//-------------------------------------------------------// Blue Flame -by XenronXIVII- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Diamond in the Blood //-------------------------------------------------------// Diamond in the Blood I walk steadly down the bustling streets; still clutching loosly the one thing that had brought me to this small town. I look down to the tattered piece of parchment that is gripped in my hoof. Scrawled on it in rushed print is; "HELP. 1773 Astoria Way, Ponyville" Those are the only words that have driven me over 1,000 miles from home. I shake the desperate thought from my mind. "You have no home." I wisper to myself; seemingly not to hear it at all; but feel it instead. Ever sience the Great Purge; I am the last free Alicorn. I don a leather jacket to hide my true Identity; constantly binding my feathered wings. Of course; that is not what gives way to a true Alicorn. Many races of winged unicorns have dispirced across Equestria. No; that is not what Im hiding. I am hiding the deep slashes that run down the sides of my back; seemingly still fresh but completely healed. My branding for death. I sigh deeply when it appears I have reached my destination. Hundreds of ponies flock the streets at this building; but none of them appear to wish entry. I snake my way through the crowds of ponies; trying my best not to upset whatever gathering was going on. Uppon reaching the door; I can see what was there that everyone was gathering for. Or rather; what wasent there. An aged stallion lays slumped against an old hicory chair; missing his lower body. The sight would have made any pony vomit; but not me. Not because it dosent bother me; but I cannot feel compassion or anger after what has happened to me. I take one final look at the carnage on the front porch; and enter the building. By one step I could feel somthing wrong with the building. Darkness permeated from the very walls; like black tendrils hellbent on destroying the candlelight. I walk briskly through the halls; trying to listen for some sign of where I must go. I find it rather unexpectedly. There; in the middle of the hallway; lay the splintered remains of what used to be a door. I look to its side to find the empty doorjam; and from inside I can hear some kind of commotion. Still wondering what I was facing; I gripped my Cruifix close to my chest. Somthing just dident feel right about that dead man. Almost like he killed himself. I enter the room to the biggest suprize I had felt in what seemed like forever. There; thrashing against leather straps, lay Twilight Sparkle. Her face and body is drained of its normal color; replaced by an unearthly light pink. Her eyes are paled magenta; and she seems to look aboust herself without them. Mares stand around her; trying in vain to calm the spazzing unicorn. Blood stains Twilight's hooves and mouth; giving clear evidence of what she had done. I rush forward; calming the other mares and taking heed of the situation before me. Thats when I see it. The mark of the Illuini is cut into her left forearm; seemingly to have been a ritualistic mark. Pulling the thick book from my side; I flip through the pages rushidly. If any of those straps were to come loose; we would all be dead in a second. When I finally reach the page; I remove the platinum cross from my chest pocket. Twilight whips her head violently away at the sight of this object; and I watch as she thrashes away from it as if it were killing her. I walk slowly over to the bedside; all the time holding the cross before myself. At the side of the bed; I speak softly to the creature inhabiting my friend. "Innoulis Requitum" It turns my way; looking unbeholdingly at me. "Requitum Bajuei! Ni Lik Rejok In Qounina!" I chuckle to myself silently. The demon knows Latin. And better yet; Its a cocky bastard of a Netherin. I push the cross up onto Twilight's chest; and the creature begins to scream in an unearthly din. I turn to the others, and state blankly; "Cover your ears and look away. NOW!" The mares turn and cover their ears as I stand erect over the writhing form. Taking the book back into my hooves; I begin to read the print. "Proud Father, My father; do lend me your sword of judgement from the heavins above so that I may stand strong in your name! Give me your strenght to save this lost lamb from the clutches of Lucifer and let her breathe once again in the world!" With this I place my hoof; spread wide, across the surface of Twilight's visage, closing my eyes in concintration. I feel black, not of a color; but of lack of it, seeping from the mare. In words barely audible; I finish the prayer. "Del Novoctious Sacrimend Return" The darkness funnels from the mare; and draws deep into my arm. The crystal in my left hoof pulsates with new energy; and I can feel the evil spirit trying to escape within. I notice not the heat also emitting from the rock; and I drop it unconciously. It clatters noisly to the floor; but my attention isnt on that anymore. The