloom didn't react at all, she just stared at the statue in front of her. The base was decorated with the symbols of the Elements of Harmony. Every single one was carved into the stone to remember the reason for his deeds. Her gaze strived higher as she watched the spot where the beautiful replica of Soul was standing before.

Sweetie followed the view of her friend and couldn't say anything anymore in astonishment.

“I've expected you, little Applebloom. The time has come to save the ponies of Equestria once more.”

Chapter 4 - The Element of Insanity

Chapter 4
The Element of Insanity

The havoc had taken hold of Ponyville. Ponies caught a glimpse of the disturbing appearance of Spike and went out of control. The little dragon hissed and snarled at the ponies in front of him. In terror Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Shadow watched his dreadful existence.

Applejack grabbed her hat and pressed it firmly against her chest. “By Celestia's merciless soul, what has she done to you?”

Spike stumbled forward but could only barely manage to keep his balance. He fell down and began to crawl on all of his four claws towards them. Shadow's horn ignited faintly, ready to extinguish the rest of the life that once belonged to Spike.

Applejack leaped forward and struck Shadow down in order to break his concentration. “Ya can't kill him! Spike is our friend! We have to save him!There has to be a way!”

The stallion bucked the mare off his flank and quickly rose back to his hooves. “Are you insane? Just look at him! He is dead, Twilight Sparkle must have killed him to practice her resurrection spell!”

The eyes of the farmer shrank to the size of little dots. “Practisin'? Does that mean mah brother is...?”

A single tear rolled down her orange cheek. The stallion of Princess Luna's Night Guards didn't realize what he had said until now. “I'm very sorry, Miss Applejack. I should rethink my words before I speak them. But don't lose faith, we still don't know about his condition.”

The lovely tune of a lyre rang through their ears. They pointed their view inside the still darkened library. It seemed like another shape was stumbling towards the exit. The black shape had the silhouette of a pony standing on its rear legs. A faint golden light shun above its head and something was levitating right next to it in the same hue of the magical aura.

The song was familiar to Applejack and Pinkie Pie, almost everyday it sounded through the parks of Ponyville and cheered everypony up. The being stepped into the light and revealed itself.

Applejack had to hold back the urge to vomit. The horrifying appearance of the mint-green musician could be straight from a nightmare. Lyra's head was awkwardly tilted to the right side, as if her neck had been broken and poorly reattached. Her mane fell over her face and covered the place where her eyes once were. But with every step she made, her mane swung back and forth and exposed the hole in her head for a second.

But even the beauty of her lyre play couldn't make up for the scene in front of them. From across the road a cream-coloured mare broke out in tears. With a terrifying high-pitched scream, she ungracefully sank to the ground and let her saddlebags full of groceries slip to the ground. Her deep blue and pink mane framed her face and soaked her tears up. “Lyra… Were you there all the time while I missed you so much? Please tell me you are not… please Lyra.”

Bon-Bon tried to summon the last of her strength, and she rose up again to make her way towards Lyra, step for step. “Lyra please say something, it doesn't matter what, but please say something. Honey, please...”

The shattered neck of the mint-green mare tilted in Bon-Bon's direction. The mare couldn't speak, but the tune of her lyre play changed. It became sad.

Shadow noticed the desperate mare closing in to the monster in front of the library. “Stop! Don't go any further! She isn't the mare you used to know!”

Bon-Bon didn't even attempt to stop, slowly albeit steady, she made her way towards the creature that looked so akin to Lyra. “Don't tell me she is not. That is Lyra, my Lyra, my beautiful Lyra.”

Lyra and Bon-Bon were only separated by mere inches now and the lyre play stopped immediately. “Lyra, what happened to you?”

A strong gust blew through the field of grass they were standing on blasting through their manes and ruffling them. Lyra's mane was carried away from her face and waved in the rhythm of the wind.

Bon-Bon began to cry frankly. In between sobs, she managed to express her sorrow. “What has she done to your beautiful golden eyes that I loved so much?”

It seemed like the creature was about the tilt her head in a questioning way. Shadow was still suspicious but the tension inside his body fell. “I guess she is harmless.”

Applejack couldn't bear the sight of the two loving ponies. She bit her lips and tried to suppress the thoughts about her still-missing brother. “Bon-Bon, please step away from her, we will find a way to rescue her, but we don't know what they are capable of.”

The cream-coloured mare stepped protective in front of her sweetheart and shot the agent of the Night Guard a dark gaze. “You won't even scratch her. I don't trust the regime of the Night.”

Shadow's frown grew and the vein on his forehead began to pulse in the same pattern as his heart beats. But his anger didn't last for long, it faded when the thing called Lyra opened its mouth for the very first time.

The teeth of a pony are supposed to be even and rough to grind their usual herbal food. But not the teeth of this pony. Somepony had changed them with the help of magic. They were sharp and spiky, the light reflected on their surface.

His mouth opened, but before he could pronounce any words, Lyra's teeth made their way to Bon-Bon's throat and snapped her neck without any effort. The monster pulled its teeth out of her flesh and lashed out a second time to bite deeper. The sound of the flesh being ripped apart sounded familiar in Applejack ears. “Bon-Bon! NO!”

The second bite separated her head from her shoulders and let it fall to the ground. Her body collapsed under its weight and the blood began to spread on the ground. Bon-Bon’s head rolled over the ground until it came to a halt.

The cold eyes of hers looked directly into Pinkie Pie's eyes. The pink mare was torn between her personalities, the bright side of her mind denied the reality and searched for anything that could cheer her up. While the dark side just wanted to bath in Bon-Bon's blood so badly. Pinkie began to shake violently. While she sank to the ground, she covered her head with her hooves and cried out loud. “Why? Why has all of this happened?”

The cry of the usually so cheery pony woke the dark stallion out of his anxiety. His horn ignited once more and created a ray of darkness. It raced towards the mint-green mare and cut through her left arm. The neatly cut arm fell to the ground, and the monster simply tried to examine her wound. There were no screams of pain or any reaction. She just stared at her missing limb.

Spike crept over to the lifeless body of Bon-Bon and began to rip it apart. He stuffed the small pieces of flesh into his mouth and ate them, his face showing obvious signs of pleasure..

They had to watch the horrifying scene that occurred in front of them. Shadow ignited his horn a second time, but it didn't stay hidden in front of the creatures. They concentrated their gaze upon Shadow and screamed a terrible ear-splitting roar.

His concentration broke and the aura around his horn dispersed into a million tiny sparks until they faded mid-air. Silence turned in besides the weeping of Pinkie Pie.

The dull sound of something very heavy grew louder from inside the library. Heavy hooves were pounding against the wooden surface of the basement stairs. The being turned around the corner of the basement door and his shining red eyes made him clearly visible inside the protective darkness of the library.

The thing struggled to fit through the basement door, and it was panting and puffing under the enormous strain. The door frame cracked under the force of the massive body and it broke apart into countless small pieces with an ear-splitting sound. He fell to the floor and caused the ground to shake underneath Applejack's hooves. Her common-sense already told her the identity of the creature. “This can't be true, please! Ah don't want to lose another family member.”

Shadow gnashed his teeth and concentrated upon his horn. The dark energy swirled around him, the stallion lowered his head and aimed between the two red dots inside the library. The tension reached its peak and small sparks ignited from the surface.

“NO!”

Applejack rushed to the side of the Night Guard and tackled him once more to the ground. The magical energy escaped towards the library, and cut a deep scar into the flesh of the stallion in the dark. Shadow struggled free from the heavy mare and immediately regained his stance. “Are you crazy? Why are you protecting these things?”

Shadow looked Applejack in her eyes and saw his own reflection in the watery orbs. “That's no thing, that’s mah brother.”

His eyes wandered towards the stallion in the dark. What once was Big Macintosh came closer and closer until he stepped through the entrance door. His red coat was soaked with deep red blood that filled the gaps that the various scratches and scars left inside his flesh.

Big Mac's eyes shone in an unnatural red shine that underlined their natural green colour. The cutie mark on his flank was ripped by the claws that could easily be traced back to a certain little dragon. From his snout dripped a unhealthy-looking, purple liquid.

The moment its hoof touched the ground, the grass was vaporized and floated as gas towards the sky. Shadow gasped at the sight that was the turned stallion. “Acid? Seriously? I have seen many things in my life, but this surpasses everything. What sick mind could do something like that to another pony?”

Shadow tried to talk to the orange mare in depression next to him, but she seemed to be too distracted by the horrifying appearance of her brother. “Miss Applejack, please listen to me, we can't let them rampage through Ponyville. I have to stop them before it’s too late!”

“Do you really think that any of you are able to stop me now?”

The voice seemed to ring from all directions at once. The ponies looked around their surroundings but couldn't identify the source of the bookish sounding voice. Not until a spark of lavender magic appeared between the wretched form of Lyra and Big Mac'. This very spark expanded and made a gap large enough for a unicorn.

Applejack gasped at the appearance of her friend, not only Lyra, Big Mac', and Spike had changed, but she had as well. “Twilight? Is that ya?”

The lavender mare waved back her now-longer mane and threw it over her shoulder. “Of course, I am. Isn't it obvious to you, little farmer girl?”

Triggered by the voice of Twilight, Pinkie Pie raised her hooves a tiny bit and caught sight of her friend. “Twilight! Finally, you are here! Please say that you can stop it!”

Twilight began to laugh maliciously. The insanity in her eyes scared Pinkie even more. “Stop it? did quite a good job. I've gotten better with every test subject.”

She stroked Big Mac's cheek and passionately let her nose strive over his coat. Twilight licked the blood from the surface of the freshly cut wound and hummed in delight. “Just look at him, there is no resistance, no own will, he does everything I please. Really, everything.”

Her saucy gaze made Applejack furious. “How dare ya talk ‘bout mah brother like that! He is not a test subject or nothin' like that! How could ya do this to him? Ah thought we were like a family… all of us...”

Twilight licked over her with blood-wetted lips and a wide wicked grin formed. “Oh, how could I do it? This is quite easy to answer, Applejack. I've waited for the moment, when he was as far away from your barn as possible and then I lurked after him. I poisoned his mind and made him the slave of my will. We had so much fun together.”

Her giggle made Applejack sick. The rage began to boil inside her veins. Drip for drip it leaked through her mouth outside. “What did ya do to him, ya sick monster?!”

Taken aback, Twilight pointed her hoof innocently at herself. “Me? A sick monster? What is wrong with trying to bring back the pony you love!”

Applejack couldn't believe what Twilight was talking about. She could only barely hold herself from charging at her. “How can this justify your actions? Ya took away many ponies from their family and loved ones. Ya are responsible for the death of Lyra, Big Mac', Spike, and even Bon-Bon!”

Twilight flashed them her teeth and ripped one eye wide open while she narrowed her other in an awkward way. “Uhh, I'm so afraid of you. I'm the most powerful unicorn in existence, who should stop me? WHO? The puny pony next to you? He is weak, weaker than you think.”

Sweat poured down Shadow's forehead, the stallion searched for the best way to restrain the threat. But the creatures were physically superior, and Twilight magically superior. “Applejack I don't know how to...”

A bolt of lavender magic struck Shadow's horn and pressed him into the ground. Sparks of her magic swirled around his horn and contained his magic.

Applejack stared at the injured stallion on the ground next to her for a moment before she leaped to his aid. The anger drove her crazy, but it was still Twilight she was talking to. She turned her gaze to Twilight and hissed at her in a warning tone. “This is your solution? Killin' everypony that could stop ya? Somepony will stop ya. Even if ya get rid of us, somepony out there will stop ya.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes, the shadow underneath them grew. “What? Do you think your precious little Soul will return and come to your aid? Nopony can stop me... and now... fly my minions!”

Her horn ignited brightly and a seemingly endless stream of flying critters escaped from the basement. “Do you seem them? They are my very first test subjects, I've successfully revived all of them, and now they are under my control. The last thing to say is FEAST! FEAST, MY MINIONS!”

The little birds dived down from high in the sky and attacked the innocent ponies of Ponyville. They feasted on their flesh and pecked repeatedly at them until they lost consciousness. The mad mare fell to the incredible feeling of her maliciously laughter. “And this is not everything yet. While I've got distracted with your brother and couldn't resist to modify him, I tried another project. May I present you my greatest project so far?”

The flapping sound of a pair of tiny wings was audible from inside the library. Only barely floating the orange pegasus filly left the building. Twilight grabbed her tiny face and squeezed her like Scootaloo were a newborn foal. “Don't you see how beautiful she is? It is almost not visible that I chopped her head off. I even got rid of her annoying personality.”

Pinkie Pie gasped at the horrifying image. She raised from the ground and stared at the mare that she believed to be Twilight. “How could you erase their smiles? How could you take them away from us? I WON'T. EVER. FORGIVE. YOU!”

Pinkie's mane straightened, her gaze lost its cheerfulness and happiness, sharing the same anger that boiled in Applejack's eyes. She hissed and snarled and slowly accelerated towards Twilight.

The lavender unicorn could only offer her a weak smile. “How can a pony be that naïve? Spike! Get her!”

The little minion in form of her number one assistant stopped devouring Bon-Bon's flesh and snarled at Pinkie before he dashed into her direction. His claws and teeth were already thirsty for her blood. Step for step, they came closer to each other until the dragon leaped at Pinkie.

Pinkie tried to stop. She realized that she was chanceless against the force of the physically modified dragon. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact. But his claws never met her flesh, only a dull sound pounded through the air.

When Pinkie opened her eyes, she saw Fluttershy hovering next to her, offering her a helping hoof. Her eyes looked like she was crying before, but the tears had dried a long time ago. Only her bloodshot eyes and swollen eyelids remembered about her weeping. “Sorry I'm so late, but I couldn't find many of my little friends.” She sighed. “It seems like I've found them now.”

The butter-coloured mare looked around the town, the birds were still attacking random citizens of Ponyville. Motionless bodies laid around the paths through the village. She acted calm but deep inside her boiled a raging fire.

Fluttershy turned to Twilight and shot her the legendary stare. “What did you do to my little critter friends, Twilight?”

Twilight stroked her mane with a hoof and brushed imaginary pieces of dust out of it. She put the most innocent smile into her face when she spoke to Fluttershy “I made them better. I've freed them of every emotional burden. Even their strength could be amplified. They are my perfect little animals.”

Fluttershy almost choked by the huge amount of negative feelings that were raging through her body. “Better? Or even perfect? No, no… you've murdered them, all of them. They are not the same as before, the cheerfulness in their eyes is gone, their very soul is gone, they are only empty shells. There is nothing left, I will bring them their salvation so their souls can rest in peace.”

A cold shiver ran down Applejack's spine. It wasn’t due to her friends exact words, but the fact that she never raised her voice scared her. It was calm and cold as ice. “Fluttershy, are ya okay?”

She didn't respond, together with Pinkie she stared at Twilight. A rarely seen expression shone in their eyes. It was hatred. Applejack gulped, more sweat running down her face. “Girls please! Ah'm sure we can find a solution, violence is not the answer. We should talk, Ah'm sure this is just a misunderstanding.”

Twilight giggled like the ponification of an angel, only the mandatory nimbus was missing. “How cute! You still think this can be settled by mere words? Two years ago, I lost so much, and now I'm finally able to get him back. Nopony will take that from me. Phalanx and I will be united again! Scootaloo, get them!”

The orange filly galloped towards Pinkie and Fluttershy. She increased her speed with help of the unstoppable, rapid flapping of her short wings. Her gaze was empty and dark, nothing reminded of the formerly so positive filly. Scootaloo exposed her sharp teeth to them, the same liquid as Big Mac's was dripping from her mouth.

As far as her tiny wings could provide, the filly leaped at the agitated mares. Pinkie and Fluttershy waited for the right moment. But before they could act, a barrier formed in front of them.

Scootaloo hit the barrier with full force, the sound of her neck cracking sounded through the ears of the friends. Her body slipped to the ground, completely motionless. But this state didn’t last long. The crippled form raised to her hooves and rearranged her neck by force. The horrible plopping noise sent cold shivers through their spines.

Applejack could feel the magical pressure of the pony next to him. Shadow collected all of his power to erect the magical barrier. It was so familiar to Applejack, she was the only one who had seen it before. “Shadow? Where did ya learn that spell?”

The in black cloth-suited stallion coughed under the strain and only barely managed to keep his consciousness. “Soul Tearer taught me this spell before we started the war against the Solar Empress. It is called Blood Barrier. The spell uses the very soul of the sorcerer to erect an almost unbreakable shield around its destination. It can be resolved by the will of the owner but when the barrier is broken through force, the owner dies as well. Moreover, when the owner dies by the hoof of an enemy, the barrier will fade as well.”

Twilight hissed at the weak stallion. “How dare you damaged my property? Big Mac'! Lyra! Deal with them, break that barrier down and kill every single one of them! I will revive them later and form them to perfection! I’ve got to go now, I have some certain ponies to revive, my master is waiting for me.”

She lost no time and disappeared in the blinding light of her magic. The creatures in the form of Big Macintosh and Lyra pounded against the barrier.

Shadow winced with every hoof that found the surface of the barrier. “I'm very sorry, Miss Applejack. I'm not strong enough to maintain the barrier. This is a very difficult spell, I guess I will never reach the level of mastery that my Commander could provide.”

Applejack looked into the dead eyes of her brother. Tears ran down her face, when she realized that she would die by the hooves of her own sibling. “It is okay, at least we don't have to go alone.”

The monsters’ hooves chipped away at the barrier, tiny cracks forming inside. Applejack closed her eyes and waited for her fate. The hair on her back rose up when she heard the barrier shatter. Applejack could hear the others gasp, but she didn't open her eyes until she heard a high pitched noise.

Applejack opened her eyes and saw her brother's hoof only an inch away from her. It seemed like time itself had stopped. Slowly, the movements of Big Mac' and Lyra ran backwards until they stood in their starting position.

A great shadow flew over Applejack's head, its owner landed with an ear-splitting sound in front of them and shielded them against Twilight's creations. Two sweet little fillies climbed down his black back.

Chapter 5 - Celestial Boundaries

Chapter 5
Celestial Boundaries

Applejack paled when the shadow crossed her field of view. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle crawled down from his back and playfully bounced to the pale farmer.

Cheerfully, Applebloom skipped back and forth in front of her sister with a bright smile on her lips. “Howdy, sister! We ran through the forest and ended up at the graveyard. It was so scary but then we saw him standin' on top of the statue that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had brought here.”

Sweetie Belle looked into Applejack's glassy eyes. They shrank together until only small dots were left. “Applejack? Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost or something.”

Applejack slowly raised her hoof and straightened it towards the stallion between her and the creature of Twilight's insanity. “Ah think Ah see a ghost … he can't be real.”

Shadow bowed down to his admired Captain in servitude. “Welcome back, Captain Soul Tearer.”

Soul smiled by hearing Applejack's and Shadow's voice for the first time since two long years. Without turning his head, the stallion of the stars tried to get an overview about the situation in Ponyville. In his inner, Soul could feel that the lives of many ponies were fading. It felt odd, the bodies on the ground still showed traces that they contained life force, but the birds and bats only carried the energy of different ponies around. Their own was gone. He pointed his gaze towards Big Macintosh, Lyra, Scootaloo and Spike. The feeling wasn't different, only Spike contained the life force of the beheaded mare on the ground. The rest of them were just completely empty shells.

Applejack was paralysed by the appearance of the impossible stallion. “Ya left us two years ago. How can ya return just like that? This isn't possible, this just can't be...”

Tears formed in the eyes of the usually so strong farmer. Soul closed his eyes and weakly smiled towards the creatures. “You are right, I didn't simply return. There is more, but that can wait until later. First I have to get rid of these annoying creatures.”

The very tip of Soul's horn ignited briefly and sent out a dark pulse of magic that rushed spherically through Ponyville. The sphere hit Applejack and the others, but passed them without effect. Some of the little birds got caught and were vaporized by the magical force.

Fluttershy covered her mouth in fright. “What have you done to them? I know that I've said that they are soulless shells. But that doesn't mean that you had to kill them.”

The intended shout could barely express itself as a faint whisper. Only ponies with an excellent hearing could’ve been able to hear her. “Don't worry, Fluttershy. I didn't kill them. I've sent them into the Zero Zone. It is a pocket dimension where nothing exists. Pretty similar to the void in between time. The only difference is that creatures that are entering and aren't able to manipulate space, are falling into an eternal slumber until they are released.”

Shadow grinned, he hadn’t raised from his bow until now. “A thousand years have passed, but I still don't understand a single word, my Captain.”

Fluttershy sighed in relief while the old stallion turned around to his former subordinate. Shadow's eyes widened, and he tilted his head down and looked bashfully at the ground. “I'm sorry, my Captain. Please accept my apology for such rudeness.”

Soul laughed playfully, his deep voice boomed softly in their ears. “You don't have to treat me like your Captain. I gave my last orders at Demon's Run two years ago and I will stick to my words. I'm no longer the Captain of the Nightmare Legion, the soldiers were given freedom to do whatever their hearts desired. And so I gave you, but you decided to go into battle again under the banner of the night. I respect your decision in its full extent and I'm proud that you're serving Princess Luna, but you should treat me as any other pony. So if you bow down again, I will cut you.”

Shadow couldn't decide if he should actually smile at the honour his former Captain was giving him or be afraid of that serious threat. “Thank you, Capt-”

Soul cocked on eye. “Hm?”

The subordinate smiled, realizing his mistake. “Thank you, Soul”

Soon Applejack wasn't the only pale Apple around. Applebloom shivered violently, the reflection of the wretched form of her brother mirrored in her innocent eyes. “Applejack? This is a dream right? Ah mean Soul returned just like that, and Big Mac' was turned into this. This can't be the truth... please Applejack, tell meh!”

The little filly slowly turned her gaze upon her older sister. But she didn't return the gaze, she still just stared at the black stallion in front. “Ah'm sorry Applebloom, but Ah doubt that this is a dream or a nightmare. Ah don't know how Soul returned, but Ah certainly know that Twilight has done something horrible”

Applebloom tried her best, but the tears pressed passed her little eyelids and sobs escaped her mouth. She clung herself to Applejack's front-leg and almost silently wept into her coat. Applejack raised her other hoof and carefully stroked the head of her little sister. “Everythin' will be fine, Ah promise.”

Sweetie Belle quickly joined in and hid her tears and face behind Applejack. Soul could hear their weeping very well. It broke his heart to hear two cute little fillies cry. “Don't worry, I will take care of them.”

Soul raised his heavy hoof and stepped forward. The creatures began to hiss and snarl again. Ponies all over the town, freed from the plague of the reaping aviators through Soul's magic, were watching the encounter of the impossible stallion and Twilight's violation of the Creator's law.

Applejack could feel the suspense in the air. She learned two years ago what this suspense meant. “Soul, please don't hurt him. Ya have to find a way to save them. Ya are the only one that can do it, Ah trust ya.”

He licked his lips and turned his head slightly around, only enough to see the mare from the corner of his eyes. “Don't worry, Applejack.”

The pounding sound of Big Mac's hooves let Shadow rouse. “Soul! Watch out! Don't let them bite you, their spit is like acid!”

Soul focused on Big Mac's approaching form. He clearly saw him coming, but obviously decided not to move at all. He only raised his front leg and let Big Mac bury his teeth into his flesh. The acid began to devour his coat and flesh. It must have been a terrible pain that flashed through his body. At least a normal pony would think so.

He waved his hoof and shook the massive stallion off his leg. The acid was still burning deep inside the wound and dissolved more and more of his flesh. “I see.”

Big Mac' was getting ready for another approach run, but this time Soul wasn't willing to play nice again. His horn ignited and summoned seventeen little, spherical dots of his magical energy. With the speed of light, the dots raced towards Big Mac' and surrounded him in the blink of an eye. Rays of light extended from every single of them and moved to contact to each other. The tendrils of light shot through Big Mac's flesh and immobilized him immediately. Even his mouth was firmly shut by the celestial power of his restriction spell.

The blood-soaked stallion struggled inside the prison of stars, his muscle movements were clearly visible to everypony around. But his legs wouldn’t move at all. The light didn’t allow him any freedom to move.

Applejack gasped in shock, it was the very same spell that restrained Rainbow Dash over two years ago. It was a relief at the same time, she knew that it wasn't even deadly. “Is there any way to save him? Please tell meh the truth.”

The remaining creatures continued their hissing and snarling. Slowly they took formation and formed a half circle in front of Soul. He smiled weakly by the desperate attempt of taking advantage of their majority in numbers. “If there is any way to save them, I will find it. I promise.”

The creatures leaped at the confident stallion in a high bow. The trail of acid that drooled out of their mouths melted a deep fissure into the ground. The clinging sound of fifty-four little stars sounded all at once through their ears. Seventeen for each of them, they built a exact replica of the jail Big Mac' was imprisoned in, only adjusted to the difference in their size.

The creatures stopped in mid-air and stared down at Soul. Applejack looked her brother in the eyes. “What will ya do with them?”

The gust brew up and flew through their manes, it was the only sound audible until it calmed down. “It is simple, I will store them in the Zero Zone until I have found a way to cure them.”

His horn shone in his gentle sapphire-blue magical aura. It was like hundreds of fireflies swirled around it. The little dots levitated towards the caged creatures and merged with the little stars that kept them restrained and protected everypony from their lower cravings.

The pure light of the tendrils slowly changed until it became coloured in the same light blue shade. The intensity of the light dipped the whole environment into the same hue of light. All the silent spectators around were fascinated from the beauty of Soul's magic. Their eyes grew wide in astonishment and their jaws hung low.

Something was odd about the creatures. Their eyes didn't show any anger or aggressiveness anymore. It turned into an expression of regret and pain, somepony could easily think that they were sorry for their deeds.

The regret in Big Mac's eyes, the pain inside Lyra's eye, the fear in Spike's eyes and finally the sorrow of Scootaloo's eyes made his heart ache. Many ponies knew them, but only a few really get to know them. Nevertheless, many tears were dropping around them. The creatures finally began to dissolve into the air. Tiny bits of their coat and flesh began to crumble and levitate into the air until they scattered into even smaller pieces until they faded completely.

Applejack and Applebloom watched their brother turn into thin air. The little filly squeezed the leg of her sister firmly. The coat of her bigger sister was already soaked with her tears. Applejack watched the last remains of her brother fade and weakly bit her lips. “This won't be our last farewell, mah brother. We will see each other again. Please be patient.”

Sweetie Belle caught a glimpse of the scene through Applejack's hind-legs. “Why are all the ponies laying on the ground disappearing as well?”

Her high pitched voice found the ears of the old stallion between the countless fireflies of magic. “Don't worry, little one. They are only resting in a peaceful slumber. I will take care of them as well and bring them back, together with Applejack's brother and your other friends.”

Despite the tears, Sweetie Belle could manage to smile again. “So everything will be fine with Scootaloo, too?”

Soul turned to the little filly and smiled like only a father would do. His eyes were gently underlined from the still glowing magical essence around him. The blue shine and his sapphire blue eyes harmonized perfectly. “Of course, my dear. Everything will be just fine.”

“Ya are making a lot of promises recently. Do ya inten' to keep ‘em?” Applejack was staring at him, the frown on her face showed him her uncertainty.

Soul puzzled her for mere seconds before he raised his deep voice. “Why do you think I have returned? I've made various promises during my stay in your time, and I intend to keep every single one of them.”

Pinkie Pie carefully stood up and began to move towards the blueish light. “Soul? Is that really you? Did you come to dance with me again?”

Her mane instantly regained its puffiness and a wide smile burned itself into her face. Soul laughed from the bottom of his heart at the naïve party mare. “So you still remember? The promise towards you was one of the reasons I've returned; yes. But not the only one.”

The blue magical essence began to fade into the natural light and the gathered ponies dared to come closer to the stallion. Mayor Mare stepped out of the crowd and towards their saviour. “I'm more than happy to welcome you to Ponyville. I can't express how grateful I am for the great honour of your very presence. Please tell us if your heart is desiring something that we could be able to obtain for you. We will be glad to fulfil every single wish that the saviour of time and space has.”

The Mayor proceed to bow down and every other pony was following her lead. Every single attending citizen of Ponyville bowed down in front of Soul. Shadow could do nothing different than smile at the sight. “Looks like you can't turn down the respect everypony is showing you down.”

Soul looked around himself and found every pony bowing to him. Even Shadow, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie shared him the same respect as the others. Only Applejack remained unchanged. “From all of these ponies I would expect you the least to bow down, and it seems like I was right.”

Her eyes were already watery, there was only a tiny pinch missing before tears began to roll down her orange cheeks. “Tell meh the truth. Ya can't possibly return only because ya want to keep your promise towards us. If it were that easy, ya wouldn’t have gone in the first place.”

He was taken aback at the ingenuity of the farmer. “Why so distrustful, Applejack? Two years ago you would give your life for me, and now you are questioning the validation of my return from the fallen?”

The tears were pressing harder and harder against her will. Her lips already began to twitch, she just wanted to cry so badly. “Just tell meh what exactly happened when ya went away with Harmony.”

Soul's eyes widened in shock, he couldn't believe what Applejack just had asked him. “You could see her? How is that even possible? Only a bearer of the Elements could be able to see them and I possessed every single one of them.”

Applejack hid the joy of Soul's return very well behind her anger, her stare was strong enough to kill. “It seems like ya can't take the Elements completely from us, but that doesn't answer mah question.”

Soul closed his eyes and concentrated upon his horn, the brightness at the tip of his horn was enough to blind a pony. The still bowing ponies looked upwards from their lowered position and watched the stallion prepare another powerful spell. “Citizens of Ponyville, please begin with the reconstruction of Ponyville as long as I'm gone. I have to meet some certain ponies in order to deal with Twilight Sparkle.”

The magical aura enveloped the stallion fully and lifted him to the air. “NO! Ya won't get away just like that!”

Applejack raced forward and dashed into the light, she clung herself as hard at the stallion as she could. The light vanished and took Soul and Applejack along. No trace of them was left. Shadow blinked distraughtly at the spot where his former Captain had stood only seconds before. “This spell is new...”

In confusion the ponies raised from the ground and waited for a sign of any kind. Mayor Mare looked around herself and found ponies that were as clueless as she was. “You heard him! Start rebuilding Ponyville!”

The ponies in the crowd looked at each other, hesitating. One of them, a stallion with a light brown coat and brown mane stepped forward and showed himself rather concerned. “I see your point, but what exactly are we supposed to rebuilt? These things mostly attacked ponies directly.”

Mayor Mare raised one of her eyebrows and stared at the stallion with the hourglass cutie mark for over a minute until the stallion surrendered in annoyance. “Fine, we will find something that we can rebuilt. Derpy! Come on! We will go for another adventure!”

A cross-eyed pegasus mare with blonde hair hovered over to the stallion and flashed him a rather goofy smile. “Yay! Are there muffins? I want muffins!”

The crowd began to fade, the ponies were looking around the town to find someplace they could offer a helping hoof. Only our friends remained at the scene of Twilight's madness. From far above them a rainbow coloured blur made its round. Quickly the blur formed back into a pony and slowed down until she softly landed in front of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “Hey, what's up? I heard something awesome was going down here? So what happened? Am I late?”

Fluttershy and Pinkie looked at each other, both were unsure how to tell. Through the leaving crowd of ponies, even Rarity found her way to the library. “Hello, girls. I've heard some rumours about Big Mac'. He should be somewhere around here. Has anypony seen him? I finally have to get my stuff carried around.”

Shadow stepped in for the unsure mares. He presented his chest as much as possible to make some impression towards Rarity and Rainbow. “I think there’s no sense in withholding anything from you. The truth is that we found Big Mac' indeed, but Twilight had changed him, she turned him into some kind of soulless monster to practice her resurrection spell. I know it is hard to believe, but Twilight killed him, Lyra, Scootaloo, and Spike. Afterwards, she resurrected them and made them her soulless slaves. She left them here to kill us and went away to care about other things.”

Rainbow Dash's breath stopped, she couldn't believe what they claimed about Twilight. The pegasus flapped with her wings and hovered angrily in the air. “How dare you talk about our friend, Twilight! Stop lying! I don't see any soulless monsters around, and who are you anyway? You with your ridiculous black skin-tight suit.”

The stallion's pulse raised, he grabbed one of Rainbow's hooves and dragged her to the ground. Shadow pressed his forehead against Rainbow's and stared directly into her eyes. “I'm Shadow! A loyal agent under the prideful regime of Princess Luna and former member of the special unit; Nightcrawler, under direct control of Captain Soul Tearer. I fought alongside him at Demon's Run two years ago. Before we got locked in time, I even had the honour to fight together with him in the war against the dragons and even in the war against the Sun.”

Rarity stormed at the stallion and quit her approach slightly in front of them. Rainbow and Shadow still pushed their heads against each other. “Even if you were the Princess herself, why should we believe any word that comes out of your mouth?”

The shadow over his eyes grew, it was like the darkness was surrounding him. Calm and cold, the stallion responded to the enraged fashioner. “Because Captain Soul Tearer has returned.”

Rainbow and Rarity gasped, Rainbow was even thrown back by the force of Shadow's forehead and stumbled to the ground. Rarity looked expectantly at Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, but they didn’t deny any of Shadow's words. Both of them weakly nodded in her direction.

Rarity struggled with her own mind, she was turning her eyes from one side to another trying to focus on something familiar. Sweat ran down her pure white coat. “How? I thought he died at Demon's Run. The teachers back in magic kindergarten always told me that not even magic can bring a pony back to life.”

Shadow nodded carefully, his eyes wandered to the ground. Bashfully, he circled his hoof through the dirt on the ground. “I don't know how, but he somehow managed. Seemingly even without help of others.”

The multi-coloured pegasus recovered from the sudden shock. She got up and faced the stallion again. She pressed her hoof against Shadow's chest. “Yeah sure. Stop pulling my leg! Soul couldn’t have returned. How should use a dead body magic? The Princesses even held a funeral ceremony for him. Maybe we should just check Twilight's home to see who is right and who is wrong.”

The tiny hooves of the cream-coloured filly made its way to the fighting ponies and weakly raised her voice. “Sorry… Ah don't know if this is important, but the last two days Ah've heard a weird voice tryin' to tell meh somethin', but Ah couldn't understand it fully. When Ah think carefully about it, the voice sounded kinda like Soul.”

Their jaws stood fully agape. The mares didn't even move. Only Shadow closed the distance to Applebloom and lowered himself on her eye level. “Is this true? You heard the Captain before? Please tell me what he told you.”

The little Apple curled up to a tiny ball while she thought about the frightening whispers in the dark. “Ah don't really remember. Somethin' about Ponyville and Twilight maybe even somethin' about Luna and that somepony was waiting at a statue.”

Pinkie Pie turned around without any more words. She headed straight for Twilight's home. A single step away from the doorstep she paused and looked back at her friends. “Who will follow me? I want to know what she has done.”

Fluttershy and the others looked worried at each other, but one after another they followed Pinkie Pie inside Twilight's library. The room was dark and filled with an weird smell. Dust covered everything, the books, the furniture, even the air dried dishes next to the sink. Pony by pony, they gathered around the dark spot where the basement door was once attached. A stair led down into the endless darkness of Twilight's basement. Shadow stepped through the mares and stopped at the first stair-step. “Maybe we should really check what was going on down there.”

Chapter 6 - The mare in the clouds

Chapter 6
The mare in the clouds

Applejack could feel something liquid brushing over her coat, slowly she regained consciousness. The last thing she could remember, was that she clung herself to Soul. The awkward feeling of being carried around made her wake up even faster. The constant up and down movements made it feel like a boat ride. She could feel Soul's soft coat underneath her belly.

Finally Applejack managed to open her eyes, her sight was still blurry when she looked down at the ground next to the hooves of the stallion. It looked like the ground was consisted of a mix of crystal clear water and some kind of gelatinous light blue and white liquid. It seemed like nothing could stand or even think about walking on this surface. But she could clearly hear the clopping sound of Soul's hooves. “Where am Ah?”

The orange mare tried to slip down from Soul's back, she didn't realize that she was tied up to his back until now. Her eyes wandered to her back, a blue glowing wire was wrapped around her back and Soul's belly. She still felt very weak and couldn't manage to struggle with Soul's magic.

It was weird to her, Soul didn't turn around nor did he pay any real attention to her. Her eyes wandered around the absolutely silent room until his voice cut through the stillness. “Please don't move, Applejack. This world is not meant for mortal beings. As soon as you stop touching me, your life will possibly fade away, and I don't want that to happen.”

Applejack's muscle tension fell immediately. Every single muscle in her body relaxed, she even let her head rest upon Soul's shoulders. “What is this place?”

Soul let her wait again, but this gave Applejack enough time to search her surroundings. The sleepiness was slowly withdrawing, her sharp senses returned to her and let her realize that she wasn't in Equestria anymore. She felt Soul breathing in deeply underneath her tummy. “I won't explain you everything in detail, but I will try to expound it to you as well as I can. This realm is very akin to a side path. It is a shortcut to every single place on Equestria's face.”

She stared into the seemingly endless space filled with this strange liquid and rubbed the last remains of her slumber out of her eyes. “But what is wrong with the ground? It looks like we are walking over a river or somthin'. Where are we headin' anyway?”

Soul giggled faintly, his deep voice was like salve in Applejack's ears. A small smile formed on her lips while his giggle faded. “Well, you could consider this world as some kind of river. This is the flow of time and we are walking against its torrent. I'm one of the few ponies that could ever enter and move freely inside this realm. If you would try to walk here, you would probably fall through time and end up inside the eternal void. Not very recommended, I've been there before and trust me, you wouldn't like it. So to anticipate your next question, I will tell you the purpose of this measure. Since we are walking against the flow of time, the time outside this realm won't pass for us. That means that we will reappear in the exact same moment we left. This is my personal untraceable way of teleporting.”

Applejack blinked rapidly, she lifted her head to get a view of Soul's face. “Why do ya want to be untraceable? Ah didn't know teleportin' was traceable in the first place.”

She could feel a rumble in the air, it gave her a shiver. Soul's pace increased a little bit, but he didn't want to let Applejack know that something might be wrong. “In these days only very few ponies are able to track down the marks of the commonly used teleportation spell. When war was still raging over the surface of Equestria, more and more ponies learned how to do it, but since the age of peace arrived, ponies had forgotten about the art of war magic. Besides the Princesses and me, there shouldn't be any ponies alive that are able to do it. But I'm afraid that even Twilight might be able to do it. Her talent is undeniable, and her insanity might drive her to amazing acts. Like it let me became a horrible monster. Nopony is supposed to know that we are paying Princess Luna a visit. She has to know that Twilight has fallen.”

Applejack's heart ached. She was always aware that new and stronger threats could appear, but she had never guessed that it might be one of them. She could feel her eyes get watery. Her eyes slipped down Soul's back and followed the way down his leg until she met the ground. For a long time she stared past his leg on the ground until realisation hit her. “Your leg.”

Soul narrowed his eyes, hidden from Applejack's eyes. Suspicious he tried to get a glimpse of her from the corner of his eyes. “What is wrong with it?”

She carefully leaned down and let her hoof strive about the spot Big Macintosh had bitten him. It felt so soft and plush, like she was stroking a newborn foal. “The wound on your leg is gone. Ah can't even feel bite marks and Ah can't remember feeling your magic to heal ya.”

Applejack could literally feel the cold shiver that ran down Soul's spine. “Of course, you couldn't feel me using magic. You were unconscious the entire time, and we only walked in here a few minutes ago.”

The logic of the dark stallion was nothing to oppose. Applejack had to resign to him. “Yeah, Ah see your point. Ah hadn’t even noticed ya return, so Ah guess ya are right.”

Soul remained silent and just walked on. Another rumble in the air shook through Applejack's body and almost made her fall of his back, only the magical wire kept her in place. “What is that strange vibration? It makes meh feel sick, like Ah'm rode on the applecarts all day.”

He looked hastily around his surroundings and even accelerated. Applejack was now bouncing up from his back to be pushed back down by the magical wire. Soul turned slightly to the left, the change of direction was almost unnoticeable inside this monotone realm. “This world is showing some rejection reactions due to a mortal passing through. But you don't have to worry, we are almost there.”

Light seemed to radiate from to horizon, Applejack had to close her eyes firmly shut, but that didn't keep the light outside her pupils. The light burned through her eyelids. She lost her orientation completely. It felt like she was standing on the ground and falling from the sky together. Like she was swirling and standing still at the same time. Applejack had never felt a more awkward feeling.

Fortunately, the feeling faded along with the blinding light and Applejack could feel that the magical wire around her back was resolving. When she slowly opened her eyes, her sight was still blurry from the light before. The shadows and shapes around her danced around the room and seemed to point their hooves at her.

Her sight cleared up while she blinked rapidly. The shapes and shadows turned into the beings they were supposed to be. The walls were clad in fine midnight-blue coloured silken fabric. Applejack's gaze locked upon the fabulously-crafted canopy bed, the insignia of the moon was stitched into the bedclothes. The sound of a gasping pony caught her attention, she looked over to the opposite site of the room and found its source.

Princess Luna stared at them in disbelief, her eyes were widened to the size of the royal porcelain dishes. She hold a sugary doughnut within her magical grip, her muzzle was covered in icing. The doughnut slipped out of her magical grip and fell to the ground. Applejack slipped down his back and stood firmly on her hooves again. She took her hat off and bowed down to the Princess. “Good afternoon, Princess Luna.”

The Princess couldn't bear it anymore, she set one hoof in front of the other over and over again until she stood directly in front of Soul. “Please tell me that you are real.”

The bearer of Time and Space weakly smiled at the Princess. “How couldn't I be real, if I'm standing in front of you right now, Luna?”

Single tears dripped down her cheeks, small sobs escaped the mouth of the Princess. “Oh come here, you!”

Princess Luna dashed forward and tackled him down. Her tears were flowing frankly and soaked Soul's mane. She hugged her lost Captain, who was so dear to her, with her strong alicorn hooves. “I've dreamed so many times. I dreamed that you would just appear in front of my door, and that I could simply enjoy your company. I couldn't be happier right now! Not even in a thousand years!”

Applejack looked down at Soul and the Princess who had raised him since he was a little colt. She sat down and couldn't do anything but smile at them. This was exactly what she wanted since her mother died. The warmth of a motherly embrace.

