Blue Flame

by XenronXIVII

A closer look at Silver Blade; the famed alicorn of Endless Night. An exorcist seeking refuge from constant prejudice, he eventually wanders his way into Ponyville, where he finds that someone... or somthing... is terribly wrong. EXTREMELY DARK AND VERY, VERY MORBID. NOT SUGGESTED FOR CHILDREN OR STRONGLY RELIGIOUS

"Some say that every man is but a mirror, looking in uppon himself.

Some say that evil is in all of us."

Jhoshua Reynolds; 1876

Blue Flame (Directiors Extended Cut)

Written, composed and edited by XenronXIVII

WARNING! This tale is a very dark and strongly satanic story of morbid proportions. Viewer discression is strongly advised.

Credit is given to:

The Activist Church For World Change: For aiding in my study of Bibiolgy.

Black Sabbath and Ozzy Ozborne: For helping me survive those studies.

Father Richard: For being a kick-flank Brony Pastor and liking all things.

Crew abord the AMNISTAD: For tolerating 164 hours of filmage and keeping us afloat in the Med's.

Magiks and FXS: For giving me your 300$ software for free. YES!

Brian Entford: For helping me even after you quit Triforce Inc.

Inhara Rasha Nookui: For teaching me Latin.

Disclaimer: This story has absolutly nothing in common with any story that Triforce Inc. has produced. Silver Blade, Ozmosis Tryial, Xenron, and The Krisroc are all trademarks of Triforce Inc. All other people, places, or events that are related to anyone, living or dead, real or fictional, is completely concidential. Copyright 2012 Triforce Inc. A Rainboom Shortstory.

In the shadow of a hero so bright

Of pure good and purging light

Stands somthing so corrupt and vile

In thou it hath brewed all the while

Only now to be released.

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."

Deep into the soul, so secret and dark,

Every man inside still bears the mark,

It is his dicission, if to live by it he chooses,

Then it is only his life he looses.

But what dark hath he arized?

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."

In every choice there is some loss and some gain,

In every satisfaction there is pain,

But there are those times when

You look at where you've been,

And you'll get a hell'ova suprize.

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.

Only those who can admit,

Their flaws are those who are fit,

To lead and those who follow,

Might not be there tomorrow,

Liars are in for a brutal demise.

At first; there is nothing. Blackness, that of empty vaccum, surrounds me in all corners. I cant feel anything; and it seems that I am walking on thin air. Then; I see somthing in the distance. No, not somthing. I know what this is, but yet I refuse to believe it. I am dead; and my soul is being guided to hell. My body is tugged by some invisible chains, and though I thrash against them; they pull with the same strength throughout. I pause my fighting; and think. What did they tell me about Occosuications... That the Netherin guiding you can be detached if you... Shit! What was that last part?! I think of my times in ponyville; and of Ozmosis and Twilight being posessed. I feel the invisible shackles growing weaker and weaker; and substance gathering around me. Thats it! I need to remember what my mission is! That I have to banish the earth of evils! The darkness around me melds away to light; and a sole voice penitrates my mind. "Silver Blade... You still have a mission to accomplish." I look around myself, searching for the entity of which this sound is emitting from. The voice laughs wholeheardidly at my efforts; and speaks to me again in that slow, eased tone. "Do not bother looking for me with your eyes. Noone can or will ever be able to see me; but you can hear my voice because inside; your mind is still good." I step backward, and give up on my search. "Who are you?" I expect the voice to laugh again; but there is just silence. "Hello?" And then im falling. Falling down into myself.

