A Promise Not Forgotten

Dan:

As Discord and I walked into the hall I noticed Colin’s absence. He must be off doing Colin things. With Aidan still running rampant we don’t have much time to beat around the bush. “I suppose we should prepare to fight Aidan again,” I said.

He groaned, “Yeah.”

“Let’s go make sure that the guard is ready for anything that might go wrong,” I said as I walked through the halls.

“You worried we won’t win?” Discord asked.

I couldn’t help but feel that we were running out of options. I lost to him and Discord seemed completely unable to fight when he attacked. “What happened back in the forest, when you were knocked out?” I asked.

“Prophet and I have a history. Big surprise, huh,” Discord said as we make our way to the barracks. I let out a small chuckle as he continued, “Basically, he knows my only weakness. He fucking loves to work it too.”

“Sounds like something a megalomaniac would do.”

“Yeah, Prophet is quite the asshole,” Discord said looking out the passing windows.

We arrived at the barracks and were greeted by a gruff unicorn. He was old as all hell, I could tell. His voice was familiar; it reminded me of a certain singer back on earth. His coat was black and his mane was grey. The pony, being as old as he was, was actually in great condition. “I’m General Iron Hoof, nice to meet you Dan,” Iron Hoof said with a half-smile.

“Likewise,” I said. Although he was a pony, I still have the instinct to respect a general.

Discord walked up behind me and put an arm around my shoulders, “Hey Iron Hoof, ol’ buddy ol’ pal!”

Iron Hoof glared back at Discord, “I have nothing to say to you, my business is with Dan.” Discord groaned and crossed his arms while Iron Hoof walked me into a private room.

The barracks wasn’t the same as the rest of the castle. The bricks there were dark bricks. The rest of the castle was made of marble bricks, or something along those lines. This place was dark; it reminded me of a dungeon. Why in Equestria they would want to live in a place like this I have no idea.

“So what did you need?” I asked while I was examining the room.

“How’s Vis?” Iron Hoof asked.

“What?” I asked surprised by the mention of Vis. I thought Aidan told nopony about him, now this old guard knows. That could be trouble.

Iron Hoof let out a chuckle, “Vis, the one in your head. Come on, I know he’s in there,” Iron Hoof said while sitting behind his desk and pulling out a bottle.

I could feel Vis squirm at the mention of his name by a pony. Its ok Dan, he can be trusted.

And what makes you so sure?

He is an old friend.

“Vis, how have you been?” Iron Hoof asked as he poured a shot of some alcohol.

All of a sudden a bright light spewed from my mouth. It was like throwing up a light bulb. The blob formed into a faceless, featureless humanoid form. I thought he would have been a pony, but perhaps he likes humans a little more. I would hate to lose my thumbs.

Vis sat down in one of the chairs sitting in front of the desk so I took the other.

“Good,” Vis said in a radiant voice. Inside my head it didn’t sound like this. Vis’s powerful voice echoed through the small room as he spoke, “and you my friend?”

“I been busy keeping up the guard, they’re running out of courage because of Prophet’s return.”

“It will all be over soon,” Vis reassured.

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused by his confidence.

“As powerful as prophet may be, Aidan’s resistance is stronger. All he needs is the motivation to resist.” Vis said.

“And that’s where we come in?” I asked.

“Yep,” Vis said.

“So how do you plan on reaching Aidan?” Iron Hoof asked taking a shot.

“First off we have to make sure the castle is secure in the event that Prophet makes it through us,” Vis said. “Then Dan and Colin will fight him. They are the most powerful here. More than the princesses, even.”

“Really?” Iron Hoof and I said in unison. We exchanged a surprised look with each other.

“Yes, in fact I’m surprised Discord didn’t try anything on you, Dan,” Vis said. I assume he was referring to Discord’s power absorbing purpose.

“Well, at least he didn’t,” Iron Hoof said.