Soul and Princess Luna broke their embrace and raised to their hooves again. He shook the dust and icing sugar out of his mane and cleared his throat. “Its good to see you, Luna. I can't say how happy I'm to see you again, but we have to talk later at some point. Equestria is in severe danger again.”

Princess Luna bit on her lips, the despair in her eyes was clearly visible to Soul and Applejack. The Princess already knew that something was wrong. “I guess it is about Twilight's recent behaviour. So our apprehensions were proven. What do you plan to do to stop her?”

He looked at her in the same way a little colt looked when he sees a ferris-wheel for the first time. The Princess of the Night blushed and cringed a little bit in discomfort. “Why are staring like that at me? It doesn’t feel right to me.”

Soul blinked rapidly at the midnight blue mare. “You've changed so much while I was gone. You become much more mature, my Princess. I can't believe that you have grown so much while I stayed the same.”

The Princess stroked over Soul's grey mane, a little tear dripped down her dark cheek. “Thank you, Soul. I've changed indeed while you travelled inside the eternal ether, but you have changed as well. You seem to be a very different from who you were two years ago when you defeated Lunacy. I don't know how exactly, but something about you had changed.”

For the blink of a second Soul's eyes shrank together, Applejack could clearly see his reaction, but she still couldn't read his thoughts. Soul shook his uncertainty off and put an obviously false smile on his lips. “Too many kind words from you. But in these two years, I only fell through the endless eternity. The darkness around me almost devoured me completely. Maybe, but just maybe, something isn't different but missing. I don't know what yet.”

Applejack suspiciously eyed him from behind. She went between those two and looked for a brief moment at the Princess. “Now that you mention it. How did ya manage to return?”

Soul stared at Applejack with his blue eyes like he tried to stab her. It was well visible to her that he felt uncomfortable. “Before we reunited at the Colosseum two years ago, I made a promise. I have sworn that I will save Equestria over and over again, as many times as necessary and not even death will stop me from fulfilling my promises.”

Soul's kind words conjured a smile on Princess Luna's lips. Despite his age, Soul was still a little naïve colt sometimes. “It is true, the power of what seem to be mere words can become one of the most powerful spells.”

Their little chat got interrupted by the clopping sound of the hooves that belonged to one of the Guards. He bashed the door open and stumbled inside the room. Face first, he hit the ground in front of the Princess. Hastily, he reorganized his armour and saluted to his Princess. “I'm Lieutenant Blazing Night, something terrible happened around the area of Los Pegasus and...”

The breath of the guard stocked when he recognized Princess Luna's guests. Astonished he threw himself to Soul's hooves and kissed them. “You are back Captain. You really made it back! All this time I was waiting! I even bet that you would return, I always doubted that you would be gone.”

Applejack carefully leaned over to the humble guard and offered him a hoof to help him stand up. “Sorry, but ya seem to be a bit young for a guard.”

Blazing Night raised to his hooves again and smiled genuinely at the farmer. “You are right, Miss. Officially, I'm under-age to join the guards. But the Captain had personally brought me in after he saved my life.”

She eyed the young unicorn stallion suspiciously, besides his young age, he looked pretty well trained. The midnight-blue armour covered the majority of his body including his cutie mark. His coat was coloured in a friendly looking hue of beige. Even his eyes showed his obvious friendliness, their light green colour would even melt the heart of the coldest pony. They perfectly matched his vigorous orange mane. “He saved your life? When did this happen?”

From her right side she could hear the old stallion laugh melancholy. “Of course, I remember you Blaze. It was shortly after I graduated from Luna's Military School and joined a special unit of the Nightmare Legion. Rumours went around that a small group of dragons were scavenging in one of Equestria's outside districts. So Luna decided that a special selection of Guards able to fight a dragon should go and check. We were three unicorns and two pegasi. While the pegasi checked our surroundings from the air to keep any surprises away, every unicorn was specially trained. Iron Hoof was our physically strongest member and capable of powerful shielding spells. Midnight Veil was our medic, she had a wonderful character and was willing to help anypony that was hurt, regardless if friend or foe. And then there was me, tactical leader of the operation and only capable of destruction. The travel was long, at that time I wasn't able to walk through space like I'm able today. We headed for a small village near the border called Ponyham. But we never reached it in time. When we arrived the village was bathed in the blazing fire of a single dragon. His scales were coloured in a pitch black. Today, I doubt that this was his real colour, I believe he was bathed by darkness from all the blood of the ponies he killed and homes he burned.. There were no screams or ponies running around anymore. We dispatched Midnight Veil to search for survivors, while Iron Hoof created two magical chains and gave them to the pegasi. We fought dragons before, but this one was certainly different. They tried to wrap his wings, but the dragon noticed them and struck them to the ground with his tail. I can still see the blazing fire and hear their screams when the fire burned them away. The buildings around us collapsed and Iron had to shield us. It simply took too much time, the dragon dived down and struck through the shield and beheaded Iron Hoof. I had luck and was thrown into the crater where the corpses of the pegasi were lying. The dragon continued to rampage through the village. He probably thought I was dead. Soon after, I heard Midnight Veil scream. The silence afterwards was the most terrifying moment in my life so far.”

Applejack put her hooves on his shoulder and offered him a warm smile. “Ah'm very sorry, Soul.”

The stallion returned the smile, his eyes were bloodshot and sore. The pain was still there. “This was the first time I noticed that I was different. I was all alone against a fearsome dragon, but my fear was suddenly gone. Pure rage and hatred pulsed through my veins. I felt my body turning but couldn't think of the reason. The heat formed around my body and matched the darkness of the dragon. I felt a pair of wings on my back. I looked back and saw these blazing pair of wings that I used so many times from that point of time on. It didn't matter to me how and why they appeared, I only wanted to take revenge. I rocketed to the sky and headed for the dragon. He turned around, but it was too late for him. My wings cut neatly through his neck and his dead body fell from the sky. From high above, I saw Midnight Veil lying on the ground. I landed and the flames disappeared. She was still alive, she quietly coughed and was lying on something. Her lasts words were to protect him than she died just like that. I gently lifted her and laid her to the side. Underneath her was a little colt with beige coat and orange mane. She had shielded him with her life, so I had no other choice than take care of him. This little colt was you, Blaze.”

Tears ran down Applejack's and Luna's face. For Luna it didn't matter how many times she heard the story or remembered it. Every time she was touched by tears. Applejack walked over to the little stallion and eyed him carefully. “Ya are barely older than mah lil' sister. And yet ya are a guard of the Princess. Such terrible things have happened in your life and still... ya’re smiling.”

The grin on Blaze's face got even wider, he hadn’t noticed the sad underlining in her voice. “It is not like I don’t miss my parents sometimes, but Soul always took care of me and made me forget my pain. He used to play with me almost everyday and taught me many things, like some magic and even how to fish. Ever since he became Captain, his visits became rare, but I still watched him from the distance, and I was sure that he did as well. I look up to him and want to became exactly like him!”

Even the stallion that had murder thousands in the past without any reaction was touched. He slowly went forward and wrapped his hoof around the little guard and held him in a fatherly embrace. “You stupid little brat. Don't ever say that again. I pray for you that you never have to witness the death of your family and friends like I did. Everypony is gone, except of Luna, you and… her.”

Soul turned around and faced Applejack. She slightly blushed immediately and looked away in embarrassment. Blaze followed his gaze and ended up at the shied away farmer. He walked over to her and looked at her with huge eyes. “Excuse me, Miss. I forgot to ask for your name. Are you another one of Soul's friends from the past?”

Applejack took down her hat and lifted Blaze's chin with her hoof up. “Ya could say that we know each other from the past, but I belong to this time. I'm the former Element of Honesty, Applejack.”

Blaze smiled and hugged Applejack immediately. He was still a little child, a very good-hearted child. He even seemed to have forgotten why he came to the Princess in the first place, but soon he was soon reminded. Another Royal Guard burst inside through the still opened door. The white coated and blue-maned guard bowed down quickly and firmly before he hastily began to speak. “Your highness, I've sent Blazing Night to you to bring the news, but it seems like he didn't carry out his order.”

The guard shot an evil glare over to Blaze. The Princess stepped forward and cut through the guard's field of view. “Then speak, guard.”

He cringed under the fearsome glare of Princess Luna, he gulped one time and continued. Sweat began to pour down under his golden helmet. “We got word from Los Pegasus, the grains, vegetables, and fruits around this particular area are rotting away. The ponies will soon starve if we don't take counter measures.”

A cold shiver ran down Princess Luna's spine. Within her reign such a situation never occurred so far.. “This is terrible! We have to do something, any options so far?”

The guard gulped again, it seemed like he wasn't used to bring bad news. “I'm terribly sorry, but that is not everything. One of our biggest cities Manehatten is infected with the sickness. The black death is haunting the resident population. I'm afraid that many of them will die since there is no known cure. Furthermore it seems like the griffon kingdom is showing aggression toward us. They openly assume war against us. From one moment to another, our situation looks bleak. What shall we do, Princess?”

Princess Luna couldn't bear the imagination of so many loyal subjects dying. The adrenaline pumped through her veins and her eyes shrank to small dots. She closed her eyes tightly shut and tried to focus. “First of all, consult the ambassador of the Griffon Kingdom. Despite their natural tense, we always had a good relationship with them so far. For the Los Pegasus problem, every city that can dispense any of their food will send it to Los Pegasus immediately. The pestilence in Manehatten is the worst problem. We have to isolate them until we have found a cure, send a team of unicorn's able to built a barrier around the town.”

Applejack had still the little colt in her arms, she squeezed him tightly to her chest by this horrible news. “How horrifying. How can somethin' like this happen so quickly?”

The Royal Guard was still shivering. It wasn't over yet. “Additionally... Discord's statue has disappeared from the gardens.”

The room temperature seemed to fall, they could already see their breath in front of their eyes. Their eyes wandered over to Princess Luna, but it wasn't her magic, it was Soul's. His eyes were faintly glowing, it looked like he was ready to burn the whole population of Manehatten to death to prevent the spread of the plague. “Guard, carry out your order and leave now.”

The guard saluted and left the room immediately, too big was the fear of the old stallion. Nopony wanted to make him angry. Soul walked over to the window and pointed his gaze towards the sky. A single cloud was hanging in front of the sun. The others followed his gaze and focused upon the lone cloud. “I bet I know where Discord is. I just hope Shadow and the others don't go into Twilight's basement.”

From far above, a mare watched them. Invisible to the eyes of most of them, she sat on the cloud. Her white top-hat was pulled so far down that only one of her light-grey eyes was visible. Her mane was grey as well, matching her two-toned grey-coloured coat. She wore a necklace with a black ribbon and a skull pendant around her neck. The same skull decorated her flank. A wicked grin was scarred into her face. “Why are you staring at me like this? Why do you think would I offer you such a deal, my dear? You will catch my brothers for me and bring this mad mare down. Then you will pay the price for protecting everypony dear to you and your body and soul will belong to me, my delicious little stallion. I'm really looking forward to it.”

The pegasus mare licked her lips and faded into thin air, always under the watch of Soul's vigilant eyes.

Chapter 7 - Devouring Chaos

Chapter 7
Devouring Chaos

The stairs underneath their hooves creaked and crunched by every step they made downwards. Complete darkness enveloped them, only the brightly ignited horn of Shadow brought light into the room. All the sockets where candles once stood were smeared with remains of wax and ashes. There was nothing to add light at all. The foul smell of rotten flesh climbed into their nostrils and drove tears into their eyes. The urge to vomit was rising inside Fluttershy's mind, she was only barely able to withstand. “Uhm... sorry. But I really, really don't like this awful smell. I would rather choose to stay upstairs… if thats alright with you.”

Shadow turned around and looked briefly at the others. He quickly nodded and went further down. Fluttershy stopped her way and went upstairs again to wait in the secureness of the warm light outside.

Their way down ended abruptly, the darkness preventing them from anticipating the end. They finally reached the flat of the basement. The magical light illuminated the basement and threw long shadows against the floor and walls.

Rarity stepped down the last step and felt some strange liquid on her hooves. It radiated in a faint green light and smelled like rotten apples. “Ehew, this is certainly poison for my pretty, hooficured hooves. I think it will be alright with you, if I support you from here. On the stairs. Where it is dry.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and hovered carefully further into the darkness. Her hooves were always stretched out to avoid unpleasant meetings with the furniture. But the room seemed to be completely empty. Rarity illuminated her horn and supported them light from behind while Shadow searched through the room. Strange pillars seemed to be distributed along the wall. Between each of them was a deep hole hollowed out. Pinkie and the others gathered around the hole and tried to see what was inside. They could feel a faint breath come from the inside but couldn't detect its source.

From the stairs Rarity tried to catch a glimpse of the happening in front of them. But despite the light that Shadow's horn provided, the hole continued to be wrapped in darkness. She heard something rustle behind her head. When she turned around she could nothing see but the wall.

Rarity leaned forward as much as she could manage without stepping into the awful smelling swamp beneath her. Behind her a grey and brown snake like body meandered along the wall. Above her head, two yellow eyeballs with red pupils of different size appeared. The being exposed his teeth, only a single razor sharp fang protruded. Out of the shadows its claw reached out for the fashioner. The claw that seemed to belong to an eagle stretched one single finger forward and bopped Rarity's head. Only to vanish back into the darkness.

The mare was startled in the first moment and gasped but she quickly calmed down completely. The expression in her eyes changed, inside her mind her thoughts were twisting and turning into something different than before. Rarity began to stagger while her coat and mane lost their usual shine and became dull and grey. The light that shone from Rarity's horn extinguished. Shadow and the others turned to the general direction of the stairs and waited for any life signs of Rarity. The only sound was the flapping noise of Rainbow's wings. Angrily, her flapping rate increased. “Hey Rarity! Did you run out of magic or something? Keep it going and switch the light back on!”

No words rang back from the usually so talkative mare. Instead they could hear a pair of hooves dipping inside the liquid on the ground. Pinkie narrowed her eyes to get a better view into the darkness but she couldn't even identify some sort of shape. “Rarity? So you decided to step into that stinky and slimy stuff and help us? Great! But why did you turn off your light?”

The response was none of words. They could hear a hoof raising from the sticky liquid and the clicking of a switch quickly afterwards. All around the room the lighting inside the hole lit up and exposed their containment. A wolf made of black matter flashed his teeth towards them. Rainbow screamed in fear but the creature remained in its stasis. It seemed like it was in a deep coma. Shadow checked their surroundings and saw that the other beings were still sleeping as well.

Pinkie Pie couldn't withhold a giggle, she playfully nudged her winged friend and flashed her a childish grin. “Looks like even Dashie is afraid sometimes. I bet you almost peed your feathers!”

Rainbow's heartbeat was visibly increased, her heart pumped violently by the horrifying revelation of the creatures they had to fight two years ago in an uncountable measure. She didn't even look at Pinkie, Rainbow stared into the direction of the stairs. Pinkie Pie twisted her neck and turned her head upside-down to catch Rarity in her field of view.

The dull mare hid her body in the shadows only the right half of her face was illuminated in the poisonous-looking green radiation. Rarity's glare was empty and dark. Her confidence, pride and even her arrogance were gone. “You shall not roam through the darkness of this basement. Nothing here is defined for the eyes of others. But you have nothing to worry, your trespassing won't go unpunished. None of you will leave this place...”

Shadow gasped in shock. He hadn’t known her well, but he could definitely hear a difference in Rarity's voice. Not only her choice of words was different, but the tune of her voice had changed. Rainbow eyed her friend suspiciously. The dangerous glow in Rarity's eyes irritated her. “Hey! Stop talking horsefeathers and help us find some hints about what got Twilight to go nuts!”

From below the hovering mare, a familiar voice rang through their ears. It was most certainly Pinkie, but the darker and more aggressive hue of her voice drove wrinkles of worry onto her forehead. “Those who violated the domain of our mistress shall perish inside the eternal emptiness of her unfulfilled desire...”

Rainbow tilted her wings and swung her body around. Hanging upside-down in the air she watched Pinkie in horror. Single wisps of her multicoloured hung in front of her eyes but they couldn't hide the mare below. Pinkie's mane had neatly straightened and laid flatly in the gelatinous liquid. Her eyes were shadowed in the darkness and hidden from the view of others. It may be the poor lighting inside the basement, but Pinkie seemed to have lost colour as well. From the corner of his eyes, Shadow could see something moving inside the shadows. He didn't know if he could trust his eyes or not since the movement seemed to come from inside the shadow. The unreal matter waved almost invisible in the space behind Pinkie Pie.

Shadow reacted quickly with the reflexes he had obtained during the hard training under Captain Soul Tearer. The stallion grabbed Rainbow's rear hoof and stormed at the glaring form of Rarity. His horn ignited brightly. The pegasus only managed to gasp when the reflection of his raging magic was visible in Rarity's eyes. Shadow was ready to strike the changed fashioner down in order to escape.

The mare didn't show any fear or take any measures to dodge. The brightness of his magic reached its peak but a powerful tug accompanied by the sound of a powerful wing-flap tore him to the ground. The liquid luckily didn't stick to his black suit. Easily, he spun back on his hooves and shouted from the bottom of his lungs at the pegasus. “What is wrong with you? Something has taken control of them! We have to leave immediately before...”

His words got stuck in his throat when his eyes focused on Rainbow Dash. Her usually so vibrant mane became dull and lifeless. Even her wonderful magenta eyes were reduced to plain grey orbs. “There is no meaning in escaping. Our mistress won't allow anypony to live on after seeing the inside of this place. You will be imprisoned inside the thick walls of this room and never leave!”

Shadow's eyes shrank together, he was surrounded by the three mares of different kinds. Slowly they closed in and put the stallion under distress. For a second time his horn ignited and let him melt into the shadow beneath his hooves. He was halfway through until he felt the pressure beneath his body rising. The heat drove him out of the unreal realm and burned the tips of his hooves and ripped the fine suit apart. The cracks exposed his ash grey coat and a part of his deep brown mane. “This room is magic-proof? This whole scenario has been planned all along! Show yourself, evil scum!”

Inside the closed room a strong gust blew against his face. The sharp wind forced him to close his eyes for a brief moment. Sheer terror raged through his mind when his eyes caught sight of the being in front of him. His long snake shaped body glided through the air. His whole body was barely visible in the twilight. Only his glowing yellow eyes and his one sharp fang shimmered in the dark. “Be careful with your wishes, little fool. Wishes are desires, forged inside your own dreams, deep within your mind. And it is not up to you to decide whether it is a wonderful dream or a disturbing nightmare!”

The lone stallion cringed in fear of the gruesome draconequus. The shadows around him grew and crossed his terrified body. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind but he couldn't possibly flee. Even a fight would be pointless. Maybe the mares around him were beatable, but then there was the immortal hybrid creature seeking for his life. “Are you really Discord? The Spirit of Disharmony and Chaos? The very mystic monster that had lost against the Lord over Time and Space a thousand years ago?”

This was certainly the wrong question, but the monster stopped his minions, at least for a moment. Discord snickered with his tongue, it seemed he didn't like to be remembered with Soul. “Yes, indeed. I'm Discord, the Spirit of Disharmony and the Harbinger of Chaos. The stallion you speak about is a lie. There is nothing real about him anymore. A thousand years ago, he was pure but now he is rotten. His original light is weak and will fade soon under the permanent influence of the unholy power he wields. The power that once belonged to me is running through his veins again and corrupts his mind with each of his heartbeats. The very power of his beloved Harmony together with the uncontrolled force of the time vortex that he obtained by murdering his best friend are the only things that are keeping him in balance right now.”

Discord erupted into a heavy laughter. He even curled up by the pain of his uncontrolled laughter. “But there is more. He obtained a new power that he hasn't fully discovered yet. Sadly, you won't be able to see what he will be capable of doing. I'm curious to learn how the upcoming fight against him and my mistress will end.”

Shadow's eyes widened but wouldn't move from the shadowed form of the draconequus. His body tensed up, but the liquid on the ground seemed to drain even his last reserves. “Don't denigrate my Captain! He is our saint! Our saviour that defeated countless threats and saved countless lives! Every single one of his soldiers would die for him, He is the one and only. So don't you dare lower his achievements, you sick monster!”

Attracted by the emotional verbal fight between Shadow and Discord, Fluttershy decided to carefully check what was happening down there. She watched them through a small fissure in the wall between the actual stairs and the basement room. Completely undetected, she managed to witness the fall of her friends.

The liquid from the ground began to move in an unnatural pattern. It waved up violently to Shadow's legs and tore him to the floor. The mass stuck to his coat and wasn't willing to peel off. Despite the torture, Shadow never took his eyes off the monster above him. The dark matter devoured his body and swallowed him almost completely. With his last strength, the stallion lifted his head to keep his left eye unoccupied from his sticky prison. “Soul Tearer will come after you and send you to hell, moron!”

The prison around him closed and forced his eye to wander down Discord's throat. The last thing he could caught sight of while his gaze blurred and slowly let him drift into unconsciousness was a fine bright necklace that reflected the only light inside the room brilliantly. It was like a dark veil was lifted around the mystic being. The very last thought that wandered through his mind was.

When the twilight is gone the sun will rise.

Proud of himself, the draconequus raised his head and spotted by chance the gap where Fluttershy's eye was observing before. But the place was completely empty. The liquid rose up and grabbed every one of the other ponies in Discord's control and sealed them along with Shadow. Discord slowly disappeared into thin air, but his grin grew only wider every second. “Only two weak Elements left. They are no longer a threat to us. Only this tacky old stallion might cause trouble.”

Fluttershy's wings pounded as hard as they could and carried her away from the awful scene. Never before had the timid pegasus gone this fast. Her velocity almost reached the speed of Rainbow Dash and the pain in her wings would drove others into unconsciousness. Only her fear kept her awake. Fluttershy never felt so alive before.

An ear-splitting sound burst through the air and caused Fluttershy to sway in mid air. Barely she could managed to stop and turn around to look for the source of the terrifying noise. From high in the air, she caught sight of the radiating remains of Twilight's library.

Her breath stocked when she saw the library in the grip of the black liquid from inside the basement. Black tendrils expanded from the lake of darkness and tore countless branches into its seemingly endless abyss. Only the tip of the once-so-proud wood looked out from the lake. But only seconds had passed until the area was flattened and the lake of darkness turned back into the grassy meadow it was before.

There was no time to lose, unconsciously the mare began to move. Faster and faster, the treetop raced beneath her body. She did her best but couldn't resist to shed tears at her friends miserable burial. For her, there was nowhere to go. Every single one of her pony friends were gone and Discord was running wild through Ponyville. Not even her shed was safe. She had to go somewhere safe, somewhere she could get help. But where can she find such a powerful magician? There was no trace of Princess Celestia or Soul, so she decided to head for Canterlot Castle.

Soon the environment beneath her changed when she finally crossed the Everfree Forest, but she had no time to admire the wonderful meadow below. Her eyes focused on the silhouette of the castle at the horizon. Flap for flap, she came closer to her destination, the thought of all her little critter friends that were lost against Discord’s power crept into her mind. “Be strong, Fluttershy! They have to wait, I have to save my friends before I get to them! They will be doing great without me!”

Over and over, the mare told herself these obvious lies to keep the façade up. Nothing was safe in face of chaos itself. The landscape below was spiked by the homes of many different ponies. They become more numerous as the miles passed. The city limits of Canterlot get just beneath her hooves when the pain finally kicked in. Her wings convulsed under the strain of the flight from so far away, but her will didn't allow her to bow down to the inferior feeling.

The saving balcony of Princess Luna was so close now. Nothing could hold the brave-hearted mare. She elevated into the air, only to let her light body glide through the opening in the wall seconds after.

Fluttershy landed a little bit more clumsy than usual and was forced to her knees. The relief through the sensation of folding her wings after such a long intensive flight was huge. Even before she was aware of her surroundings, Applejack raced to her side. “What happened, sugar-cube? Ya look horrible. Did somethin' survive after we've left?”

The exhausted mare panted heavily. A high pitched tone escaped her lungs, inflicted by the unusual strain. Blaze slowly retreated unseen when he saw the crashed-down mare. Since Soul's and Princess Luna's attention was to Fluttershy, it was easy for him to get away unnoticed. Applejack supported Fluttershy with her well-trained body and helped her raise to her hooves. Still coughing, the pegasus tried to explain herself. “We wanted all… all together… look what was in… Twilight's basement but-”

Soul dashed forward between Applejack and Fluttershy. Both of them were forced to fall back down on the cold floor. Applejack straightened her hat back on and was about to give Soul a hard time, but when she saw his horn brightly ignited, she didn't dare to start a fight. The radiation of his horn mirrored in Fluttershy's eyes. There was so much fear inside of them. He lowered his head and calmly talked to her. “I'm sorry but we might not have the time to wait until you have calmed down. This might hurt. Please be brave.”

His last statement was more of a rhetorical thing. He left Fluttershy no time to answer or even to prepare herself. The fully charged horn tipped her head and let Fluttershy glide into some state of trance. The glassy expression in her eyes documented her mental absence. She even began to drool under the total loss of her senses.

In astonishment, the Guardian of the Night and the smart farmer distanced from the highly concentrated stallion and his victim. Only seconds had passed when Soul abruptly whipped his head back and broke the connection loose. Fine wires of magic still connected him and Fluttershy but they faded away rapidly, leaving the mare alone.

For the eyes of the others, the stallion seemed to struggle with himself while Fluttershy was completely motionless staring at him. Applejack carefully got closer and tried to comfort him. Something drove her to stop. The room temperature could be considered cold before, but now it was freezing. A dull bass sound rang through their ears. The Princess tried to rub it off her ears, but the sound didn't want to disappear. She realized what the source was when the small stained windows in the framing of the balcony began to vibrate and finally tiny cracks became visible.

Even the heavy chandelier began to shake under the influence of his rage. Soul's neck was overdrawn with vein-marks. He ripped his eyes open again and exposed the raging magic beneath. They were brightly glowing the the very same light that had shone two years before. His voice was loud and boomed through the entire castle, not even Princess Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice could reach this volume easily. “DISCORD, THAT BASTARD! HOW COULD THIS FRAUD DARE HURT THE PONIES THAT USED TO BE UNDER MY PROTECTION! THE DEATH OF SHADOW AND THE OTHERS WON'T GO UNAVENGED! THIS PROVOCATION WON'T BE UNPUNISHED. HIS DEATH IS CERTAIN!”

The air in the room vibrated under his massive power. Fluttershy was sitting in front of him the entire time. The colour paled out of her face and the air pressure of his shout drove tears into her eyes. Princess Luna enveloped her quickly into her magic and pulled her out of the dangerous area around him. Crackling sparks were raging from his horn and violently hit the ground. The floor underneath his hooves got deep cracks and the shards of the marble tiles began to levitate. Princess Luna placed both mares behind her and shielded them behind her wings. “Soul! Calm down! This is exactly the reaction Discord wants to evoke! He only wants to drive you into an open fight! Only because you're a threat to him, he wants to set up a trap!”

The ground was shaking, the earthquake-like feeling made it hard to stand upright. The pressure of his violent shouts made it even worse. “THEN HIS WISH SHALL BE FULFILLED! HIS DEATH WILL BE SLOW AND PAINFUL! NOTHING WILL WITHSTAND MY WRATH!”

The terrifying echo in his voice let the blood inside their veins almost freeze. Princess Luna raised her magic up to oppose his rage with her power even if the attempt was nearly meaningless. “They are not dead! As Guardian of the Night, one of my duties is to help the ponies travel from the world of the living to the realm of death and they didn't pass this gate yet! THEY ARE ALIVE!”

The stallion's head turned around abruptly and faced the Princess directly. The gnashing of his teeth was witness of his pure rage against the murderer of his family. Soul snorted and turned quickly away in disgust. The shards fell down on the floor and split into a thousand pieces. He finally snapped out of the torrent of his unrivalled might when he closed his eyes completely.

Applejack and the Princess watched him with huge eyes. They were simply amazed by the attitude of the stallion. Despite the fact that he released such a monstrous amount of magical power, he wasn't sweating or even panting. Soul could’ve just got out of the bed, nothing alluded to the fact that he had strained himself. His head was still turned away from them, but his eyes narrowed. Deep in thought, the stallion searched for an answer to get Equestria out of its misery. “Famine, Pestilence and Conquest are at Equestria's doorstep. I might be powerful, but I'm still one single pony. Many will die until I can help them all.”

Applejack proudly presented her chest and tried to make herself as big as possible. “Ah will help ya! We experienced so much so far, nothin' can stop us!”

Soul's gaze turned around and met Applejack's. The thoughtful expression on his face was gone and replaced by a expression of danger. “I really appreciate your offer, but I don't want to risk your life. You can barely defend yourself if it comes to a fight. Additionally, I have to hold back to prevent you from any harm of my magic. There is no chance that I take a pony that is not trained for war with me.”

Applejack snickered with her tongue. She had to find something that could change his mind. The doors behind her swung open loudly and interrupted her thoughts. The light blinded them and many beings of different shapes entered the room.

“How about us, my faithful Captain?”

Chapter 8 - Two of your kind

Chapter 8
Two of your kind

The crowed entered Princess Luna's room through the double-door entrance and took formation in front of Soul. A group, five ponies wide and six deep, bowed in front of the steadfast stallion. At the top of the battalion was Blaze, proudly presenting his chest. “They are all former proud members of the Nightmare Legion. I brought them the word of your return and all of them were willing to follow me to see you with their own eyes.”

The chorus of thirty stallions and mares raised from the floor and pounded their left hoof to their chest. The metal sound of their armour was so familiar for Soul. They saluted afterwards, and all of them raised their voice at the same time. “We are the soldiers of the Nightmare Legion! We serve under the prideful rule of the Night! Our lives belong to our Mistress and Princess; Luna! We shall do as our saviour and master Soul command! Nothing will stop us from fulfilling our duty! Long live the saviour! Long live the Night!”

Soul gasped while so many soldiers evinced their loyalty towards the Princess and himself. “So many of you are still willing to fight alongside with me after all this misery and loss? I can't say how proud I'm of every single one of you but I don't want to risk your lives either. I gave you freedom, and I won't take it away from you again.”

Each of the soldiers of them began to smile warmly. The young Blaze pointed to a curtain at the end of the room with his hoof. It parted Princess Luna's chamber from a small balcony inside the castle itself. Soul eyed him for a brief moment suspiciously but couldn't find any reason to distrust his little friend. He went through the curtain and looked from far above inside the marvellous throne hall of Canterlot Castle.

In amazement he watched hundreds of ponies saluting in his direction. They proudly greeted him the same way their friends had done before. They pounded at their chests and praised him and the eternal Princess of the Night. Soul was almost touched to tears when his eyes scanned the crowd to make out some familiar faces. Many of them had fought alongside with him during the war against the dragons, and most of them even fought the sun under his command, but there was one single pony that didn't matched the picture. Amongst them were pegasi, unicorns and bat ponies in their old Nightmare Legion armour, but she was just standing there with her white and grey top-hat, watching him. None of the others around her seemed to notice the grey mare. Through the stunning sound of his shouting soldiers he couldn't hear what the mare was speaking, but he could clearly see her lips pronouncing four words.

You. Belong. To. Me!

Soul gulped at the sight of her threatening words. Applejack had stuck her head through the curtain to catch a glimpse of the scene below. The unease in Soul's face was obvious for Applejack sharp eyes, but before she could ask him, Applejack felt a huge iron-shod hoof at her back. While she turned around to face the worried looking Princess, Soul held a speech for his loyal soldiers and friends. “My dear friends, I'm glad that so many of you survived the glorious fight against the madness. Even though I gave you absolute freedom, every single one of you decided to stick to our beloved Princess. Your loyalty and readiness give me reason to proclaim my pride towards any of you, but these are different times than a thousand years before. This is the century of peace and harmony. There should be no need for an offensive army that we are used to having. All of you will agree that we have first to get rid of the upcoming griffon threat. In the past, we would just attack them and wipe every single hint of their existence from history, but this time will be different, we have to find a peaceful solution and save many lives through values like kindness, generosity, loyalty, laughter, honesty and friendship. Since there is always the possibility of a failure of the negations, I want all of you to be prepared in case of a war. They know practically nothing about the unrivalled power of the Nightmare Legion, but for now, celebrate the reunion of the Legion! Hail Luna!”

The crowd began to cheer and jars of beer and other drinks randomly levitated through the room. “Hail Luna! Hail Luna!”

Cheering along with them, Soul clapped his hooves and slowly turned around, leaving his soldiers alone. From the corner of his eye, he observed the grey mare in the crowd until he vanished again behind the curtain.

When the curtain slipped over his face and offered his eyes the sight into the room, he had to learn that the thirty soldiers had already left. Princess Luna, Applejack and Blaze faced him with a more than worried expression in their faces. “We have to speak about the griffon matter.”

Soul nodded understandingly and settled down on a cushion in in front of the already seated Princess. She flapped her wings a single time to adjust them to the sitting position and cleared her throat gently. “This was truly an honest speech, but I doubt that you would let them go into battle in the end. Am I right?”

The stallion simply grinned at his Princess, she didn’t ever get tired of proving her supremacy in every thinkable tendency. “Then you are already agreeing with me that we have to stop an upcoming war first. This is good. If it comes to a battle, the griffons wouldn’t stand a chance, the offensive power of the Nightmare Legion is beyond everything in this world right now. Even if I don't interfere personally, they would conquer the Griffon Kingdom within a month. But when the situation occurs, I will go alone and fight the entire kingdom. They won't even last a week.”

The Princess of the Night gulped by Soul's obvious self-confidence. She knew that Soul wasn't joking. In his prime, the stallion fought against seemingly invincible enemies and defeated them with ease. Nothing could stop him even death seemed to be inferior to him and the little demonstration of his power minutes before even confirmed her thoughts. “When it comes to a fight, you are still the cold and calculating stallion you used to be. I guess we can consider ourselves lucky that you are fighting on our side, but this isn't the time to dwell in memories of what is long in the past. How do you intend to go through the negotiations?”

This familiar childish grin crept back into his face. Even know in the face of plague and death he still laughed. “The griffon race has an aggressive nature, but they aren't dumb. They should have already heard that the Nightmare Legion had returned, and even if they are foolish enough to believe that there is a slight chance of winning, they don't know about my return yet. I plan to relay the negotiations on my reputation. As soon as the ambassador enters the room, he will see me and immediately recognize me. Either he will cancel the meeting and proclaim that the peace between Equestria and his kingdom will last and we win. Or he will push further and make threats against us. Which would lead me to the conclusion that somepony else is pulling the strings behind the scene.”

Blaze wasn't sitting far from the Princess and Soul. He never actually got the honour of being allowed to listen to a official discussion about some kind of politics. His eyes beamed with joy while the smart mare and the calculating stallion thought about different reasons for the sudden change of mind of the Griffon Kingdom. Princess Luna tipped her chin and the wrinkles on her forehead grew. “I guess you already have some ponies in mind for the job as puppeteer?”

Soul snorted quietly, only barely audible, but it was certainly a remainder of the anger before. “Twilight isn't powerful enough to enslave or corrupt an entire kingdom. Only Discord might be powerful enough to do such a chaotic act. Of course, there is always the chance of another pony, completely unknown to us, but what are the odds of that?”

The little stallion leaned over to Applejack and whispered carefully into her ear. “Hey, don't you think it is simply brilliant how Princess Luna and Soul are judging the situation? They are planning everything to the last tiny detail. With these two nothing is impossible!”

Applejack briefly stroked the mane of the naïve little pony and shot him a warm, worried smile. “Ah know ya admire Soul quite alot, but always keep in mind that the day will come when he has to do unrighteous things to protect the residents of Equestria.”

Blaze's euphoria was gone, bashfully he turned his gaze against the floor. From above, Applejack could see his watery eyes. “I know... sometimes when he thought I was already asleep or not around, I listened to conversations he had with some of his guard in front of my door. Many times they talked about executions and torture. I'm well aware of the hard part of his job, but that was necessary I suppose. You heard him yourself, he wants a peaceful solution.”

He blinked a single tear out of his eyes and flashed Applejack another smile. “Everything will be just fine, but isn't there another thing we should worry about?”

Applejack looked at the vigilant little stallion and scratched her head underneath her hat. “And what would that be?”

Blaze pointed his hoof to the most distant corner of the room where Fluttershy was silently weeping into her long, pink, wavy mane. She was still shivering, her terrified gaze was proof enough that she wouldn’t recover soon. Applejack slowly walked over to her friend, trying not to startle her unnecessarily. “What is wrong, sugarcube? Ah'm sorry if the pain was too much for ya. Ah will make sure that Soul will apologize to ya.”

Fluttershy's eyes slowly wandered upwards to meet Applejack's. They were still shaking in horror and were bloodshot from the pain and weeping. “The pain was mild and short… it was nothing compared to the magic that flew through my mind. I couldn't do anything against his strength. He was reading every single one of my thoughts and memories. Nothing was safe in front of his examining gaze. The sad, the happy, the proud and the embarrassing moments of my life, even the memories I've forgotten a long time ago were like an open book to him. He is aware of my entire life, he remembers even more then I.”

Pure anger poured through Applejack's veins. Let alone the fact that Soul had hurt Fluttershy, he even molested her and messed with her mind. “This idiot! How can he abuse ya like that? He simply could have waited until ya relaxed a lil' bit!”

Fluttershy was slightly shaking her head in denial, only barely hard enough for Applejack to notice. The lips of the timid mare were twitching uncontrollably. “There is nothing special about me. He knows every secret of me, but that doesn't really matter to me. He won't tell anypony, I'm pretty sure of that. What terrifies me the most was that I could see into a part of his mind as well. There was so much pain and loss. Every single feeling raced through my mind like I experienced them for myself. I only dared to look inside of his memories for a few seconds but what I saw was enough. Not that I ever planned it to… but I will never question him.”

Applejack didn't really know what to say. She was just staring at her for a moment. The steps of a heavy stallion were audible next to her. Soul walked passed Applejack and carefully leaned down to Fluttershy's eye-level. The mare cringed in fear in front of the black stallion, but the calming and caring smile of the stallion let her relax a little bit. Soul leaned further down and stroked her cheek gently while he quietly whispered something into her ear.

From behind his back, Applejack caught a glimpse of the expression in Fluttershy's eyes. They expanded from little dots to the size of dishes before she took a deep breath, and the colour slowly returned into her face. She decided simply to nod quietly when Soul withdrew from her. She grabbed his hoof and rose from the floor.

Fluttershy walked silently over to Blaze and took him into her arms. She gently stroked his mane. The young stallion didn't moan or complain, but he was visibly uncomfortable with the situation.

Applejack eyed Soul suspiciously as he made himself comfortable in the cushion he had laid in before. He rolled with his eyes when the door opened for another time, but this time the pony inside the door frame looked seriously concerned. Princess Luna rose from her seat and walked a few steps towards the guard. “Why are you interrupting us?”

The guard gulped a single time and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “We got word from the ambassador of the Griffon Kingdom.”

This seemed to be the first good message of this wicked day. It felt like the weight of the world had fallen from Princess Luna's back.”Good, when will he arrive? I really hope this griffon doesn't take too much time.”

The increasing flow of sweat was brilliantly visible with the torrent that poured from under his helmet down to the floor. “I don't know how I should explain, but how about right now?”

A big dark, almost black claw grabbed the tail of the guard and dragged him out of the room. The grey-feathered griffon stepped into the room and eyed the Princess with a kind of sassy and tempting gaze. “I heard that you sought for an audience, Princess of the darkness.”

The griffon clipped his cape off and threw it carelessly above Applejack. Princess Luna inspected the ambassador carefully. His physical appearance was impressing. The majority of his feathers were coloured in a mix of grey shades. The feathers around his head and neck were tinted in a hue of white, but they seemed to have lost their shine. The colour of his beak matched his claws perfectly. Princess Luna immediately noticed the dangerous shine in his eyes. He was lacking the calm and calculating expression of a diplomat. His green eyes were the ones of a warrior, of a being that had taken many lives. The Princess looked around the room, he was alone. The griffon came without reinforcements. “Applejack, Fluttershy and Blaze. Please give the ambassador some room and leave us alone. Only Soul and I will remain here and take on the negotiations. Ambassador of the Griffon Kingdom, please state your name.”

Applejack laid her hoof around Fluttershy and led her along with Blaze out of the room after she had thrown the cape on Princess Luna's bed. The farmer looked back a last time before she closed the door behind her. The griffon grinned as much as his beak allowed him and stared at the Princess of the Night and Soul. “My name is Gium. I'm a proud servant under the crown of King Absalon and his son, Prince Arkyn. It is very kind of you to give us some privacy. This way we can discuss the conditions of your surrender alone.”

Soul's eyes began to twitch, his suspicion was immediately confirmed, but he had to be sure before he turned the tables. “My name is Soul Tearer, I'm Princess Luna's adviser in this matter. I don't want to seem rude, Gium, but how exactly did surrender come into your mind? I can't remember mentioning it somewhere in the past.”

The griffon still flashed them his cocky grin, even the mentioning of Soul's name didn't bother him. “Of course you did! You wanted a peaceful solution, and here is the only possible way of reaching it; surrender!”

Soul snickered, but Princess Luna quickly stepped in to hinder the situation. “I'm terribly sorry for this misunderstanding. We want a peaceful solution for both sides. Sadly, I have to rate your offer as a threat against Equestria. Is your so-called King aware of the fact that he had not only to oppose the Royal Guard, but even the Nightmare Legion of a thousand years ago under the command of their original Captain Soul Tearer.”

Gium broke out into a hideous laughter. His eyes narrowed and his muscles seemed to tense up. “Oh we are so afraid of your puny armies. Our technology is superior to everything that your land could provide. There is nothing you can do to defend your subjects against us. Your only choice is to surrender and hope that we will spare their lives. The griffon race is superior, we will conquer country after country. Our populace is thirsty for war and blood.”

It was the definiteness in Gium's voice that brought Soul on a glorious idea. “You made me wonder, Gium. Why exactly do you choose Equestria as your first target? If you look closely on the countries around the Griffon Kingdom, then Equestria is the strongest possible enemy. Most of these countries don't even have a real army. They only got a few farmers with torches and poorly crafted weapons. A war against Equestria would cause many losses on your side, it would be possible that other countries will use that advantage and attack the Griffon Kingdom while weakened. So why would your King suggest such an obviously bad plan?”