color and brilliance of aura of Twilight Sparkle has returned to the form below me; and she looks confusidly to me. "Hi..... Why am I tied up to this bed?" I sigh; and turn to the mares behind me. I nod to them, and take the cross from Twilight's chest. "Have a good evening, ladies." I sit lone at the town pub; long after closing hours. I think that somthing as major as a Exorcisim passes around small towns pretty fast; and the Bartender told me I can leave whenever I please. I thanked her humbly for this; because I honestly dident know where I was to lay my head to rest. All of the rooms are full; so I unfolded my sachel, found a thin blanket, and layed myself atop an aged, but still wickedly strong pool table. I awoke to hushed whispers and gasps of awe. Shaking the weariness from my head; and rasing myself against sharp pains; I look about myself. Ponies gather loosly around the table I sleep on; and are aperently awestruck. "What are you all looking at? Havent you ever seen a stallion sleeping on a table before?!" Thats when I notice they are all looking at my chest and sides. I look down to see my jacket had come loose in my sleep. Now, three vicious-looking cuts wind down my side, each aproximatly 3 feet long. "Oh Shit......" I look up to see Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie standing before me. "Wow! I've never seen an actual Alicorn before! Are you rare or somthing!" I turn to Pinkie, and thank god's blessing for no hostality between us. "Yea. You could say that." Twilight shifts her weight; and holds out a large burlap bag. "Its not that much; but I hope you accept my thanks!" I push the money back to her, and shake my head absentmindidly. "No. I dont want any money. All I wanted to do is help." The ponies look shockedly at me; not seeming to understand my humility. It wasent humility; I simply did what I was asked to do. "Surely there is some way we can show our gratitude?" The bouncy, pink pony standing next to her inquired. I consiter the offer; and after about a minute of thinking, I come up with an idea. "Are there any free homes in this town?" They all look at me as if I asked their birthdays; and talk amongst one another. All at once the ponies grow silent as a lone Unicorn opens the door. "I think I know a place for you." So it is then that I find my new roommate, Ozmosis Tryial. She stands about as tall as me; with the only difference in posture, erect and seemingly an aura of purity. She leads me to a large; off-white building with small; barred windows. "This place used to be a Mental Institution before the Revolution; but I got it from the guy cheap as hell!" Ozmosis looks at me with an almost knowing gaze; and cocks her head. "What brings an Alicorn like you to a backwash town like this?" I look for the first time into her eyes; and see nothing but an ocean of greens and blues. Stumbling to find the words that eluded me at the precious moment; I studder. "I-I-I, I came to this town to H-Help someone. I'm an Exorcist." She gazes at me for a moment longer; then turns to the door. Giggling with sarcastic humor; she opens the heavyset iron doors. "An Exorcist, eh? Well, your gonna have to learn to talk before you go 'round preaching shit, 'arnt ya?" Too tired to make any remark; I follow the grey pony through the seemingly endless halls. The turns and straights melt into a single path; the white walls blurring into what feels like an endless chase. When finally she Ozmosis opens the door; I find the greatest blessing of them all. There; in the far corner of a large room; is a Quin-down matress with a large wooden frame. To tired to question any thoughts I might have had; I flop downward onto the bed, Feeling the welcome clutches of sleep envelop me. I awake to the sound of somthing scraping. No; not somthing. Someone. Someone was screaming down the halls. I push myself off the down cot, carefull not to wake the mare sleeping next to me. Walking to the ironclad door; I look out the wired glass window. Nothing. Shaking the sensation that somthing was outside the door; I open it. Then I hear it again. That awefull; pained scream. Only this time it wasent muffled by a wall. I behold the sight that unfolds down the cooridor. Two large stallions; each donning white medical scrubs; hold a writhing pony by the crook of their arms. It is muzzled and has a straightjacket holding its arms to securly to its torso. Though frizzled and ripped from what seemed to be a violent conflict, and soaked scarlet in blood; I could see a rainbow mane. The capturee was Rainbow Dash. No. Somthing was wrong. Rainbow Dash had red eyes. The pony being dragged in front of me had deep, violet eyes. It stared back at me; and its eyes showed no anger or happyness. Only defeat. Sorrowfull defeat. I decide to follow the three ponies down the hallway; where the two stallions place the bound pegasus in a quiet room. When they round another corner; I dash forward. Catching the door just before it sealed; I open it. What I see in the room terrifies me. A pentagram is singed deep into the floor; and the bound pegasus sits; contented in the middle. It looks up to me; and I see its eyes again. I feel two hooves shaking my sholders violently; and I wake up. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?!" The mare slaps me violently across the face; drawing my full attention. I look back at her; not knowing quite what to say. "Why did you slap me?" Ozmosis relesis her grip on my jacket collar; and her anger melts to confusion. "You started to chant shit in latin!" Grabbing my fading attention once again; I look at her worridly. "What did I say?" She is now standing up, and looking to the far window. "You said, "Un Spec Requi..." I bump her leg with my hoof. "Dont say it out loud! Find a page to wright it on or somthing!" Ozmosis runs over to a small, oaken table and grips a pen and paper in the clef of her hooves. After scratching the paper like mad with ink; she walks over and hands it to me. I read what it says, now fully realizing what was happening. I look up to my roommate; and all jokingness has left my face. "Ozmosis, Somthing was trying to take over me." She looks at me with an ungrasping expression. "Take over you?" Reading the paper once again; I look up to her again. "Somthing very, very evil just tried to possess me in my sleep. This is very bad." I push myself off the bed; and notice that my palm stings. I turn my hoof over to look for cuts or scratches I might have gotten. "Holy fucking shit..." What I see cannot be described, truthfully; with words. A pentigram is carved deep into my left hoof; but draws no blood. The same mark that had been on Twilight Sparkle's sholder. "Silver..." I look up to my roommate, who is now gazing out the second-story window. "Do you think....." I walk over to her, and see what she is looking at. Pinkie Pie and Applejack are standing outside the door; knocking and waiting. "Every year Pinkie Pie and Applejack throw a huge party at Applejack's barnyard. I was wondering...." I look to her with a stance of misconception, wanting to hear what my roommate had to say. "I was wondering If you'd go with me there. Its kinda aqward going there single." Now cocking my own head with realization, non-the-less; I ask her almost the same question. "Are you asking me to be your date to Pinkie's party?" Ozmosis whips her head from the window view, and her pale grey cheeks blush red. "No! I just...." I place my hoof on her sholder. "Its ok. I'll go with you." She smiles back at me; brushing my arm from her sholders. "And one more thing." "Yes?" "Just call me Ozzy." //-------------------------------------------------------// The Race //-------------------------------------------------------// The Race At the barn; I can see how big this party truly is. Hundreds of ponies gather at the faded barn; all dancing madly to the electronic beats. The new music hurts my ears; I preferr rock to this blasphimy to music itself. Ozzy looks over to me; obviously seeing my distress. "Thanks for comming, Silver. I really apreciate it!" She bumps my side; shedding that all-revealing grin. "Maby you'll meet some friends here too!" I smile back, but I seriously doubt it. The only reason any of the ponies have even talked to me, or at least looked at me; is because they expect somthing. I have become the superman of this town; and the ponyfolk still dont treat me like another being. They think of me alike a fix-all for any problem. Hell, maby they're right. Maby Im nothing but a screwdriver to these ponies. Needless to say; I truly dont care what they think of me. I came to this town to live a solmn existance. But this isnt totally true. I see that Ozmosis; she treats me like a good friend. Ponies rave all around us; some just twisting and vomiting on the ground. What fun it must be to wake, not knowing quite who you are, not to mention WHERE. I just shed these thoughts like rainfall; I came here because of Ozzy. I look back at her; and strain a smile. She looks back at me; but without a smile. "Whats wrong?" She shakes her head; and holds out a hoof. In it is a long; green ribbon. "I wanted to give you this. Just figured.... Might come in handy sometime." I laugh at the sincerity of her voice; and take the ribbon. Maby I have a friend after all. Just as we reach the barn; I see somthing out of the corner of my vision. A blur of cyan flashes to my right, and there stands the pegasus of legend. Rainbow Dash. "Hey! Are you new 'round here? I havent seen an Alicorn in like, FOREVER!" She trots breifly around me; scrutinizing my set of wings. "Not the flashy wings of a normal Alicorn; they seem functional." Rainbow looks up from her observations with a tomboyish smirk. "Wanna try 'em out?" Ozzy pushes her way between the bolth of us; the pegasus a stern look. Telipathicly, she warns me. "Rainbow is challenging you to a fly-off. This bitch wont let you win, even if your better than her." I smile; and dont move my vision. "I accept, Rainbow Dash." Ozzy looks at me