“Iron Hoof, can you please make sure the castle is defended as well as it can be. In the event that we fail, I want to make sure that you all are safe,” Vis said. “Dan, you talk to Discord and make sure you and Colin are ready for a fight.”

“Sure,” I said as I got up and walked out of the small room.

Discord was standing in the barracks toying with a few of the guards. He had made suits of armor come to life and start dancing in front of everypony. “Oh, Dan, good of you to join us!” He said as he danced with the armor.

“Stop messing around, we have to go get ready,” I said.

“Oh, fine. You people are soo boring!” Discord said as he snapped his fingers and the armor sets fell lifelessly to the floor.

Colin:

I walked through the empty hallways thinking to myself. What if Aidan is too powerful to stop? What would happen if we failed? Most importantly, would I be able to kill him if I had to? These questions plagued my mind as I walked to the library, hoping to find Twilight studying some random bit of history as she always does.

I walked into the library and looked around. Nopony was in there, not even the librarian who was always sitting at the desk. The librarian grew to hate me because of all the commotion I brought into the library as I practiced my magic. She couldn’t throw me out though because Celestia gave Dan and me documents that allowed us to do pretty much whatever we want.

My mind flashed back to that knife I found in the tree in that garden area. I pulled it back out of my pocket and examined it closer. The knife was covered in rust as if it had been left there forever. How long had it been there, and who put it there? Ponies wouldn’t be able to use them so it can’t have come from here. Maybe it could be Prophet’s. I suppose that would make the most sense, but why did he leave it there?

I sat at the table where my books lie unread and in piles. “Hey Colin!” Twilight said walking into the library.

“Oh, hey Twilight,” I said only half paying attention.

“What are you doing in here?” Twilight asked as she walked over and saw the knife. “What’s that?” She asked in a puzzled manner, which made me think she didn’t know what it was because it isn’t from Equestria, or because she was far too sheltered by her parents.

“It’s a balisong,” I said opening the knife.

“Balidong?” She asked.

I let out a laugh, “No, balisong. It’s a kind of knife.”

“Oh,” Twilight said sheepishly as her face reddened.

I couldn’t help but laugh in her face. “Do you know where it might be from?”

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” She said examining the blade with her magic.

“Would it be in any of the books in here?” I said waving a hand over the library.

“Maybe,” She said walking off to a bookshelf at the far side of the library.

I was left to my thoughts again as she searched the shelves. Walking over to the window I saw that there was a large force of guards in formation and patrolling the kingdom. “Whats going on out there?” I asked.

Twilight looked over to me at the window, “Oh, they are preparing for a war or something.”

Twilight must not have been told what the war was over or why. I’d better not let her know, the last thing I want is her risking her life fighting Aidan. From what I heard, he won’t be too forgiving if she did.

I started practicing some more spells and such while waiting. The latest that I have been working on is shooting a ball of the light to use as a weapon. When the time comes I will need to fight Aidan, and I don’t want to be underprepared.

After a while Twilight came back to me. Her mane was a little ruffled and she looked a bit pissed about something. “What’s up?” I asked.

“I didn’t find anything on this! NOTHING! And this library has everything about everything!” She said marching around the room in frustration. I’m smart, but even I don’t freak out like this when I can’t find something.

“Twilight, is there a possibility that this isn’t from Equestria?” I asked, half telling her the reason she wouldn’t find anything on it.

Her eyes flashed wide open, “THAT’S WHY I CANT FIND ANYTHING!” She said excitedly bouncing about the room like Pinkie does.

“Uhh… yeah. Anyway, do you think it could be Prophet’s?” I asked through her overreaction.

“I guess. That makes the most sense. Did they have these back on Earth?” She asked.

“Yeah. Actually, that was what Aidan used to threaten Rarity,” I said with a small chuckle. The freaked out face of Rarity popped back into my head.

“Could it be his?” She asked.