The greyed griffon began to stutter. He had carefully listened to Soul's speech and was visibly irritated by the flawless logic the unicorn could provide. Every single word that came out of his mouth made perfect sense, in contrast to the cleverness of the conquering intentions of his own country. Luckily the others couldn't see him sweating beneath his feathers. “Well, isn't it obvious? We want to prove our strength so that the other countries will surrender without a fight. We will conquer the world by devastating Equestria!”

Princess Luna could clearly see what Soul was trying to do. Through the help of his merciless logic, he tried to bring Gium to betray himself. She had to cover her laughter underneath the emotionless mask of royalty her sister had worn so many times during her reign. Every word that Gium had spoken was obviously a lie. They will be soon the victors of these negotiations. At least she thought so.

“Then we will surrender.”

The Princess's eyes shrank together when the words of her very own Captain sounded through her mind. Her head turned and her gaze locked upon the seemingly more then relaxed stallion in sheer disbelief. He acted like nothing was wrong at all, but the Soul that she knew would never give in or surrender, especially so easily. Soul smiled at the ambassador in a chilling and collected way. It almost began to scare the Princess. What happened to him? “The Princess and I will discuss the conditions of our surrender. I propose a second meeting at the border of the Griffon Kingdom to clear the last details. “

Gium's laughter hurt in Princess Luna's ears. Should she do anything against the downfall of her kingdom or would that blow Soul's plan, if he has one. The griffon licked over his beak and let it shine. “Excellent! I will speak to the guards around the border to grant you access. I will prepare everything for the meeting immediately. Don't let me wait too long. I will wait for you, otherwise we will siege Equestria and leave not a single pony alive. No one messes with the Griffon Kingdom!”

Soul firmly bowed down to Gium and showed him his most sympathetic smile. “As you please, Gium. I hope the creator will grant you a pleasant journey back to your motherland.”

Rage boiled inside the Princess of the Night. She struggled to contain her anger, but the ambassador seemed to be too distracted from his easy victory. She followed Soul's lead and bowed down to the greyed griffon. His laughter was intolerable, but he was only a few steps away from the door. He grabbed his cape and slung it around his shoulders. His dark claws ripped the door open. Nothing could bring Soul into unease, only the last words of the griffon made him wonder. “Luckily, we have two of your kind, black colt.”

The doors slammed shut and the Princess immediately gave in into her pure anger. “How dare you surrender like that? At least we could capture him to buy us some time! I hope that you won't betray my trust towards you. I beg you... please! Please tell me you do have a plan?”

Insanity seemed to have taken hold of Soul's mind. He opposed the anger of his Princess with a soft but grimdark laughter. His bold and distinctive grin crept into his face. The grin of absolute victory. Princess Luna had seen it so many times before. Soul always left the following battle as winner, he was never one to fail. “How could I ever do something that reckless without a plan of victory? A capture of the ambassador would be fatal. If he vanished it would certainly attract attention. This surrender will give us some time. While the soldiers will celebrate, I will travel to the Griffon Kingdom. After this conversation, I'm more than fond of a little manipulation. I will bring the puppeteer down and calm the griffon race before the situation escalates completely. In the worst-case, I will simply burn them down.”

The Princess gulped and nodded faintly, the speed of her breathing increased. Was it really uncertainty that was taking hold of her mind. “But what about his last words? Two of your kind? What does this mean?”

Soul's gaze turned towards the balcony on the outside of the castle. It stuck firmly to the ground, where a long shadow of a top-hat wearing pegasus mare fall into the room. Slowly withdrawing from the scene. “I don't know.”

Chapter 9 – Crossing a border

Chapter 9
Crossing a border

Princess Luna carved a depiction of the borderland into the wall of her chamber, repeatedly carving new routes into the wall and repairing them only seconds later. Scheming new and better ways to escape over and over again. Nothing could fail, everything had to go well.

Finally the Princess of the Night smiled when they seemed to have found the perfect plan. Entering the Kingdom through the great gate inside the mountains that define the border. The guards will let him pass and most likely will follow Soul inside. As soon as he is alone, Soul will wander around the mighty and powerful to find the puppeteer. Depending on the outcome, he either will be able to leave the Kingdom without any struggle or he has to bring every griffon in control down to prevent a war. “This plan is plain and simple but will most likely work. Infiltrate, gather Intel and bring the culprit down, but please explain it to me again. Why do you have to go through the usual borderline? You could simply teleport in there.”

Soul erased the drawing from the wall and let its usual dark blue and turquoise shimmer return. Slowly the light of his horn vanished and his attention fell back to Princess Luna. “The griffons aren't really a visitor-friendly nation. It is rare to see another race behind the mountains of their Kingdom. So a pony would definitely catch attention. This way round I gain more freedom to search for the puppeteer, but it would limit my time as well.”

The old stallion winked at the beautiful mare of the night and showed his most cheeky smile. “Luckily… time does not affect me.”

The Princess felt something strange around her. Her body didn't obey her orders, only her eyes could search through the room. Soul walked slowly past his Princess and let her wonder. From the corner of her eyes she caught sight of a little clock on her side table. None of the clock-hands were moving. The time around the chamber had stopped.

The strange feeling left and the Princess regained her mobility instantly. She shook herself free from the unusual feel. “Your skills are at their best, as always. You don't have to prove them to me, especially without any warnings in advance.”

Soul couldn't possibly hide his laughter. The Princess frowned upon Soul's amusement. The stallion walked a second time on the balcony inside the castle to look upon his soldiers, but this time the curtain stuck in the air, it didn't fall back into its original position. Princess Luna followed him and marvelled at the stallion's skills. Her gaze strived downwards and looked through the lines of ponies. It seemed like an incredibly well drawn picture of soldiers after winning a fight. Perfect to every single detail. “I see. You only freed me from your hold. The other ponies are still frozen in time. There has to be a special reason to show me this. Am I right?”

The black stallion searched for a short moment through the crowd but seemed to not be able to find what his eyes desired. Slowly, he turned around and shot her a self-confident smile. The glowing of his horn was still faintly visible. Princess Luna could feel how his magic grabbed her and pulled her through the room. It was only the blink of a second, but when she regained sight again, she was back in the middle of her chamber. Her mouth stood fully agape in amazement. It was only a slight, almost unnoticeable tug, but she had been pulled through space. Soul's face had become serious. The traces of his former laughter and ease were gone and replaced by a dead-serious frown. “Of course it serves a reason. You see, I can almost freely decree over time. I choose who can still wander around or is forced to freeze. There is no way something will happen to me or my companion on this journey.”

The lunar mare blinked rapidly and pointed her hoof at her own chest in surprise. Her eyebrows almost reached the ceiling of the room. They were the exact opposite of her jaw before. “You aren't thinking about me? Right?”

Soul's horn almost extinguished, but before the light faded, the door unlocked magically. The last of his magic faded through a single little spark. The clock-hands began to work again and something fell through the door.

Applejack landed face first on the floor and carefully rubbed her nose. “Hey! This ain't funny or anythin'!”

The black stallion merely lifted her with his levitation skills and carefully brushed the dirt from her muzzle. “You might be right, but listening to other ponies conversation isn't either. But listen, you will come with me to the Griffon Kingdom. Alone they might become suspicious, but together with an earth pony they might not. You don’t look very dangerous actually, so this might work. Nopony will see me using my spells.”

“Ah guess Ah can't do somethin' like that.”

He turned to the farmer and raised his eyebrow, questioning. “I would have never expected such an answer from you. Two years ago, you followed me to the most horrifying place in Equestria without any question. Now you have doubt in front of such an easy plan? Has your unconditional affection for me finally faded? I would love to hear your explanation.”

Applejack put her hat back on her head after she brushed the last dust from its folds. Her stare was hard and unpleasant. For a brief moment, even the stallion that had fought thousands was afraid. “It ain't the plan that ya thought of. Ah'm afraid of what this feather-brain was sayin'. What does 'two of your kind' mean exactly? Ah guess that he knows who ya are and knows about your strength. Showin' absolutely no fear means that they might have something on ya, and even two of ‘em. Mah question is simple. Does anythin' exist that can rival ya?”

The Princess and Soul looked at each other in concern. This question had been asked many times before. The answer was always the same before, but this time might have be different.

“You could just take a look in the future and find out who they are!” At the bottom of the door frame, in the left corner, Blaze was spying on them. Sheepishly grinning, he stepped inside the room when the gazes of every other pony met him.

Soul looked upon him in worry. Blaze was still young and didn't understand the magic of time fully, but that 'two of your kind' thing was bugging him. Soul smiled. “I'm sorry, my little friend, but this won't be that easy. While I was gone, I looked into the future. Something terrible was about to happen, so I tried everything to come back. The moment I breathed the air of Equestria again, I interfered with time itself. The events are already changing. Discords appearance wasn't scheduled. By the recreating of my time-line, I created a new alternate future that involves myself, and since I can't see my own future, I can't possibly tell who is the puppeteer.”

Blaze sank down to his plot and circled his hoof on the floor. “I think I understand. So when will we go to the Griffon Kingdom?”

Soul's eyelids lowered until they covered most of his blue eyes. The warm caring shine of them rained down on the eager young stallion. Carefully he lifted Blaze's chin with his hooves and offered him a fatherly smile. “Listen, I would really appreciate your assistance, but when you really want to become like me, you have to train and study very hard. I'm sure the Princess will teach you personally, if I ask her to.”

Blaze's eyes wandered to the Princess of the Night, she looked touched to tears at her own former student and nodded slightly. “Of course, I will teach him everything I have taught you in the past.”

The young colt beamed in sheer happiness. Proudly, he pounded at his downsized armour and saluted to the Princess and Soul. “Yes, my Captain! I will do everything to become like you! Even if it means I have to do boring studies!”

Soul ruffled the fine orange mane of the young stallion and nudged him friendly in the direction of the eternal mare. Blaze grabbed the floating mane of the Princess and tugged her out of her chamber. “Come on, Princess! We have to study so that I can become just like Captain Soul Tearer!”

Blaze bounced up and down, always the Princess in tow. She looked back at Soul and Applejack. The black stallion nodded at her and let his mouth silently pronounce eight single words.

“We will leave for the Griffon Kingdom now.”

Princess Luna couldn't acoustically respond to her faithful Captain. Only a small nod was possible while the young stallion held her in his grip.

Both of them left the chamber and Soul gently closed the door behind them, only to let his horn shine again and rip Applejack and himself out of the room to the Royal Carriage-Port.

Applejack looked through the lines of pegasi between their carriages. She raised her eyebrow and scanned the stallion next to her. “Why are we here exactly?”

Soul laughed faintly and walked past the suspicious mare. He stopped in front of the runway and clapped his hooves twice. “We have to go there and give them the impression that we're actually willing to surrender. Do you remember? And besides, I really like to travel in style.”

The thunderous clinging of chains and metal sounded from high above the sky. The obsidian-black spare chariot of Princess Luna raced down. The four bat ponies pulling it shot evil glares. The weight of the massive chariot seemed to strain them extremely, but nevertheless they landed softly on the runway and stopped exactly in front of the waiting stallion.

He shifted his weight to his rear legs and raised to his full height. While he offered Applejack his left hoof to help her get in, he pointed with his right hoof into the comfortable chariot. “If you will, my lady?”

Applejack smiled and walked over to the gentlecolt in the stuck-up manner only Rarity could possibly imitate. A friendly lady-like bow followed, and she happily took Soul's hoof. “Ah'm pleased, my dear Soul. Ya may be allowed to enter this dreadful vehicle as well.”

Soul followed her silently, with closed eyes and with his nose pointed to the sky. He straightened his imaginary collar and placed himself next to the fabulous farmer. “Well, well, if the gentlecolts in front may start now? We have a long journey in front of us and I don't want appear there late.”

Applejack couldn't resist laughing any longer. Both of them broke down in the chariot and began to laugh maniacally. The four pegasi stallions in front rolled their eyes and immediately began to flap their wings.

The heavy chariot began to move. Both ponies inside slipped slightly to the back until they softly met the smooth seat. Slowly, they raised up again and placed themselves neatly in their places. The massive, black hull of the chariot, ornamented with celestial bodies and stars, took to the air. The seat beneath their plot was one long soft bench seat crafted out of the finest deep purple sartene.

She was still faintly laughing and covered her mouth with her hoof. Soul looked down upon the charming mare and let his horn gently ignite. Attracted by the light, she looked upon the sparking tip of his horn, the marvellous light reflected in her huge green eyes. The dust in the air condensed and formed into always-growing black particles. A lovely, worked pitch-black pendant began to take shape. The light of his horn carved the illustration of his own cutie mark into the unknown material. It was perfectly burned into the black matter. The magic even left the depiction shining in a brilliant white light. The matching ribbon originated from a single loose feather, pulled from one of the pegasi in front. It changed its from and expanded to create a necklace, suited for the neck of a special mare.

The magic around the necklace weakened, it merely levitated in the air in front of Applejack's eyes. The black stallion smiled genuinely at his companion and gently stroked her cheek. She slightly blushed under the pleasant feeling but didn't shy away. “What’re ya doin', Soul?”

Soul didn't hesitate and looked directly into her eyes. The shine in his blue eyes made Applejack feel even more comfortable around him and her heart began to beat faster. “I want to give you this necklace. I crafted it out of the noble gases in the air and my very own magic. It will protect you from any harm even if I'm not around. When the worst case occurs, and you or I am captured, you just have to concentrate upon the necklace and it will bring you back into Princess Luna's chamber.”

The ribbon of the necklace opened up again and slowly levitated around Applejack's neck. It firmly closed behind her mane and laid itself neatly on her chest. The touched farmer looked down on the new piece of jewellery and blushed faintly, but his words were still in her mind. “Ah thought it was impossible for somethin’ to go wrong. Why would I need this?”

The gust blew through his fine grey mane. His gaze turned away from Applejack, he just stared into the far distance. “I'm pretty sure that there is nothing that could actually hurt us, but there is still a high possibility of Discord playing the role of the puppeteer, so I don't want to risk your life so easy. Even if he is able to trick us, you will be able to return soundly and safely.”

Applejack laid her hoof upon the finely-worked necklace and admired the depiction of his cutie mark for a moment before she paid him more attention. The delight and cheerfulness was gone, sorrow and grief took hold of her mind instead. “Do ya really think that Twilight and Discord might be this ‘two of your kind’?”

Soul didn't really react, only his horn ignited like so many times before. “Gentlecolts, please brace yourself. We will jump now.”

The surroundings around them blurred away. Only a split second went by until the environment seemed to be normal again. Only the temperature seemed to have fallen. The magician gazed at the wonderful snowy mountaintops of the Griffon Kingdom and frowned. “I guess you want to know what I will do to Twilight if your suspicion is correct?”

Applejack nodded quietly. She was braced for the worst, playing with the little pendant to distract her from her sinister thoughts. But she wanted to have certainty about the possible upcoming events. Soul laid his hoof in a caring manner on Applejack's shoulder and offered her a caring smile. “You don't have to worry, Applejack. If we really have to encounter Twilight, I will do everything to save her. When we can't convince her through words, I will lock her up in time just like I did with your brother and friends. There she can't hurt others and more importantly… she can't hurt herself there.”

The orange mare began to tug gently at the sartene beneath her. The mentioning of her brother threw her back into her most recent memories. Simply terrifying was the sight of her brother being turned into something so gruesome. “Thank ya, Soul. Ah know that ya will keep your word. Ya even returned from deah to save us. How could Ah ever distrust ya? At least Ah know what happened to mah brother. What really worries meh is that Ah don't know 'bout Applebloom.”

Soul gently tipped Applejack's hat down from her head. It fell to the floor right in front of the seat. She looked at him with little tears in her eyes. His face was so perfectly calm. How could he be so relaxed with Applejack in such deep tremor? “I didn't see Applebloom in Fluttershy's memories.”

Applejack gasped. The tears dropped out of her eyes and met the smooth material beneath them. He gently smiled at the worried mare and took streaks of Applejack’s mane out of her face. They had fallen over her wonderful green eyes when her hat fell from her head. “I didn't see your little sister or Sweetie Belle in Twilight's basement. That means she is somewhere safe in Ponyville. She may be staying with one of her schoolmates.”

She wiped the little salty drops from her cheeks and forced a smile. Bit by bit, smiling felt easier to her. Slowly, she leaned over to Soul and laid her hooves around the black stallion. Applejack squeezed him firmly and pressed her head against his warm chest. “Your words are really calmin' meh down. Ah will just rely mah thoughts on you. Nothin' will happen to her, Ah'm sure of that. Ah think Ah couldn't stand any more hardships.”

He felt the weight of the warm body on his chest. Even the heartbeat of the orange farmer was perceptible to him. It felt relaxed and homely. Nothing could have driven him away from the mare in this moment. “I know that what happened to your brother isn't easy for you to take, but you are strong. As long as you have faith to your friends and family, nothing can bring you down.”

Applejack tightened her grip around the empathic stallion and dried the tears in his coat. “Ah ain't talkin' about Big Mac' or Applebloom. Ah'm talking about ya. Just like that, ya left us. Ya can't believe how painful it was to realize that ya would never return. That ya were gone. Do ya know what’s the worst of it? Ah will answer ya that question right away. Your return was one of the most painful experiences Ah've ever had to endure. To know that ya could have returned anytime ya wanted, and that ya still were gone for two long years, made meh feel sick. Ya didn't have to go in the first place, right? Ya just choose to...”

She pressed her hooves as hard as her strong farm-trained muscles could. Her hooves were deeply buried in his coat. Soul looked down at the weeping mare. “I feel sorry that I let you experience such a hardship. I really wanted to protect you from any harm, but it was unavoidable. It was my fault that Lunacy was able gain so much power, andI had to stop him. I had to make sure he would rot in hell. Sometimes things don’t work well, and you have to improvise. Please believe me. I couldn't return a second earlier. Every second I was gone, I had to resist every temptation and every sin. I thought many times about the Princess, your friends and you. In my own present time, there is nothing to return to, but here are so many wonderful ponies and you are one of them. Please forgive me.”

Applejack's hooves glided down his back and she slowly withdrew from him. The small, sheepish smile returned to her face. “Ah don't know if Ah can forgive ya, yet. Even if ya could do nothin' against it, but ya have to promise meh somethin'. Promise meh that ya won't vanish a second time.”

Soul grabbed her hooves and simply nodded. “I promise. I won't leave any of you again.”

The light of the dawn dipped their surroundings in a gentle orange light. The ambiance perfectly matched Applejack's still watery eyes. They looked each other directly in the eyes. Her lips were quivering. The pleading expression in her eyes invited Soul to lean forward and take Applejack into a heart-warming embrace, but before he could bring himself to move, the mare spoke up again. “While ya were gone, could ya talk to Harmony?”

Soul broke the eye contact and stared passed the flying pegasi in front. “Harmony's soul has been scattered into million tiny shards. Nothing of her is left. There is no hope. While she was trapped inside the Elements, her soul could have been reconstructed, but since I used her and my combined power to close Hell's Gate, she is lost. Like she never even existed.”

“What about this Midnight Veil pony? Ya talked about her like ya really liked her. Did ya love her?”

His gaze fell back at the smart mare. Nothing seemed to be safe in front of her vigilant eyes and ears. Without a twist of emotion, Soul turned away again. “I think it wouldn't make sense to try to hide anything from you. You could consider her my first crush. We made it together through the military academy and worked so hard to finally join the special unit of the Nightmare Legion. I missed so many opportunities to tell her how I felt… and then she died against that dragon. I could do nothing against it. Maybe it just wasn’t to be.”

Applejack bashfully looked away. She had quite a talent to ask difficult questions. She stroked her own mane and only dared to look at Soul from the corner of her eyes. “Ya seem to have bad luck with mares, huh'?”

Soul leaned forward and hid his face in front of Applejack. She couldn't see his eyes anymore. She had no way of knowing what he was thinking in this moment. Applejack didn't know if the cold chill in the air was just the cold in the air or Soul's aura. “It seems so, but instead of walking away, they just die...”

Applejack bit her lip. How foolish could she be to say something like that? She didn't know how to save this moment. In fear of saying something even worse, she turned her gaze to the other side of the chariot.

The pegasus in front shouted through the wind. “Captain! The Griffon Kingdom is in front of us! Please prepare yourselves. We will land soon.”

From the corner of his eyes, Soul caught sight of the majestic entrance gate to the Griffon Kingdom. For a brief moment, he looked at the mare next to him and whispered something that would be lost in the wind forever.

“I pray that you won't met the same fate, Applejack.”

Chapter 10 - Gates of Griffhala

Chapter 10
Gates of Griffhala

The majestic snow-capped mountains of the Griffon Kingdom stretched endlessly in both directions. They got closer and closer to the giant gate built inside the mountains. Countless torches illuminated the area in a bright flickering light. The gate was built in the centre of the mountain wall. There was no possibility of entering the gate by hoof. Even if some insane pony might be dumb enough the climb up the wall, the various griffon guards would bring them to their senses.

The frame of the gate was decorated with the sculptures of two giant griffon and various images of the glorious battles that the griffon race had fought in the past. A few of the guards had caught sight of the arriving chariot. The guard of honor formed two rows to welcome the ambassadors of Equestria. Their torches led the way.

The bat ponies in front coughed and hissed. Many a time they had to fight griffon traitors in the past. A very unpleasant opponent. Slowly, they decreased their height and closed in on the hard stone ground. Everything around them passed by in an insane speed. But it was even now clearly visible that griffons had no concept of elegance or anything of the like. The heavy chariot touched the ground and slowed down completely.

Four griffon guards approached them rapidly, holding tight on their pikes. They were staring merciless at the bat ponies and their passengers. The next false move could be the last one.

Completely careless, Soul leaped out of the chariot and turned around in mid-air. The griffons pointed their spikes at the agile stallion. Soul offered his hoof to Applejack and helped her out of the uncomfortable entrance. From the corner of his cold, blue eyes, he gazed at the guards behind him. They could feel the power through his very appearance and lowered their weapons for their own sake.

The tallest of them, a completely snow-white griffon with shining golden eyes approached them through the soldiers and saluted the visitors. “Welcome to the Gate of Griffhala. State your identity and purpose of your visit.”

Soul approached the guard with a poised chest. His eyes presented strength and determination, he left no place for any weakness. Applejack noticed that the guards were uncomfortable around Soul. Griffons were non-magical beings, they couldn't possibly feel the magical capacity of Soul, could they? “My name is Soul Tearer, ambassador of Equestria, Captain of the Nightmare Legion, and vanquisher of the madness. I'm here together with my lovely companion, Applejack from the famous Sweet Apple Acres to discuss the conditions of Equestria's surrender towards the Griffon Kingdom.”

The vigilant guards looked at each other in surprise, but the white griffon in front of them seemed to be informed about their arrival. “Ah, yes. Gium already told me that you will arrive very soon. I'm glad you made it this early. The preparations are already made. Follow me.”

Without more detail, the griffon turned around and walked away from the runway. Soul left some distance between their guide and began to follow him. To his right side was the orange farmer, pacing along. Applejack gently nudged him, and Soul carefully lowered his head so she could whisper something into his ear. “Rarity, always told meh that Ah'm rude, but this guy didn't even tell us his name.”

Soul waited for a short moment to be sure that the griffon didn't hear them talking. He elevated his head slightly and whispered beneath Applejack's hat. “It is very odd, every other official would have introduced himself first. That and the fact that the other guards weren't informed leads me to the conclusion that something must be wrong here. We have to be very careful, always stay by my side, and remember that you are wearing that necklace. It will save you if necessary.”

The griffon walked down a long grey hallway. There were no ornaments or decorations at all, only plain old stone walls. He slightly turned his head and looked sharp at them from the corner of his eyes. The tile under the right rear claw of the griffon sank into the ground and produced a strange clicking sound. The sound repeated over and over again. Small holes were visible all around Soul and Applejack. The farmer leapt forward to escape this trap, but Soul continued in his steady pace. “Soul! What are ya doin'! Run!”

Applejack did her best, but she still wasn't quick enough to escape the hail of arrows. Time seemed to run slower around her. She saw the sharp edges of every single arrow that aimed for her body.

“Ridiculous.”

The countless arrows around them were vaporized inside intense black flames. No trace, not even dust remained of the deadly missiles. Applejack's eyes widened in amazement as she turned her head around to face the still relaxed stallion.

Applejack stopped and gazed at the griffon in front. A warning glimmer of danger shone in her eyes. “Hey! Are ya nuts or somethin'? Ah thought we were here to discuss and not to fight.”

The guard laughed at the scared mare and elevated his claws in an excusing pose. “I don't see your point, little pony. We just had to be sure that you were not an imposter. You mastered the first step, we'll see about the second.”

A thick grey barrier stretched from the right side of the hallway and parted Soul and Applejack from the snow-white guard. They were trapped. Applejack galloped to the barrier and bucked against the massive wall, but not even a crack appeared on its surface. “Soul, we have to get out of here!”

Another clicking sound rang through the hallway. Applejack couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the floor behind Soul moving. It exposed a dark emptiness. He returned seconds after with an uninvited guest.

The dirt-coloured being drooled from his misshapen maw, where only two short, already broken teeth were visible. The yellow eyes of the monster didn't testify great intelligence or any other cognitive abilities, but they showed the unconditional willingness for violence. It was a weird sight to see such a being, standing on two feet and using its arms to wield a gigantic mace.

Applejack paled at the sight of this miserable being. Never before in her life she had seen something like this. The being roared a terrifying scream, but Soul didn't even twitch. He just walked in the same pace as before towards the wall.

The monster raised to its full height and grabbed the mace. It was at least five ponies high and three ponies wide, but even though its great mass, this being was fast. Snot and drool leaked from his open mouth as it stormed at Soul.

Applejack's lips moved, but no words wanted to escape her mouth. The being leashed out and prepared the strike at the seemingly uninterested stallion. The mace made its way around, heading for Soul's back. Just a moment before it made contact, the tip of Soul's horn produced a small spark and the mace dispersed into thin air. The being lost its balance and fell over the walking stallion. The shadow of the downcoming being swallowed Soul completely. The massive body already covered him from Applejack's eyes. She gasped, but before the body hit the ground, a sapphire-blue light illuminated from underneath the being. A thin blue bolt raced through the being and ripped the being apart. Every bit of its flesh burned to ashes. “An oger. A pitiful creature. They have no purpose in life since their territory was destroyed.”

Applejack followed Soul with her eyes. Calmly, he walked past the astonished mare and closed in on the barrier. With another spark of his magic, the wall began to move. It crumbled and contracted into space that simply couldn't exist. The whole wall formed into a small ball and finally vanished in front of Applejack's eyes. “What happened to their territory? What could drive such strong creatures away from home?”

The guard behind the wall stared at Soul in terror. The stallion simply headed for the terrified griffon, showing Applejack no further attention. “Me happened to them. I destroyed their home.”

The griffon gasped, he was afraid. “I'm sorry! It was just a test, I swear! We only had to be sure that you were not an imposter!”

Soul stopped directly in front of the griffon. In sheer fear, the guard closed his eyes, but nothing came to harm him. Only the sound of Soul's voice. “Good evening, Gium.”

The guard slowly turned his head around to face his superior. Gium grinned over his whole face and carefully hovered down from the air above the scared guard. “You are dismissed for now, my guard.”

He quickly bowed in front of the approaching grey griffon and made his way out of the hallway in a rapid step. The griffon who had formerly introduced himself as ambassador of the Griffon Kingdom was wearing the armour of a soldier with a higher rank. “I warmly greet you, Soul Tearer. I'm sorry, but we had to test your true identity. We really didn't want to fall for an imposter, did we?”

Applejack followed the stallion carefully to his position but still kept some distance to Soul and Gium. She knew that she was safe around Soul, but the tension between them made her feel uncomfortable.

Soul's stare towards Gium was challenging and hard. It was the same gaze that Applejack hoped never to see again. It was the identical expression from when he fought Lunacy and the Princess’s darker halves. The fact that he had come here to pretend to surrender didn’t seem to matter to him anymore. “You just could have asked. There was no need to threaten our lives in order to check my true identity. Moreover, it looks more than odd to me that you would want to confirm my abilities so extensively. Would you like to tell me the purpose of this ridiculous measure?”

Gium's grin had almost faded. Obviously, he noticed the change in Soul's attitude and got more careful. “The adviser of the king wanted us to make sure that they really sent you and no copycat. Even I don't know the exact reason, but that is nothing for you to worry about.”

For a few seconds the grey griffon and the black stallion stared each other. None of them even blinked, but there was something strange with the griffon. When he came to Canterlot Castle, he was much more self-confident and more cocky. Applejack narrowed her eyes and decided to observe the situation. Soul's expression remained unchanged, the chill of his gaze was undeniable. His patience seemed to fade. “Right.”

Gium turned around and pointed further down the dull grey hallway. “Right down this hallway is a underground train station. The journey to Griffhala is quite long. We will begin with the negotiations when the train starts moving. In Griffhala, you have only to sign the surrender declaration with our King.”

Soul nodded and took a single step forward. Applejack followed them along and eyed them carefully. It was five long and silent minutes before they reached the end of the unspectacular hallway. It ended abruptly at a single train wagon. The rest of the train was hidden inside the walls. The tunnel that housed the train was perfectly circular, only big enough to allow the wagon to pass.

Without the doing of the griffon, the wagon doors slid open and offered its welcoming-looking seats to them. The interior of the wagon was fabulous. A fine red carpet was neatly attached to the floor, two wine-red padded bench-seats with golden molding were opposing each other, parted by an glass table. Applejack rendered the situation more than suspicious, but she laid her faith in Soul's hooves.

The three of them walked inside the wagon and took a seat. Before Gium sat down, he turned around and left the wagon, heading to the wagon in front. “What kind of host would I be if I didn't even offer some drinks for my guests?”

They only had the speck of a moment to talk before Gium returned and stuck to their flanks. Soul leaned over to Applejack and grabbed her shoulders to pull her over to him. He blocked her face from being seen by the griffon. “Listen, we don't have much time to talk. This perfectly rectangular hallway and this perfectly circular tunnel, they both were just recently magically shaped. The griffons have no need for such facilities. The tests before and this caged surrounding were planned especially for me. Judging from the short amount of time they had to react and the memories of Fluttershy, I've got access to evidence that leads me to the conclusion that Twilight might be the advisor of their king or better, she could be called the puppeteer. We have to be careful, she is up to something, and we won't fall for it.”

Applejack blinked rapidly and simply nodded at the razorsharp-minded stallion.

“So here are two nice, cold glasses filled with crystal clear water from the snowy tops of the mountain around Griffhala. I hope I didn't interrupt something here.” Gium stepped back into the room with a pair of glasses in his claws. Again, he was flashing that cocky grin.

Soul used his magic to levitate the glasses over. His sharp eyes inspected the liquid while it hovered to their sites. The spark of his magic leaped into the water and cleaned it of any impurities, hidden from Gium's eyes. “Thank you, my dear friend.”

Applejack nodded in approval to show her good manners. Both of them grabbed their glasses and poured down the clear liquid. The griffon watched every single drop run down their throats. Soul laid his glass back to its place and cleared his throat. “Now that we got past the formalities, shall we start the negotiations regarding the diplomacy status of our countries?”

Disappointment was the major feeling that Gium's face expressed towards them. Despite the lack of teeth, the griffon gnashed his beak. It was almost invisible, but Soul could clearly see his anger about the failed plan. The cocky grin had changed sides and was traceable on Soul's face. Gium forced his beak apart and pressed words with a threatening sounding undertone out of it. “All right. As my fellow guest, I would like you to start. At which point do you want to begin? Maybe the hand over of Equestria's wealth to the Griffon Kingdom?”

Soul scratched his chin and thoughtfully closed his eyes. He licked his lips and began to bargain for the sake of Equestria's population. “I think the parting of our possessions does not matter right now. The safety of the Equestrian population should be the first priority here. I want to ensure that every single living creature, including animals won't be harmed by any griffon, they’re allies and beings with a connection to the Griffon Kingdom. Furthermore, I don't want any griffons to touch Equestria's ground, but due to the tactical value of my home, we can discuss the possibility of tactical bases to move your armies to your destinations. Of course, you won't be allowed to enter any of our cities either.”

Gium pounded his claws against the glass table between them. A vein underneath his feathers began to throb. “HOW DARE YOU? YOU COME HERE AND TRY TO GIVE ME COMMANDS? I'M YOUR CONQUEROR! NOT THE OTHER WAY ‘ROUND!”

Soul carefully and gently let his horn light up. The air inside the wagon seemed to cool down a bit while the silhouette of the griffon radiated in the colour of Soul's magic. Applejack only briefly looked at the helpless griffon. Her eyes wandered around the room until they caught sight of something weird. The clock-hands of the little clock at a side table were running visibly faster. Her eyes widened when she finally realized what Soul was up to. He was taunting Gium in order to get him angry. Gium wasn’t a real diplomat after all, his pride would lead him into Soul's trap and slow the negotiations down. In addition, Soul was manipulating time so they wouldn’t come to an agreement in time.

The black stallion flashed the stunned griffon his darkest gaze and closed the distance to him, only a few inches parted them. “Don't be mistaken, Gium. Only because we are here for surrender negotiations, doesn't mean that we will give you permission to do everything you like. It simply means that we won't like to fight against your folk. Equestria won't be exploited nor will it be exposed to any violent acts. Our country doesn't like to fight, but when these negotiations fail, we will defend ourselves against your kind. And believe me when I tell you that your puny army of avian fighters won't stand a chance against the glorious Nightmare Legion.”

Gium tried to fight against the magical skin around him, but his body wouldn't do as he pleased. Soul forced him to take his seat again. The skin around the griffon vanished and Gium almost fell from his seat due to the lack of body tension. “You fraud! You will pay for this, so much I can promise you. I don't need to be afraid of you. They will come for you, there will be no escape.”

The grin of a winner crept onto Soul's face. It was easy to trick the soldier in disguise. “They will come for me? Who exactly is 'they', and why should they come for me? Seems like something is going on here. Maybe you want to tell me before I find out for myself?”

The grey griffon gulped in the realization of his mistake. The sweat began to pour down his feathered face and dripped on the fine red carpet beneath them. “Of course some of my friends will go after you if you dare harm me!”

Applejack followed Soul's lead and grinned victoriously at the harassed griffon. She laid her hoof around Soul to support her weight and leaned forward towards Gium. “Ya know? We already know that somepony is pullin' the strings in your lil' play. Ya spoke of somepony in particular. Ya can just tell us her name now. Ya can't get away from here anyway.”

Gium's eyes opened wide, like he saw the beauty of nature for the first time. “Her? Why do you expect a girl to be behind this? But that doesn't matter anyway. Why should I tell you?”

Soul stomped his hooves on the table and cracked its surface, but the plate still supported his weight. “You underestimate your situation. You are all alone here. No pony will help you when you are facing one of the most dangerous ponies in world history. If your life has any value to you, talk. Otherwise, I will get my required information... another way.”

Gium's entire body was shaking. Applejack got curious and watched the griffon closely. His bravery had faded quickly in face of a serious threat of his life. “You sick bastard... There are two of your kind waiting for you. The advisor of the King brought them to our country. They are far beyond your capacity.”

The black stallion narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. “The identity of the adviser... tell me his name.”

The grey griffon stroked his chest feathers and pressed himself back into his seat. “I don't know his identity. I swear. None of us had ever seen the advisor in person. The King only talks about him so far. The advisor just brought the two up and told us that they would get rid of you.”

Soul flashed his teeth to the anxious griffon below him. His horn ignited in a dangerous deep-blue light. It seemed like even some darker hues of fog were mixed within the magic. “Liar! How can you trust somepony that you’ve never seen before! You saw the advisor, at least once! So now tell me!”

He pounded a second time against the glass plate of the table and smashed it into a thousand tiny pieces. Gium cringed in fear and covered his face to be safe from the shards that flew through the room. Applejack grabbed Soul's shoulders and held him away from the griffon. “Soul! He is honest, believe me! I can see it in his eyes.”

Soul gnashed his teeth and slowly withdrew from the shattered table. Gium climbed out of his seat and tried to calm himself through his relaxing breathing technique. They could feel their own weight pressing them out of their seats as the train proceeded to slow down. The confidence seemed to be returning to the shaking griffon when they reached their destination.

The doors of the wagon slid open and a blinding light fell inside. Soul and Applejack covered their eyes from the light and walked through the blinding barrier. Outside the wagon, their eyes slowly acclimatized to the light. The snow upon the roofs and statues of Griffhala reflected the light and illuminated the whole city.

Two long shadows approached the stunned form of Soul and Applejack. The shapes formed into ponies that belonged to the unicorn race. The slightly bigger unicorn to their right side whipped his tongue against his own chin and laughed darkly at them. “My name is Pestilence. I'm pleased to meet you, Soul Tearer. Our mistress had told us about you. I can promise you. This will be a festival...”

Chapter 11 - Facing War

Chapter 11
Facing War

The purely-white stallion named Pestilence let his forked tongue strive over his lips and hissed a dangerous tone towards Soul and Applejack. The boulder made of pure muscles almost merged with the brilliant white light around them. Even his short-cut mane was shaded in a pure white. The eyes that took aim towards them were pale blue, a wonderful homogeneous mix of colours for such a masculine stallion. “My my, where are my manners? I introduced myself and forgot about my lovely companion to my right.”

Pestilence waved his hoof to the crimson mare at his side. Her long wavy, deep brown mane fell over her left eye and covered it completely. Her eyes were coloured in a gentle deep hue of brown. They seemed to be passionate, albeit a dangerous glimmer shone from the inside. The beautiful mare almost resembled the stunning form of an alicorn princess, only the wings and crown were missing to complete her.

The stallion let his eyes wander over the marvellous body of his companion and let his tongue snarl for another time. “May I introduce you my sister. War.”

The fine lady bowed down humbly in front of Soul and waved her mane out of her face with a gentle toss of her head. “Pleased to meet you, Soul Tearer. Our mistress had warned us about your strength, but she didn't tell us that you are so handsome.”

Soul eyed the mare in front of him carefully. Her eyes were indeed wonderful, but she was much more than just a pretty face. From both unicorns in front of him flowed a weird magical presence. It was oddly familiar to the dark stallion. Only a few days ago the same weird presence used to swirl around him. “War? What a harsh name for such a gorgeous lady. Too bad that we are standing on different sides right now.”

Applejack stormed angrily in front of the flirting stallion and bucked firmly against his chest. “Hey! Did Ah turn into air or somethin'? How dare do ya speak to this cheap broad in front of meh?”

The vigilant mare of war playfully licked her lips and inspected the brash farmer closely. “Oh, I see. You brought your little filly-friend along. Seems like you have a favour for the uncivilized mares. Well, you just have to ditch this filthy little filly, then we can have some fun together.”

The orange farmer shot War a gaze filled with pure hatred. “Who are ya callin' uncivilized?”

Soul carefully tugged at Applejack's mane. She turned around and noticed that the stallion wasn't looking at her. Instead, he was glaring towards War and Pestilence. His eyes were cold and calculating. She gulped when she realized that the situation could be worse than she had thought at the beginning.

The streets of Griffhala were empty and bare. The citizens had left their homes for some unknown reason, and Applejack might have guessed the reason behind it. Soul gently stroked above her necklace and calmly talked into her ear. “Listen Applejack. You have to get out of here immediately. They may look harmless, but both of them are very dangerous.”

Applejack pounded her hooves furiously against the ground. “There is no way Ah will leave ya alone here! That over-trained stallion and his saucy mare over there won't get away like this!”

War stroked her wonderful, long mane and watched the two fight. “You are really a sweet couple. What a shame that we have to drift you apart.”

Soul quickly stepped forward and hid Applejack behind his war-stained body. “What you do you mean by 'drifting us apart'?”

The massive boulder of muscles accelerated towards them and aimed for the relatively small looking mare. “It is time to say goodbye, filly!”

Soul dashed forward and dived downward towards the ground and hit the legs of the rapidly approaching stallion. He levered him out and Pestilence took off into the air by the pure power of the leverage. Pestilence couldn't do anything other than land upon Soul's back. The black stallion raised from the ground and threw Pestilence against the wall of the traincar.

The wood splintered underneath Pestilence's massive weight and clouds of dust raised to the air. War simply watched them before she took action again. “I guess you are one of the tough kind of stallion. You may be harder to beat than imagined.”

The black stallion coughed under the unexpected strain, but he was still grinned towards the attractive mare of war. “What do you expect? That I would just give up? I will protect everypony I care for with my life. Your mistress told you everything about me, then you should know how awfully strong I am.”

War licked her lips and mustered the stallion in front of her closely. “Strong? We know what kind of unholy power you are wielding. The question is not if we are aware of your power. The question is if you are aware of ours.”

In the speck of a second her horn ignited and extended a magical whip from its tip. She tossed her head around and aimed another time for Applejack. The burning crimson whip raced downwards at an insane speed.

Soul stepped in and intercepted the whip with help of his horn, but the whip wrapped itself around his horn and wouldn't let go of him easily. War smiled at him, but her eyes looked past him. “Seems like this will be easy.”

From behind an ear-splitting sound rang. Soul turned his head as much as the whip allowed him, and he had to learn that Pestilence had broken free of the wreckage and was heading for Applejack's position again. The stallion was laughing at the exposed farmer in his rush.

The restrained black stallion concentrated upon his spellbound horn and forced a massive amount of magic through the whip. The whip changed its colour from a deep crimson to a brilliant sapphire blue. War's eyes widened when she realized what Soul was up to. She loosened the bond to save herself from being infected by his magic. “Hah! You won't use that poisonousness magic against me!”

Soul's eyes narrowed. He pointed his horn at the ground and let his magic flow into the same. A magical blue radiating circle formed around him and Applejack. Pestilence was blinded by his own certainty and didn't notice the circle around them. The very moment the white stallion was about to cross the circle, a barrier shot from the ground and hindered him from running through.

The heavy stallion clashed against the magical wall and was thrown back into the wreckage he had come from before. Soul grinned at the astonished mare and regained his elegant stance again. “Poison you? No, I doubt that it will work here. Demon's Run had an entire effect then this environment. The poison I injected Lunacy with would usually instantly kill a normal pony, but it only paralysed him. So I guess it wouldn't take effect on you.”

Applejack scratched her head underneath her hat and shot the mare in front of Soul a thoughtful gaze. “Why shouldn't it take effect on her? She seems pretty average to meh. Even her cutie mark seems pretty usual to meh.”