with a somewhat pissed, somewhat scared visage. "Your on." Rainbow Dash lets out a squee of compition; and flaps about five feet into the air. "Lets go into the cornfield. There are less ponies there!" Standing in the full cornfields next to the barn; far enough from everyone; the rainbow-maned pegasus stands next to me. Her body doubled over in athletic stance, I am almost intimidated by her never letting sight off the distant horizon. I fix into a ready stance myself; I want to show Ozmosis what He gave me these wings for. "On the count of three!!!" I feel the muscles in my flanks tense up with anticipation; This is one race I truly intend to win. "One... Two... THREE!!!" Im gone before I know what is even happening. The cornrows blur into a green sea; and the teligraph poles next to me become a picket fence. Flapping my wings once again to gain altitude; I look in all directions. As far as I can see is twi-lit sky; and It just makes me feel even more at home.  I feel the adrenelin that had Elluded me all those years come pulsing deep in my veins; and a smirk of pure freedom comes unknowingly across my face. Yes; this is freedom. Rocketing through the air with such ease that makes you wonder what its like to walk the earth. Closing my eyes in pure ecstacy; I feel the rush of emotions take me like a giant wave. I open my eyes to see that Rainbow Dash is ahead of me; and seems to only gain ground. "Enough with the pleasures" I remind myself; "You have a race to win." Flapping my wings with all I have; I come up beside the pegasus. I smile to her; trying to show that I was friendly compition. She apperintly didnt think so. Whipping to her left; Rainbow clips my right wing. The searing pain climbs down my whole body; sending wracking pain in all directions. All I feel is the ground; and I go into black. "Silver....Ok....Fell..." I try to open my eyes; but the pain makes me wince all the more. Sounds and voices start to straighten themselves around me; and I can hear someone, no, multiple ponies, calling me. "SILVER!!!" I roll over; doing my best to signify an answer. I feel hooves grip my sholders and legs; and hear the now familar voice of Ozmosis talking to someone. "Do you really think this'll work? I mean... the whole things kinda sketchy... maby we should just bring him to Zecora?" The other pony, a pitched mare; responds to her agressivly. "Of course it'l work! And Zecora would do the same damn thing!" I manage to open my eyes; and see only watercolors. Faces and arms swim in my vision; and It takes about thirty seconds before I can even make out who is carrying me. Rainbow Dash and Ozmosis are carrying me by the legs; and bolth seem to be pre-ocupied in whatever they were arguing about. When it seems that we have reached wherever they were taking me; Ozzy rests me gently on the ground. Rainbow drops my legs absentmindidly; rocketing pain up my torso and into my brain. I would scream from the agony; but I hardly believe I have the vocal capability to produce such a sound. I see light casting shadows around me; and am mildly confused. That is, untill I see the candles. Five candles have been stood up around me; and I smell wet chalk. Summoning all strenght I have left; I lift my upper torso off the ground to look at what is going on around me. What I see almost makes me wish I was dead. I lay in the middle of a Pentagram; with the five candles lit and stood at the corners. I go to scream; but it comes out as a distressed moan. "Oz......Ozz..y" The grey unicorn looks at me with teary eyes; and it is only then that I see what happend to me. I look like some neglected action figure; arms and legs bent in ways that seemed impossible. Blood issues profusly from long cuts down my body; and the teeth in my mouth feel unnaturally loose. "Yea, What is it?" I take in a deep breath; which proves to be a bad idea. My lungs start to burn; and I cough. I cough and cough so hard that blood spurts from my mouth. Ozmosis looks away; quietly sobbing over the gore of me that lay before her. I look to Rainbow, who's face shows no sympathy; just two red globes of emotionlessness. "F... F....Fu..Fuuc.." I look at her; coughing up even more blood as I make out the two words. "F-Fuck Yo-ou" She takes a box of matches from a small bag at her feet; and thats when I see it. My eyes widen in horror at the small, metal tank that stands at her feet. Ripping one of the matches from the box with her teeth; the blue pegasus grips the tank firmly in her hooves. Seeming to toss it at me; I get a facefull of noxious liquid. Then it truly hits me. Rainbow Dash is going to Occosuicate me. She is going to light me on fire in a pentigram and send my soul to hell. I try desperatly to crawl from the scene; to get help, but Ozmosis had ran away. She had ran away in horror of what I had done to myself. What Rainbow had done to me. The movements make no ground; and the pegasus lights up the match. "Fuck you too, asswhole." She tosses the glowing flame; and all I see is darkness.