“Nope, Aidan would never leave it anywhere, especially not stuck in a tree,” I said looking at the old knife. “Twilight, did Prophet have any kind of study or something; somewhere he could go to be alone?” I asked.

Twilight scrunched her face in thought, “Not that I can think of.”

“If you find out anything could you let me know?” I asked.

“Sure.”

“I better go find Dan,” I said getting up from the shelf in front of the window I was sitting on.

Dan:

“Hey, Discord,” I said.

“What’s up?” He asked.

“Know of anywhere I can get more power? Something to level the playing ground with Aidan,” I said. Hopefully there is a way to make this easy on everybody involved.

“There are many different ways, but you don’t need them,” Discord said dismissing the idea.

“Well, I’m working off borrowed power here. There isn’t any way I can get more?” I asked.

“Borrowed?” Discord asked before bursting out into laughter. “Who told you that?”

“Well, Mendax gave them to me,” I replied.

“Mendax? Oh, man, that guy. He didn’t give you anything, just tried to activate yours,” Discord replied.

“What? I have my own powers?” I asked.

“Oh, of course!” Discord said laughing at me. “Mendax, fool that he was, only managed to crack the door. It’s up to you to open it the rest of the way,” He said.

All this talk about doors is starting to piss me off, someone better start making sense. “How?”

“When the time comes, and it will, you will open the door. You can’t force it, these things happen on their own,” Discord replied.

“Hey, why didn’t you just drain the power from me and Colin when you had the chance?” I asked.

Discord was a little surprised by the question. He thought of me as a friend, but I guess I’m still a little iffy about the whole idea of being friends with someone who was designed to kill people like me.

“Well. I saw something in you; something that I have never seen in any of these ponies. That’s why I went to Earth, to find someone like you. When I was there, I found nobody quite like you, Mendax was lucky when he got you,” Discord said.

“What is it that you saw in me?” I asked.

“The ability to kill without remorse,” Discord replied.

“WHAT?!?” I asked. I never thought about killing before, why the fuck is he saying I can?

“These ponies can’t bring themselves to kill like humans can, and being as powerful as you are its easy to end this war and Prophet,” Discord said.

“Exactly how close to Prophet are you?” I asked.

Discord looked away for a few seconds in thought. “Well, think father,” He said.

Aidan:

I quickly tore through the inhabitants of the gryphon village. They were not a problem. What was a problem is Aidan’s constant and growing resistance. The side of me that doesn’t want this to happen is fighting with all it can. Prophet can hold him back at times, but Aidan is powerful, somehow more so than Prophet. His resistance is getting more and more prominent, but not an issue.

I finished off the village and left without thinking twice of the live I had just ended.

Somehow I doubt that I will make it through this alive. Even if I was liberated of Prophet there is nothing I could do to stop the gryphon nation from wanting my head on a platter. I’m sure that I have killed somebody from every family in the gryphon nation. I wouldn’t be surprised if they would kill me at the first chance they got. As I have said before, martyrdom is stupid, but sometimes it’s completely necessary.

Journal Entry 05:

God damn that orb! Whatever evil inside that poisoned me must never be discovered again. I attacked Mendax when I was in my bad state of mind. I almost killed the poor bastard. He and I have noticed that if this progresses, I will most likely kill those I love the most. I can’t have that, so he will leave in search of someone who can end this. Whatever I do when I change, I hope to God that Celestia is ok.

Journal Entry 06:

Today I snapped at Celestia. I’ve never seen her cry like that before, but I don’t really care. There is only one thing that I see wrong with this place anymore: The lack of a proper ruler. These ponies could do so much more if they just took listened to me. I know exactly what this empire needs, all Celestia does is stand in the way. Mendax has gone now, I don’t know where to, and I don’t care. I have contacts in the gryphon empire that also want a revolution against Equestria. I shall start there tomorrow.

Good news. I have stopped resisting my new power. Nothing can stop me now.