Her eyes wandered to the flank of the graceful mare and inspected her cutie mark closely. It was the lovely image of a rose with two leaves and three thorns. The blossom was in full bloom and tiny drips of a liquid coloured in the same deep red colour sat upon its petals.

War tilted her head to her own tenuous flank and groaned with pleasure. “Harmless you say? Don't be mistaken, little farmhand. It only suits my grace and beauty. I gained it after my first murder when I was still a little filly. I would be glad to explain its origin to you. Two colts were fighting over me, so I decided to turn them against each other. One of them got jealous and lured the other one out into the fields far away from home. I wanted to see how far he would go and followed them. The colt turned around and stabbed the second with a little dagger he had hidden inside his tail all this time. When I realized what he'd done, I charged at him and grabbed the dagger with my magic and stabbed into his chest over and over again. For a few minutes, I sat above the blood-soaked body and stared down at my bloody hooves.”

The mentally-scarred mare's pupils narrowed and an awkward forced smile crept into her face. “It was so much fun seeing them die only because of me. After this experience my cutie mark appeared on my marvellous flank. For years I've made stallions fell in love with me and let them fight against each other for my hoof. This way I managed to lead entire countries to war, and so I finally got this name. War. The drips on the petals are blood, my naïve dear. Blood from the stallions that seek my love.”

Applejack noticed that Soul's expression didn't change during War's disgusting monologue. There were no signs of disgust nor of acceptance. He remained perfectly neutral. For a second he closed his eyes and his neutrality changed to a worried frown. “Many times I've heard that a mare was responsible for war, but I never guessed that there is a mare who actually drives the conflicts forward. It is really a shame. You don't even remember your real name, am I right?”

War's grin faded immediately. She gnashed her teeth, but her eyes wandered slowly upwards and looked at something invisible above Soul. “How about you, fraud? I can see many names written above your head, but none of them belong to you! What is your real name? Is it Star Swirl, Soul Tearer, Lunacy or even Black Terror? You've consumed every single one of them! I think the most recent name would suit you most! Isn't it true-...”

“Shut your filthy mouth!” Soul's deep voice boomed through the forsaken city and interrupted the wicked mare in her speech.

The dark stallion flashed his teeth towards the mare, lowered his position and pointed his horn at her throat. “How dare you speak about me like that! I've fought for the ones I’ve cared about! You are just a murderer!”

The crimson mare pounded her hooves against the ground and shouted at the furious stallion. “Don't be ridiculous! You love fighting more than your own life! Just look how you deal with my brother!”

Soul's eyes widened a tiny bit when he remembered the pearl-white stallion's existence. Underneath him formed a big, almost circular shadow.

“SPLASH DIVE!”

To avoid to be buried underneath the massive stallion, Soul jumped towards Applejack and dashed himself and her out of the way. Both of them landed nose first in the dirt. Soul immediately raised back to his hooves and took his offensive stance again. Pestilence soared into the ground and produced a cloud of dust around him. The stallion left the crater and took his place at the side of his sister. “Sorry for interrupting your lovely little chat with my sister, but I'm that kind of stallion that needs soooo much attention.”

The dust between them settled and Soul watched the white stallion closely. “Seems like you are quite the rude one? Do you want to tell us your story, too?”

Pestilence thoughtfully rubbed his chin and pretended to close his eyes. “I think I will be so kind. My cutie mark is two crossed swords in front of two different flags, you see. I gained it during the scavenging of a town nearby to my home. We killed the residents to get their food and bits. One after another, my friends were either killed or left me, but I continued and became more and more confident until I realized that it meant to be my destiny!”

Applejack followed Soul's lead and mustered the seemingly over-trained stallion. “How can ya be proud of somethin' that horrible? Both of ya are monsters in mah eyes!”

War and Pestilence looked at each other and barely managed to cover a giggle. The mare of war pointed straight at the black stallion in front of Applejack and shot him a devilish glare. “You consider us monsters? What a twisted view of the world. The handsome stallion right next to you has murdered thousands just for his own pleasure as well! Only a few selected died by my own hooves, but his hooves are spilled with so much blood that I can't even see his real face anymore. With pleasure and delight he burned his enemies in times of war. It was such an enjoyable view.”

The orange mare mustered War and narrowed her eyes. She raised her hoof and laid it upon her chin. “Enjoyable view? Ya look barely older than meh. How could ya see him so far in the past?”

War laughed at the naïve mare. Even her brother couldn't resist joining in. “You still didn't realize who we are, do you? History class wasn't your favourite, huh?”

Applejack was already prepared to howl at the arrogant stallion, but Soul raised his hoof and blocked Applejack's view at them. She hesitated and let her eyes wander to the dark stallion.

Soul frowned, but he was still highly concentrated upon their opponents. “This is enough. Applejack, tell Princess Luna what happened here and that I will follow you as soon as possible. She isn't allowed to come here or send any reinforcements at all. I will deal with these two on my own.”

Applejack hastily pushed his hoof down and leaped in front of him to face him properly. Soul's eyes wandered to his companion and met Applejack's with a determination filled gaze. “I ain't goin' anywhere. Ah will stick to your side! No matter what happens!”

Soul only offered Applejack a sympathetic smile. He lifted his hoof for a second time and stroked gently above her mane. “This decision isn't up to you anymore. I'm sorry, Applejack. I'm so sorry.”

She gasped when his horn ignited and wrapped the necklace around her neck in his gentle blue shine. “Wait, ya...!”

Applejack disappeared in a bright sapphire blue flash of magic and left only dust behind. War and her brother grinned at the lone stallion. Their pupils narrowed to small dots. The magic inside of them was already eager to leak out of their horns. Pestilence made a little step forward and ignited his horn to its full extent. The blinding light melted the snow on the nearby roofs and turned it into steam. “I guess playtime is over! Now the real fun can begin!”

A sphere of raw magical energy built at the tip of Pestilence's horn. In a fragment of a second the sphere accelerated towards Soul and burned the ground underneath its path. Soul concentrated upon the death-bringing sphere and let his magic flow around his horn.

The ball of magic met the ground and burned everything in its range. Nothing could grow on this ground, not even in a thousand years. Too fierce was the magically-inflicted burn. There was no trace of Soul anywhere. Pestilence looked around his surroundings but couldn't find a glimpse of the black stallion. “This was everything he had? What a disappointment. I guess the way is cleared to create a new world under the reign of our mistress...”

A cold chill ran over Pestilence's spine. From the corner of his eye, he saw Soul charging at him from a hole in the fabric of reality that Soul had created himself. The dark stallion inhaled deeply and pressed a roll of pure black fire out of his lungs towards the stunned form of Pestilence.

Pestilence couldn't react or dodge at all. The flames wrapped around his body and scorched the coat on his flesh. The flames dispersed into thin air when their deed was done, but the white stallion still stood in the centre of the place where the flames had burned before.

Still shivering in fear, Pestilence stared at Soul. A thin layer of crimson magic sparked from his coat faded completely. Soul had reintegrated at the exact same spot he had stood before. He was glaring at them, the intent to kill was well visible inside his eyes.

War flashed him her teeth. Her pretty face had turned dark. “You won't do anything to my brother, Black Terror! Even with this wretched combination of your space magic and the magic of madness, you won't be able to defeat the two of us!”

The shadow underneath War's hooves began to wave. Soul stared coldly into the eyes of the graceful mare and didn't even twitch for a second. War could feel the movement beneath her and reacted quickly when several tendrils of shadow leashed out for her. She managed to land next to her brother and hissed at the dark stallion.

Soul's posture remained calm, albeit his eyes told a different story. He suppressed his anger as well as he could. “Why do you call me by this cursed name? I call myself Soul Tearer now, and I will stick with it.”

War's heartbeat calmed again and she loosened her tension a bit, though she still kept her horn charged. “You are right. Soul Tearer is the name you chose, but it is really the name that reflects your true self?”

Another spear of fire raced from Soul's horn towards War and Pestilence. The white stallion lowered his front hooves and cast another powerful spell. The spear deflected and split the spear into thousands of little sparks that levitated through the air. Pestilence hissed and snarled at the dark stallion, but his sister put her hoof in front of his mouth and stopped him. “No offence, brother, but charging at him blindly might lead to your destruction. There is a reason we are here together. What I will tell him now is a warning for you at the same time.”

War dared to step towards Soul. It was only two steps, but that already placed the mare in great danger. “A thousand years ago, you were known by the name of Black Terror. You were grateful for the care your Princess had offered you, but you never embraced the meaning of your name. Until this one faithful day. The day Midnight Veil died you made yourself responsible for her death. You became fierce and cruel. Ponies began to fear your name. Everywhere you appeared the ponies cringed in fear, but this changed after you met Harmony. She cracked your hard shell and revealed the soft core beneath. Then the Sun goddess killed her and you lost control over yourself and vanished. When the Elements of your very Harmony forced you back into this world you decided instinctively to change your name. You choose your birth name that you learned only a few month before. Like Black Terror is a synonym for everything bad, Soul Tearer is a synonym for everything good inside of you. Your righteousness, sense of justice and your desire for harmony. But this name became just another mask after you returned from the realm of Death. You are consciously using the power of madness that you reobtained after the battle of Demon's Run. You are as rotten as we are, Soul.”

Soul couldn't restrain his anger anymore. His heart pumped more and more blood into his muscles. His horn was already sparking by the raging torrent of magic underneath its surface. “You are pretty well informed about my life. I guess I won't have the pleasure to learn about yours.”

War blinked, baffled. When her eyes opened again the black stallion was gone. Despite the warmth that the still levitating sparks of fire provided, a cold chill ran down her spine. Her jaws opened, but before she could shout Soul's rear hooves raced down on the back of her brother.

The pressure of his kick pressed Pestilence deep into the soil. The shock wave drove War away from her brother and swirled a huge amount of dust into the air.

She hesitated until the dust had settled down and gasped at the sight of her brother. His spine was broken and the rest of his bones probably, too. “You sick bastard! You don't know what you have done!”

It was exactly the same as before. Soul placed himself for a second time at exactly the same spot as before. His precision was unimaginably accurate. Soul narrowed his eyes when the broken mass on the ground began to move.

Pestilence raised from the ground, his broken bones cracked and creaked until they slipped back into their original position. His horn was glowing brightly and repaired every single bone inside of his body. “You dirty son of a fraud. How dare you attack me like that? Never before had somepony tried such a foolish act and survived… and neither will you.”

His horn ignited brightly in his pure-white magic. Even his eyes shone in the same brightness as his very horn. “I WILL SHOW YOU THE MEANING OF PESTILENCE!”

Everywhere around them something began to dig from underneath the ground. Single bones and rotten parts of armour raised from the ground and clicked together. Hundreds of undead griffons marched towards the collected stallion and screamed a horrifying roar. Pestilence grinned at Soul in belief of his certain victory. “You will die, filthy stallion. You are not suited to become one of our kind!”

The countless undead soldiers were seeking for Soul's blood. They closed in to the stallion and hissed by the pure hatred that had awoken them from their eternal slumber.

Soul watched through the levitating sparks of his magic at the lines of griffons until he focused at Pestilence again. The tip of Soul's horn began to glow again. “Aren't my lights wonderful, my dear War?”

Pestilence cooked his eyebrow and waited for Soul to continue before he would charge at him. War wasn't as careless as her brother. A tiny voice inside her mind told her to run, to leave her brother behind. That he has already fallen. She felt a strong tug at her neck and saw the world beneath her vanishing. For a brief moment she looked upwards and saw a half snake and half dragon like being pulling her away from her brother.

War's gaze fall back to her brother. With disgust she had to witness the scene below.

Soul left his stance and flashed his cocky, victorious grin towards Pestilence. The sparks were flying around the griffons and Pestilence, surrounding them completely. “Perish, you scum!”

The sparks ignited into a merciless inferno and burned the undead into dust again. Pain pulsed through Pestilence's body when the flames devoured his wretched form.

The black flames faded and left the scorched remains of the stallion behind. He was still breathing but would certainly needed a long time to recover. Soul approached him slowly and stopped right in front of him. “One of you?”

Inside Soul's eyes a faint glow shone. The soul of the defenceless stallion in front of his hooves floated upwards until it met Soul's own horn. The former body of the white stallion perished into dust just like his soldiers did.

Soul looked around his surroundings, completely left alone by every imaginable life-form. He used his magic to disintegrate his body. Piece for piece his body crumbled and left Griffhala. Before his head faded away, he thought about the mare of war. “I thought they are only a myth. I doubt that I will ever become something like you., but I would never have guessed that I will be facing the Apocalyptic Ponies on my own.”

Chapter 12 - The Apocalyptic Four

Chapter 12
The Apocalyptic Four

The dangerous sound of a blazing fire resounded inside Princess Luna's personal chamber. The eyes of the by standing ponies looked upon the small ball of fire that grew second for second in its diameter.

Princess Luna was already eagerly waiting for Soul Tearer’s return from Griffhala. The flames grew into the form of a unicorn stallion and manifested into flesh.

Applejack and Princess Luna watched the stallion calmly breathe and regain his attitude. The Princess of the Night looked strained, like something had bothered her badly. She stepped forward to Soul and caught him in her royal embrace before he could speak up. “Soul! I'm so glad that you made it back without harm! Applejack told me about the happenings in Griffhala. Did you manage to solve the differences peacefully?”

Soul firmly returned the caring embrace of the Princess and gently pushed her hooves down from his back. He gently smiled at the Princess who had raised him since he was a little colt. “Thank you, Luna. How could I possibly return to you and show any signs of weakness? I would never disappoint you, but I can't satisfy your expectations this time. Griffhala couldn't be saved.”

Princess Luna's eyes widened in shock. Soul's eyes definitely told her the truth. She stepped carefully back and stared at him in concern. “You couldn't save them? What does that mean? What happened after you send Applejack away? Explain yourself!”

Soul closed his eyes and concentrated for a short moment before he continued to answer the question of the obviously upset Princess. “When we arrived, they were already gone. There were no living creatures around the moment Applejack left. The ambassador Gium left unseen immediately after we stepped outside the wagon. The capital of the Griffon Kingdom was deserted from life right from the start.”

The concern in the eyes of the Princess grew. Her pupils narrowed when she looked hastily back and forth until she finally managed to focus on Soul again. “What about these two ponies, Pestilence and War?”

Soul broke the eye contact immediately and looked bashfully at the ground. “The stallion named Pestilence summoned an army of undead griffons after two failed attacks. The origin of the corpses is unknown to me. They were most likely not the citizens of Griffhala but an older generation of fallen soldiers. I immediately took drastic measures and burned them to ashes. The second pony named War somehow managed to flee. I suspect their so called mistress behind her flight.”

The dark stallion noticed a faint whimper behind the Princess of the Night. Applejack bit her lip, and tears were well visible in her bloodshot eyes. Soul couldn't bear the sight of Applejack crying. He attempted to take a step forward, but Applejack cut him off beforehoof. “How could ya ditch meh? Ah don't care who these ponies were, but Ah could have helped ya! How would Ah deal with the suffering if something had happened to ya?”

Soul could feel a single tear run down his cheek. It had been a long time since he cried. He wanted to embrace the mare that cared for him more than herself, but Applejack turned away in disgust; she didn't even let him close in on her. “If ya think ya don't need meh, then Ah see no reason to bother ya anymore. Ah’ll go downstairs and tag along with Blaze.”

Applejack turned around, her tears flying from her cheeks, forced to met the ground. Angrily, she pulled the door open and smashed it shut shortly after.

Soul lifted his hoof. He wanted to follow her but something bugged him. The dark stallion turned to Princess Luna and shot her a questioning glare. “She doesn't care who these ponies are? Does she know who they were?”

Princess Luna leaned forward and grabbed Soul's hoof. Her eyes showed fear, an unusual sight in the gentle blue eyes of hers. “You did your best to minimize the damage, and I'm actually glad that you already took one of them down. But I have to ask you a question. I could only guess but, are these ponies really part of the legendary four Apocalyptic Ponies?”

Soul ripped his hoof out of Princess Luna's hold and turned away from her. His gaze was turned towards the window in the back, always searching for something certain between the clouds in the sky. Princess Luna noticed this, but didn't mind it at all when she learned that nothing was in sight. The stallion tore his eyes away from the sky and closed them forcefully shut. He gnashed with his teeth and snarled at the thought of War. “There is no mistake. Both of them belong to the four Apocalyptic Ponies. It was suspiciously easy to defeat Pestilence even when he could regenerate after I broke his spine. Equestria is in far greater danger than we believed. Not only is Discord running wild, but Twilight has even lost control over herself and at least one Apocalyptic Pony is causing mischief. The famine and the black death in Equestria are most likely inflicted by the other two Apocalyptic Ponies.”

He locked his gaze on the tile just in front of his hooves. His own words were ringing through his mind. “Pestilence, War, Famine and Death … I've read these names somewhere before... but I can't put a hoof on it right now.”

Princess Luna hesitated for a short moment. She thought about these names and wanted to be certain before she told him. “If I remember it right, these names were written on this four white boulders at Demon's Run. Maybe there is a connection between this ponies and these boulders.”

Soul's eyes ripped open. He lit his horn up and formed a simple frame on the floor. Its inner blurred until a picture was hardly visible. The picture got clearer again and exposed a lush meadow with endless swarms of butterflies and fields of flowers. The picture moved until four white boulders came into the view. “There they are, exactly at the same spot as two years ago.”

Princess Luna mustered the boulders carefully. The boulder with 'Pestilence' written at it was gravely cracked. Only a soft push more and the boulder would collapse, but the other three stones were surrounded by a milky fog-like magical aura. It was glimmering in the sunlight. “I guess the boulder of Pestilence is cracked because of his death. The glowing of the other three would imply that the other Apocalyptic Ponies are actually here in Equestria.”

The Princess of the Night bit her lip. Her entire body tensed up by the presumption of three Apocalyptic Ponies rampaging through her kingdom. “What should we do? Ponies are dying out there! But how can we stop them? You managed to kill one of them, but that doesn't mean you will be able to take the other ones head on. We have to plan this in every detail as fast as possible!”

Soul looked from his lowered position directly into her eyes. He slowly lifted his head. Princess Luna shrank back at the horrifying gaze of her favourite ex-student. They were still coloured in the marvellous sapphire-blue hue, but his pupil had turned into a draconian slit. “A plan? We don't have time to fool around. We can't simply plan how to deal with them. These ponies aren't mortals! We just can't send mortal ponies to fight them! Every single of them will perish when they get near to them!”

Instead of shouting the Princess become suspiciously quiet. She eyed Soul for a moment before she slowly began to speak again. “You say mortals will perish if they come close to them?”

The eyes of the dark stallion narrowed when he noticed what Princess Luna was up to. The Princess of the Night closed in to him and met his gaze with determination. “When mortals can't get close to them, how did you manage to break his spine and still live? I doubted that you would tell me how exactly you returned from the realm of death, but I think it is time that you explain.

Soul was getting nervous. His eyes switched back to normal in the blink of a second and a tiny drop of sweat was running over his forehead. He felt his pulse raising, but no matter what happened the Princess wasn't allowed to notice. “Since I didn't die in the regular way, but kind of forced my living soul into the realm of death, there was a difference in the rules that beings there had to obey. A normal dead soul is allowed to interact with everything and everypony there. It is very similar to being alive despite the fact that you don't age anymore. This is what ponies call heaven. You are immortalized, and the world around you forms into the world you’ve dreamed of. But the place where I had to stay was different. It showed me my greatest fears. I saw deaths of the pony I love over and over again. A dead soul can't change. It will suffer the exact same pain over and over again, but I was still alive. So I hardened. After a few months I got used to it and didn't react at all. So I used my magic to break out of this endless spiral of misery and wandered through the realm that ponies would consider hell. At some point I found a pond where I could stare into the world of the living and used it to observe the former Elements of Harmony and you. Every single step... When I realized that something went awfully wrong, I tried to come back. But my magic just brought me back to hell. There was no escape from there. I guess the four Apocalyptic Ponies were in hell as well. Somepony must have broken the barrier between death and life, so I could slip along with them back into Equestria.”

Princess Luna scratched her chin and continued to eye him suspiciously. She began to pace around him. For three whole laps she walked around him, until she stopped. “Then what are you? Dead or alive?”

Soul didn't hesitate. As soon as the Princess finished her sentence, his answer followed. “Alive!”

The Princess pounded her hooves against the ground. A single tear was stuck in the corner of her eyes. “Liar! Proper resurrection is impossible even for an alicorn. It is possible to bring a body back to life, but the soul and personality is lost forever. I'm the guardian of the gateway between the living and the dead. I know that there is no way to return. So stop lying to me!”

Soul couldn't see his very Princess cry. Especially not for his sake. This time he took her hoof and pulled her body into a warm embrace. “Luna... I promise you that everything will be fine. You can trust me. Everything will be restored to its usual order.”

He could feel the Princess gently nodding behind his back. Soul released her and looked into her eyes another time. She wiped her tears away and offered him a small smile. “But what about the ponies in Ponyville that got attacked by Twilight's creations?”

Soul stroked the eternal mane of the Princess and bopped the tip of her nose. “There is nothing to worry. Just leave this to me. Their souls aren't gone. I isolated them in a realm where time and space doesn't exists. It must be possible to save all of them.”

Princess Luna rubbed her nose, a faint blush had taken hold of her beautiful face. “Does that includes Applejack's brother and friends? Or the ponies that were caged by Discord in Twilight's basement?”

Soul's confidence faded with every word she spoke. He still managed to look her in the eyes, but the Princess knew that something was wrong. “Luna... you know... I will try everything to bring every single one of them back. For Big Mac' and the others there is not much hope, but even if I have to use divine magic, I will do it. Shadow and the remaining Elements are most likely banished somewhere. If I beat Discord, I should be able to bring them back.”

The Princess’s smile grew in its size. Maybe hope had finally returned to her. Before she could say more, a knock at the door interrupted them. Princess Luna turned to the door and waited for the second knock. “Come inside.”

The door opened and a single guard entered the room. Soul looked at him briefly. For him it was just one of the inexperienced Solar Guards with a brown coat and blue mane, squeezed into golden armour. The guard proceed to bow down and to roll out a scroll afterwards. “I'm sorry for the interruption, your highness. Agent Soaring Knight brought news about the two little fillies. They found them in the Everfree Forest near Ponyville; they are completely unharmed and on their way here.”

Soul levitated the scroll over to himself and read the paragraphs quickly. The Princess nodded approvingly to the soldier. “Well done, Iron Pike. You are allowed to take your time off. I will await you back tomorrow in the morning.”

The soldier bowed a second time and quickly left the room after he said his farewell to the Princess. She turned around and paid Soul her whole attention again. “Shall we go downstairs and tell Applejack the news?”

Soul laid the scroll aside and sealed it again. Despite the good news his face wasn't graced by the expression of happiness but of serious concerns. “If you don't insist, I would rather choose to go alone. I think I should talk to her in private after what I did.”

Princess Luna nodded and grabbed the stallion at his shoulders. “Don't mess up again... But I'm sure you will do the right thing, my little black colt.”

With a wink she let go of him and used her magic to wrap him in a magical coating. Soul smiled at the only parent he knew and gave in to her magic. With a silent flash he disappeared from Princess Luna's chamber and reappeared in front of the Royal Study Chamber.

Carefully, he nudged the door with his nose open and took a peek. Soul caught sight of Blaze and Applejack. She was vigilantly watching the teenage stallion hanging above his book. A huge pile of books was already piled up next to him, but the pile of the books that are still in hiatus were almost double the size.

None of them noticed him, yet. So Soul decided to sneak into the room and hide behind the countless bookshelves. Silently he walked over the purple carpet that coated the entire study room floor. Slowly he approached Applejack from behind. Soul raised his hooves to tap gently against her shoulder.

As soon as he made contact, Applejack spun around and threw her hooves into the air. She struck Soul in his face and left a small scratch behind. The orange farmer regained her composure and looked in shock at Soul. “Soul! Where did ya came from? Ah'm sorry. Ah really didn't want to hit ya! Please let meh take a look at your face.”

Soul rubbed his hoof at the slightly painful spot until Applejack gently took his hoof away. Her eyes widened when the spot where she had seen a tiny drop of blood before was completely unharmed. “Ah'm sorry, Soul. Ah thought a saw a bleeding scratch in your face. But it seems like Ah overreacted a tiny bit.”

He put his hoof gently back to the ground and looked into Applejack's eyes. They were bloodshot and puffy, she must have cried a few minutes ago. Blaze rocketed up from his books and shot towards Soul. He reared up and pressed his hooves against Soul's chest. “Hey! I already waited for you! How could you do something like that to Miss Applejack? I never expected something awful like that from you!”

Soul's heart was aching at the sight of the disappointed little stallion. Every time he accidentally hurt his emotions, Soul felt an incredibly strong pain in his chest. Soul laid his hoof on the young stallion's head and tried to look as convincing as possible into his eyes. “I feel terribly sorry for what I have done. Please don't give me a hard time about that. I want to speak to Applejack in private. I know you are studying here, but would you leave us alone for a second?”

Blaze twisted his face and snorted at the much older stallion. “Fine, but when I hear that you made Miss Applejack cry another time, you have to deal with me!”

Soul nodded and let go of his little friend. “I would never dare to disobey you.”

The young stallion pointed his nose upwards and proceed to walk out of the room. With his rear hoof he closed the door behind him. Applejack and Soul were all alone in the giant room.

Despite her concern before, Applejack didn't think Soul was worth enough to be honoured with eye-contact. “Ya want to speak? Then open your mouth.”

Soul levitated the scroll towards Applejack and opened it for her. He tried to put on a gentle and sorrowful smile. His voice was as smooth as possible in order to calm the upset mare. “The guards have found your little sister and her friend. They are unharmed and on the way to the castle. The guards had found them somewhere in the Everfree Forest near Ponyville. Seems like your little sister is quite the survival specialist.”

Applejack forgot her pride and ripped the scroll down from the air and began to read through every single paragraph. She tossed the scroll aside and swung her hooves around Soul's neck. “By Celestia's sun! Ah never was so happy before! Ah can't express how glad Ah am that nothing had happened to her! If something had happened to her, Ah...”

Soul squeezed his overjoyed friend tightly against his chest. Applejack snapped out of her sheer happiness and was thrown back into a reality she had to face. Carefully she withdrew her hooves. Her gaze was firmly locked against his chest. “So ya brought this scroll along to cheer meh up before we speak?”

The black stallion began to shiver slightly, only barely enough for Applejack to notice. “I want to apologize for what I've done. But you have to understand... I couldn't risk your life. Both of these ponies are only capable of killing. I could protect you, but what if I make a mistake and something happens to you? I don't know what I'm capable of doing if I lose you.”

Applejack laid her own hooves at his. He was still holding her tightly. Her eyes were hidden from Soul's sight. He couldn't have guessed her thoughts in this moment. “Ah have to understand? Are ya makin' fun of meh or somethin'? Two years ago, ya barely could bear when Ah was around ya. Ah admit Ah was harsh and rude, and Ah was rushin' things way too fast. But now ya are sayin' that ya can't bear if somethin' happens to meh? Ya are a liar!”

Soul hooves began to shake harder. With all of his will he tried to suppress his emotions from leaking. “Applejack, please! I'm definitely not making fun of you. The only reason for my return from the realm of the death is you! I've seen ponies suffer, ponies die! Even your friends! I saw every one of them perish! Only your upcoming death gave me reason to literally freeze hell and come back! I've followed these cursed ponies back to Equestria! Midnight Veil died by my fault! Harmony died because I couldn't save her! I even shattered her immortal soul to banish Lunacy within me eternally! Everypony I cared for died because of my faults! But I won't let you die! Even if I have to recreate this whole damn world! You will live!”

Applejack's coat tensed up. Did she hear that right? A feeling of discomfort rolled through her stomach. “Ya... ya banished Lunacy inside yourself? Again! Why did ya do this? What if somepony plans to free him again?”

The air around them felt cold to Applejack. Her anger was gone and pure fright returned. Soul withdrew his hooves from her shoulder and slowly wandered higher. His hooves glided over her neck until he could gently touch her face. “I've told you before. Sometimes things don’t work like they should. I chained him down into the eternal abyss of hell, but the chains couldn't restrain him for a long time. So I came to the conclusion that I had to banish him somewhere where I have control over him at all times. The only place I could imagine was my own soul. The difference to his banishment before is simple... this time he isn't just inside of me. My soul and his aren't existing parallel to each other. My and his soul merged and became one. Lunacy and I are the same.”

Applejack stepped back from the stallion in front of her. Her eyes grew wide from fear. Even her heartbeat increased drastically. “Ya and this monster are the same?”

Tears were collecting underneath Soul's eyes. Every single tear ached like a thousand needle stitches inside his mind. “I didn't tell you, because I feared that you might become afraid of me. But it seems like my attempts failed. I'm a monster … I always was, and I always will be. I'm sorry that I have bothered you...”

Soul turned around and headed for the door. Every move forced a tear to drop. Something warm strived over his back and held tight upon his mane. His head turned around and looked directly into Applejack’s marvellous green eyes. “Ah'm not afraid of ya. Ya are still the same pony Harmony had showed meh when we first met at Sweet Apple Acres and Ah learned to know during our time together. Ya ain't a monster… ya are just a desperately caring stallion. Listen to meh, Ah can understand that ya are worried. but Ah was the Element of Honesty. Ah can defend mahself. And more importantly, Ah will never leave ya.”

Joy overwhelmed the usually so collected stallion. He wiped his tears away and couldn't suppress a small giggle towards Applejack. “Tomorrow I will go and seek for the reason of the famine in Los Pegasus. Do you want to come with me? This time without such a bothersome necklace.”

Applejack turned her gaze away from the sensitive stallion. By chance her sight fell on the spot where she had struck him before. A faint stain of blood was rubbed into the carpet. Applejack narrowed her eyes for a second, but for now she dropped the matter and rose her head back up with confidence and grabbed the face of the uncertain stallion. Quick and painless, almost not noticeable. Applejack pressed her lips for the speck of a second against Soul's. “Ah guess Ah can't let ya go alone. Ah have to make sure ya won't mess everythin' up.”

Chapter 13 - Returning Harmony

Chapter 13
Returning Harmony

Soul and Applejack tossed the doors of the chamber open and happily walked into the hall. Blaze was still sitting there patiently, waiting for them to end their private chatter. He noticed the small, sheepish smiles and blushing cheeks of them instantly. Both of them were walking awkwardly close together. The young stallion began to smile at his role model and decided to follow them. “Hey Captain! Looks like you settled your fight for good. Hope things will work out for both of you in the future!”

Both of them widened the gap between them and shoved Blaze in the resulting space. They ruffled his mane and nudged him teasingly. Soul offered him his most generous and gleeful smile. “Thank you, my dearest friend. I guess we couldn't be any better right now.”

Applejack winked at the fully grown stallion next to her and playfully nudged his shoulder. “Ya could consider us happy for the time being, but we still have much work to do until we can settle down and enjoy each other's company.”

Blaze bounced up and down in his light armour and happily chirped in between Soul and Applejack. “Finally! I'm so ready to wipe the floor with our enemies! Nothing will part us three anymore!”

Soul and Applejack looked at each other for a brief moment in concern before they pointed their gaze back at Blaze. The young stallion watched Soul suspiciously; the expression in the older stallions face made him worry. “I have no doubts that you are ready to help us, but didn't I just see a whole pile of unread books in there? You can't possibly leave before you’ve worked through every single task the Princess has given you!”

Blaze leaped in front of them and athletically turned around in mid-air. He pounded his hooves against the marble floor beneath him and let his desperately high-pitched voice do the work. “Oh come on! You have to be kidding me! This way I will never be able to help you!”

Soul couldn't suppress another small giggle by the attitude of young stallion he saw growing up under his watch. “Always remember! A passionate soldier will be remembered as hero, but a wise soldier will be able to tell ponies himself of his glorious battles. I believe in you, Blaze. You will get your chance to prove yourself and make me even more proud about you than I am already.”

This couldn't really console Blaze, but at least it eased the desire to want to go out to begin a hopeless fight against an unknown enemy. He let fall himself back into the gap between Soul and Applejack as they walked upstairs to meet with Princess Luna again.

The silence between them didn’t last for long. Though Blaze could be convinced to stay at the castle, he was still eager to learn what Soul's next steps would be. “Soul? I know it shouldn't be my interest, but what will you do next? I mean Applejack had told me that you already fought two of these apocalyptic ponies, but will you go straight for the other two? In one of the books inside the library there was something written about them. According to that book, the stallion named Pestilence was standing in for values like justice and righteousness but he was blinded by his stubbornness and lost his senses. He began to fight everything imaginable, regardless if friend or foe. The crimson mare called War only seeked for the blood of others and enjoyed blood-spilling. Both of them are creatures of the manipulative kind if you can trust certain conjectures. The next one in the row would be a pitch black stallion named Famine. Rumours were spread that everything the stallion touched began to rot and perished into dust. Under his hooves nothing would ever grow again. Many soldiers were seemingly slaughtered by a mere gentle touch of this pony. Which makes him far more dangerous than the previous two. But the ultimate threat is their fourth sister, the pale mare named Death. Ponies told each other stories about her legendary abilities to kill ponies just by looking at them. She was the literal grim reaper of ancient myths. When a simple touch, a gaze, or even just her presence can cause a ponies death, there is no hope. I guess she will be the worst problem. I can't imagine how we should deal with her.”

In anticipation for a valid answer, even Applejack stared from the corner of her eye over to Soul. The stallion walked over the last step of the stairs and headed straight for the door of Princess Luna's chamber. Without emotion he calmly responded to the eager young stallion. “We won't deal with her at all.”

Applejack leaped a little bit in front and blocked the door. Her eyes were still expressing her joy from before, but a faint glimmer of determination was boiling inside of them. “What do ya mean when ya say ‘we won't deal with her at all'? Do ya want to leave her rampagin' through Equestria until she finally gets us?”

Soul's eyes had become dull and grey. He seemed to have changed into a whole different pony in this moment. Applejack gulped at his sight and prepared for the worst. “No, I won't let it go that far. When the time arrives to face her, I will make sure to get rid of her. I have promised to protect you, and I will keep it, no matter what I will have to sacrifice to achieve that goal.”

The dark stallion proceed to walk to the door. To both sides of the door were silken curtains that hid the plain marble walls behind. His horn ignited faintly and wrapped Applejack inside its magical aura. She was taken out of the way and shunted right next to the door frame. Even her upcoming anger couldn't break the restraining magic. “What does that mean? Don't tell me ya’re plannin' to do the same that ya did to Lunacy!”

He laid his hoof upon the doorknob but still hesitated to push the door open. His cold eyes turned to Applejack and mustered her luscious green eyes. “When I fought Lunacy, I showed kindness. But the mare of death won't be blessed with this gift. One of us will go down, and I'm doing everything to assure that it’s her.”

Soul let his gaze casually strive past Applejack before he paid attention to the door again. The lock clicked open and the magic around Applejack vanished. Without a turn he walked into the chamber. Applejack and Blaze shot each other a worried gaze before they followed him inside.

The door clicked tightly shut behind them. The hall behind them was deserted from any life. Only a pale grey mare was standing right next to a curtain. Her deadly gaze was pointed at the spot Soul had stood before. She licked devilish over her lips and dispersed silently into fog.

Inside the chamber Princess Luna was scribbling hastily on a scroll before she sent it away via her magic. Applejack left Soul's slipstream and passed him while walking, but her rapid trot was soon interrupted. Because two little fillies were sitting next to the hooves of Princess Luna. In glee the farmer couldn't hold her happiness back. “Applebloom! Sweetie Belle!”

Both fillies turned around and almost exploded from their sheer happiness to see Applejack again. They lost no time and immediately rocketed into the hooves of Applebloom's older sibling. Small tears were forming in Applejack's eyes when she could finally embrace her little sister again. “Oh, Applebloom! Ah'm so glad that nothing happened to ya. Do ya know how the other ponies in Ponyville are dealin' with Discord bein' around?”

Applebloom dried her tears on the coat of her sister and looked into the eyes of her sister for the first time since Discord caused havoc in Ponyville, but Applebloom's expression wasn't one of happiness anymore but of concern. “Sorry, sis'. Ah don't know what happened to the others. Sweetie and Ah ran into the Everfree Forest and looked for Zecora's hut, but we got lost on our way there.”

Sweetie Belle severed her face from Applejack's coat and shot her a concerned frown. “Do you know what happened to my sister? I hope so hard that nothing happened to her!”

Applejack's worried expression answered the question before she could actually say something. Tears began to drop from her alabaster-coloured cheek and met the floor. The shadow of the ongoing black stallion passed above the little alabaster filly.

Sweetie Belle followed him with her eyes until she almost fell over her back. She turned around and followed the dark stallion. Soul felt a soft tug at his tail and slowly turned around. His dull eyes met the watery eyes of Sweetie Belle. The sight of the seriously concerned filly softened his heart. He couldn't bear her expression anymore. His eyes returned to normal and could express compassion again. Sweetie let go of his tail and looked bashfully at the ground between her and Soul. “Excuse me, Mister Soul Tearer. My sister had told me once about the miracles you made work. Could you please try to save my sister, Rarity?”

The tiny, sad frown was the most convincing thing Soul had seen for a long time. It was more of a reflex than a willingly given response. “I will bring her back. I promise, little filly.”

Despite her tears, she managed to bring out a small sheepish smile. Sweetie bounced up and down in relief and found herself only seconds after right in front of Soul. She shifted her weight to her rear legs and pushed her face into the soft coat of the old stallion. “Thank you so much!”

For a short moment Soul forgot about everything that was waiting for him outside of the Canterlot when the warm body of the little filly shared its heat with him. Tears began to form inside his sapphire-blue eyes. Quickly he wiped them away before anypony could get a look at them. “Is this how it would have been to have a filly? What would I give to live through such an experience.”

Sweetie dried the last of her tears inside his coat and looked straight upwards at him. She tilted her head slightly to the left and flashed him a confident smile. “Well, why don't you just do it? You don't seem to be that old to me. There are definitely many single mares out there that were happy to meet you.”

Soul laughed for a short moment, but his voice ceased quickly. He ruffled through her mane but looked thoughtfully out of the window behind Princess Luna. “You may be correct, but I don't think that I will ever get the chance again to have a foal on my own. I don't even know how the future will look when I fight this so-called mistress off.”

Applejack and Applebloom followed Sweetie Belle's path. The older sister laid her hoof around Soul's back and shot him a wink. “That's pretty obvious to meh! Ya will return everythin' to normal just like ya did before. With the slight difference that ya will stay in Ponyville together with us!”

Applebloom jumped from the other side at the back of the stallion and held tight on his mane. “Yeah! Ah'm sure ya can live with us at Sweet Apple Acres!”

Princess Luna had to laugh at the thought of the glorious former Captain of her Nightmare Legion as farmer. She quickly hid her laughter behind her hoof and carried the conversation along. “Seems like you really made some dear friends, Soul. Are you sure that you don't want to involve the former Nightmare Legion in this? They are all ready to fight along with you. Most of them are already training and patching up their armours. They are only waiting for your command.”

Applejack observed Soul's reaction closely, but instead of giving in, the stallion just sighed and lowered his head. “I'm sorry, Luna. I won't sacrifice any of their lives. I will ask for their help to rebuild the destroyed areas, but I won't involve them in a hopeless fight.”

Soul moved and freed himself from Applejack, and the little filly jumped down from his back. He went straight to the Princess and placed himself next to her. Only to face them directly. “Applejack. Since your sister and her friend are here, I won't force you to come with me. It is up to you if you either want to follow me or stay here, safe with your little sister.”

She looked down at the sweet little filly next to her. Her heart was aching and various thoughts raced through her mind. She only got her sister back; how could she leave her again? The little filly wasn't worried or anything like it. She just looked at her older sister and smiled.

Applebloom jumped up and tapped the top of Applejack's hat and gleefully proclaimed her thoughts. “Don't worry, sis'! Just go with him. Ah think that he’ll protect ya pretty well. So Ah guess it’s alright!”

Applejack lowered herself to meet Applebloom's eye-level. “Do ya really think this way? Ah don't want to be separated from ya again.”

The little filly playfully bopped the nose of her sister and flashed her an even greater smile. “Sure thin'! Soul’ll protect ya!”

Applejack arose from the ground. Her eyes were filled with determination and confidence. “Alright! Lets do this! We will wipe the floor with these ponies and return safe and soundly!”

Soul took a deep breath and turned once more to the big window behind them. Somewhere in the far distance was Los Pegasus. He didn't respond nor did he react to Applejack. Only his horn faintly began to shimmer and his eyes closed gently. Sweetie Belle closed in to the highly concentrated stallion and stretched her hoof into his direction. But the Princess blocked her path and gently laid her hoof upon Sweetie's. “I'm sorry, Sweetie Belle. You can't bother him right now. He is searching through the fields below the cloud city of Los Pegasus. Back in his time, this city didn't exist. He really wants to ensure Applejack's safety.”

Sweetie's mouth opened widely. She blinked rapidly and bounced cheerfully up and down, flashing the most happy smile ever and squeaked in a high-pitched tone. “He can actually do something amazing like that?”

Small careful tapping noises came from the door when Blaze finally decided to greet their guests as well. There was a faint trace of a heavy blush on his cheeks. Sadly, he hadn't worn his helmet to hide his face. “Of course! My Captain can accomplish everything! Someday I will become just like him!”

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle turned to the young colt and immediately dashed towards him. The little Apple screamed in excitement at her friend. “Look! Another colt! Maybe he’s a blank flank, too! Hey, do ya want to become a Cutie Mark Crusader?”

Both fillies were way too fast to stop before they met Blaze, but the months of crusading for their cutie marks had its perks. They folded their legs and slid forward on their bellies. This way they reduced their speed only barely enough to come to a halt right in front of the startled young stallion.

Sweetie jumped up from the floor and greeted him enthusiastically. “Hey! I'm Sweetie Belle, and this is Applebloom! What’s your name?”

Confusion took hold of Blaze's mind while they waited eagerly for an answer. “Well, I don't know what being a Cutie Mark Crusader actually means, but I guess I can tell from the name. I haven't found my cutie mark yet, but when I can fight for the first time along with my Captain, I will certainly earn it! My name is Blazing Night, and I will be the next Captain of the Nightmare Legion!”

His sight slipped from Sweetie Belle over to Applebloom. The faint blush in his face seemed to return. “But If you want… you… you can call me Blaze.”

Applebloom grabbed his hoof and violently shook it. She flashed him a goofy, careless smile and didn't bother with the fact that she almost dislocated his arm. “Hey, Blaze! When we get back to Ponyville, we’ll make ya one of our Cutie Mark Crusader capes!”

Blaze forced a smile and tried to cover the pain inflicted by the younger farmer. “Thank you...”

Applejack smiled at the sight of her little sister and the love-struck little stallion. She looked over her shoulder to Soul. His horn was still ignited, but only seconds after she took the horn into focus its light extinguished. He slowly opened his eyes and faced his friends again. “I'm sorry to interrupt you love-birdies, but I may ask you to play down in the study room now. I have to discuss some serious matters with the Princess and Applejack that is not meant for little colts and fillies.”

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom began to protest. They stomped their hooves at the ground and complained, but their voices silenced when Blaze blocked their ongoing rampage with his hoof. He looked from the corner of his eyes to Soul. He knew this dead serious expression. It certainly didn't mean anything good. “Sorry, girls, but I think we should really leave. We have to accept the authority of my Captain and do as he pleases.”

They noticed the worry in his voice and finally budged. The three of them finally left the room and closed the door behind them firmly. Soul waited until the soft noise of twelve tapping hooves were finally gone and turned to the Princess. “Luna, I've searched extensively through the area around Los Pegasus. There is absolutely no valid reason for the unsuccessful growth. The climate is almost perfect to grow crops and vegetables. There is no drought or anything similar, but there is something odd for this mountainous region. It seems like there was a flood that caused the crops and vegetables to rot.”

Princess Luna rubbed her chin. Los Pegasus was one of the youngest cities in Equestria, but the area where the cloud-city was floating wasn’t unfamiliar to her. “You are right. For this particular region is a flood very unusual, almost impossible. The valley underneath the floating city is surrounded by mountains. Their tips aren't even covered in snow. There is no way there could be something similar to a flood. A second, foreign source of magic has to be involved. But if this is the case, why did you send the foals away? They already know about the Apocalyptic Four, so what is the reason behind this?”

Soul's gaze briefly strived Applejack. It was a short moment of uncertainty. Applejack noticed his inner tremor. Her sharp mind already guessed what might be the reason. “There is somethin' different, right? Ah think ya were not tellin', because there is somethin' very bad out there.”

The dark stallion nodded. Once more his gaze turned hard and merciless. Even his eyes became cold and stern. “You are right, Applejack. I could feel the same weird magical aura that surrounded War and Pestilence. Somewhere beneath the city in the sky has to be the third Apocalyptic Pony, but this is not everything. There is a second strong magical trace in this area. It is definitely the magic of a living creature. I can't think of a different user of such strong magic than their mistress.”

Princess Luna leaned expectantly forward, holding her breath in anticipation. Soul hesitated for a short moment before he continued to speak and gnashed with his teeth.. “Considering everything we know so far, we have to assume that this mistress is Twilight. Which would pretty much explain Discord's appearance inside her basement... I never thought that I would say this one day, but we could really need Celestia's help.”

Applejack cocked her eyebrow and nudged Soul's shoulder, shooting him a challenging but playfully grin. “What? Do ya think that ya ain't able to bring Twilight back to her senses? We always had a good life when Princess Celestia was still in power, but Ah think Princess Luna is doin' her job equally well or even better, if ya ask meh. Wasn't it you who wanted Princess Luna to become the prime ruler of Equestria.”

Princess Luna faintly blushed and nodded approvingly to the honest farmer. “Thank you, dear Applejack. Your opinion is very welcome.”

The orange farmer raised her hoof towards her chest and pounded proudly against it. “Ah'm just honest, Princess.”

Soul could merely offer a weak smile towards both mares. His eyelids were already falling down, covering the majority of his eyes. “Luna is a wonderful Princess, but I don't need power here. I need compassion. Celestia was Twilight's mentor for the majority of her life. With her help it would be much easier to convince her. Don't take this wrong, but getting rid of her is easy. But convincing her to reject the dark thoughts inside her mind will be hard.”

Applejack bit forcefully on her lip, only a little bit harder and she would bite through her own flesh. This fierce vein upon her forehead was pulsing hard once more. “There is no way ya will do anythin' to Twilight! If it will be that hard, why don't we get the Princess back?”

Princess Luna gulped and laid her hoof upon Applejack's shoulder to calm her down. “I'm afraid that won't be that simple. My sister disappeared and never told me where she headed nor where she planned to appear. Even I can't reach her. We can't rely on her help, so we have to deal with her alone.”

Applejack shook her entire body and forced the Princess to withdraw her hoof. She hissed and snarled, but nothing came to her mind that would help to solve this issue. Soul let his confident laughter chime. Applejack shot him an evil glare, but the dark stallion didn't mind. “Well, I guess that we have to reunite the Elements of Harmony to bring her back.”

Chapter 14 - Bringing them back together

Chapter 14
Bringing them back together

Applejack gasped at Soul. No words wanted to leave her mouth. She simply couldn't believe what the dark stallion had suggested. “What do ya mean when ya say we have to reunite the Elements'? Ah thought Harmony was gone!”

Soul shot her a cocky and devilish grin. He winked at her and erected once more a map of their destination. The black stallion pointed at a giant blank spot in middle of a familiar little village. “This is the place where Twilight's library was located before. We know that Discord has taken Shadow, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash in the basement. They are somewhere hidden inside his chaotic swamp. Which doesn't mean that they are still there, but there is a possibly that their banishing place is accessible from the spot where they were originally locked up.”

Princess Luna raised her eyebrow. She gave him a smug smile and nudged his shoulder. “I would have expected a much… less foolish plan from you, Soul. What are you planning to do? Just stick your hoof inside the chaos and fish for them, like diving for apples?”

“Exactly!”

The Princess couldn't believe her ears. Her mouth stood fully agape after Soul seriously confirmed such a ridiculous plan. “You can't be serious! How do you plan to take hold of chaos magic? Even if you can channel enough magic, you still need something equally chaotic like Discord to open this realm!”

There it was again, Soul's victorious dark laughter. Once more the room temperature seemed to fall. Even their breath became visible in front of their eyes. After the laughter had finally ceased, the dark stallion slowly opened his eyes. The white orb had turned pitch black and the the sapphire blue eyes had became blood-red and the pupil had turned into a merciless slit. A cold shiver ran down the Princess' and Applejack's spine. Even the teeth of the dark stallion had changed. From the usual teeth of a vegetarian to the teeth of a bloodthirsty predator. “Haven't you listened to me before? When I defeated Lunacy, he and I became one again. I've got the majority of the power Discord once wielded, and I'm going to take the rest of him as well.”

Princess Luna gasped; the cold around her paralysed her muscles and clouded her thoughts. She had prayed that she would never have to see her beloved former student and Captain like this ever again. Even for the strong alicorn Princess, the sight froze the blood inside her veins. With all of her will, she forced her speech forward. “Since we met you always managed it to surprise me with your skills, but this is truly insane! You somehow managed to consume such a big part of his power, but it will be suicide if you try to consume and suppress the whole power of a divine creature! You are already holding Star Swirl's power. Your mind will burn! You will lose yourself between these unchallenged powers!”

The cold around them ceased and the room heated up to the pleasant temperature from before. His sharp teeth and red eyes faded and returned back to normal. It felt like a heavy burden fell off from Princess Luna's and Applejack's backs. Soul exhaled carefully before he rose back to his attitude. “No offence, Luna. You know my past self very well; no pony could judge me better. But you know nothing about me after our ways had parted. There is not only the power of Lunacy and my best friend Star Swirl, but the remains of Harmony's spirit and this cursed spirit of Pestilence! There is absolutely nothing that could stop me!”

Applejack's eyes got watery. A single thought raced through her mind, she could only barely manage to hold back a whimper. “That was what War meant. She… she told us that she couldn't see Soul's name anymore. She said there were so many more... so many names that he had consumed durin' his life. So his real self got lost.”

The struggling farmer looked Soul directly in his eyes. Tears forced their way outside and rolled down her orange cheeks. “Is this what ya were doin' your entire life? Consumin' every strong foe you had to oppose? Ah can't imagine how it feels to have more than one soul inside ya, but it has to be truly awful if ya are thinkin' that way. There is always somepony that is better than ya. Don't give up upon yourself. Ah like ya the way ya are. Please don't let your anger blind ya.”

The dark stallion struggled within his mind. The only thought he had for years was to protect the ones he cared for. But had the seek for power really blinded him and hidden the true importance of his duty? Instead of making his friends happy, he merely made them cry. “I'm sorry, Applejack. Maybe I have lost sight of what is important, but I just can't stop now. What if I'm too weak to protect any of you? I can't let that happen! My life is an endless fight that will certainly never cease. Not even death could contain me. In the end, I might be the reason why Equestria will fall.”

Applejack made a tiny step for every word he spoke. By his last words the mare stood right in front of the slipping stallion. She swung her hooves around his neck, reared up and pulled him close to her chest. “Stop talkin' horseapples like this... Ya won't be the one who brings Equestria down. Nopony will bring Equestria down… because ya will protect us from anythin' that will try to hurt us. The only thin' Ah'm askin' for is that ya won't lose yourself. Always remember who ya are and what we love about ya. Ya could defeat Pestilence without any struggle, ya are already strong enough to protect us from everythin'! Don't make yourself crazy. We are safe because of ya.”

Princess Luna was touched to tears by the scene that occurred in front of her eyes, but a single thought irritated her the entire time. Coldly, she raised her voice and showed no signs of any emotion. “This isn't about being strong or not. I think this is all about revenge. He hopes that he can get to face Discord with Twilight's help. He expects Twilight to come to his aide.”

It felt like thousand needles were piercing through Soul's back. The inglorious feeling of being busted. Applejack withdrew slowly from the dark stallion. In anticipation of an answer she stared into his eyes. Soul hid his eyes behind the shadow that was falling from his mane and forehead. Coldly, his left scarred eye emerged from the shadow and took Princess Luna into focus. “Maybe you are right, but what does it change? My life was idle and careless before I met Discord for the first time. The day he came to Canterville... my whole life changed. He has killed my parents and forced me into this dreadful and cruel destiny. I had to witness so much loss and suffering. Discord will certainly pay for the misery he brought upon me.”

Applejack felt slight pain by the words of the black stallion. A sad frown engraved itself on her face. “Ah can understand your pain, but your change in destiny brought many good things to your life as well. Without him ya wouldn't have met Princess Luna, Midnight Veil, Harmony or even Blaze. Just think about it. Ya wouldn't be able to stand here today without him. Ah ain't sayin' that Discord doesn't deserve it, but violence is not the right solution here.”

Princess Luna bit her lip while her former student gazed from the corner of his eye at the insecure farmer. It was the same dark gaze Soul had worn in his face a thousand years before, when he was still cruelly leading the Nightmare Legion. Heartless and without care he turned countless enemies into ash with this exact same expression. It was never changing, never twisting. The only thing it always was... is sick... The Princess narrowed her eyes and carefully watched Soul's movements. “She is right, Soul. You have fought so hard to become the stallion you are today. Do you really want to throw everything away? The stallion I'm looking at right now is not Soul Tearer but Black Terror.”

Her midnight blue magic formed around her horn and constructed a mirror made of the finest moonlight. Soul stared directly into the eyes of his own reflection and winced silently. He had lost the lively shine in his eyes. Just plain old darkness had returned to him. Hesitantly, the black stallion turned around fully to Applejack. “I think you forgot somepony, Applejack.”

The orange mare's ears perked up while she faced Soul Tearer. Ruefully, he lowered his gaze, even his voice had become soft and soothing. “If I never met Discord... I wouldn't have met you either, Applejack. I suppose not everything went bad, but he still murdered the ponies who had raised me. I don't want to became like I was in the past, but I can't promise you that I can control myself when I get to face Discord.”

Applejack laid her hoof upon his chest and gave him a heart-warming smile. “Ya just have to promise meh that ya won't hurt another pony, including yourself.”

He returned the smile with pleasure and held tight upon her orange hoof. “I promise that nopony will be hurt.”

Princess Luna nodded approvingly and shot both of them the most cheerful smile ever seen from a Princess. “Both of you quite matured during the last few years. I'm proud to fight on the same side as you. I think the time has come to go to Ponyville and retrieve your friends.”

Applejack and Soul looked concernedly at each other for a brief moment, but their frown quickly turned to a gleeful smile when they looked into each others eyes. In unison their sight returned to the Princess and their voices merged in perfect harmony. “We’re ready to save our friends!”

The Princess clapped her hooves together and ignited her horn. “If you insist!”

Applejack puzzled the Princess while Soul simply nodded cheerfully. Before Applejack could comprehend the happenings, they already disappeared inside a flash of Princess Luna's powerful midnight-blue magic.

It was a whole different feeling than being transported by Soul's magic. Maybe teleportation looks the same from the outside, but Applejack got a hunch that every unicorn might have his or her own way to use that kind of transportation. For the so non-magical farmer this was the third way of being transported in this manner, but Princess Luna's way was by far the gentlest. It felt like gentle streams of silk were stroking over her coat. The bright light had forced her to close her eyes, but now she felt the light decreasing and was confident enough to open her eyes while she was still inside this weird magical realm. The sight in front of her eyes was simply beautiful. The silken feeling she got before originated from streams of lunar magic that connected both ends of the white and blue-shaded tunnel they were falling through. Somepony, whose shades weren't matching this marvellous world caught her attention. Soul was peacefully floating next to her. His eyes were firmly shut and a careless smile throned upon his lips. He never looked so relaxed since they met. Every sign of sorrow and strain was erased from his face. Applejack could have watched him for an eternity like this. She felt sorry at the thought that they will have to leave this beautiful realm in the next few seconds. Tossing him back into this fierce reality where only fights and blood were waiting for him.

The gentle blue light around her began to brighten, until she was another time forced to close her eyes. The silken feeling on her coat had vanished and was replaced by the so rough gust of Equestria. She carefully opened her eyes again and looked at the place where Twilight's library was located before. It was just a plain meadow in the middle of Ponyville.

It felt odd to the orange farmer. The library had been here her entire lifetime and now it was gone.

Before Applejack could comprehend it, she noticed Soul walked past her, he headed straight for the centre where the main room of the library was before. The black stallion stopped and closed his eyes. Applejack carefully followed him and waited for anything to happen. When some time passed and nothing seemed to happen, the curious farmer took the initiative. “And what exactly are ya doin' now?”

Soul didn't open his eyes nor did he turn his head in Applejack's direction. He let a few seconds pass before he answered. “I'm doing what Luna had suggested. I'm 'fishing' for our friends.”

Applejack cocked her eyebrow and focused on Soul's horn. She had to get closer and closer to get finally a glimpse of a weak magical aura around it. Tired of waiting, the usually so work-active mare decided to sit down firmly next to the concentrated stallion. “And how is this supposed to work?”

Soul let out a groan, more out of annoyance than anything else. If his eyes weren't closed, they certainly would have rolled. “I will try to explain it to you. Every time a living being tries to built a connection into another realm or location, this being is ripping holes in the fabric of reality. And these very holes can be traced back at least for quite some time. You can picture them like bleeding wounds. Shortly after they are opened, these wounds are bleeding the most. As time passes, this bleeding slowly closes until nothing remains.”

Applejack gasped at Soul's precise explanation. Magic wasn't that difficult after all. She let her body slide down into a comfortable lying position and rested her head upon her hooves. Her eyes were pointed at Soul the whole time. She was just waiting for him to advance.

His shadow wandered from west to east as the sun made its turn. Applejack was already in belief that Soul would never open his eyes again, but just as she wanted to close her eyes as well. The eyes of the highly concentrated stallion cracked open. “There it is... I've found Twilight's library.”

Applejack was tired, but she still managed to elevate her head. “Huh?”

Thin streaks of sapphire blue magic began to emerge from Soul's horn. Alerted from the bright light, Applejack jumped to her hooves and walked a few feet away. Soul concentrated upon his magic and inhaled calmly. “Applejack, please stand back until I say it is alright.”

She simply nodded and waited for his magic to take effect. The ground around the black stallion began to radiate in a gentle blue light. Applejack could literally take a bit of the air now. So thick felt the magic that surrounded them. Soul began to hover a few inches above the ground.

The tension in the air was almost unbearable. Applejack covered her eyes behind her hoof, but she still managed to look at the happenings through a gap. The leaves of the tree top that belonged to the library emerged from the ground. Slowly, it rose to its original height and projected more and more of its old glory.

The ground underneath Applejack was violently shaking, but Soul was now levitating high in the air above the tree top. The library was coated inside Soul's magic, but the bubble of magic burst and returned the library into its original condition.

Soul vanished together with the aura but reappeared immediately right next to Applejack. “What do you think, Applejack? Seems brand new to me.”

Applejack gasped at the sight of the library. Just mere minutes before there was nothing but dirt and grass. “Where are our friends? Are they inside?”

Soul stepped another time forward and headed for the front door. Applejack felt ignored and angrily followed the silent pony. Soul pushed the door open and took a careful peek inside.

The library was still empty and dark. Absolutely nothing had changed since the last time ponies had entered the building. The basement door was still leaning against the wall since it was smashed out of its frame. A creepy green light radiated from the depth. “I couldn't find our friends anywhere, so I believe that the connection to the realm they are hidden in is somewhere in the basement. Fluttershy was afraid when she witnessed the happenings down there. Her sight was blurred and narrowed. So we have to get a look for ourselves.”

He stepped down the creaking stairs. Applejack merely nodded weakly and followed Soul downstairs. The black stallion merged with the pure darkness inside the basement and so she lost sight of him for a few moments. Hesitantly, she walked passed the green-radiating walls. The sight in front of her eyes sent a cold shiver down her spine.

Step for step she got closer to the centre of the room, while her eyes were still locked upon these frightful creatures. “Soul? Why are these creatures here? Ah thought only the dark Princesses could bring them to life.”

Soul's voice emerged from the darkness. His body was still well hidden inside this poorly illuminated room. “These creatures were originally products of a mad scientist that planned a revolution against the Princesses. After the war, the knowledge about them got sealed up. Only the Princesses themselves knew about this magic. I can't really explain why Twilight is able to create these, but I guess it has something to do with her reviving attempts.”

Applejack slowly raised her hoof and tried to touch one of these creatures, but her instincts told her to halt. She withdrew and headed for the spot where Soul's voice seemed to come from. “What drives a pony to create such sick magic?”

Applejack ditched against Soul and stumbled back on her behind. She shook her head and took the shadowy stallion into focus. He stared down at the spot in front of his hooves. Again his horn was faintly shining. “It was a different time, when ponies were seeking for endless power. I've written magic that is banished into the endless depths of time by myself. You wouldn't believe what magic is still out there... May it can never be retrieved.”

Soul sighed faintly. But before Applejack could raise her voice for another time, the stallion interrupted her. “I've found them. Brace yourself.”

The green radiation was pushed back by Soul's superior blue magic. The manes of four different ponies arose from the ground, but even in this darkness something was odd about them. Their gazes were hard and heartless. Fear crept up Applejack's spine when she saw her friends rising from the ground. Rainbow lashed out and aimed for their liberator. Shadow struggled his mouth free from his prison and shouted desperately, “Captain! Dodge!”

With a blink of Soul's magic, Applejack, Soul and Shadow found themselves back outside of the library. Shadow stretched his legs. He was visibly relieved by his freshly regained freedom. “I'm sorry, Captain. Discord turned them when I was distracted! They are willed to fight. We have to calm them somehow!”

Soul shot Shadow a satisfied and relaxed smile. He put his heavy black hoof upon his shoulder and got rid of the remains of Shadow's black suit. “Welcome back, my fellow friend. I think it is much more comfortable to walk around without this awful suit.”

Shadow simply returned the smile and nodded weakly. Applejack tossed the black stallion firmly aside and faced Shadow directly. “What do ya mean when ya say 'they are turned'? Why didn’t ya protect them?”

The mix of anger and worry in Applejack's face made the heart of the ash-grey stallion ache. He wanted to apologize, but his mind refused him the ability to speak. Before he could comprehend the mare's feelings, he was distracted by the upcoming tripping noises from inside the library.

The three mares walked slowly into the sunlight. Their coats were still greyed and hostile to any positive emotions. Their gazes told the same story. They only wanted to rampage. Applejack turned to them and a tiny tear ran down her cheek. “Ah know that we weren't the best friends in the recent time, but Ah never thought that any of ya would end up like this... Without the Elements we can't turn ya back... Ah'm so sorry girls...”

Just as Applejack wanted to turn her head back to Soul to ask for advice. The black stallion rushed in mid-turn, passing Applejack and racing towards the three discorded mares. Rarity leaped forward and let her horn brightly shine. “You moron won't discover our mistress!”

Spikes made of marvellous shining gems pierced out of the ground and aimed for the speeding stallion. They gently cut into his flesh, but no blood was spilled, nor did the stallion wince in pain.
It was like streaks of shadow and fog were pulled away from his body and followed him shortly after to the place they belonged. Without losing speed, he stormed at the immobile, white mare.

His massive velocity made the ground shake slightly. With a powerful leap, he overturned Rarity and landed forcefully beneath her. Before she could fully turn around, Soul's horn began to shine brighter than ever before in every colour of the rainbow. Softly, he laid his horn against Rarity's and forced his magic through her entire body. A rainbow coloured vortex appeared around them. Through the gap inside it could Applejack get a glimpse at her friend.

Rarity's coat returned its usual so whitely-shining self. Taking the darkness away from her heart. “Rarity! Ya are back to normal… but how?”

The vortex dispersed into thousand tiny sparks and vanished. Soul was still not standing firmly on the ground when the sound of two furiously flapping wings crossed his hearing. A insanely fast rainbow blur was heading directly for his direction. Only seconds parted him from the impact.

Instead of dodging, Soul just remained calm at his position and let her come. Rainbow Dash almost reached him, but before her hooves touched his body, the stallion was gone. Rainbow blinked rapidly and zoomed through the area but couldn't find a glimpse of the so-distinctive stallion.

“It is like I said: one day I will fly with you again.”

Rainbow looked above herself and spotted the stallion with his brightly shining horn. The vortex formed around her and devoured the darkness within. Soul's gaze strived through the area below and caught sight of the terrified pink mare below. Still hovering in the air, he concentrated upon his magic and hurled it at Pinkie Pie.

The pink mare turned around and ran as fast as she could. “You will never ever catch me!”

When Pinkie turned her head back in the direction she was heading to, her heart almost stopped. Soul was vigilantly standing right in front of her. She tried to stop as hard as she could, but the rainbow-coloured magic finally caught her and returned the pinkie-ness to her.

Every single of the three mares was returned to their former hue and personality. Applejack raced to Soul's side and caught the stallion in a bone-crushing hug. “Thank ya, Soul! How did ya do this? This was just applebuckin' great!”

The stunned mares slowly regained their consciousness while they rubbed their pained heads. Their gazes wandered somewhere behind Applejack and Soul. Applejack tried to follow their gazes and got stuck in mid-turn.

An usually familiar sound made her blood freeze. The clock tower of Ponyville began to ring. Never ending... She couldn't say anything nor was she able to move. The sight of the snake-like Draconequus immobilized her.

Discord licked his lips and looked through the different ponies in front of them. With a smug and provoking smile, he flashed his teeth towards Soul who still had his back turned to him. “It has been quite some time, Black Colt. Like a thousand years? I believe we have a few things to talk about.”

Applejack was paralysed. The pure adrenalin in her body didn't let a single muscle move. But what scared her wasn't Discord in any way. She was scared because it was getting cold again...

Chapter 15 - The Bells of Ponyville

Chapter 15
The Bells of Ponyville

Applejack's eyes rocketed back and forth between Soul and Discord. Sheer fear had taken ahold of her mind. Soul promised to stay calm, but his very own magic told a whole different story. He still didn't turn to face Discord, like he was struggling to contain himself. Coldly, he responded to the ancient Draconequus. “Black colt, you say? So my hunch was right, and you were controlling these griffons.”

Discord cocked an eye and hovered closer to Applejack and Soul, mischievously scratching his chin and closely watching the body language of the dark stallion. “Interesting, if I remember right, we hadn’t the chance to talk back then. Our little conflict didn't last for long, but you still remember that I called you ‘black colt’? That’s truly impressive. It’s a shame I have to get rid of you and your friends.”

Soul slowly began to move his hooves and turned to the spirit of chaos and disharmony. His vigilant eyes locked upon the playful god and didn’t let go of him. Finally, the Draconequus found acknowledgement in front of his former enemy. A smug smile formed upon his lips, but Soul still remained calm and collected … at least in Applejack's eyes. “Get rid of me? Don't make me laugh. I already defeated you as a colt when you still possessed the full extent of your power, and now you want to fight me and expect to win? Me? The stallion who has the power of Time and Space under his control? I'm even in charge of the majority of Lunacy's magic. There is no way you could defeat me now. You can't be that foolish! You will perish if you seriously consider opposing my wrath.”

Rainbow Dash finally regained her stance again and shot forward to face the Draconequus. “Yeah! You aren't a serious enemy anymore! You are just a sparring partner!”

Discord couldn't hold his laughter back. He just cringed from pain of his heavy, uncontrolled laughter and almost fell to the ground. “HA! You’re one big talker! If he’s so powerful, why am I still standing here? This is nothing but a meaningless threat.”

Rainbow bit her lip. She was ready to punch the Draconequus, but Soul's voice interrupted her concentration and made her gaze strive over to him. His voice sounded regretful and disappointed. “The only reason you are still alive is that I promised not to fight you, and that I won't let my anger drive me.”

Shadow cocked an eye at his Captain and watched him in awe. When Soul was still leading the Nightmare Legion, he never missed a good fight, and now he simply decline a fight because of a promise he made towards somepony? It was a sheer disbelief. “Captain? What does that mean? Discord killed your family, right? Why don't you get your revenge now?”

Applejack kicked quickly against Shadow's leg and shot him an evil glare. “Because he’s not a foal anymore. He can solve his conflicts without the use of violence.”

Shadow's expression was priceless, never before had he heard words like this. “So he made this promise towards you? Now I understand a little bit more.”

Pinkie Pie shot forward to assist Rainbow and jumped to the level of her winged friend and managed to stay in mid-air as long as her words lasted. “Yeah! Even if Discord is a big meanie-head, we don't have to hurt him! But if you try that claw-tippy thing ever again we have to punish you!”

Discord pointed his paw innocently to his chest and forced the most convincing frown upon his lips. “Me? Why do you suspect me every single time your attitudes are changing? Couldn't it simply be that you finally opened your eyes and saw the truth?”

All of the attending ponies shot the Draconequus a distressed gaze. Discord stopped his act and literally rolled his eyes. “Okay, okay. I've turned you once more, but it was quite fun watching.”

Rarity slowly and gracefully walked forward and passed Soul and Applejack to join her agitated friends. “Where is the fun in turning friends against each other? You are simply a sick creature, Discord. If this were up to me, I would wipe the floor with you and let you pay, but I guess I have to roll with Soul's decision.”

All the talking around him didn't bother Soul, he simply watched Discord's eyes and waited for any reason to defend himself or his friends. Certainly, this wasn’t undetected by Discord. The Draconequus playfully stroked his little beard and turned upside-down in mid-air. “How rich! I would have never thought that you would get your orders from a random bunch of mares! I have to admit that you always stood under the hoof of Luna, but these worthless creatures. They don’t even wield the power of Harmony anymore. There is no reason to follow their words!”

Shadow stepped in hesitatingly for his Captain. He took a deep breath tried his best to keep eye-contact with the still-frightening spirit. “If they are so worthless, then please tell me why you were trying to get rid of them? This story doesn't seem to make sense.”

Discord took his turns in the air before he answered Shadow's question. “Can you even imagine how miserable it is to be turned into stone twice? I simply wanted to get my personal revenge!”

“Liar!”

Everypony's eyes turned to Soul. He was gnashing his teeth. More and more magic was leaking from his horn. “I saw into Fluttershy's memories! You were talking about your mistress! So don't try to fool me, Discord! Your mistress has to be a pony who knows about this power very well. Just tell us why you are helping her!”

It felt to every attending pony like the coin had finally dropped. Everything made sense now. Applejack's confidence grew and grew with every single word of the black stallion. She summed up enough confidence to shout carelessly at the ancient spirit. “There ya go Discord! Nothin' stays hidden in front of us! Not even your lies... ya with your fancy new necklace thingy.”

A cold shiver ran down Soul's back. How could he possibly have missed something like that. His eyes strived downwards from Discord's eyes to his neck. There it was a light orange, masterly-crafted necklace made of a single citrine gemstone, formed like a single, big diamond. Various ancient-looking signs were carved into the shiny gem, tightly attached to Discord's neck with a purely white ribbon.

Soul forced his jaw apart while the anger inside of him was still raging. “This necklace... I'm certain that I have seen it before. Where did you get it?”

Discord sighed and waved his paw carelessly in the air. “Well, isn't it obvious? It is a gift from my mistress. She’s so generous! Isn't she?”

The air around Soul got constantly colder with every passing minute. Applejack already prepared for the worst, but she won't leave Soul alone. Instead of fleeing, she got closer to him, letting him know about her presence. But Soul's magic was still raging like it had a mind on his own. “Why would she have made you such a gift? Are you sure there is a different meaning behind it? And why are you helping her anyway, since she was the one who turned you into stone in the first place. Without her doing, there were no Elements to banish you.”

Discord seemed to be bored from this in his eyes pointless conversation, but he still played along. “Well, I was already wearing it when I awoke, so maybe there is a different reason. But I honestly don't care about it; I'm free and I'm able to spread chaos once more. The only thing she told me to do was get rid of you, and it seems like my plan is going well.”

Shadow cocked an eye. All of this seemed to be so spontaneous to him. How could there be a plan? “Stop lying to us! You had nothing planned, it is just fate that we all met here now!”

Once more, Discord's mischievous laughter rang through the mostly deserted city of Ponyville. His single fang shimmered in the sunlight and blinded Shadow for a brief moment. “Oh, really? I don't think so. Do you really think that I didn’t noticed that Fluttershy was watching as you were devoured by my magic? I simply chose to let her get away. I wanted Soul to search through her memories. And now we are all here, united. Just so that I can get rid of all of you at once.”

Soul snickered while Shadow glanced about, worried by Discord's flawless logic. Soul acknowledged Discord's strategic abilities, but he still didn't feel threatened by the ancient spirit.
“A wise move, Discord. But there are a few tiny mistakes. First of all, I'm not fighting you. Secondly, you won't get rid of any of us. And finally, you won't get away from here either. So what kind of brilliant plan do you have? I'm the strongest being in existence how could you possibly rival me?”

Discord's face became stern and serious. The complete opposite from before. It was a rare sight to see him like this. His usual self was so ridiculously careless and chaotic. “Puny little colt! Don't be so full of yourself! My mistress is far more powerful than you can ever dream of, and I know what I'm talking about! Since I was the one that showed you your true self when you just wanted to walk away and leave these ponies in the Colosseum of Canterlot!”

The Draconequus snapped his claw and created the very same mirror pond that Soul had to oppose when he walked in between the fabric of time two years ago. It's shiny surface bent and showed the image of every pony, one after the other, revealing their truth selves. The mirror pointed first of all at Rarity. There was no trace of the brilliantly-white mare in the reflection inside the mirror. The signs of greed and egoism were well visible. Her coat was coloured in the sick hue of a darkish purple. Her eyes were slitted and her tongue was split in the manner of a snake. Her eyes widened when she finally recognized herself in the mirror. “This is what I have become... no... no … NO! I can't let this happen. I don't want to be greedy or egoistic! My friends are the most precious thing I have, and I won't betray them!”

The mirror moved on and took the so confident-seeming pegasus into its focus. It showed the speed demon from a whole different side. Surrounded by various medals and trophies for trying hard; second and third places everywhere, but no victories, no real achievements. But there was one thing that had a special place inside this picture. The photograph of her and her friends was placed at the best spot between the trophies. Everypony that would have entered that room would catch sight of this picture. The cyan pegasus hovered in front of the mirror. A faint feeling of insecurity crept into her mind, but as soon as she caught a glimpse of the photograph, her confidence returned to her.”Are you trying to fool me like this, Discord? It doesn't matter how many races I can't win if my friends are still at my side! And nothing will force me to think differently about this! Not even this crappy mirror!”

This mischief causing grin returned on Discord's face while the mirror went on to its next target. By chance it took Shadow into focus. Chains were formed around his muzzle and hooves in his reflection, holding him still and keeping him away from anything other than the principles the Nightmare Legion had thought him. His whole appearance was swallowed by a massive shadow. The restrained stallion looked upwards and caught sight of the shadow's origin. It was a gigantic portrayal of Soul Tearer. Shadow suffered under the impression of this image. It felt right to him. He was never able to step out of the large shadow his Captain was throwing above his subordinates. Shadow forced his eyes shut. He fought with the image inside his head, but something changed inside of him when his eyes snapped open again. He looked back at Soul and simply smiled at him. “This thing is right: I was never able to step out of Soul's shadow, but that doesn't matter to me! This was the life I choose to live! When I joined the Legion, I wanted to equal him! Even to surpass him! I learned quickly that this would be impossible, and so I become one of his most loyal soldiers. Nothing will ever surpass my Captain! He always treated us respectfully despite his supremacy! He always protected us! None of us died, because he could prevent it! I'm proud to fight for him, even if he is unreachable to me!”

Through all of his anger, this words made Soul smile. That one of his soldiers was thinking this way made him proud in every way a Captain could be, but the mirror hadn’t stopped yet. It turned further and took the pink mare at the far end into focus. The cheerfulness in the reflection was gone. It was replaced by a single, flat-maned, little filly, sitting all alone in an empty barn. Only a few little rocks were accompanying her as she tossed them back and forth the entire time. Her face showed watery eyes and remarks of tears on her cheeks. The only cheerful thing was the faint rainbow-coloured light that fell inside the room from the only window. A forced half-smile crept onto her face as she stared outside and searched for the source of the light.

Discord snickered and flashed the pink mare a smug smile. “I guess the ones that laugh the most are the saddest”.

Pinkie bit her lips and struggled to withhold her tears. “Yes, I hate being lonely and sad. I feel lost without my friends, but I know that they are always there for me! It doesn't matter how far away they are! They will always find me and help me cheer up!”

The mirror made its next turn and locked upon the harsh farmer. The picture blurred and exposed the image of a little, blonde-maned filly with a little plush-pony tightly wrapped by her hooves. There were two ponies standing in front of her. They looked oddly like Applejack. One after the other, they slowly faded into thin air and left the little filly alone. She was all alone and cried into her little plush-pony until it finally ceased as well. For a short moment, she was all alone, forsaken and forgotten. Applejack's heart ached as she saw her parents fade around her, but soon three different ponies appeared around her. Her family... her younger sister Applebloom and her Granny Smith. Only a big, red stallion was standing far from them, waiting in the shadows. “Did ya really think Ah would break down when ya showed meh this? Ah have lost so many dear friends and family members, but Ah promised to stay strong, and Ah will, no matter what! Mah family and friends are always there for meh! Don't ya see Discord? Instead of driftin' us apart, ya only strengthened our bond!”

Discord was still playing with his little beard, but what made Applejack suspicious was Discord's self-confident grin. “Are you sure, Applejack? The little sight-seeing tour isn't over yet.”

Without a break, the mirror went on and didn't pause until it reached Soul. Everypony was eager to learn how Soul's true self would look, but their curious gazes were disappointed. The reflection in the mirror remained completely empty.

Applejack passed the moment of confusion and shot Discord a victorious smile. “Ya see? Soul is already true to himself! That is why we can't see anythin'!”

Another sinister laughed escaped Discord's lung. Applejack gnashed her teeth, her gaze strived back to Soul. As soon as she caught sight of him, she forgot about Discord. Soul looked strained, like he was staring at something horrible and fearsome, but what could possibly scare him to this measure? Applejack followed his gaze and ended up at the empty mirror. Her eyes snapped back to Discord. “Say somethin'! What did ya do!”

The Draconequus licked his lips and hovered to the mirror. He stroked gently over the magical frame and shot Applejack a unheeding look. “You aren't completely wrong, my dear Applejack. You can't see anything inside this mirror, but beings like us are able to see something, and it seems like he doesn't like what he sees. This is the mirror of self-awareness.”

Applejack raised her eyebrow while she thought about Discord's words. “Beings like us? What are ya talkin' about?”

Discord pointed his paw once more at his chest and prepared for a full-fledged explanation, but the cracking sound of a thousand shards stopped him. His sight fell upon the sinister, glaring, black stallion. His horn was still faintly charged with magic. Discord cocked an eye and watched him. “So you are finally willing to fight?”

The intent to kill was clearly visible inside Soul's eyes. Every single muscle inside his body was tensed up. “You cursed fraud... the time will come when I finally get my revenge, but that time is not now.”

Soul turned around and proceed to walk off, but Discord had still something in mind. “I see. Not even this can change your mind, but what if I told you that I was the puppeteer behind Midnight Veil's and Harmony's death?”

The black stallion stopped immediately, only gazing back from the corner of his eye. Discord seemed to finally have found the right nerve. “You heard that correctly. Remember? I was turned to stone after the two Alicorn Princesses had fought each other. You rose to power with my help. I forced the dragon to destroy the little village of Ponyham, so your chaotic powers would awaken. Or why else do you think this dragon spared you with his first strike? Everything went according to my plan until this horrible Harmony pony appeared. She just had to go, and you know what?… It was so much fun to see her die...”

The air around Soul's horn began to crack, the pressure of his magic was far too high to withstand. Applejack raced back to reach him, but before she made her first step, she found herself and her friends wrapped inside a sphere of Soul's magic. It was the very same sphere, where she had to witness Soul's fight against Lunacy. There was no way to pierce through that shield.

Sparks of black magic originated from Soul's horn and met the ground while the frightening stallion slowly turned around to face Discord once more. Applejack was unable to do anything, just like the rest of them. It was impossible, their only option was to watch Discord and Soul fight each other.

Discord flashed him a confident smile. Even in face of a strong magician like Soul, he wouldn't budge. “There you go, black colt. Let your hatred flow through you! Use your whole wrath and anger to fight me!”

Soul's eyes began to shine, but it wasn't the beautiful shimmer of his sapphire blue magic, but the threatening dusk of black. Discord felt a strong push at his back that left him no other choice than to fly towards the angered stallion. Scythe-formed blades formed by Soul's black, burning magic aimed for Discords body. The ancient spirit couldn't react in time, and the blades dug deep into his flesh. A surge of blood flew to the ground beneath him. The blades changed their form into thorned chains and wrapped Discord's body fully. The Draconequus tried to free himself with a snap of his claw, but nothing happened. This was the first time Discord showed fear.

Soul's laughter was terrifying to every pony around. It was so dark, so evil, so full of hatred. He ripped his scarred eye wide open and let his tongue strive above his sharp teeth. “What is wrong, fraud! Can't you use your puny magic anymore? You are such a hopeless fool! I'm in possession of the true magic of chaos! There is nothing you can do about it! Just by the touch of my magic, I can suppress yours! There is no way out for you! There is no chance that you can ever suffer in the way I had to, but I will make sure that your death will be as painful as possible!”

The burning chains dug deep inside Discord's flesh and made him wince in pain. The thorns ripped big pieces of flesh out of him while the chains slid tighter and tighter around his body. More and more flesh and blood met the ground below the hovering spirit of chaos. Discord was truly no enemy to Soul.

The ponies below the sphere couldn't bear the sight of Discord being tortured like this. Only Shadow didn't take his eyes of this horrifying act. The mares were shivering and waiting for Soul to stop. Shadow observed how the magic around Soul was changing.

The magical pressure became stronger and stronger, the buildings around them began to crack and break down. There was absolutely nothing that could survive in this magically charged environment. Discord struggled to keep consciousness while Soul was slowly levitating into the air by the surge of his own magic. “FINALLY, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SINS YOU'VE COMMITTED! MEET YOUR CREATOR, FRAUD!”

The whole sky above Ponyville turned dark and millions of tiny stars began to shine from far away. Seconds passed and the stars seemed to grow bigger and bigger. Until the whistling sound of something very fast distracted from their growing form. Discord's eyes widened in fear. It was the very same spell that almost ended his life a thousand years ago … 'Urano Metoria'.

Every single one of the million stars was aimed at Discords body. Not a single one would hit a vital spot. They are just preciously aiming for what wouldn't kill Discord, but would exposing the worst possible pain to him. Just before the bright light passed Applejack and her friends, their gazes focused on the scene before. Only a fragment of a second before the stars would hit the Draconequus, his necklace began to shine.

The necklace dispersed into thin air and blocked the stars from hitting Discord. The stoppage didn’t last for long. The stars turned and struck around Soul before anypony could comprehend what was happening. Too short was the distance between them.

Everything was covered by a cloud of dust. The only thing visible for the ponies underneath the dome was the freed form of Discord. The chains around him had vanished. Terrified, the constrained ponies waited for any sign of Soul. The dust settled and exposed the extent of Soul's own destructive magic.

Applejack paled when she caught sight of Soul's remains. There wasn't much left that would identify him as pony. His spine was broken, and two of his legs were torn away. His blood covered the majority of the ground.

Soul Tearer was gone.

Discord licked his lips while the sphere of magic cracked open. The sphere broke apart, and the shards fell to the ground. None of them could move. The shock held them still. The still-bleeding Draconequus hovered higher into the air. “I told you I would get rid of him.”

The cold around them was gone. It seemed like it was getting even hotter than before. The sun was shining brighter and brighter above their heads. For a final time, the ancient spirit flashed his mischievous grin. He rose his paw to grab Applejack's throat, but a sudden pain rushed to his body and forced him to back down.

Discord looked for the source of the pain. His entire body began to shake as he caught sight of him. The wretched, bleeding form of Soul was slowly rising. His wounds were healing in the moment Discord looked at him. His bones replaced themselves and were set back into the right order. His horn was brightly glowing.

Applejack and the others couldn't believe that Soul was still alive after his own powerful magic hit him. The dark stallion was barely keeping his consciousness, but with his last strength he forced his jaws apart. “How... how could Twilight create such a powerful charm?”

Discord's cocked an eye. He didn't understand the gravely injured stallion. “Twilight? What has Twilight to do with all this?”

Soul's eyes widened in shock. The heat around them increased more and more. Quickly, he turned his gaze upwards and caught sight of a blazing flare of fire above them. A final time he charged his horn before the flare met the ground and covered Ponyville in its blazing embrace, turning everything into ashes.

Chapter 16 - The Valley of Los Pegasus

Chapter 16
The Valley of Los Pegasus

Applejack couldn't feel the ground beneath her hooves anymore. The last thing she could remember was a blazing wall of fire that rolled towards her and her friends, burning everything in its way to ashes. She carefully opened her eyes and found herself in a completely darkened space. There was no firm ground to stand on. Simply hovering in the air, she inspected her environment.

Everything around her was hidden inside the dark. Not even her own hooves were visible in this complete darkness. Only the faint sound of a breathing being was audible to her. She tried to concentrate and hesitantly whispered into the darkness. “Is anypony out there? Ah can't see any of ya. Please say somethin'!”

There was no response to her desperate words. The urge to cry rose inside of the farmer. Her whispers became louder and turned into angered shouts. “This can't be the end! Ah can't be dead, yet! Not now! This is so unfair!”

She forcefully closed her eyes shut. Tears were running down her cheeks. Applejack began to silently weep in the endless darkness, but something irritated her. Through her closed eyelids, a faint light became brighter and brighter. At first she thought is was just an illusion created by her desire for salvation, but the light became stronger until she forced her eyelids once more apart.

There it was. A strong light source right in front of her. She hadn't to do anything. It felt like the light was dragging her into its core. Applejack gladly accepted the warm embrace of the light and let herself float inside of it. The blinding light swallowed her completely. The world around her became firm once more. Slowly there formed a ground beneath her hooves. Never before she felt so satisfied by simply feeling something hard beneath her hooves.

The bright light faded but, her environment was still lightened. Her eyes shot open again and zoomed through her surroundings. It was all too familiar to her. The dark walls and pieces of fabric. The very same big balcony as before. She was definitely back inside Princess Luna's personal chamber.

After a short while, Applejack finally caught sight of the terrified Princess, but she wasn't the object the Princess was gazing to. It was something behind Applejack. The farmer felt tired and worn out, but she still managed to turn her head around.

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Rarity and Shadow were neatly lying next to her. Every single one of them were unconscious. Applejack's head turned further and once more she paled at Soul's sight.

Out of his wounds originated white steam. The shine in his eyes was almost gone. Only barely, he was able to maintain his consciousness. His torn-off legs were slowly regenerating. It was a strange sight to the rural earth pony. Despite the fact that Soul was healing his own wounds, he spread his blood on the floor around him. With every passing second the stallion seemed to regain more and more of his power.

Applejack couldn't stand it anymore and sank to the ground. She felt too weak to say anything towards the Princess or Soul. The only thing she could do was watch the stallion regenerate.

Princess Luna stepped forward. At first she walked slow and steady, but with every single step her speed increased until she almost raced towards Soul in a full-fledged gallop. The dark stallion was heavily panting while the Princess wrapped her hooves around him, holding him tight to her royal chest. “Soul! What happened to you? Please stay by my side!”

Under pain, but with his strength returning, the dark stallion managed to calm his beloved Princess. “Don't worry, Luna. Discord tricked me and turned my own spell against me, but there is no need to worry. I will survive.”

Even his words couldn't convince the Princess to let go of him. Much time had passed since the Princess had seen her very own student in such a condition. This was by far the worst injury Soul ever had. “Please... everything is alright. You can let go of me.”

Princess Luna slowly withdrew her hooves but still held him tight. She looked around her and looked at the ponies Soul had dragged along with himself. “Please tell me what happened exactly. Why are they unconscious?”

Soul inhaled deeply before he freed himself from Princess Luna's hooves. He looked, tired, but the majority of his injuries seemed to be healed. “Discord provoked me, and I was foolish enough to fall for it. He had worn a necklace that deflected my 'Urano Metoria'. After I regained my stance, a blazing flare of fire raced towards the ground. I managed to bring all of them into the nothing just in time to prevent their deaths, but Discord said something odd and that is bothering me the most right now. After I asked him how Twilight could create such powerful charm, he asked me what she had to do with all of this. That would mean that I was wrong all along, and there is somepony different behind this whole crisis.”

A guard burst inside the room, alerted by the noise of their arrival. He looked through the room and caught sight of the unconsciousness ponies. Soul turned around and shouted at the agitated guard. “You! Get some guards and make sure that they get the best treatment available!”

The guard simply nodded and disappeared into the hall. Only to return seconds after with four other unicorn guards. Carefully, they levitated them outside the room. Only Applejack refused to leave. With all of her power, she rose up and walked towards Soul and the Princess. “Ah'm good. Ah want to talk to him.”

The guards looked at each other, but waited finally for a sign from Soul. The dark stallion nodded at the guards and waved his freshly regrown hoof. “Fine. You are dismissed, royal guards. Thank you.”

The stallions bowed firmly down and left the room. They shut the door behind them and left the three of them alone in the room. Applejack's eyes didn't show relief or anything similar, but fear. She was afraid of the dark stallion in front of her. Her lips and hooves were shaken by the mix of fear and strain. “Don't act like nothin' happened out there... Ah've seen ya. Ya were definitely dead... nopony can survive in such a condition. Discord had called ya and himself the same kind of bein'. Why did he say somethin' like that... ?”

Princess Luna's hooves slipped down from Soul's shoulders. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, but none seemed to explain how Soul could regain his body so quickly. “Applejack is right. No living being can resurrect itself after it was gravely injured like that. Not even you. Especially not after getting torn down by one of the four sacred divine spells. And as I can see, there was no magical recoil either. This time you can't just run away. Answer our questions!”

Soul looked back and forth between the Princess and Applejack. There is no way they would catch him if he ran away, but leaving the only ponies dear to him was out of the question. They were the reason to return to Equestria in the first place. He sighed and pointed his gaze through the window out to the sky. “My life began as Soul Tearer. Discord tore my life apart a thousand years ago and turned me into the shadow inside a foal's nightmares. I've scavenged, murdered and destroyed entire civilization under the protective hull of my alter ego, Black Terror. Shunned for my sins upon my dearest ones, I disappeared only to return a thousand years later as Soul Tearer to save the very country I helped to form once. I've fallen in face of the madness but managed to consume its whole power. Time in hell passed slowly, and so I watched the ponies I saved once. A new threat seemed to appear, and I decided to search for a way to return. Every part of hell is ruled by one of the four apocalyptic ponies. When they disappeared, hell literally broke lose, and I got the chance to leave this cursed realm. I'm neither dead nor alive. I'm a being outside time and space. I'm a god and a demon, a grim reaper and an angel. A forsaken and a fallen. I shouldn't exist... Only my magic and my desire to save you is holding me inside this world. Once my deeds are done, I have to return to hell.”

Applejack and Princess Luna couldn't find any words. Finally, they know about the circumstances about Soul's return but at the same time they had to learn that he has to go once he eliminated the threat. The two mares just starred at him like the foreign being he was. Soul grabbed the orange still stunned farmer around her neck and pulled her close to his own face. “I'm afraid that our time is limited once more... I'm sorry, Applejack.”

Soul pulled her once more a tiny bit closer and kissed her firmly on her lips. The kiss broke quickly as the stallion withdrew and turned away. Applejack just let her body tension fall and sat slowly down on the cold marble floor. The Princess had followed him with her eyes, watching every step he did. “When I found you, I never had thought that you would have to face a fate like this. If I knew, maybe I could have changed something, but the least I can do is tell your story to further generations. You won't be forgotten... ever.”

He slightly turned his head but could only offer a small smile to his beloved Princess. “Thank you, Luna. You seem to be very confident that I will be able to save Equestria once more, but if there is really something that is even stronger than me, something powerful enough to create a charm that can easily deflect my 'Urano Metoria', we might be in trouble.”

Princess Luna returned the smile and closed in to her trembling, former student. She laid her hoof once more upon his shoulder and gently stroked over his coat. “I'm very confident that you will be able to save us and find a way to stay with us. You never disappointed me. In the end, I could always be proud of you. Your actions are already taking effect. We heard nothing from the Griffon Kingdom. It seems like they finally calmed down. Even the pestilence in the area of Manehatten seems to have faded. Less and less ponies get infected, and some of them are even cured. It is only a matter of time until it will be completely pure again.”

The dark stallion laid his hoof upon Princess Luna's and gently slipped it down. His gaze turned away and faced once more the window. “Which means the end is near, my dearest Luna. Once I fight the cause of the famine, I'm sure that this wicked mare of War will reappear as well. I will get rid of them all at once. Maybe I can get some information about their mistress. I'm sure that Twilight's friends will be able to deal with her even if I have to leave before.”

Princess Luna bit her lips, she didn't want him to go, but she knew that there was no legitimate way to stop him. While the Princess struggled, Applejack noticed something suspicious. “Hey, Soul? Why are ya always staring out of that window? Is there somethin'?”

Applejack passed Soul and looked suspiciously around her surroundings. There was nothing but clouds high in the sky. She turned away and walked straight towards Soul. “Sometimes ya are seriously weird.”

She passed him once more and sat down on one of Princess Luna's cushions. Soul's eyes only followed her for a short while. He turned his head, but from the corner of his eyes, he watched the shadow in the clouds. The shadow of a tip-headed pegasus mare.

Soul took a deep breath, closed his eyes and halted for a second to collect his thoughts. His eyes shot back open again, and his sapphire-blue eyes were once more filled with determination. “Listen girls. This is the plan. I will go to Los Pegasus and get rid of Famine and most likely of War too. So we don't have to worry about the apocalyptic ponies anymore. This should give our friends enough time to rest. We still have to save Big Mac' and the others, but without Twilight's help, it will be difficult. So we have to get her back as soon as possible. This is the point where our paths will part. After we have saved Twilight, I will go all alone to face their so-called mistress. It will be a fight between two unrivaled forces. I don't know what will happen nor if I can protect any of you.”

The Princess gasped in shock. How could Soul talk so coldly about their paths parting? Her lips began to shake, she didn't want to let go of another dear pony. Even her sister has left her and left no trace.

“Alright. Lets go!”

The Princess turned her head, Applejack had risen from the cushion and walked calmly next to Soul. “There is no point in fightin' about this. He’s right. Ah've seen what Discord did to him. We should assist him in every way and be satisfied with it.”

Hopefully, the Princess turned to Soul, but his muzzle remained shut. Princess Luna struggled but finally sighed and agreed, still wincing on the inside. “Fine. So leave now so that we can see each other again very soon. There are more things to do and to say. I honestly doubt that you will return for a third time, Soul.”

The black stallion grinned at his beloved Princess and nodded slightly. “Wait for me, Luna. Just a few hours, and I'll be back.”

His horn ignited brightly and blinded the Princess of the Night. It sounded like a blazing fire was igniting right next to her before the chamber returned to perfect stillness. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. Only the faint shimmer of sapphire-blue magic remained in the air. Princess Luna slowly walked towards the cushion Applejack sat on a moment before and let herself fall face first into it. Silently she wept into the soft cushion. Nopony was supposed to hear their Princess cry.

Far outside the castle in the mountainous area beneath the cloud-city of Los Pegasus was a strange magical presence raising. The air stretched and bent until it finally exploded in a ray of sapphire blue magic, exposing Applejack and Soul to the eyes of various starving animals.

Applejack's eyes adjusted quickly to the new environment. They were standing inside a forest at a mountainside. The cloud-city was only a few feet above them, hovering above the centre of the valley. Underneath were the fields that provided the food for the pegasi living here. The streams inside the fields that provided the water for the countless plants was still filled, but already from the far distance they could see that the plants were oddly colored and most likely rotten. “Does it serve a purpose that we are standin' so far away?”

Before he responded, Soul began to walk down the stoney mountain trail. Without strain, he hopped down. “If I get too close to this Famine, he could notice me right away. I want the element of surprise on my side. I don't really want to fight him and have to struggle with him. I just want to end his effect here quickly.”

Applejack sighed in defeat.There was, like usual, no flaw in his logic. Silently, she followed him down the mountainside, passing countless trees and bushes for minutes.

“Don't you want to know why he is lying to you? Just ask him why he consumed the power of my brother after he defeated him!”

She stopped in her tracks and looked around her, but there was absolutely nothing, save for Soul.”Did ya say somethin'?”

The dark stallion turned around and shot her a questioning glare. “No, I haven't said anything. Why are you asking?”

Applejack twitched her shoulders and looked once more out into the woods. “Ah dunno, Ah thought Ah heard somepony talkin'. Must have been mah imagination.”

Soul paused for a second before he turned once more and headed further down the road, but the words left Applejack no peace. “Soul? How did you take Pestilence’s power after you defeated him?”

He stopped immediately but didn't turn. Soul let a few seconds pass before he coldly rose his voice. “It is simple. When you erase something powerful from this world, something equally or even stronger force will rise. When I consume their power, it isn't lost. So there is no need for the world to balance. I really don't want to summon even stronger enemies when I'm gone.”

Applejack cocked an eye at the stallion in front of her and carefully formulated her next sentence. “But if ya, disappear… wouldn't that mean that somethin' more powerful will appear someday and bring Equestria down?”

Without any expression of emotions or a real explanation, Soul continued to walk down the harsh path. “No.”

Before the distance between them got too big, the orange farmer continued to follow his lead.

“What a cheap lie! He just don't want to upset you! The truth is that he is only gaining more strength to flee from his fate! But it won't save him, no matter how much more power he is able to obtain...”

While Applejack walked further down the lonely road, she let her eyes wander back and forth but there was still nopony close to them. In hope that Soul wouldn't hear her, she whispered into the woods. “Why are ya tellin' meh somethin' like this? Who are ya?”

A faint giggle resounded through the woods before the mare-ish voice appeared again. “This question is pretty easy to answer. I'm the one who will take your beloved Soul back when he fulfilled his part of the contract. I'm everything evanescent in this world. I'm talking to you because you are one of many mares that meant something to him. But in the end he will be mine and mine alone forever.”

Applejack hissed silently into her coat. Even though she couldn't see her conversational partner, anger built up inside of her. “Stop talkin' horse-apples like this. Soul would never sell himself like that.”

“Well, my dear. This was the deal. I grant him access to the world of the living and in exchange, I get his soul and body when he successfully saved the ones he cared for. Additionally, I lent him a part of my very own power. So there is no way he can die and take a loophole or something.”

Something inside of Applejack's mind told her that the voice was telling her the truth. Soul was always powerful, but never truly immortal, at least as much as she knew. But an odd thought crept into her mind when she thought about the words of the voice. “Hey, Soul? Don't ya think that somethin' is missin'? Ah mean, we faced Pestilence and War. Famine is around this area, but isn't there another apocalyptic pony around? Why don't we know where this pony is yet?”

Soul turned around and looked directly into Applejack's eyes. His eyes weren't gentle nor even friendly. It was a harsh and distrusting gaze. “Why are you asking me such questions? Maybe she wasn't freed, or we just didn’t notice any action from her side.”

Applejack didn't know if this was a good or a bad answer. But the frown that formed on her lips certainly told her it was a bad one. “How do ya know that this pony is a she?”

Soul gnashed his teeth while his eyes slightly widened. Applejack was certain that the voice wasn't lying to her. The dark stallion couldn't get away now. “I had just a hunch. More importantly is why you are asking me such questions. If you don't trust me, why are you tagging along with me in the first place? I thought we were already beyond this whole trusting thing.”

Applejack rose her hoof and scratched her head. A faint blush was appearing on her cheeks. She looked sheepishly up to the suspicious stallion and closed the distance between them. She swung her hooves around his neck and pressed her muzzle inside his coat. “Ah really want to trust ya like Ah did two years ago. But there were too many lies. Ya have to prove that ya are worth being trusted again.”

Soul's glare softened under the gentle embrace of the beautiful mare around his neck. The warmth even reached his cold heart. “And how can I prove that to you?”

The grip of the waving mare around his neck got tighter. She let her head stroke above his neck until she reached his and whispered gently into his ears. “Do somethin' to meh that ya haven't done to other mares before...”

The dark stallion reared carefully up and kissed Applejack's neck. Kiss for kiss, he wandered higher until he reached her orange muzzle. Every kiss lasted longer than the last one. Their tongues met in the middle and soulfully danced around each other while they carefully stumbled aside from the path and vanished inside the woods, hidden from any curious gazes.

Their silent grey-shaded spectator far above them in the clouds, flashed her teeth towards the two mingling ponies. “Be happy as long as you have him for yourself! Soon he will be mine!”

She expanded her wings and emerged from the cloud she was sitting on, racing down the mountainside into the valley, searching for a pitch black earth pony stallion. She draw her circles above his head before she landed firmly on a boulder next to him.

The pitch-black stallion turned his head to the gray pegasus and flashed her a smug smile through his rotten flesh. “So you finally made it, sister. Done stalking that little toy of yours? I hope you are aware of the fact that he is strong enough to harm us? At least he was capable of burning Pestilence like a little fly.”

The grey pegasus waved her hoof carelessly through the air and returned his wicked grin. “Don't worry about him. He will defeat your mistress for sure and then he will finally belong to me. Just make sure to welcome them appropriately. With him by my side, I will be able to rule over the realm of the dead!”

Chapter 17 - Burning Skies

Chapter 17
Burning Skies

Applejack rolled over the soft grass she was lying on and looked for the stallion that was laying next to her. Her hooves were gliding over the ground in order to find him, but her search remained unsuccessful. She opened carefully her eyes and blinked rapidly. At first she thought her eyes were lying to her. But as the sleepy blur faded from her sight the conclusion became definite.

Her entire body tensed up and her head shot upwards, hastily searching through her surroundings. There was nothing but trees and bushes. “Soul ya cheap trickster! How could ya leave meh behind and flee? Where are ya?”

Applejack's scream was well audible in the light forest and so it reached Soul's ears as well. The black stallion raced downwards the rocky path, jumping from boulder to boulder with high-speed, leaving no room for mistakes. He gulped when he recognized Applejack's voice in the far distance. She had fallen asleep quickly after their little amusement. Soul took the chance and procured himself a little protrusion.

The field beneath his hooves had changed while they got distracted from their aim. Right in front of him was once a wide field. Now there was a wide path burned into its centre, leading to a pearl-white boulder.

It was obvious that somepony wanted to him to appear and Soul wasn't willed to disappoint this somepony. His hooves met the ground the path consisted of. His speed even increased when the path flattened. The white boulder came closer and closer in his field of view. A small dark spot became visible. The pictures inside his memories began to rattle in front of his mind.

Lunacy had sat on such a boulder when Soul and he met for their final encounter. Soul was victorious at that time but he was still facing the consequences from this fierce encounter.

Soul's head began to hurt. It felt like every single coil of his mind was burning inside an eternal fire. But he had to focus on the black dot in front of him. He closed one eye and ripped the other wide open. The black dot slowly formed into a pony. But something seemed to be different about him. There was no horn nor wings. It was an earth pony.

He hissed at the thought of an earth pony belonging to the apocalyptic four. But his breath stocked slightly when the picture in front of his eyes became more detailed. The pitch black earth pony was staring at Soul with his purely white eyes. Only a faint black line parted the eye from the pupil. The flesh around his muzzle was rotten and lapsed to the ground. He was thin and underfed. Even his mane was mostly torn out. Only a few long strands of his white but dirty mane.

What could this broken creature do against him? But Soul didn't make the mistake to underestimate the seemingly magicless opponent.

Soul's gallop decreased and became slower until he stood only five feet away from him. The pitch black stallion licked over his rotten lips and flashed him a smug smile. “Nice to meet you, Soul Tearer. It has been a long time since my sister told me about you for the first time. It is good to see the one that shall take the place.”

He ignited his horn and let his magic whirl around its tip. “Nice to meet you, too, stallion named Famine. You will be the second one of your siblings that will fall. But I have to disappoint you right away. I don't have time to chat with you. I'm sorry.”

Black spikes emerged from the ground and pierced through Famine's body. Blood was spilled at the ground underneath him. But the rotten stallion began to laugh instead of wincing in pain. “You aren't naïve, my young friend. But you are still underestimating me. We are four brother and sisters. War is our youngest; ponies had created this kind of senseless behaviour. Pestilence is following shortly after; he is only slightly younger then life on Equestria's surface. I'm older than both of them. Living creatures had always suffered from starvation. The older our aspect is, the stronger are we. But nothing can rival the power of my sister Death. She is absolute; nothing can stop her. And as I could see, not even the wielder of Time and Space.”

The spikes dispersed into thin air and let the pitch black stallion fall to the ground. His injuries healed in seconds. Famine still wore this smug smile in his face. Soul hated that with every fibre of his body. “You are one to talk. Already knowing that I burned one of your brothers, you are still calmly talking. Your sister and I may have made a deal. But that doesn't mean that you can do whatever you want.”

Famine made a noisy whistling sound through the hole in his cheek while he breathed. It was annoying and made Soul's headache only worse. “Listen, young one. A fight would be meaningless. You can't kill me and I probably can't kill you. If you wanted to devour my power as well, you have to burn down every living being in a radius of ten miles. Above us is a city filled with thousands of pegasi. So it seems like you just have to talk to me.”

Soul spit at the ground in front of Famine's hooves. The muscles in his face twitched. He knew that this manipulative piece of trash was right. “Fine. We can chat a little bit. Why don't you start with your precious mistress? Who is she?”

The pitch black stallion didn't bother to make himself comfortable and laid carelessly down. He rubbed his chin and watched Soul only from the corner of his eyes. “My mistress? Hmm... how could I describe her to you? She is truly a wonderful creature, I think without her my sun wouldn't shine so bright. She had freed every single of us and only imposed one rule upon us. 'Bring everything down that opposes my plans...'?

Soul heard the stallion in front of him talking but the words seemed to blur into one long noise. His headache got worse with every passing second. “Listen, I don't want to hear about your entire life. I just want one simple answer! Who is your mistress?”

Famine rolled on his back and pointed his gaze towards the city of thousands above them. He tried to reach the plush surface with his hoof and smiled calmed at his own pathetic attempt. “You know... it isn't important that you know her. Soon you will meet her. She will bring light to your life before you will be finally thrown into the eternal darkness you once wandered in. Just accept the flow of time and wait.”

The cold gust blew through Soul's mane while he stared at the pitiful stallion to his hooves. How could somepony be so calm when his enemy is standing right next to him? “You tell me to accept the flow of time? If I would have agreed with every hardship time gave me, I wouldn't be standing here today. I'm the only pony that is allowed to mess with time. So don't tell me what I have to do. I can hardly guess who your mistress is but what is the matter with Discord? Why is he helping your mistress?”

The rotten stallion rolled to his side and shot Soul another smug smile. “Oh, Discord. A funny little fella. No matter how hard he tries, he simply can't rise back to power again. Everything that made him strong is gone and summed up inside of you. He hates you as much as you do. This fight will go on forever. Both of you are unable to die, may it be because he is divine or because you are allied to my sister, Death. As long as you keep up this wretched form, nothing will change in your life. You will loose everything dear to you once more. Someday you will find somepony new but you will loose her as well. You won't ever find idle and happiness. Forever you will be alone, forsaken and sad.”

Soul's hooves began to shiver. He wanted to beat the ancient stallion in front of him to death. Sinister thoughts crept into his mind while his headache suppressed his rational thoughts. A dark oddly familiar voice rose in his mind. The voice of a equally dark stallion from two years ago. “What is wrong, Soul Tearer? You hadn't any problem to beat me! You managed to trick me but not this old fraud in front of you? How pathetic! Just burn him and consume his life, like you consumed mine!”

Soul was listening closely to the voice in his head. He hardly noticed that his horn began faintly to glow under the influence of the dark voice. He shook his head and dispersed the magic inside of him into the air. “Stop talking such nonsense... I will never be alone. The Princess... Applejack! They will be always by my side!”

Famine eyed Soul closely. He noticed the stallion dwell inside of his own mind and the faint magic raising around him. “Hmm... yes, I can see my presence is taking effect on you.”

Soul cocked an eye at the poised specter. “Your presence?”

The rotten stallion raised back into a sitting position and let his tongue hung at his chin. “It is quite simple. Mortal beings, may it be a pony or a plant, are slowly fading under the influence of my presence. If your little fillyfriend would have come along with you, she would be dead by now. But you are something special. You are not only wielding your own mortal soul but a few other divine souls. And this is exactly the point of my plan... your own mortal soul is slowly fading under my influence but your divine souls are not. They will take control of your body and devastate this world! It may sound harsh but you wouldn't be that vulnerable to me if you had consumed your beloved Princess as well. Everything good inside of you is mortal and will fade. Everything evil is divine and immortal. It will survive and take over. Soul Tearer will disappear and Black Terror will return.... I could even imagine him fight for my mistress...”

Once more Soul ignited his horn and tried to fight back the poisonous effect inside of his mind. Famine couldn't resist but laugh at Soul's desperate attempt to keep the upper hoof over his own mind. Soul bit his lip until blood flew down his chin to keep his concentration. “I will never become like this ever again! This time is long gone and won't ever return!”

The voice inside of his head became louder with every second. It was screaming at him with all the constantly raising power he had. “Cut it out you pathetic fool! You've killed before, why not now? Burn him alive and consume more darkness!”

Famine watched Soul eagerly. Everything was planned out into its last detail. Just a little longer and Soul might lose his free will. “I'd bet you want to know why I've chosen this place to face you. Well, the mountains around us are working like a like giant wind enhancer. The wind is blowing against them and driven upwards. But shortly after the top they are racing downwards again and force it to race towards this valley. The gust here is strong enough to blow away your little fireflies which burned my brother. Above us is the city of Los Pegasus. It will shield me from your 'Urano Metoria', the very spell that helped you to defeat Discord almost twice. You won't go that far and kill recklessly every single of the innocent pegasi above. You can't use the your two most powerful spells here. So you can't defeat me in time!”

Soul's widened in shock. He has to think of some plan quickly, before his mind is finally ceasing under this enormous magical influence. “So you are saying that this particular environment is protecting you? How pathetic...”

Famine cocked his eye. But he noticed a slight change in Soul's behaviour. Even the air around them seemed to chill. For a short moment the member of the apocalyptic four took his eyes off Soul. But when they returned the stallion was gone. Famine's eyes zoomed through his surroundings but Soul remained lost to him. Carelessly he let his tension fall. Decades of immortality made Famine imprudent.

He managed to take a single little step before he felt something hard piercing through his back. Black blades were soaring through his flesh. The strength of Soul's blades forced Famine to the ground. In mid-fall he turned around and saw Soul sitting right above him with his eyes ripped wide open. Famine's face met forcefully the ground and his blood was spilled all over the fissured ground.

Soul leaped just in time from his back to avoid another collision with the ground. With an elegant turn he landed forcefully.

Famine rose slowly back from the ground. The blade inflicted wounds healed immediately under his divine power. His pain faded but he was still forced to cough under the immense pressure of Soul's strikes. “What are you doing, moron? You are only wasting valuable power! Nothing can be done to bring me down here!”

Soul's eyes began to glow faintly, his teeth became sharp and spiky. Without verbal response the black stallion drooled on the ground. This was the first time Famine was scared since he become one of the apocalyptic four. It seemed like Soul had lost his sanity. The enraged stallion pounded his hooves against the ground.

Famine looked around himself while the entire ground around them began to shake violently. Out of every single crack in the humid ground radiated a black light. The fissure broke wider with every second. Famine could feel the cold chill of a raising shadow behind his back. From the corner of his eyes he saw black stonewalls emerging from inside the ground. His eyes followed the dark border. It was surrounding them in a great manner, shielding them from any outside influence and from escaping at the same time.

There was no time to take a breath. Once more Soul charged at the astonished earth pony and drove another blade deep into Famine's chest. Famine couldn't breath anymore, the blade pierced through his lungs and prevented his breathing entirely. The force lifted Famine from his hooves and smashed him into the black wall. Not even a single crack was visible on the massive wall while Famine was thrown back onto the ground.

Once more the stallion's wounds healed. Never before he had to face so much pain. Every other pony would run in face of the terrifying earth pony but not this one. Famine felt the coldness around him fading. The air got dry and heated. He cracked his eyes open and faced a massive wall of black flames. Merciless they burned every particle in their way. The flames enveloped the demonic pony and consumed his flesh in the relentless heat.

Famine struggled with his pain. The burnings forced him to roll on the ground. The last flames extinguished but the sound of steps that belonged to a big heavy being came closer to him. Famine needed time to regenerate, he was still immobile laying on the ground. He reached out for his predators hoof and hold tight upon it. This hoof began to rot under Famine's magical presence. But its owner didn't winced nor whined. He simply stood above his victim. Famine bit his burned lip and forced his eye tightly shut. “Without Lunacy's power you couldn't do anything to us... You bastard, you’re just messing around. You can't possibly get rid of me here!”

Coldly, Soul raised his voice in front of the regenerating stallion to his hooves. The rotten parts of his hoof started to regrow and his dark magic began to press back Famine's magic. Famine's own hoof began to rot. The grin in Soul's face became wider with every second the stallion had to suffer. “And yet I'm bringing you down.”

Famine's blood froze. Something had changed from the moment before. Soul's voice had changed. It was hollow with a faint echo. Famine cracked his eyes open again and looked upwards to face the stallion. His eyes widened in fear when he caught sight of Soul's face. The coat of the superior stallion was slightly waving like it consisted out of an eternal burning fire. Drool dropped from his razor sharp teeth. His eyes were black while his pupil were blood-red and slit formed. Only the colour of his coat reminded of the formerly so collected and calculating stallion. Famine's thoughts got interrupted when Soul's hoof withdrew of his hold.

The apocalyptic pony's mouth proceed to form words but his breath was taken away by another forceful strike of Soul's magical blades. A blazing ribbon connected the blades to the ground and lifted the battered stallion high into the air.

The blades withdrew out of Famine's chest and let him fall towards the ground. Just before Famine would be forced to meet the ground another whip leash smashed against his head and send him flying towards the boulder in the centre of the stonewalls.

Famine's wounds were healing slower and slower with every single additional slice. His sight was already blurring but his divine power let him keep his consciousness. Coughing and fighting with his own body the stallion had to watch the burning stallion in front of him walk towards him. With his last power the stallion of famine raised his voice and laughed as hard as he could. “You may win this small battle against me. You with your overwhelming power that can defeat every single of us easily. If only Death weren't on your side... you would fall in an instant! Don't believe you have obtained the power of a god! You will consume more and more power until you loose yourself! Your mind will burn and your own power will turn against you! The victory of our mistress is certain, Soul Tearer!”

Just before Famine got in reach for Soul, he stopped and turned his gaze towards the sky. Famine followed his lead. His eyes widened when his ears heard Soul's final words. “I never obtained godlike powers... I just became a god.”

The sky above these two darkened, lightnings were flashing between the clouds. Faint screams from the pegasi in the city between them and the clouds became audible. Never before had Famine heard such a dull sound of thunder. It was charged with Soul's magic and only waited to roar down towards the ground.

Famine's wounds were almost fully healed. He tensed up every single muscle inside his body to reach out for the dark stallion standing above him. But his hooves glided simply through Soul's body. “Don't tell me you really want to do this, Soul ...”

Soul's eyes were hidden inside the shadow his mane and horn were throwing over his face. The magical pressure around them increased. Coldly he raised his voice and spoke calmly to the shattered stallion. “I'm not the stallion Soul Tearer anymore. I've become something greater...”

Famine stared directly into the red glowing orbs above. Nothing reminded him of a feeling and caring creature. Everything good seemed to be gone. The clouds above them changed their colour. The complete darkness was crossed by a faint red shimmer that covered the whole sky into its bloody light. For one final time breathed Famine the air of Equestria. “I understand. Farewell... Darkness...”

The red shimmer high above became intensified. For a second the sound around them vanished and a bright white light roared down through the city of thousands and concentrated upon the trembling form of the rotten stallion.

Outside the massive walls was a orange mare climbing up desperately. She almost reached the top when the lightning storm broke lose and pierced through the clouds of the city above her. Only for a second lasted their screams. Silence turned in and left Applejack astonished, looking towards the remains of clouds and burned feathers. Every single muscle inside of her body began to twitch. But she had to see what was happing behind these walls.

An odd but familiar sound was ringing from inside. With one powerful pull she dragged herself over the top of the wall and gained the opportunity to take a look at the beings below.

Tears were forming in her eyes as she caught sight of the stallion she had kissed only a few hours before. “So this is what happens if ya travel alone...”

Soul stood on top of the white boulder in the centre of the walls. His eyes were brightly shining in an intense dark light. But his horn was shining even brighter. It was the magic of darkness that he had used so many eons ago. Maniacally laughing with his jaw ripped open wide and a wisp of dark green magic were flowing from the burned heap of ashes into his horn. It must have been the remainds of the stallion Famine. This sight alone wouldn't disturb Applejack in this measure but there was more. This one wisp wasn't the only one. Thousands of multicoloured wisps were soaring down from the sky and meeting at the tip of Soul's horn.

Applejack couldn't believe what Soul has done. He killed every single of the citizens of the former so prideful city of Los Pegasus and was now in term to consume every single of their lives. She leaped over the wall and slid carefully downwards the tilted wall. “SOUL! STOP!”

His laughter hold on while Applejack raced towards the sinister stallion. With every passing step the picture that Applejack got of the stallion got more detailed. His sharp teeth and burning coat reminded her about the past. Her heart began to ache but she had to go on and stop him. Only a few feet parted them and Applejack took the leap of faith and aimed for the malicious stallion.

The burning stallion turned to the flying mare and pointed his horn at her. His sinister grin hold only for a second when arrows of dark magic aimed for Applejack's neck. The orange mare winced when she realized that there was no way out for her.

Soul's red pupils took Applejack and the arrows into its focus. Only a second passed until he realized what he has done. His sapphire blue magic flooded his eyes.

“APPLEJACK! NO! DON'T!”

Chapter 18 - Doubt

Chapter 18
Doubt

Princess Luna waited idly in her chamber. Nothing occupied her mind more than the fate of her beloved ex-student and Applejack. She shouldn't let them go. From the very beginning she had a bad feeling about this. The fact that Soul made some ominous deal with Death didn't help. But nevertheless, she was patiently waiting for their return.

Her waiting was soon interrupted by a hesitant knock on the door.

“Come inside.”

The door slowly swung open and revealed Fluttershy's appearance. The timid mare stepped carefully into the room. Her head was lowered to the ground while she walked towards the Princess. “I don't want to interrupt you, but I really need somepony to talk to and I don't know to whom I could turn.”

The Princess offered her shy friend a warm and welcoming smile and invited her closer to her. “I have always time for my dear friends. Please tell me what is troubling you.”

Fluttershy didn't know where to start. Never before she had to talk about somepony that was so dear to the Princess in a negative way. “Uhm, you know it is about Soul...”

Princess Luna cocked an eye on the butter-coloured pegasus but she could already think of the reason for her concern. Fluttershy paused for a second before she could bring up enough confidence to speak up. “I still can't forget this mind read thing. The pictures are still flashing in my mind.”

She knew that this topic would come up again. Princess Luna still felt uncomfortable when she remembered this moment of dissipated rage and wrath. Only very few times she was afraid of Soul but he becomes more foreign to her every time they meet. “I'm very sorry that he had to take such drastic measures. But his time may be limited and the evil is still out there. He had his reasons.”

Fluttershy only managed to shook her had slightly. There was still fright inside her voice and movements. “It's not about that, I can live with the short pain that he had served to me. And I'm okay that we knows everything about me. What troubles me is that I could see into his memories as well. Don't take this the wrong way, there were many happy memories together with you. But the most of them were sinister and dark. Many times he had to witness death and loss. Ponies that he loved had died in front of his eyes. I think in his place I couldn't bear this pain. I really admire him for his strength. But these moments of faith became lesser while he fought for us two years ago. Many times he dwelt in doubt. After he decided to sacrifice himself... his own soul and body got torn apart. I felt it like I was there myself. Over and over the pictures of the deaths of his loved ones flashed in front of his eyes. It was seemingly never ending strive of pain and misery. After this, the connection broke loose and I could close my eyes again. With every step he does, with every enemy he defeats... he gets even more unsure and he has begun to doubt himself.”

The Princess couldn't bear the thought of Soul suffering so much for their sake. The tears were already forcing their way outside, but she could hold them back for now. “I always believed that Soul was a strong stallion. Many times I have asked myself what would have been if I never took him under my wings. Maybe his life would have been better and he didn’t have to suffer so much. It is so kind of you that you come to me and tell me about Soul's secret worries. You are really a good friend, Fluttershy.”

The timid mare scratched her hoof above the ground. She quietly raised her voice only barely loud enough to be heard. “This wasn't everything. Even though my eyes were closed, I still got two memories from him. They were so powerful... so full of fright.”

Fluttershy began to shiver while she spoke. But nevertheless, she stayed brave and continued to share her experience with Princess Luna. “There was something huge standing in front of him. He was shaking in fear. My own heart froze upon this sight. I can't even remember it’s face. I couldn't think of something different than running for my life. But Soul just stood there and watched him. This thing talked to him but I couldn't understand a single word. It seemed like Soul knew what it was talking somehow. This must have been shortly before he returned to us.”

Princess Luna was eager to know what the second memory was. Maybe it clears out the last details of Soul's return. “What was the second memory?”

Fluttershy inhaled deeply before she could going on. “The second memory was so surreal I don't know if it was real or not. He was standing on a vast empty field. Underneath his hooves was a little pond. He constantly looked inside and watched us. It was like a portal to our world where he could watch us every day. But he wasn't alone there. A greyish mare with a white top-hat was flying around him. She were stroking over his neck and flank. It felt really intimate and embarrassing. It was strength. This mare was only a pegasus, but Soul was definitely afraid of her. She could do everything with him, and she did everything. One day the mare violated him; she played with him in a very mature way. Usually he didn't resist, but this single time he struck her down and pinned her to the ground. Soul began to shout. This time the mare didn't resist. She just glared at him for a minute before she whispered something to him. Finally they got up and both of them walked to the pond. The mare flew around his neck and stroked him gently. She whispered something into his air and Soul jumped into the pond. This is the end of the memory. Soul Tearer is slowly losing his faith towards himself.”

Princess Luna smiled gently at Fluttershy. The timid mare immediately noticed the forced nature of the Princess' friendly gesture. Princess Luna wanted to prevent Fluttershy from worry at any cost, but she had to give up her hope quickly.

The noise of a rapidly running pony's hooves sounded through the hall in front of Princess Luna's private chamber. Slowly the sound became audible to the two ponies as well. The sound faded quickly, but instead, the door bashed open.

A completely breathless and highly stressed Royal Guard had stormed inside. He was panting and sweating like he had ran away from the Lunacy itself. Hastily the guard bowed to the Princess before he began to report. “I'm sorry, my Princess, that I have to burst in so impolitely, but we got word from one of our scout teams. Strange things occurred in the valley of Los Pegasus. It seemed like a path had rot itself into the fields. Our scouts wanted to go closer, but before they could get near it, a black wall erected out of the ground and shielded the creatures inside. The scene was to far away, they couldn't say if there were ponies involved... so they decided to fly towards the wall. The city of Los Pegasus hovered exactly over those walls, so the scouts couldn't get a sight from above. But before they got close enough … Los Pegasus got destroyed.”

Fluttershy and the Princess gasped in shock. The Princess of the Night could only barely imagine an entire city disappearing. “How is this possible? An entire city can't disappear just like that! What happened down there? Answer me this instant!”

The guard gulped. He was still withholding something. “Before our team could reach the city, a massive thunderstorm brewed up. It remained completely silent … until it discharged one single powerful time. The lightnings pierced through the clouds and dispersed them into thin air. Everything that stood near this thunderstorm disappeared. Nothing of the city remained like it never existed in the first place. I'm afraid to say that there were no survivors. Every pony living in Los Pegasus died … regardless of adult or foal.”

Tears began to run frankly down Princess Luna's face. It has been such a long time since an entire city was eradicated from the face of Equestria. She bit her lip and wept. Completely disbanded was the Princess searching for words. “Who... Who! WHO DID THIS?”

She was desperately crying. Something rose up inside of her heart that she thought was long gone. It was the desire to make the one responsible for this pay. Her magic lit up. Rage pulsed through her veins. Only until the guard continued his report. “The scouts put all their bravery together and dared to peek a look inside the black walls. Standing inside its centre was a lone black stallion. The burned ashes of a being that could belonged to a pony laid to his hooves. The stallion was maliciously laughing. The stallion standing there … was Captain Soul Tearer.”

Princess Luna couldn't believe her own ears. This was the one thing that she thought would never happen again. It felt like a cold dagger in her heart. Soul seemed to be so precious, so caring... and yet he annihilated a whole city. She couldn't even form one rational thought it was a mix of depression and anger inside her mind.

Fluttershy watched the stunned Princess fight with her emotions. Her own heart ached by the thought of countless pegasi dead. The thought of Soul being a mass murderer was awful. She knew that he had killed before in his darker times, but the Soul Tearer she knew was different, at least she thought so.

The guard watched his majesty fight with herself. He bowed down and slowly proceeded to walk backwards out of the room and left them alone, to avoid being a target of hers. Princess Luna gnashed with her teeth. There was one single thought left. When the scouts could already report. Why is Soul taking so long to return?

Her thoughts got quickly interrupted by the sound of a blazing fire, burning at the end of the room close to the balcony. The Princess spun around and looked inside the black flames, waiting for the ponies to appear. The far distant flame began to form into a unicorn. Princess Luna immediately stepped forward to face him. But the second source of fire laid her hooves at her chest, holding her back.

Princess Luna looked down at the still faintly burning form of Applejack. The orange farmer stared directly into the Princess's eyes and shook gently her head. Princess Luna's eyes shot forward and drilled through Soul's back. He was just leaning at the balcony framing, looking outside. He didn't pay any attention to them. Just simply glaring sadly outside was the only thing he did.

The Princess gnashed with her teeth. But something was wrong with him. He looked the same but the magic around him felt different. She couldn't put a hoof on it, but Soul has certainly changed once more. All of his pride seemed to be gone. Her gaze strived down to the shaking farmer to her hooves. She didn't notice before, but around Applejack's neck were some strange little scratches and scars. Even tiny drops of blood were still on her coat. Taken aback by Applejack's condition, the Princess paused in her steps. “Applejack? What happened to you?”

Applejack took her hooves down and gently stroked over the bloody spots. There was no pain in her face but sorrow. She rose her voice, it sounded week and soft. “It doesn't matter. Ah simply didn't pay enough attention and Soul saved meh just in time. Like he always does.”

Princess Luna could already see that Applejack was hiding something. But for the moment she couldn't bother. “Please, can you tell me what happened in the valley of Los Pegasus?”

The sad frown upon Applejack's face grew only wider by the thought of the screaming pegasi. “Ah'm sorry, Princess. But Soul and Ah got parted while we travelled to the valley. When Ah reached him the fight was already over. Ah don't know what happened exactly.”

She could tell that Applejack told her the truth. It bothered her. It was a thorn in her eye. Her blood was still boiling while the lone stallion was still leaning at the balcony. Princess Luna wanted to step closer but Applejack was stood still in her way. “So he is the only one who can tell us what happened down there?”

Applejack turned slightly her head. Her neck was still hurting but she had to deal with it for now. She eyed Soul carefully. An uncomfortable shiver ran through her spine. “Ah guess that's true. But he isn't comfortable with talkin' right now. We shouldn't bother him anymore and go on. Famine lost.”

Princess Luna gnashed her teeth. The answer were right in front her hooves. Why shouldn't she just ask him? The tension forced the Princess to spread her wings. Her voice sounded calm, but it was well audible how much she suppressed her anger. “This wasn't a minor incident. It’s not like you destroyed one single house. An entire city has been eradicated. I can't act like nothing happened. Somepony has to take the responsibility for this! And every of us knows who will this somepony be!”

The orange farmer tried to shield Soul from Princess Luna's unforgiving gaze. Sweat began to pour down her forehead. “Please Luna! Believe meh when Ah say-”

A cold chilling gust blew through the room. The balcony doors were still closed. Nevertheless came the gust from the direction of the struggling stallion. He didn't turn or bat an eye on them just his voice became audible. “It is okay, Applejack. Please don't bring yourself into trouble for me. You shouldn't protect me anymore. I will tell her exactly what happened, so we can end all of this.”

Applejack blinked rapidly at him. He hadn't spoken a word since then. She gulped and went out of Princess Luna's way. The Princess didn't show her anger. She just sat down and waited for him to begin.

Soul heard the Princess settle down and his small sinister laugh rang through the room. It didn't sound prideful and strong like before. It had more of something sick and twisted. There was still this faint echo in his voice. “When Applejack and I got parted, I went down the stony path down the mountains and headed for a white boulder underneath Los Pegasus. The apocalyptic stallion named Famine was already waiting for me there, like Lunacy once waited for me. I tried to fight him but there was no sense. He was strong. At the beginning he might have been even more powerful than me. So we talked to each other. Never before I actually listened to an enemy. But he told me the truth... the truth about myself. I never noticed before but he was right with everything he said. I'm only a tiny light that tries to devour everything in order to grow. Trying to shine brighter than everypony around me. If I'm honest... every single soul that I have consumed during my lifespan is brighter then my own. Harmony was such a wonderful pony. She brought balance to everything. Ponies stopped fighting just because of her. Even Midnight Veil was a better pony than me. She gave up everything for other ponies, regardless if stranger or not. Her heart was pure. Mine is rotten. Star Swirl was by far a greater pony than I will ever be. He was calm and intelligent. He would never made such serve mistakes that I did. Sometimes I'm wondering what would have happened if it was Star Swirl instead of me. If he had survived our clash back then. I'd bet that he wouldn't let something like that happen...”

Underneath her anger, the heart of Princess Luna ached. Something between a wince and cry for help escaped the strained lungs of the beaten stallion. He only paused for a short moment before his weeping turned into words again. “Famine showed me the meaning of evanescence. And in return I have showed him. I've caged us inside massive black walls so nopony could enter. I let myself drift into anger and madness. I felt so strong. It felt so good to let my wrath ran free. Hehe, It felt liberating to molest him. Every single scar that I had burned his flesh made me feel happiness. It is so much fun to fight somepony that constantly heals himself. You can beat him over and over again. He will always stand back up again. I got tired of him and decided to get rid of him. So I burned his flesh and smashed him against the very same boulder where he had waited for me. He was so pitiful. I wanted to relief him from his shame. My magic streamed frankly out of me and before I really thought about it a giant cloud filled with my magic hovered above us and the city of Los Pegasus. It felt so right in this very moment. I forced my magic back to the earth. It doesn't matter if something was in my way. My magic soared down. I pointed my horn at this pitiful shadow in front of my hooves. For a split second I heard their screams. It was such a great pleasure to hear him wince. The smell of his burned flesh was distinctive. I almost forgot how much I loved this smell...”

Princess Luna couldn't bear it anymore. Hearing him talking in such a cruel way was too much for her. Tears were flowing towards the ground. There were so many things she could say but no words wanted to leave her mouth. She only barely managed to withhold her sobbing.

She watched Soul's mad grin grew wider. It seemed like the shadow around him grew and swallowed him. His voice had become once more deeper and hollow. The air around them was almost cold enough to freeze water to ice. “After I've brought him down... I devoured his soul and power like I did with the soul of Pestilence. But this wasn't enough to please my bloodlust. So I devoured every single soul of the pegasi that have died above me. I never felt so powerful before...”

Slowly, she stumbled towards her former student. Ice-crystals began to grow on her midnight blue coat while she got closer. Her muscles got tired of the cold. She couldn't bring herself to move any further. “Soul? What are you talking about? Have you forgotten everything that happened after our ways parted? Please tell me that you are just making a cruel joke...”

Soul still didn't turn, he stubbornly remained at his spot. “A cruel joke? No... the joke is that I have played nicely for too long. This is my true nature. And this will never change.”

Princess Luna looked quickly at Applejack. But she was looking into a far distant corner of the room. Far away from Soul and the rest of then. The Princess woke up from her trance by the sound of a light-hoofed pegasus.

Fluttershy made slowly her way through the wall of freezing air and stop behind Soul for a second. The tips of her mane were already frozen and would break into a thousand pieces if they hit something hard. Her hooves slipped underneath Soul's, she let her head rest on his shoulders and closed her eyes, taking the stallion into a caring embrace. “Maybe it wasn't intended. Maybe it was but you shared your memories with me when you searched through mine. And I know that you aren't the pony you are claiming to be. You were a monster, but you've changed. You became kind and generous. I don't know what happened in Los Pegasus, but I'm sure you wouldn't do something bad to another pony if you weren't forced to. Please look inside your heart. Please come back to us, as you were.”

Despite the warmth of Fluttershy's body, the air between got even colder. Small pillars of frozen air built around Fluttershy and stroked above her coat. The pillars formed claws at their tips and grabbed Fluttershy's hooves. The claws pulled her away from him and threw her back. His sinister grin was gone. But his sadness was still there. “I couldn't expect something different from the pony that had wielded the Element of Kindness. But you are mistaken. I'm not kind... I'm cruel. Maybe I'm really the one who will bring Equestria down... “

Fluttershy rubbed her hooves together to warm up from Soul's coldness. The Princess wrapped Fluttershy into her wing and warmed her with her plush feathers. The Princess of the Night tried to find her attitude but there was still anger inside of her. But the fear for Soul overwhelmed her for the moment. “Soul, I can not possibly know what happened to you. But this isn't like the stallion I've raised. Please come to your senses. You know what is the right thing to do.”

A hot breath left Soul's mouth. It became visible in the cold air around him. “You are right. I know exactly what I have to do...”

Applejack gulped. It was this voice again. It was so similar to the sound of his voice in the valley of Los Pegasus. “Soul, please think about it. We still have to find Twilight. How shall we do it without your help?”

For the first time Soul moved. He distanced himself from the framing and turned his head to Applejack. His horn began to glow in a darkish blue. “The end is where we begin. We all shall return to the point where this journey has began. Farewell, my friends.”

Soul's body faded into the air and left the chamber together with the cold. Confused, they looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

The exact opposite of the scene in the castle occurred in a dark cave far off Canterlot. War walked towards a throne crafted out of citrin. She bowed down in front of her mistress. “My mistress, I've raised the army you demanded. How do you wish to continue?”

The glowing mare licked over her lips. Her pink-reddish eyes glared at the pretty apocalyptic mare beneath her. “Well done, my little filly. Our next step will be to find Twilight Sparkle.”

War raised her head and stared questioning at her mistress. “An entire army just to find this Twilight Sparkle?”

The mistress began to chuckle. She let her wings strive above the rests of her throne. “Twilight won't be the only pony there. You might even get the chance to fight him again...”

Chapter 19 - Waver

Chapter 19
Waver

Soul Tearer was gone, but the other ponies remained for a short moment in stasis, trying to comprehend what had happened in front of their eyes. The stallion that has once saved the world seemed to have lost his senses and is now running wild through Equestria. Applejack bit her lip, she couldn't believe that he went away. “How can he do this to us? Just leavin' us without any help or hints. How are we supposed to find Twilight without him?”

Princess Luna tried to calm the tempered farmer with her soft voice. She lit up her horn and concentrated upon her magic. “That is not true, my dear Applejack. He told us exactly what to do. He said that the end is where we begin and that we all shall return to the point where this journey has began. So where does it takes us? Where did everything begin?”

Fluttershy rubbed her chin. She searched through her own memory and through the memories that Soul had shared with her. There was absolutely nothing about Twilight. He must have recently got the hunch about her whereabouts. “Umm, the last time Discord had told us something like this. Back then we had to begin back in Ponyville. Maybe we have to go there again.”

Applejack shook her head. There was something wrong about Fluttershy's thesis. “Soul isn't a bit like Discord. There won't be any tricks. Luna is right, he really meant Twilight. We have to go where Twilight became like this. And my guess would be that we have to go where Phalanx died. We may have to go to Demon's Run.”

Princess Luna flinched by the mentioning of this once wicked place. For thousands of years, no living being could enter that place. Wildlife returned since Soul Tearer had purified the cursed soil. During the last two years, it has become a wonderful forest. The remaining magic amplified the growth of the plants and trees. The fateful place where the fight about Equestria's fate was decided still existed. The four boulders surrounded the spot where the silvery spear of the Princess's parents once stood. Even the clearing of this place didn't make her feel better. “I have a still a bad feeling about this place, but I guess you might be right.”

Fluttershy followed the conversation eagerly. She had never seen the gruesome face of the original Demon's Run. But the description that her friends had provided her already frightened the timid pegasus. “I don't know if this is important, but don't we still need Soul to help us? I mean, when we had to fight Twilight in Ponyville, she sent these things after us. Only Soul could get rid of them.”

Applejack and Princess Luna looked at each other for a brief moment before the Princess broke eye-contact. Applejack looked down at the floor and thought about Soul. “But where could he be right know? I hate it when he leaves me... I guess, the place where everythin' began for him would be in the past?”

Princess Luna shook gently her head. Her mane contradicted the movements and hid her eyes behind their eternal shine. “I doubt that he would left this time entirely. He isn't the kind of stallion that would do that. I believe... he is standing on some mountain top and glaring down on us, watching our next moves and judging our decision. No matter what he says, he has certainly changed. He doesn’t want to fight anymore. The spirit of a warrior inside of him seems to be gone. Maybe the time has come for him to settle down. The only enemy he has to fight now is himself.”

Fluttershy and Applejack stared bashfully at the ground. They have always seen the saviour in him, but never looked behind the mask of strength and will that the stallion had worn, they never questioned the pony behind this. Neither did they pay attention to his feelings or his needs. The timid pegasus drew a circle on the ground with the tip of her hoof and sighed in defeat. “I feel awful for not asking about his feelings. I always thought of him as indestructible like the Princesses. Maybe he was far much weaker than we thought.”

Princess Luna put gently her hoof upon Fluttershy's shoulder and smiled weakly at her. “It is not your fault. We all just relied on his power. And this very power is devouring his mind and weakens him every day. If anypony is responsible for this, it’s me. This is too much for a mere mortal. All these years of misery and pain. Our later students had usually short lifespans. The usage of such vast amount of magic shortened their lives. Someday they just wilted like flowers. Alicorns like my sister and me are born with the understanding of death and decay. We witness many deaths of ponies that are close to us during our millennia long lives. But a mortal like Soul will experience the same pain everytime somepony dear to him dies. Maybe the time has come to save him instead of the other way around.”

The words of Princess Luna hurt Applejack and made her heart ache. She couldn't bear the thought of Soul as a wilted flower. “Ya are right. We have to help Soul. But he ain't a wilted flower. For meh, he is different. In mah eyes he is like a shinin' star. Always shinin' bright in the sky, he never really darkens. For the moment are only dark thick clouds hangin' in front of him. We just have to push these clouds away and clear his sight.”

The Princess nodded gently at the emotional farmer. Many ponies had changed since Soul returned to Equestria. Not even the honest Applejack was spared. But the Princess had a slightly different plan. “I have to agree with you. The impression of a star suits him far better. But there is somepony else we have to save as well. We can't lose more time to seek for Twilight and I can't imagine a better team of ponies then her best friends. You go search for them while I will go after Soul.”

Applejack gasped at her words. She couldn't believe that the Princess wanted to go after him on her own. “There is no way Ah will let ya chase Soul all alone! He needs the help of both of us!”

Princess Luna shook slowly her head. It was sadness that shimmered in her eyes. “I really appreciate your will to help. But Soul's issues are originating far in the past. From a time when there was only him and me. I want to talk to him frankly. Without any listeners peeked at us. In the meantime, you and your friends will go after Twilight. You have to convince her to come with you. Together we might be able to defeat that mistress without risking Soul's sanity.”

The orange farmer's eyes grew wide. Her throat got sore and itched. “Riskin' his sanity? What are ya talkin' about! He is just not himself now!”

The depth in Princess Luna's eyes couldn't mean something good. A sinister thought was drilling from the bottom of her mind to the surface. “I thought we already got past this point. Judging by everything both of you told me... I think Soul is losing his sanity. The other souls that he has consumed might be fighting for the upper hoof inside his mind. They are forcing his own soul to budge. This version of Soul before seemed much more like Lunacy than like himself. I don't even want to imagine what happens if Soul loses control entirely. So I will try to mend his damaged mind.”

Applejack bit her lips. She wanted to help Soul so desperately. But maybe it was time to keep her focus to her friends instead of the wavering stallion. “And how are we supposed to get there? Usually it’s Soul takin' us to our destination.”

Through her sadness and sternness, Princess Luna still offered the naïve farmer a little chuckle. “Shadow will tag along with you. He is capable of transportation spells similar to Soul's. He should be able to defend you for a while. If something goes awfully wrong he will alert me and I will come to your aid.”

Applejack nodded in agreement and turned her gaze to Fluttershy. “It seems that it's up to us to save Twilight. We should go upstairs and go see if they are awake.”

Fluttershy simply nodded. It seemed like she was overwhelmed by this flood of information. She followed Applejack, who had already turned around and walked to the door of the chamber. Fluttershy only managed to turn around and sweetly wink at the Princess to bid her farewell in her haste.

The door closed shut and Princess Luna took another deep breath. She pointed her eyes through the window to the sky and observed for a short moment the passing birds. But the idle moment didn't last for long. Her horn already ignited in her midnight blue magic and carried her out of the castle.

The tendrils of her magic pulled her through the empty room between the world of the living and the infinite realm of death. It placed her hooves gently on the broken marble floor of the old castle in the Everfree Forest, the very castle where this sheer unbelievable story has began a thousand years ago. The Princess walked down the empty halls. Every weathered frame of the countless pictures brought old memories back. From a time where light still flooded the halls. Today the dust was keeping the light from entering the castle, but they produced this ancient shine in the old building. There was doubt for a short moment, doubt about her own capabilities. This castle may be ancient but Princess Luna was older by far, maybe too old to rule such a wonderful land all on her own. But her thoughts got distracted from some dark and powerful feeling. It drained her attention from the ancient building and pulled her over to the old coronation hall.

Her sight was blurred from the flying dust but something mixed with the levitating particles of dirt. Small black dots mingled in the light, flying away from the balcony above. Where once were blinding light, was now absolute darkness. It looked like a dark cloud that consumed every little bit of the light around it.

There was something inside, something powerful but something lost at the same time. Princess Luna approached the stairs that led upwards to the cloud of dark magic. Carefully, she ignited her horn. She brought a little light into the fog like darkness and stepped into the light devouring cloud.

It was coldness that greeted her. There was nothing of the usual so peaceful world around them left. In the centre of the cloud was something waiting for her. It wasn’t really liquid or firm. His eyes were glowing the dark. The slit-formed pupil took the Princess into focus. Waiting for her to advance, they were only following her careful steps. “So this is what happens, if you are alone for too long. What kind of dreadful creature have you become? What happened since your glorious days? I remember the day I found you and the day you left me. So much had happened but I never lost faith in you. But now I don’t know what to say. The darkness inside of you has taken over. You finally crumbled under the weight of your burden. Maybe we are both too old for this ever-changing realm.”

The dark being leaned away from the Princess and turned his eyes towards the sky. There was no light but there were little stars at the inner surface of the dark cloud. “Alone? I was never truly alone. They were always others. These countless dreaded souls inside of me were always speaking. But until today I never really heard them. They are telling me that our time hasn’t come yet. I will never be too old. My time has just began ... and the next one to complete my power...Will be Discord!”

Princess Luna was taken aback. There was always hatred towards Discord but he never got actually the chance to battle him a second time. This could take disastrous forms. She gulped but tried to cover her worries. “Revenge is not the answer! That were your own words! Why did you turn from the light? What kind of trouble caused you to leave?”

The burning stallion shot the Princess of the Night a cocky, almost disrespectful grin. “You aren't listening, Luna. You are right... I have fallen. I turned once to the light and it betrayed me in the end. I'm sick of it. I won't suffer in the light again... I won't stay down for others anymore. I will fight along with my darkness until everything around me is gone. And after I've torn everything apart, I will leave this realm and merge with the darkness to become something new, something stronger. I will become a new god...”

Princess Luna's entire body was shaking. Hearing such cruel words from her own dear former student was terrifying. Every single hair of her coat tensed up. “Please believe me when I tell you that I know exactly how you are feeling right now. You are experiencing what no mortal should be able to. This is the curse of immortality. When your life is long and seemingly endless you begin to seek for new ways to live your life, and now your time has come to stroll through the darkness. But soon, you will be pure again. You will discard all of the darkness inside of you. I just hope that you will see clear again before you lose everypony who cares for you.”

Slowly, the Princess withdrew from the thoughtful stallion. Just a moment before she would have left the cloud of dark magic, the stallion silently began to weep. It was a terrifying mix of crying and laughter. “So sweet you are caring for me. But you really should look after yourself. Not that your so lovely sister will betray you another time. I'm the only pony who could defeat an immortal. I consumed the power of time and harmony. But that wasn't enough, the power of three apocalyptic ponies are flowing through my veins. I'm everything light and dark!”

Princess Luna felt the cold climbing up her back. It was the number of ponies that let fear creep into her mind. “Three apocalyptic ponies? You only defeated two so far...”

There it was again, his prideful and glorious laughter that brought fear upon so many past enemies. But this was the first time Princess Luna felt herself threatened. His eyes shone in this bloody red and focused the Alicorns horn. “Are you really that naïve? I've told you before, I made a deal with the devil. A deal with the pony of death to regain my life. She lent me her power and I promised to be hers in return. There is no return now. There was never hope to live on after this. So I will take what I desire and leave. And so will you. Farewell, Luna.”

The Princess gasped but before she could comprehend, the dark cloud dragged her out, rejecting her of the shell of darkness, throwing her back into the castle. Princess Luna crumbled to the ground, she was heavily breathing and shaking. The touch of pure darkness was so cold, so terrifying. Never before she felt something that sinister and evil. Quickly, she got back to her hooves and tried to enter the dark fog again. But the shell didn't let her pass through. The Princess was thrown back on her behind. In sheer disbelief, she had to watch the pure darkness around Soul Tearer. Tears ran down her cheeks, when she ignited her horn and let her magic carry her gently away. “I'm sorry, Soul. I'm sorry that I can't help you anymore. You are the only one who can stop yourself now.”

Bitter and alone; that was how Soul felt deep inside his aching heart. The darkness drove everypony away, now he was all alone again. His tears were silently dripping on the floor. Despite the sick grin in his face, he felt like weeping. Soul's mind was torn between light and dark. But the speck of his that thought clear followed Luna's magic and whispered into her ear. “Twilight Sparkle won't be alone. If you want assistance then take my legion with you...”

For this short moment, he spoke in his usual deep voice. The faint echo was gone. But soon the darkness returned, together with a faint female laughter. Grey fog swirled around him and stroked through his mane. A faint voice whispered into his ear. “Were these the famous last words of your sanity, my dear?”

The magic around Soul pushed the fog away and forced it into a corner inside the cloud. The fog took the form of a pegasus mare that wore a white tip-hat. She hissed at the devouring magic and pushed it somehow away. Soul’s eyes turned to the intruder, he shot her a deadly glare. “What do you want from me? Our deal isn’t fulfilled yet! So stay away from me, Death!”

Death slowly approached the burning stallion. The dark magic around him still created the impression of his coat burning. She licked over her lips and eyed Soul from the tip of his horn to his rear end. “Don’t worry. I won’t take you now. I’m just here to check your condition, and I have to admit that you’re surpassing my expectations by far. Even for my standards, you’re looking terrifying. If I weren’t some kind of god, I might be afraid. But I think more of a cute little colt when I look at you right now.”

A dark bolt of magic aimed for her neck. But before the dart could pierce through her flesh, the pale mare managed to tilt her head to the side. She moved only barely enough to dodge the sharp projectile. Soul’s eyes glowed even brighter than before. The hatred tried to take the upper hand of the trembling stallion. “A little colt, you say? Don’t make me laugh! You know as good as I know that immortality is no hindrance for me! I’ve already consumed your brothers and your filthy sister will follow!”

The pale mare didn’t flinch by the threat of the dark stallion. She closed the distance to him and even dared to swing her hooves around his neck. Death slowly kissed his neck until she playfully bit in his ear. “I simply love your sweet little threats. You should punish me for disobeying your commands, my strong stallion.”

Before Death could react, she was thrown to the ground. Soul’s strong hooves pinned her shoulders to the ground. She could feel his hot almost burning breath in her face. A satisfied grin grew on her lips while she imagined the sensation of Soul’s lips on her own. “Are you already angry? I really love assertive stallions. It is so hard to find a stallion to have the guts to treat the mare of death like this. I wonder what got you to change your mind. So many times you have denied my offer, and always assured me that your heart belongs to Harmony and Applejack. But now you’re standing above me. I’m helpless and couldn’t do anything if you decide to force yourself on me.”

Soul hissed and snarled while he flashed his teeth. He was more like an animal than a pony being. “Don’t be ridiculous. It doesn’t matter to which pony my heart belonged. There is only one thing that is important to me right now!”

Death cocked an eye at Soul. Her grin grew only wider by every single word of him. “Belonged? You are already using the past tense? What happened to your eternal love towards Harmony?. Not that I’m surprised because you already cheated on her with this Applejack pony.”

The pressure around them rose. The atmosphere inside the cloud became heavy and thick. It would be impossible for a normal pony to breath. “How can I cheat on somepony that is lost forever! I even shattered her soul in order to save this dreadful place called Equestria!”

Death pressed her wings against the ground and lifted Soul up. She threw him off herself and turned the table around. Soul was now lying beneath her. “Oh? Now you are acting like a saint? In your madness you have already forgotten about them! I know what is important to you right now! What you want is power! Power you can only obtain if you devour more of us! So might grow even powerful enough to take the revenge you are seeking after. Don’t think that I don’t know what Discord did to you. And of course there is still Harmony’s murderer. I’d bet you would take the chance and kill Celestia if you have the chance to.”

Soul’s horn was already overflowing with magic. Small sparks jumped from on layer of the clouds to another. The tension was unbearable. “Our deal included that I get rid of your siblings. So tell me, where is your sister? I want to end this odyssey and find my peace.”

Death couldn’t do different than chuckle. She felt the pressure that radiated from Soul’s horn. Even for her senses it felt highly uncomfortable. “There is somepony impatient, I guess? My sister War is exactly going where you suspected her. She has risen an army and marches to capture Twilight Sparkle. Her mistress needs Twilight for some reason.”

A small ball of energy formed between Death and Soul. It expanded and forced the mare away. Soul got to his hooves again and shook the faint remains of dust off his coat. “Why are your siblings siding with this mistress and you are not? Why did you drive me to stop them?”

The pale mare began to lose her shape. She became only a mere shadow. “My siblings are weak. But I won’t let myself down to get under the hoof of such a puny Princess. But another question is more important. What are you going to do now?”

There was still hot steam escaping through the gaps of his razor sharp teeth. His red slit-formed eyes were brightly glowing. They were fluted with dark magic. Drool was leaking out of his mouth. “I will do what I always did. I will take what is mine and become stronger! I won’t stop until everything that stays in my way is destroyed!”

Lightning began to soar to the ground. They scorched the ancient ground and burned the plants that grew between the tiles. His head snapped back and he ripped his jaws widely apart. His mad laughter rang through the entire castle when the dark cloud dispersed into black rain that poisoned everything in reach. The grey fog withdrew and faded into thin air. “You are right. You will become a god-like being. But you won’t decree over this power. You will be just my slave... I think you are ready to complete the deal. ”

Chapter 20 - Forgiveness

Chapter 20
Forgiveness

Princess Luna released herself from the gentle embrace of her own lunar magic and placed her hooves on the firm marble ground of her chamber. With closed eyes, she appeared in a marvellous blue shine. Her eyes snapped open and caught sight of the group of ponies that have been saved from Soul Tearer before.

Applejack shot her a confident glare while Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash left the room hastily, without saying any words of welcome to the Princess of the Night. Only the farmer and Shadow remained.

Princess Luna's eyes wandered back and forth between these two. Something had to be wrong while she was gone. “What is the meaning of this, Applejack?”

Instead of the farmer, the former member of the Nightcrawler stepped forward. There was no sign of respect or fright but of lust to fight. “My Princess, I’m afraid we won't stay down any minute further. We already assumed that Captain Soul Tearer might not return, so we settled a plan to retrieve Twilight Sparkle. I used the abilities of some former Nightcrawler member and traced the source of the weird magic around the valley of Los Pegasus back to Demon's Run. We will go there and convince Twilight Sparkle to come back with us.”

Shadow was braced himself for the worst but the frighting reaction of Princess Luna never came. She just stared at him. Carefully, she licked over her lips. “Then your desire shall be fulfilled.”

Applejack's and Shadow's eyes widened. This was the only answer they didn't expect. “What?”

Princess Luna raised her magic and swiped the curtains of the little balcony away. In a rapid step, she walked onwards and looked over the railing. Countless soldiers that had fought once under Soul's lead were camping in the throne hall. They were already sharpening their weapons and polishing their armour. Every single of them was ready to go into war.

Shadow and Applejack followed her. The orange farmer leaned over the railing and watched the lines of soldiers. “Why are we standin' here? We want to go as fast as possible!”

Princess Luna didn't turn or shoot them a glare. She reared up at the railing and enhanced her voice magically. “FELLOW SOLDIERS OF THE NIGHTMARE LEGION! HEAR UPON THE WORDS OF THE NIGHT! TWILIGHT SPARKLE HAS FALLEN BY THE INFLUENCE OF THE LOSS SHE HAD TO COPE WITH. I WANT EVERY ONE OF YOU TO HELP US BRING HER BACK WITHOUT HARM.”

The soldiers looked at each other in confusion in the same way as Applejack and Shadow did. One of the soldiers stepped forward. He wore a brightly decorated armour. Many medals and ribbons decorated his chest. “Welcome, my Princess. I think I can speak for my fellow friends when I ask you for the purpose of this mission. It seems to be a little bit too much to send an entire army to retrieve a single mare. Why such hard measures?”

Applejack wanted to ask the same question but before she could raise her voice, the Princess already continued in her normal voice. “I understand your doubt. But Soul Tearer had warned me that Twilight won't be alone. I can't let any more of the Elements of Harmony fall. They have to be reunited if we want to bring this mistress down.”

The stallion underneath the balcony turned around to judge the expressions of his subordinates. Quickly he faced the Princess again. “Why do we need the Elements? Captain Soul Tearer's power is unrivaled. He is far more powerful then any magical artifacts!”

Princess Luna sadly shook her head. Her gaze was filled with sorrow and regret. The soldiers could read her thoughts but the Princess continued nevertheless. “I'm afraid that Soul Tearer won't assist us any further. He has to cope with different matters right now. So we need the Elements, even if their power seems to be gone. There is hope that they could work.”

Insecurity was the major expression in the faces of the soldiers. But the stallion in front cleared his throat and pounded his hoof against his chest. “In honor of our Captain we will assist and fight under your lead.”

The other soldiers got rid of their confusion and followed the stallion. They raised their hooves and shouted in unison. “FOR THE NIGHT WE SHALL FIGHT! THE NIGHTMARE SHALL BE VICTORIOUS!”

The stallion in front smiled and looked direct into the eyes of the Princess. “We will begin the preparations now. In the next two hours we will be able to move out.”

Princess Luna nodded, satisfied. But Applejack wasn't pleased by this answer. “We ain't gonna wait that long! Twilight could be goin' anywhere else while we are waitin'!”

A wide smile formed upon Princess Luna's lips. “I didn't expect you to wait. I will bring you there immediately. The Legion and I will follow as soon as possible. You have to convince Twilight before we arrive...”

Applejack nodded and she and Shadow got wrapped in Luna's magic. While they got ripped out of the chamber a young stallion sneaked into the lines of the soldiers. Blaze jumped quickly into a fully packed chest and hid. His eyes peeked out of the chest, he waited for his chance. “This time I will help Soul in a battle... and nopony will stop me...”

Princess Luna turned away and walked to her bed. She pulled a golden chest from underneath the wooden framing and opened it with her magic. A sheepish smile grew on her face.

But nopony was left to see her smile. Applejack's sight had faded but returned immediately when they arrived in Demon's Run. She looked around herself and found her friends standing next to her. They were taken by surprise by Princess Luna's magic and looked confused at their surroundings. Only Twilight was missing to complete the Elements.

Demon's Run had changed since Soul Tearer's magic has raged above the soil. The grey dusty earth was gone. Luscious green meadows stretched as far as the sight reached. It was almost a tropical forest that has grown around the four white boulders.

Applejack's friends looked at her in a questioning manner. But without any words she walked towards the four boulders. The others followed her close by. When Applejack got closer she noticed that two of the boulders were almost destroyed while the third one with 'Death' written on it was surrounded with a dark mist. Strong magic was streaming out of its core. Only the boulder with 'War' written on it remained unchanged since the past two years.

Rainbow Dash hovered towards Applejack and hesitatingly tugged at Applejack's tail. “How did that happen?”

Applejack let her gaze wonder between the boulders and sighed. “Princess Luna had teleported us here. She agreed that we can look for Twilight on our own.”

Fluttershy and Rarity looked each other for a brief moment before the white fashion designer closed in to Rainbow. “Just like that? I can not believe that she would allow something like this!”

A faint, creepy but familiar voice rang through Applejack's ears.

"The giant tree... go into the cave and see what you will find.”

Applejack shook her head, but she didn't look at her friends. She looked into the far distance and searched for something. “She didn't... Princess Luna will follow us along with the Nightmare Legion to assist us.”

Rarity cocked an eye and wiped her mane back. “Why should be this dreadful Nightmare Legion for use to us? We don't want to hurt Twilight!”

The orange farmer's expression changed, a huge frown grew on her face while she raced past her friends and headed into the forest. Her friends looked in concern at each other but followed her immediately. In mid-run, Applejack shouted her answer towards her friends. “Princess Luna had told us that Soul had warned her about Twilight. He told her that Twilight won't be alone.”

While Applejack accelerated, Fluttershy was barely able to keep the pace. She panted with every single wing flap. “But this would be an whole army! How many ponies should be there? You know that I'm afraid of crowds...”

Applejack rolled her eyes and dashed further forward. She headed without response towards a giant tree. It's roots grew over some boulders that were covered in moos. The roots spared the place right under the trunk and left space for a cave between the boulders. Applejack hit the breaks and slid over the grass. Her hooves could barely decrease her speed by rubbing over the ground, but she managed to stop right in front of the slope of the cave entrance.

The others dashed into each other in the attempt to stop in time. They shot past Applejack and didn't stop until they reached the dark within. A dark and creepy feeling shot down their spines, and they felt something gazing at them.

But the only audible sound belonged to Applejack's hooves. She closed the gap between them and nudged Rarity's shoulder. The fashioner looked at her in confusion before she finally got the hunch. “Oh yes, right. I can do light.”

Rarity ignited her horn in a bright light and enlightened the cave around them. From within the cave looked much deeper. It looked like it was there since ancient times. Fluttershy shivered despite the lack of sound. But in the moment she realized that the ultimate silence isn't as absolute as she thought, climbed fright her spine up. “Girls? I think we are not alone...”

Applejack paid her almost no attention while she walked past the timid pegasus. “Twilight! Come and show yourself!”

Her shout died away in the depth. For seconds there followed nothing but stillness, until the sound of a hoofed being got closer to them.

Pinkie Pie's face lit up. She bounced to Applejack and flashed her brightest smile. “Twilight! I'm so happy you're back! We were all very very worried about you. And I mean really worried like you would be worried about a foal or a plate of cupcakes in the oven.”

Applejack's expression didn't change, she just glared into the dark and waited for the being to appear. Its eyes came slowly into light. They reflected the incoming sunlight and revealed their colour. Everypony hoped for Twilight's purple eyes but their hopes would be diminished.

Dark plain eyes met their sight. They got closer with every resounding step until the being was fully visible. Shadow ignited his horn to protect them from harm. He didn't know who the pony in front of him was, but it was evident the others did.

Pinkie Pie paled at the sight of the gruesome stallion in front of her. He stood there without his armour. Nothing reminded of his old self despite of the marks that decorated his neck. They were the only remain of the incident that took his life away.

Applejack's knees began to shake when she recognized Phalanx. Two years ago, she had seen him die. She wondered why she was shocked at all, since Soul Tearer had returned as well. Still shaking, she stepped further towards Phalanx and sighed deeply. “So, Twilight really did manage to resurrect ya. How does it feel to be alive again?”

Phalanx smiled at Applejack's appearance, she hadn't changed since they walked together to Demon's Run in order to stop the Lunacy. “Nice to see you again, Applejack. It has been quite some time.”

The orange farmer licked over her lips and shot him an evil eye. “How does it feel to die? Was it nice to relax with Soul in hell?”

For a short moment, the undead stallion was dwelling in his memories. “At first I was afraid, but the fear quickly faded and was replaced by a liberating feeling. I felt free from any burden. It felt good. I'm afraid that I have to tell you that I kind of met Soul. But you won't be pleased with the circumstances. I'm wondering why do you have such sinister thoughts?”

Applejack didn't really react, her expression hadn't changed in any way. “It shouldn't bother ya why I'm askin'. Just answer mah question and tell meh.”

Phalanx cocked an eye and watched the group of ponies in front of him closely. He stepped a single step forward before Shadow stopped him with a blade made of shadows. It hovered in front of Phalanx’s neck, ready to strike. Phalanx looked at the agitated unicorn and smiled. “I see, you are a vigilant one. Than I should tell you what I had seen.”

His gaze darkened, it felt colder then before in the huge cave when Phalanx began to tell. “I walked together with other lost souls towards the place where the gods decide whether you go to hell or to heaven. The whole walk was peaceful and quiet, but at one point there was a terrible noise. The noise of two powerful enemies fighting. I looked upwards and caught sight of the demon that watched over hell and two ponies fighting him. I couldn't believe my eyes... The ponies were able to fight him back... able to push him down and finally able to defeat him. There was a pale pegasus mare but she didn't fight. She just watched them and looked sensually at the other one, she almost drooled at his sight. My gaze wandered to the black fighting pony. His coat was burning and his eyes were ignited in a blood red. Until this point I haven't recognized him, but the pony was definitely Soul.”

Applejack's coat tensed up when her entire body began to shake. “What was the thin' he fought?”

Phalanx hesitated for a short moment, but his sorrowful eyes already told Applejack that his next sentence might change the impression she got of Soul. “I can't tell for sure, but I believe that this thing might have been hell's guardian. It is the mystical being that keeps the dead inside. Soul and this pale pony have been working together in some kind. They killed the guardian and escaped from this wretched place. Many fallen souls has left hell since than. But none of them out of their own, something or somepony has helped them to flee.”

Applejack hissed at his words despite their weight. She rolled her eyes and spit at the ground. “Since ya are here, ya should be able to think of a pony that might have done somethin' like that!”

The undead stallion shook his head and closed his plain eyes. “It is true that Twilight has messed with dead souls and she has to pay for her sins sometime in the future. But the magic that dragged the others to the world of the living was fairly different. I never felt something that powerful except of the Princesses, Discord and Soul. This magic felt incredibly evil and full of blood lust.”

Rarity looked bashfully at the ground, she couldn't think of anything to say.

“I believe that the pony who dragged back so many souls might be this mistress they were talking about.”

Rarity's head snapped back upwards. The voice sounded so familiar but she hadn't heard it for a seemingly eternity. A lavender unicorn stepped out of the shadow, her horn was already ignited and aimed for the blade of shadows.

Shadow's magical weapon dispersed into thin air and returned to its original form. Phalanx shook his head when he was freed from the threatening blade at his throat.

Everypony stared at Twilight. It was definitely their Twilight, but her appearance was changed. The innocent shine in her eyes was gone, she looked more mature but darker as well. The shades in her longer mane has darkened along with her eyes.

Fluttershy was the first to ask the question that raged through everyponys mind. “Uhm, how do you know about this mistress, Twilight?”

Twilight licked her lips and proceed to walk next to Phalanx. She swung her hooves around his back and laid her own head at his neck, where she could see his scars. “It is not like I was living under a rock all this time. Before we arrived here again we met a strange pony named Pestilence. We talked and he told us about a ominous mistress who want to change the world. I thought that this was just another cult, but something was different about this pony. I decided to leave before the situation escalated. He got me suspicious, so I decided to do some research and it came out like there was more behind this cult than I thought. It seems like this Pestilence was more than just an earth pony. He seems to be a member of the four apocalyptic ponies. I made an exit for good before he could hurt us. But he gave me one important information. He told me that Soul has returned. So where is he? I want to ask him something.”

Applejack turned her gaze immediately away from the dark unicorn and her pegasus companion. But Shadow didn't flinch and stood his ground. “I'm sorry, but you won't be able to speak to Soul any longer. It seems like he has no longer the will to fight along with us and pursues his own goals. Which is the very reason why we are here. Soul won't assist us in the fight against this mistress anymore. So we need the Elements of Harmony back together. Otherwise we don't even stand a chance.”

Twilight cuddled closer together with Phalanx. He closed his eyes in pleasure and moaned while she licked the spot behind his ear. “The Elements are lost forever. We might be strong as a team but the magical essence inside the Elements is lost. We couldn't banish Discord back if he got free. How should we even deal with the Apocalyptic Ponies? We are just small lights in the play of the eternal fire of the sun. Sadly, I wasn't able to contact Princess Celestia yet.”

Shadow's and Phalanx gaze mirrored in each other. Both of them looked dull and empty at each other. Only slowly, the following words left Shadow's mouth. “We don't have too much to worry about the apocalyptic four. Soul Tearer has successfully killed two of them and seems to tag along with the third. Only one of them is left. And I do believe that together with the Nightmare Legion and Princess Luna we might be able to defeat her and her mistress.”

Phalanx flinched by Shadow's words, something seemed to bother him but his tension fell when Twilight continued. “By killing them, you mean he absorbed their power. Am I right?”

Applejack's heart began to race. Twilight was always the smartest one of them, but Applejack would had never expected her to have the right hunch right on the spot. “Soul has consumed the power of Pestilence and Famine. He even made a deal with Death, so there is only War left. If we attack them by surprise we might have a chance.”

Twilight hissed and snarled for a short moment before she give in to a small laughter. “So your all powerful and glorious coltfriend won't help you and now you are asking me for assistance in your selfish plans? I'm happy as long as I'm together with Phalanx! None of you helped me when I needed you the most! Why should I help you now?”

Rarity couldn't bear it anymore, tears ran down her white cheeks. With all of her power she had to bite her lips so that she didn't had to cry. “I'm so sorry, Twilight! Everything is my fault! I've turned away from every single of you and only cared for my well-being. I was so selfish and naïve. Not until Soul returned I from the dead, I could see clear again. He showed me that not even death could stop him from assisting his friends! Please accept my apology and give us a second chance...”

Twilight hesitated before she spoke. Her eyes drifted away from the group of ponies in front of her. “You think it is that easy? Just by saying sorry? You want me to throw everything away! I want risk my or Phalanx’s life in the meaningless attempt to defeat immortal beings!”

Rarity's tears were followed by Pinkie Pie's tears. Rainbow Dash caught sight of them and made a quick decision to ease the mental pain of her friend. She shot downwards and landed with a loud dumb thud right in front of Phalanx and Twilight. “We are the Elements of Harmony! It doesn't matter if we have some fancy magic or not! It is our duty to save the ponies of Equestria no matter what happens. If we fail everypony has to suffer, including you!”

Twilight gnashed with her teeth. Rage built up inside of her. Once more ponies tried to suppress her and to bring her under. But before she was able to blare her opinion out, she was interrupted by Applejack. “Ya think that ya made everythin' right and we are all wrong? How about your turnin' of mah brother into a monster? How should Ah forgive ya? And nevertheless, Ah'm standin' in front of ya and ask for your help!”

The lavender unicorn slipped down the pegasus back and looked bashfully at the ground. How could she almost forgot about her practices?. Memories of the torture Spike had to endure flashed in front of her inner eye. A single tear dropped down her cheeks. Her legs couldn't support her weight anymore and collapsed. Phalanx lowered himself and comforted the weeping unicorn. Everypony’s heart was aching at the sight of Twilight. But only Fluttershy made her way towards Twilight and laid a comforting wing around her back. “It’s okay, Twilight. We all forgive you and hope that you will forgive us. We can start from the beginning when all this is over and enjoy each others company again. Please Twilight... return to us... everypony is missing you.”

Twilight raised her head and looked with her bloodshot eyes at the caring pegasus in front of her. “Girls... I really don't know what to say, but you have to promise me something. Please accept Phalanx as he is. I may have returned him from the claws of death, but he is my Phalanx. The Phalanx he has always been.”

Applejack turned around to check the reaction of the others but every single of them nodded with a gleeful smile on their lips. Twilight got back on her hooves and dragged Fluttershy along with her, only to enclose every single of them in a bone-crushing hug. Only Shadow and Phalanx continued to stare at each other vigilantly.

Phalanx's and Shadow's ears perked up in the exact same moment. At the same time they pointed their gaze to Twilight and gaped at her. “There is something coming! I can feel a rumble in the ground!”

Applejack got free from the warm embrace and raced towards the exit. The others followed her immediately. In mid-run, the orange farmer knew who is coming along. “We don't have to worry! It will be just Princess Luna and the Nightmare Legion!”

The ponies reached the surface, and one by one they they decreased their speed and trotted further until their walk came to a halt. Their gazes were pointed towards the horizon. Applejack was right about an approaching army, but it wasn't the Nightmare Legion. A gorgeous mare was leading the army of ghosts towards the cave.

Her name is... War

Chapter 21 - Army of Ghosts

Chapter 21
Army of Ghosts

The ponies could feel the rumble in the ground getting stronger and stronger from the army that approached them from the horizon. But they couldn't hear any words of the soldiers. Not even War made a noise. She was gloriously carried by a few soldiers on a dark throne. Her mane bopped up and down with every step.

Twilight gasped at the sight of the incoming danger and turned immediately towards Phalanx. The undead pegasus stared towards the horizon and licked over his lips before he spoke. “May I introduce to you, this is the last Apocalyptic Pony, War.”

Applejack bit her lip by the sight of the demon in this pretty shell. Soul Tearer had spared her life and now it will be up to them to defeat her. She remembered how strong War was back then, and that she certainly hasn't become weaker since then.

The reaction of the farmer wasn't unnoticed by the other ponies. Even Rainbow Dash's heartbeat increased by the sight of so many enemies. The gentle noise of Rarity's magic sounded through the air when she ignited her horn. She used a spell she learned mainly to help her knit more precisely, which at the same time allowed her to look closer at things.

It was hard to keep her concentration up by the sight that was revealed to her eyes. The soldiers weren't ordinary guards. Rarity had never seen something like this before. The soldiers looked like ghost of different kinds. The army consisted out of dragons, griffons and ponies. She could look in the eyes of every single of them and find nothing but emptiness.

Rarity stumbled backwards and fell on her behind. Tears ran down her white cheeks when she stammered incomprehensible sentence fragments before she was able to form something that another pony could understand. “Girls... I'm so sorry. But we cannot win. There is no way we are able to defeat them.”

Fluttershy's entire body twitched. How could Rarity say something like this? Every muscle in her body was shaking from the sudden tension. “Why are you saying something like this? There was always hope. No matter what hardships we had to live through.”

The white mare simply shook her head while her eyes stared thunderstruck at the ground in front of her hooves. “I won't lie to you. We don't stand a chance against them because they are not normal ponies. This army has dragons and griffons too. This alone scares me already but the most horrifying fact is that they are not alive anymore. This is an entire army of ghosts. How are we supposed to kill something that isn't even alive anymore? They don't even have a physical body anymore!”

Rarity felt pain in her face. Twilight has struck her with all of her power. The lavender unicorn was heavily panting. “Nothing is impossible! Princess Celestia has always told me that it is impossible to resurrect the dead. But as you can see I managed to bring Phalanx back! There has to be a way to defeat them... The ghosts have to be connected to this world somehow. We just have to dislocate this connection!”

Shadow shook his head, he turned his back towards the army and stared with disgust at Twilight. “They aren’t even here, and you are already talking about defeating them! War wouldn't come with an entire army just for us. There has to be something different that she desires. If you don't interfere, she might not hurt us.”

Fluttershy's cheek still hurt by the force of Twilight's slap. She almost wanted to cry but something in the sky caught her attention. A big dark object flew through the sky and headed into their direction. Slowly, Fluttershy realized that the object aimed at them. Her heartbeat increased drastically. She never felt fear like this before but her timidness hindered her from shouting. “Sorry to interrupt you Mr. Shadow. But there is something really big and mean flying towards us and we might consider the option to move on.”

The stallion of the Nightmare Legion rolled his eyes but decided to take a look, so he could calm the troubled mare down. His eyes widened when he noticed the flying object as well. A few times his mouth opened and closed but no words left his lungs. The object seemed to accelerate there was no time left to flee. An intense heat was sensible around them, Shadow decided to close his eyes and accept his fate when a sudden pull seemed to drag him away.

His eyes shot open again and they found a horrific scene occurring in front of them. In the distance he could see the cave where they had stood only seconds before. The gigantic tree was brightly burning, single branches were already falling to the ground and turning into ashes. A faint trace of lavender magic was still around them when Shadow tried to comprehend what has happened. Twilight must have been teleporting them out of the danger-zone. He turned to the mare and apologized for his attitude before. It was more then embarrassing to him, his pride didn't allow him such behaviour. “I'm very sorry, Twilight Sparkle. Thank you for your help, I couldn't react this fast. I'm astonished by your skills. But where have you brought us exactly?”

“She brought you to your execution. Kneel down and weep, honorless stallion.”

Shadow turned slowly around and was forced to face the mare of War directly. Only a few feet parted them from the army of ghosts and themselves. Their knees began to shake. Only Rainbow Dash showed real determination to fight, but Applejack pulled her down by her tail. Twilight gulped and made a step forward, sweat ran down her cheeks. The teleportation seemed to have awfully failed, but maybe Twilight was up to something. “ I suppose you're this mare called War? Soul has talked about you a few times. Right now he is looking for you to devour your power. I think he will be pretty pleased to know that we have found you.”

War gulped visibly. Twilight's hunch was right, War didn't know about Soul's absence. Maybe she could buy some more time until they receive help. The others looked confused at each other until Applejack got the hunch what Twilight was going to do. “Yeah! Soul wants to complete his power at all costs! Ah would bet that he will be around in no time and wipe the floor with ya!”

Pinkie Pie jumped on this thought train and jumped on War's throne to face her on eye-level. “He is just waiting to get you in his hooves! Soul doesn't like such big-meanie-head like you! It is just a matter of time until he busts you!”

War glided down her throne while Pinkie leaned over her in a threatening manner. Sweat ran down her forehead. The fear of Soul was far to great that she could make a good decision right now. A small ghost snake climbed up her leg and hissed something inside her ear. The worried frown of hers disappeared and was replaced by a victorious grin. “Do you really think I would fall for something like this? Soul has turned you his back to you. He won't assist you any longer! You are all alone! Nothing will shield you against my magic and my army! We can settle this idly if you just hand Twilight Sparkle over to me!”

The mare of war was interrupted by the ear-splitting sound of chains clinging together and the flapping of pegasi wings. She pointed her gaze towards the sky and had to learn that the Nightmare Legion was close by, being lead by the Princess of the Night, who was clad in a new golden armour. War shrank by the sight of Princess Luna. She looked back down at the ponies in front of her and yelled her command. “Soldiers! Go get them! Kill the others but spare the lavender unicorn!”

The soldier obeyed their mitress and charged at the defenseless ponies. Twilight and Shadow ignited their horns but the claws and hooves of their predators were already too close. They only waited for the sound of claws that ripped of their flesh from their bones. But this sound never came. The claws of their enemies hit a barrier of midnight-blue magic. It seemed as if the stars themselves were mingling inside the magic. Shadow gasped at the sight of this. Turning around, he saw that Princess Luna was already above their heads with her horn brightly shining. The Princess landed gently in front of Shadow and shielded them from the soldiers. “I won't allow such malicious doing as long as I rule over Equestria. I order you to leave this place immediately or you will face the consequences!”

War gnashed her teeth and watched as the Nightmare Legion surround her own subordinates. The soldiers of the night were ready to fight. Even War noticed that they weren't like the usual guards of the castle. The atmosphere around them was filled with bloodlust and the urge to fight. The Nightmare Legion was once famous for their power and their phenomenal Captain. Luckily for War, there was no sign of Soul Tearer. A thought raced through her mind, telling her that maybe she could defeat the alicorn Princess with her army of ghosts. But War hesitated. “You are not my Princess! You can't order me around! I will stay and take Twilight Sparkle with me!”

The Princess of the Night swung her mane away from her face and glared devilishly at the apocalyptic pony. “You won't take her with you! Twilight Sparkle is a friend of ours and belongs to her family and friends! There is no way you will abuse her for your dark intentions. She is under my personal protection!”

Shadow's grin grew wider by every word the Princess spoke. With the power of an alicorn there is way they could loose to War. The dark stallion shot an evil eye at the wicked mare and hissed at her. “Under Princess Luna's lead there is no failure possible! You will go down, moron!”

He felt Princess Luna's heavy hoof on his shoulder. Shadow turned around and looked into the dead serious face of hers. She was slowly shaking her head with closed eyes. “I'm afraid that I won't lead you into this battle. Since Soul Tearer has decided to leave us alone, the Nightmare Legion is headless. The mare on this throne may not look like it, but she is a divine creature and you would be no enemy for her. I will take care of her personally. So I field promote you to the new Captain of the Nightmare Legion especially for this battle. Congratulations, Shadow.”

Shadow couldn't comprehend what he had just heard. He didn't know if he should feel honoured or like a fraud that betrays his own captain. But there was no trace of Soul Tearer, so he decided to take the lead until the dark stallion’s return. Shadow quickly bowed down in front of the Princess and shouted from the bottom of his lungs. “Soldiers! Today, I ask for your loyalty and assistance in this battle! Soul Tearer won't assist us today. But we have to make him proud of us and win this fight in glory! For the Night! For Soul Tearer! For Princess Luna!”

The soldiers hesitated for a short moment but quickly agreed and responded to the motivating shouts of Shadow. In unison they shouted back. “For the Night! For Soul Tearer! For Princess Luna we shall fight!”

Shadow never grinned wider in his entire life. He extended his hoof towards the army of ghosts and exclaimed his first orders as new captain of the Nightmare Legion. “My fellow soldiers! Build a ring around us and guarantee the safety of these ponies. Kill as many enemies as possible and make space for the Princess to fight frankly!”

The pegasi took into the air and the unicorns charged their horns. Together they affirmed their orders and charged at the enemy. “YES, SIR!”

Some of the unicorns created magical chains. The pegasi grabbed these chains and flew towards the dragons. They dodged the dragon's claws and fire breath and laid the chains around their necks. The chains magically tightened and pulled the dragons to the ground. Another group of unicorns created gigantic swords and beheaded the chained dragons. Magical arrows and heavy bombs fell down on the never ending army of ghosts, thrown by the unicorns and pegasi of the Nightmare Legion.

Thousands of ghosts lay immobile on the ground. Satisfaction rolled through the lines of soldiers. But their delight was quickly gone. The ghosts raised themselves to their hooves and claws and grinned maliciously at soldiers of the Nightmare Legion. Shadow gasped along with his soldiers. “This won't be easy.”

The only thing that Twilight could say was to acknowledge the skills of this soldiers. Soul Tearer had trained them really well. She could see why the Nightmare Legion was feared throughout the world.

Princess Luna used her magic to crush the throne of War. The mare jumped of her seat and charged at the armoured Princess. War used her magic to catch Princess Luna inside the tendrils of her roses. But a few wing flaps were enough to escape the deadly flowers. Princess Luna flew high in the sky and stood exactly between the sun and War. She ignited her horn with all of her power and forced the moon in front of the sun. Darkness rolled over the countless soldiers of both parties. The Princess expanded her wings with all of her power and surged power from the moon. “I will end this pitiful act quick and painless!”

A concentrated beam of moonlight soared down the sky and headed for the stunned unicorn. The full force of the beam hit her and cut through her body. Princess Luna glided down in a circle pattern, she always hold enough distance to the seemingly dead mare.

War lay still for a few seconds before her body began to twitch. She rose back to her hooves and shook the shock out of her coat. The hole in her chest healed without leaving a single scar. She laughed faintly at the attempt of Princess Luna to kill her. “Is this everything you got? This is supposed to be the sister of the Sun? Don't make me laugh! You are nothing in comparison to your sister! You even underestimate your enemies...”

Before Princess Luna could respond she felt something sticking to her chest. She looked down and saw a single rose blossoming. She felt her magic being drained while roots shot out of the blossom. The roots blocked her wings and made it impossible to fly. The Princess crashed into the ground and laid now immobile in front of the apocalyptic pony. War approached her and stopped just in front of Princess Luna’s muzzle. The Princess of the Night forced her neck to bend upwards. “How did you know my sister, you impure creature?”

The wicked mare began to laugh at the mare on the ground, even tears were running down her cheeks. “You are still the naïve little mare you always were! You still haven’t realized who your sister really is! And now die!”

One of the roots grew in its diameter and created a gigantic sharp thorn. The root leashed out and headed for Princess Luna's neck. A cold shiver ran through her spine while she prepared for the impact but a fast, dark object pushed the thorn away. It was shadow, a literal shadow was holding back the deadly weapon. The Princess silently whispered to herself. “How can this be? A shadow while I darkened the sun? How is this possible?”

Then she suddenly realized what kind of magic had saved her. Magic that she hasn't seen for a thousand years. Princess Luna managed to turn around and she caught a glimpse of her saviour. Shadow was standing on a single rock, his eyes brightly shining in the flow of his raw magic. Princess Luna's eyes widened when she finally remembered the nameof it. It was the magic that gave Shadow is name. A pony so bright would never be named Shadow, he has earned that name due to this spell. This spell was called 'Shadow's Asgard'. It takes the shadows of other soldiers and turn them into independent soldiers. A frightful and powerful spell. Even War was astonished by such magnificent magic.

The roots around Princess Luna loosened ,so she could quickly turn her body around and buck War in her face. The mare of war stumbled backwards and was blinded by the brash kick for a few seconds. When she regained her ability to see, a blade of moon-silver raced towards her neck. By instinct she released a raw pulse of her magic and deflected the blade just in time.

The ponies of the Nightmare Legion fought alongside with their shadows against the seemingly immortal ghosts. Many members of the Legion had fallen, but not a single ghost seem to disappear. The army of ghosts might be the first army that can outrun the famous and dreaded Nightmare Legion. They were pushed back and forced into the small circle they've built. One of the soldiers defended them with all he had. Between the strikes of his enemies he managed to speak. “Captain! We can't defend this any longer! We have to retreat and save what we can to strike a second time! Without Captain Soul Tearer we don't stand a chance!”

The ghosts hadn't screamed of strain or pain the entire fight. But now they began slowly to raise their voices. It was a terrifying sound. The ghosts began to break down. They hold their hooves and claws over their heads. It must have been a terrible pain that caused them to flinch in that way. But what was the reason behind this?

Everypony looked around their surroundings but they couldn't find anything. The only pony that didn't look confused was War. She just stared into the sky above Shadow and the others. Princess Luna followed her gaze and ended up upon a single cloud. Her eyes widened, this sight was familiar but something has changed.

The other ponies followed the lead of the Princess and silence turned into the battlefield. Only the ghosts were screaming in pain. There he was standing in the sky. Soul Tearer looked down upon them. There was no mercy or joy in his eyes, they were just cold and cruel.

Applejack shook her head when she caught sight of him. “This can't be, there is no way...”

Soul Tearer has changed. His coat may have lightened and become grey, but his eyes had changed into a blood-red hue. Only the slit-formed pupil was missing. Soul's mane and tail had become purely white. A pitch black ribbon laid around his neck with a skull pendant attached to it.

War gasped at his sight. Her pupils has shrank to the size of thumbtacks. “This pendant belonged to my sister, Death... What have you done?”

The gasping mare at the ground breathed in to say more but she didn't get the chance to finish. Soul Tearer disappeared from the cloud. Only a fragment of a second later he reappeared in above War and tossed his rear hooves into her chest. The mare was thrown to the ground, she couldn't expand her lungs anymore. They were deflated by the force of Soul's kick. In an instant the entire ground around them sank down several feet. A deep gorge built around them not even the moonlight reached really into the depth. Only a faint light illuminated the scene that occurred in front of their eyes.

The screams of the ghosts became weaker and weaker, one after another dispersed into thin air. Soul's hooves touched almost the ground only a flat layer that was once War parted him from the soil. Soul didn't grin nor did he frowned, he just looked coldly at her. “Tell me, what was your name before you became War?”

He took his hooves away and allowed her body to regenerate. The mare began to breath flatly, with all of her will she forced a two words out. “Alice... Why?”

Soul grinned for the first time. But instead of lightening the atmosphere up, it became darker than ever after his words. “I just like to know the name of the ponies I murder.”

War's eyes widened for the last time when she felt Soul's magic devouring her body and magic. Her sight slowly faded, she couldn't move or scream anymore. War just felt tired and alone until her sight finally faded completely and her consciousness finally fell into an eternal slumber.

War's whole magic was absorbed by Soul Tearer. Princess Luna shifted the moon along with the sun and so light could fall inside the gorge again. Soul stood alone in the moonlight. War has disappeared. Princess Luna was terrified by the bare sight of him. He has devoured the power of every four of the apocalyptic ponies. The Princess gasped in fear of his next actions. “What... What happened to you? What is the meaning of this... please, Soul don't tell me you...”

The turned stallion turned around, it felt like he looked every single pony in its eyes at the same time. Coldly, he raised his deep voice. “It only has come this far because we were blind all this time. The real enemy was just hiding in the light, a place where we never would have searched for her. Am I right... Helia?”

Princess Luna's heart almost stopped when her older sister stepped out of a faint ray of light that fell into the gorge. Her red-pinkish eyes and her dark pink mane flew in the solar wind, even though the sun was covered by the moon. Discord was twisted around her neck like a giant snake and showed his cheeky grin to Soul. Princess Celestia put on her most gentle smile when she looked at the demon-like stallion in front of her. “How do the ponies say? Right under the lighthouse is the darkest spot? I suppose they are right, black colt.”

Chapter 22 - The King of Hell

Chapter 22
The King of Hell

Princess Celestia looked through the rows of ponies. Her sight shifted every few seconds until they finally rested upon Twilight. “You were supposed to take my place. It is sad that you didn't go the way I showed you. You should have abandoned your friends and let the darkness devour you.”

Twilight couldn't believe what her former mentor had said. She gasped in disbelief. “How could you say something like this! Darkness doesn't bring you anywhere, it doesn't make you strong. It only makes you lonely!”

The Princess's eyes wandered to Soul. She pointed her hooves at the turned stallion and laughed sarcastically. “Just like this one? Maybe you should ask him about being lonely and powerless. I think that he could say he is never truly alone with all these souls inside his mind.”

Soul didn't let her provoke him. He just looked at the mare behind this whole dilemma. “You should listen to yourself, Helia. I devoured everything dark and left only the light. I might have lost my friends, but I will forever be the one that defeated the apocalyptic ponies and the one who defeated chaos.”

Even though Soul's expression didn't change, his gaze wandered towards the draconequus. Discord pointed his claw innocently at himself with the most convincing face in Equestria’s history. “Why are you looking at me? You can't be seriously considering to defeat me. There is no way you can do it!”

The newly grey stallion licked sensationally over his lip while he stared at Discord. “You can't run away anymore. I'm not here to protect the weak or even Equestria. I'm just here to take my revenge and take my place afterwards.”

Applejack still couldn't comprehend Soul's appearance. Desperately, she shouted at the changed stallion. “And what is this place? Is it far off from your friends?”

The orange mare almost started to cry, but Soul didn't care. He coldly turned to her and whispered. “I will extinguish the sun and destroy chaos. And after my deed is done … I will become the new King of Hell!”

Applejack gasped, she couldn't understand this thoughts. What happened to Soul that he was thinking in such ways? Princess Celestia couldn't do anything but laugh. “You want to become the King of Hell? Don't make me laugh! What would qualify you?”

Soul walked slowly towards Princess Celestia, his face has became darker with every step. “I defeated you a thousand years ago, even without the power of the apocalyptic four. And now you want to challenge me and expect to win? How pitiful...”

Princess Celestia began to laugh like a maniac. This was the first time Princess Celestia acted like a mad mare. Insanity has clearly taken her. She acted in the same as Lunacy did in the past. “How do you think did I merged with Radiant Flare? By coincidence? No! I needed a thousand years to obtain this ability. It was so hard to copy your ability to tear a soul out of another body and merge it with your own! And this is exactly what I want to do now!”

Soul stopped and cocked his eye at the mad Princess. “What do you want to do now?”

Princess Celestia's horn ignited brightly. Her magic wrapped Discord inside its gentle grip. But the draconequus didn't look pleased with the situation. It seemed like he didn't know what the alicorn was up to. Princess Celestia's laugher became louder and louder with every passing second. “You will fall, moron!”

The bond that held Discord in bay began to radiate in a bright white light and pulled him towards Princess Celestia. Discord screamed and struggled against her force but there no way out. He split up into the different essences of his soul and body. Every single one of them streamed into Princess Celestia's horn. A vast amount of energy built up around the Princess and charged the soil around her with magic.

The other pony's eyes widened in disbelief. They would never have thought that the Princess was capable of such acts. Soul narrowed his eyes when the stream of energy calmed and the Princess was visible once more. Instead of flinching in fear, he smiled at the sight in front of his eyes. “This is so rich! Now I can defeat you both at once!”

Only for a speck of a second there was silence. Nopony cared but Princess Luna. It may have been only intention, but adrenaline shot into her body and she erected unconsciously a barrier around them. Her sister and Soul were excluded of her protection.

A single heartbeat passed when Princess Celestia was already above Soul and soared downwards. “DIE!”

Princess Celestia's hooves raced down but stopped immediately in front of Soul. The magical tension out of his horn stopped her from advancing. Her punch was deflected and the mare was thrown back. Soul's sick laughter ringed through the gorge. “Only because I've managed to defeat War with one single punch, it doesn't meant that you can do something like this to me! I'm still stronger than you Sun-Butt!”

The alabaster mare wasn't in stress. Instead she laughed and almost drooled in excitement. “You are just like my sister! Both of you are draining the power out of the stars and moon. But I won't give you this advantage anymore...”

Princess Luna's heart ached and tears rolled down her cheeks when her sister's horn lit up. She couldn't explain why she cried but when a terrible pain shot through her body she knew. Blood ran down from the shape of her cutie mark and her knees collapsed. Her gaze wandered towards her beloved moon, and Princess Luna saw what she thought was never possible.

The moon shattered above her head. Rays of sunlight broke through and illuminated the whole gorge. Princess Celestia's laughter never ceased it seemed like both of them screamed and laughed the entire time they talked to each other. “Yield, worthless use of flesh!”

The sun shun brighter then ever before, the heat on the ground increased. If the ponies weren't under Princess Luna's protection, they would have immediately died. The rocks on the ground began to melt. It was literal hell inside the gorge. Princess Celestia's horn ignited in a reddish light, and a beam of sunlight soared down and hit Soul directly in his chest. The ground around him melted and sank into the slightly firmer ground around them. The concentrated sunbeam disappeared and left the spot where Soul stood before empty.

Only a pitch black liquid mixed with the molten soil below. The ponies under the barrier couldn't believe that Princess Celestia already seemed to defeat Soul. The Princess herself just stood there and didn't lower the charge in her horn, as if she was waiting for Soul to reappear.

The sound of flowing lava was quickly accompanied by the glorious laughter of Soul. Not one of them took the other serious. The black liquid rose up and took the form of something pony-like. “Is this everything you got? How pitiful! FRAUD!”

The mass rose up and formed into the frightful form of a draconian being. Twilight remembered this form. Soul looked like this when he and Twilight met for the very first time inside of Twilight's nightmares. But seeing him in front of her eyes while she was fully awake still terrified her. Soul even seemed to have grown in size, even his claws and teeth seemed to be bigger and lusting for more blood. The drool that dripped out of his mouth was concentrated magic. It was simply horrifying to see the obviously two strongest beings in existence.

Princess Luna slowly regained her stance, despite her bleeding flank. She got back to her hooves and leaned against her own barrier. “Tia! How could you do something that awful and merge with that monster? You aren't my sister anymore!” She shouted at the top of her lungs.

While Soul fully formed in his monstrous body, the Princess of the Sun turned around and walked towards the barrier. She pressed her face against the magical glass and breathed against it. “You are right! I'm not your precious Tia anymore. I'm not even Helia, I'm better now. I'm the Princess of Chaos and Destruction! My name is Eris! I've became something new, something stronger, something better! I will not rule in the night, but in the light of the sun with the ashes of this world in my lungs!”

Countless solar flares soared down from the sky and bashed into ground. The molten rocks flew through the air and clashed inside the barrier. Princess Luna had to concentrate upon her barrier to keep it up. She even extended the barrier to a full fledged sphere to keep the molten soil away. Princess Luna pulled the sphere high in the air to keep them out of range from Eris and Soul's furious attacks. Princess Luna's tears collected at the bottom of the sphere. Applejack laid a hoof around the Princess to comfort her, and the heartbroken Princess looked at the also weeping farmer and pulled her into a deep embrace.

Fluttershy was always a pony that showed compassion and understanding, but her next words would ring in their ears for a long time. “Today will be the day where the sun will be extinguished by time and space and a new world will rise from the ashes.”

Everypony looked at her in shock, but Fluttershy just watched into the depth. Soul’s body haf already fully recovered into his draconian form. He licked over his sharp teeth and stared at Eris. “Big words of such a puny pony. Eris, hm? Was that your own idea? Doesn't sound really threatening, you know. “

Eris spoke no words, she just grinned at Soul's new form. Soul felt a sudden heat inside his body, and he looked down only to see beams of light extending out of him. It was a horrific and painful feeling, but Soul didn't wince or scream. The light disappeared and the holes in his body healed immediately.

Right after he regained his ability to move, Soul charged at Eris and stroked his claw across her face. Blue blood ran down her face and made a small puddle in front of her hooves. She looked into her own reflection and hissed at the dreaded scars on her face. “How dare do you molest the face of a goddess? You will pay for this, Soul! You only lived for this moment to fight me! You've always dreamed of murdering me!”

Soul didn't bother Eris's whining and roared his battle cry at the sensitive alicorn. He charged and used his magic to bend the space in front of him. Before Eris could react, the dark draconian pony sat on her back, with Soul's claws dug deep inside. He grabbed the bones of her wings and tore them out of her body.

The Princess of Chaos and Destruction screamed in pain but with her unbreakable will, she created another salve of flares that pushed Soul back. The Princess let her tension inside her sunlight fall and absorbed the raw energy of the sun. Her wounds healed and her wings regrew.

Twilight bit her lip but forced words through her gnashed teeth. “This fight makes no sense at all! It doesn't matter how much they hurt each other, both will just regenerate their injuries and go on. Their attacks will just become stronger and stronger until they have destroyed everything around them. They will devastate everything we love... We have to do something! But what can we do against something like them...”

Fluttershy carefully raised her voice, still facing the ponies below. “As far as I see... Soul should be stronger but he is in disadvantage. Princess Celestia... uhh, I mean Eris, still has her sun. But she has destroyed the moon. So we have to do something that raises his power. The apocalyptic ponies were immortal, too. But Soul overpowered them so fast that they hadn't had any chance. Maybe he could overpower Eris as well.”

Twilight looked briefly at Princess Luna but the Princess of the Night hadn't any idea either to obtain an advantage. Twilight looked behind them into the endless rows of soldiers, every of them wore a worried frown on their face. A faint kicking noise was audible from one of the boxes the soldiers carried around. Everypony’s eyes were pointed at the box when the hinges broke open.

A young stallion climbed out of the box and looked suspiciously at his surroundings. Blaze needed his time to adjust to the changed scene in front of his eyes. Everypony looked at him until nopony was fighting. Something drove him to look down. Underneath his hooves he caught sight if the two fighting beings below. His eyes widened at the sight of the pony that seemed to be Princess Celestia. But he couldn't identify the terrifying being in front of her. Blaze gasped at the sight of the Princess being threatened. “What kind of monster is fighting the Princess? We have to help her! Why are you just standing around!”

Blaze raced through the soldiers and ran straight to Princess Luna. He reared up and clopped against her chest. But the Princess grabbed his hooves softly and put him gently down again. Her face was full of worries and sorrow, but she couldn't do anything to change this dreaded situation. Blaze had to know the truth. The Princess breathed one single time greatly before she had to destroy the illusion Blaze had. “Blazing Night, you have to be strong now. Your eyes are lying to you. This pony was indeed my sister Celestia, but she has changed and now calls herself Eris; the Princess of Chaos and Destruction. She is not the one who should be protected right now. This thing that opposes her is … Captain Soul Tearer. He seems to have fallen to his madness and is now seeking for revenge. We have to stay away from them until this fight is over.”

The young stallion couldn't believe what the Princess has said. He ran to the wall of the barrier and eyed Soul's changed form closely. Never before he has seen him in his changed form. Everything the dark stallion stood for was gone in Blaze's eyes. Like he was a whole different pony.

Soul didn't notice Blaze, he only had eyes for the ponification of evil in front of him. He flashed her his teeth while more magic leaked out of his wretched body. “You sick creature... I always wished to fight against you and avenge my beloved Harmony! You destroyed my life and now I will tear your soul apart to throw you into the eternal abyss of hell!”

Eris had to become more careful, she had taken too many hits of Soul's magical claws. Her wounds were healing, but the pain was indescribable. Every single contact poisoned her own magic, and it felt like a thousand needles were stinging inside of her veins. She had nothing to fear as long as the sun was shining above her.

But the fight went on with every spell any every strike as they destroyed more and more of their surroundings. Eris couldn't answer anymore. Soul's attacks were too fast. His sight was blinded, he was driven by hatred and wrath. “Don't run away! Don't be such a chicken and pay for your sins! Just fulfill my wish and die!”

Soul gave the trembling alicorn a powerful upper-cut. His claws cut through her jaws and made her literally speechless. The stroke threw her on her back. Soul used the advantage and pinned her down by putting his giant claw upon her chest. He lowered his head and drooled at the regenerating mare. “You may be a goddess, but I've become something greater. I've crossed the border of a immortal being and went to the next stage. I'm a being that can frankly travel through time and space. Not even the borders of the realm of the living are restraining me anymore. I have become absolute! Now look upon the first absolute being and weep. It is a honour to be killed by me.”

Eris eyes widened when she was blinded by Soul's shining horn. It even shone through the layers of dark and sinister magic around his body. Black claws reached out of the ground and gripped Eris' forelegs and body. They pulled her into the ground and devoured her body. Her jaws were almost fully regenerated, it was barely enough to regain her ability of speech. “We've played enough. Time to be serious!”

Eris body began to radiate and a blast of solar energy escaped from her skin to push Soul back. With one powerful wing flap she freed herself from Soul's magical grip. She shook the dust off her purely white wings and grinned confidently at the scorched being.

Soul was unable to move. He lay in pain on the ground as his coat regrew slowly. Eris approached him and laid her hoof upon his chest. “I'm still not using my full power and yet I'm defeating you? Don't make me laugh! You are still holding back the power of the apocalyptic four! You are just using the power that you've stolen from Discord! Why are you holding back such vast power? I want a real enemy and not such a puny little colt!”

He knew that she was right. The power of the ponies he had absorbed laid deep within hidden inside his own soul. Soul looked inside Eris's eyes, with every second the urge to tear her apart grew. The dark magic inside of him reached for the outside. It twisted itself around Soul's mind and tried to suppress it. Soul's consciousness faded slowly, the voices in his head became louder and louder. They told him to kill, to rape and to burn. But something hold him sane. His eyes drifted away and caught sight of the young colt inside Princess Luna's barrier.

Tears were running down his cheeks. The captain he has admired so much was now a monster. Just like the beings that Soul used to defeat, he was not a bit better. Slowly Blaze's mouth opened and words escaped through the sobbing. “You were my hero... How could you betray me like this? I always looked up to you. I even wanted to become like you one day! But now I'm feeling nothing but disgust towards you. I promised never to cry since you took care of me. You are seeing me yourself now! I can't take it anymore! I want the Soul I knew back . The righteous and glorious stallion that fights everything evil to prevent his friends from any harm! Do you know what the worst of all this is? I've always seen you as my father...”

Eris rolled her eyes and pretended to vomit. “Aww, how sweet. Sadly, I don't like such sappy things. Sorry.”

Her magic grabbed the little stallion and dragged him through the barrier. Applejack tried to catch him but it was too late. As Blaze raced towards the ground, Eris took off in the air. For a second Blaze felt nothing. He felt weightless. But the feeling would change. Soul's eyes followed the falling stallion but he couldn't react at all. A blazing ball of fire captured him and faded immediately into thin air. Nothing remained of him but ashes.

Soul's mind blanked out, the feeling of hatred and wrath was gone. There was just emptiness, various moments of his and Blaze's life rushed in front of his eyes, from the moment he took care of him until now. Soul never realized how wonderful it was to have Blaze around him. He should have spend more time with the young stallion that always believed in him... But now it was too late.

Eris caught a part of the ashes with her tongue. It was seemingly a delightful taste to eat the remains of the ceased pony. There it was again the moment of absolute silence, where there was no tension the in the air. The moment where the whole situation should change once more.

From the corner of her eyes, the mare of chaos looked at the sudden void of power. Soul couldn't support his own weight anymore and broke down. Just when his power seemed to be finally gone, Soul's eyes shot forcefully open and all of his magic was released. A pillar of pure white energy originated from his body, even Eris and the others had to cover their eyes.

Slowly, the light faded and Eris quickly searched for her enemy. What she saw surprised her. Soul had laid down the skin of dark magic. Once more, he stood in front of Eris in his original form. Soul still wore the pendant of Death around his neck. Eris decided to shoot a solar flare at him, but the magical projectile was easily deflected without Soul's doing. The Princess of Chaos and Destruction cocked an eye at the stallion. “Are you preparing a new fancy trick to defeat me? What pitiful attempt will follow now?!”

Soul shook slowly his head, his gaze was filled with satisfaction despite of his loss just a second before. The pendant around his neck began to shine in dark magic but it was immediately purified by a multi-coloured shine. Harmony's magic was perceptible to the whole gorge.

Twilight giggled like a little filly at the sight. The ponies looked at her in disgust, how could she laugh now? Twilight noticed and tried to explain herself. “Sorry girls, it’s different than you might think. This tiny stallion isn't dead. Just before Eris got him, I shifted him into another realm. I obtained this skill when I studied Soul's magic. I'm glad it worked, usually I'm not able to shift such big objects.”

The ponies gasped at Twilight's plan, only the Princess could offer her a smile. “Twilight Sparkle, I'm glad that you fight for us. But we still can't do anything to help Soul. We restored his sanity for now, but we don't know if he will fall back into madness.”

Twilight's grin grew even wider. She pointed her nose to the sky and looked with determination into the general direction of the sun. “It is simple, we have to rebuild the moon.”

Princess Luna gasped at Twilight's ridiculous plan. “Are you insane? How can we create such a huge object? This is impossible!”

Twilight walked around the Princess and ordered her friends to surround the Princess of the Night. Her horn ignited in faint purple magic. It seemed like the magic formed a crystal in front of her throat. The spark of magic wandered on to her friends and expressed themselves in the form of their cutie marks. Twilight's eyes radiated brightly while the power increased in the circle they has built. Twilight was almost cheerful. “I know this will work... Soul has fallen so deep that Harmony's magic is balancing him. And as long as Harmony's magic is in use, we can use her Elements!”

Soul didn't notice the scene above, his own magic was too strong and covered the in comparison so weak magic inside the barrier. Harmony's magic was brightly shining. “This is what you were seeking for. Every single soul inside my mind is in perfect balance now. The magic that radiated from the core of my horn unconsciously is even more powerful then your attacks. There is no victory against me.”

Eris gnashed her teeth, she felt that Soul was right after all. But she never expected him to wield the power of so many powerful ponies. “How can you control your vast power all of a sudden?”

This was the first time since Soul has defeated Pestilence that he smiled. “I was fighting for such a long time but I never truly understand the meaning of fighting. I was always fighting because somepony said so or to defend what was precious to me. Every single time I was afraid to loose, and so I decided to become the strongest. I've feared nothing to obtain my goals. And today, I'm at the peek of my power. Nothing could possibly surpass me. But not until now I understood the true meaning of my existene. Star Swirl has told me that I was predestinated for something big. It wasn't the defeat of Lunacy or even yours. I was blind all this time, I couldn't see what was important while I was seeking for more power. I gave ponies so much hope, so many ponies relied on my strength but I never had faith in my own abilities. I was always afraid to disappoint these ponies. Over a thousand years I believed a lie that I've told myself. But now I finally realized what I was meant for. No, you're wrong. You never understood the true meaning behind my being. It is my destiny to keep faith for my friends and loved ones. My cutie mark is telling me to keep eternal faith towards my loved ones. I'm the unicorn of faith! The star on my flank is symbolizing the faith I have towards my loved ones and the snake shows that I will eternally have faith in them.
This is my destiny! My star will shine brightly! But to let the stars shine, the sun has to extinguish! Prepare yourself, Eris! “

Soul's eyes shone brightly in every colour of the rainbow. A bolt of Harmony's magic shot towards the barrier and pierced through its wall. It reached the circle of magic Twilight erected, and the power of the Elements rose up and a swirl of the multi-coloured magic wrapped around Princess Luna. Harmony's power shot towards the sky and created a new celestial orb, that placed itself right in front of the sun. Everything turned dark, only a divine shine remained upon Soul.

Eris fell back on her back while Soul walked slowly to her. Her entire body was shaking,but Soul's gentle gaze was filled with forgiveness. His sapphire-blue eyes had returned. Eris did everything to keep distance from him,but she quickly reached the walls of the gorge. “Go away from me! Leave me alone!”

Soul stood directly in front of Eris. His hoof was surrounded by pure white magic. “It is over now. You lived too long in your misery. I will redeem you. You have earned your salvation...”

Eris shook her head, at first hesitatingly but the speed quickly increased greatly. “No... No! NO!”

Soul hoof tipped at her horn and the mare began to shine in the same pure magic. Tendrils extended from her inside and concentrated upon Soul's horn. The gentle white light illuminated the entire gorge. The ponies in the barrier watched this beautiful scene in awe. The light concentrated and dispersed with a sudden blast. There was no trace of the mare formerly known as Princess Celestia of Equestria.

The barrier lowered itself to the ground and vanished. Soul walked to the astonished ponies while remains of the pure magic swirled around his body. His gentle smile eased their tension. The swirls around him flew high in the air, only the meet the ground shortly afterwards. The specks of magic formed into the ponies that had fallen before. Big Mac, Bon-Bon, and Spike lay peacefully sleeping in front of their hooves. Even Blaze was idly resting in the middle.

Applejack was paralized. She couldn't believe what just happened. Soul walked gracefully on to the orange farmer and kissed her gently. “You don't have to worry anymore. They are just sleeping from the strain of the recent days. The same for Tia, she may have disappeared, but she is just sleeping inside the magical core of her sun.”

Princess Luna rushed past Applejack and held Soul tightly in her hooves. “Thank you, Soul! I new that you would never leave us...”

Soul strived Princess Luna's hooves gently down and wiped a single tear from her cheek. “Luna... I'm afraid that this isn't the truth. I have to leave Equestria for good. This world won't find peace if somepony like me is running around freely. New disasters will happen. I've lived for too long. I will take my place in Elysium and watch over the ponies I learned to love.”

Small dots of light soared up from his body. Every single of them took a part of Soul with it. Slowly, the stallion resolved. “I have to go now... I will take care of your lives, so that none of you has to suffer a minute longer.”

Applejack dashed forward and leaped at the vanishing stallion but as she made contact the stallion burst into millions of those tiny dots. Tears ran down her face, she couldn't withhold them anymore. The wind carried his last words to her ears.

“I love you, Applejack.”

With all of her will she forced herself to stand up. She walked just far enough to take her sleeping brother in a tight embrace. Still sobbing she wept silently into his coat. “Ah will wait for ya, even if it takes mah entire life...”

The dots of light made a great journey into for Soul completely unknown realm. The dots put themselves together again and Soul's eyes caught sight of his new surroundings. Everything felt bright and happy. There was no sorrow or pain in this world. There were white clouds all over the place and waterfalls of gold. Just like a pony would imagine their heaven; Elysium.

Soul turned and found two ponies approaching him. The one on the right was a grey unicorn stallion with a long beard, while the one on the left was a white unicorn mare with a multi-coloured mane. The grey stallion stopped right in front of Soul and gently smiled at him. “You pulled off quite a show. You simply love these dramatic endings, am I right?”

The darker stallion simply shook his head, a small tear ran down from his eyes. “I've learned this from you, Star Swirl. I've learned so many things from you... thank you... You made all this possible. Now I can finally find my peace.”

Star Swirl just nodded and put for a second a comforting hoof on Soul's shoulder before he went on. Soul was now alone with Harmony. The white mare hesitated but couldn't act different then swinging her hooves around his neck and pulling him into a deep and loving embrace. “Soul... I've missed you so much. I'm so glad that you are finally taking your place next to me! Now we can be always together!”

They released the embrace, no tears were shed by Soul. He turned around and left the mare behind with a disappointed frown. “We will see each other from time to time, but I'm unable to stay here. My place is somewhere else. Where I have to be alone and bitter for the mistakes I've made. No other pony should suffer for my sins. I've given the greatest monsters in history salvation, and now it is my turn to watch over them.

The setting around Soul changed, the clouds and Harmony were gone and replaced by hard and hot soil. He walked up a stone stair until he reached a small plateau. He sat down on the throne made of pitch black obsidian and looked upon his new prisoners. A white alicorn mare with a waving mane and gentle pink eyes lay in heavy chains. A small smile grew on his lips.

This was the moment where the King of Hell spoke his last words.

“Each wielder of time has to approach the eye. Forced to behold the vortex, to be inspired or run.
But as I gazed into the vastness of time. I heard the sound of drums. It was the beginning and the end of my journey... I guess all bad things must come to an end.”