I awake in a large field; laying full on the ground. It appears that the field I lay in is a cornfield, but all of the stalks had been harvested. That is when I realize how cold it is. Fall-chilled air hits my exposed body from all sides; and I immeaditly begin to shiver. Why am I so cold? Dont I have a jacket on? I look down to my chest to find it bare, just a white surface with three scars. Where the hell did my jacket go? And why was it so cold? Wasent I at a party in mid-summer? I shed the millions of onslaughting questions as I stand myself up, shuddering at the frozen bite of the ground below. Scanning the world around me; I see that things truly have changed. The red barn; once so vibrant and strong; now saggs in on itself as rot and decay work away at the wooden beams. As I reach the dirt road that normally connected the farm to the more populated Ponyville; I stare in shock. A paved street lay sprawled in front of me; and a doubled yellow line is painted on it. Taking my first step onto the new road; I look in the direction of Ponyville. Only I dont see what I expected. Large skyscrapers and iron buildings erect from the once-so-rural town. What the fuck was going on?! I stare unconceptingly at the buildings untill I hear a screech behind me; and feel a large metal object knock me off my feet. I hit the pavement with a powerfull momentum; and my arms are ripped open. I get up; turning to see what had hit me. A large, metal cart without horses is stopped on the side of the road; and a door on the side opens. A small stallion exits the metallic cart; and looks at me. I tower a full foot above him; and this seems to intimidate the pony. Putting out my hooves in a sign of peace; I beckon to him. He looks at me as if I am a monster; and asks me a simple question. "Who are you?" I try to take in the rushed words; and his accent almost makes the words a solid letter. I put my hooves back at my sides; and take a small step tward him. "My name's Silver Blade. Whats yours?" I rase my left arm in an attempt of civility; and he looks at me even stranger. "I dont know anyone named "Silver Blade" Where do you live? Are you from around here?" I try again to dicipher his strong dialect; and respond as fast as I can before he can ask any questions. "I live in Ponyville. I live at 226 Astoria Lane, with a mare named Ozmosis Tryial." The stallion; If he had'nt been confused before, was certanly confused now. "Ozmosis Tryial?" I nod back to him; taking a notice of the worried expression on his visage. "The mare that jumped back in '86?" I take another step forward; not understanding what he ment by 'jumped'. "What do you mean? Did she break some kind of record?" He breaks out a strained smirk, and struggles out a choked chuckle. "She broke more than that. Ambuliences found her in, like, a thousand pieces. Wasent no Humpty-Dumpty though. Blood was fuckin' everywhere." It was then that I figured out what the stallion was saying. "Ozmosis... she's..." He looks at me with melting concern; and cracks another grin. "Dead like a frigin' stone. The psycaitrists told the press she had a screw loose, claiming her love was burned alive by Rainbow Dash. Th' girl couldent hold the pressure; and cracked. Jumped off the Penitentary rooftop." I take in the news; realizing more and more what had happened. "What year is it?" The stallion laughs; slamming his hoof lightly on the side of his metal cart. "What kind of idiot are you? Its 2009, and to be exact; its autmn." I reel back with the pure shock. I had been in the Never for 23 years; while the earth had spun on. I thought of telling the stallion this; and decided against it. Crazy isnt the impression I wanted to instill right now. I needed answers. "Can you give me a ride to Ponyville?" He laughs again; and looks at me. "Your lucky. I was going into the town myself. Figure I owe you one. Your cut up pretty bad." I look down my arms; and see the first layer of my skin is torn. "Oh, Its not that bad." He opens the door again; and this time I watch him. Pulling up on a small handle; a mechignisam clicks inside the door; and it swings open. "Are you getting in or what?" I trot over to the door on the oppsite side; and repeat what the stallion had done. The door swings open; and I struggle to get in the small opening. Finally resting in the seat; I can see what is inside the cart. Buttons and knobs are placed all over the front; lit up inside with some kind of light. He closes the door on his side; and I repeat this on mine.

Finally in the streets of Ponyville; the change is extreme. Glass and metal comprimize the buildings; and ponies flock the sides of the road; making way for more of these metal carts without horses to travel. The metallic cart comes to a stop; and I exit it. Even the town smells different. What was once an earthly and perfumed aroma is replaced with the smell of plastics and food. Not a bad smell; but one of extreme difference. I walk across the street; and look at the signs hanging from the buildings. My eyes come to rest on what I was looking for. 'LIBRARY' Is printed deep into a metal plate, and resting above a double door. I push the doors open, and look all around. Ponies; all of them still strangly smaller than I, stop what they are doing and look at me. I walk to the center desk, and rest myself against the counter. I turn to the mare at the desk; and try my best to speak polietly. "Do you have any books on religion?" She looks at me disgustidly; and I look down. My arms are bleeding; and some of the blood is dripping on the polished counter. "Shit! Im sorry!" I try to wipe the table with an arm, but only suceed in smearing the red liquid further onto the surface. The mare takes a bottle and pours some of the contence on the table; wiping it once with a towel. The blood is gone in one sweep. I stumble for some words to describe my shock; and she hands me some white bandages. "Use these. I cant have you bleeding all over our books." I thank her for the bandages; and she points over to the far corner. "Religon and Deitys, 0-100." Walking and wrapping my arms; I eye the shelves. They are cut to a shorter public; and I have to hunch over to read the numbers. When at last I reach the said shelf; I look for somthing on Netherin and Satinisam. "...Here we go!" I pull out a thick, cobwebbed book and place it lightly on the shelf, which to me is at chest level. I flip gingerly through the yellowed pages; and find a segment on spiritual revelence. "It says here that If a soul isnt in heavin or hell, Time will stop for it and go on for others." I think about what happened to Ozmosis, and wonder. If she had killed herself, Isnt that a sin? If I were to prove her repentance; could I save her soul and possibly bring her back? And would I risk going into the depths of hell to save her? I shook the last question from my mind completely. Of course I would. My mission is to save the world from evils. And I need her to do so. Not saving her would be a sin itself. I flipped a couple of pages more; and closed the book. Taking the text over to the counter; I ask the mare to check it out. "What's your name?" I look back from the book, and up to her. "My name's Silver Blade." As she starts to wright this, the mare looks up at me. It is then I realize who it is. "Twilight?" The lavender mare looks at me with her purple eyes; and smiles. "Silver..." The smile wipes from her face just as fast as it had come. "How the hell are you alive? Ozmosis said you were burned!" I signal for her to lower her voice, and lower myself to her eye-level. "When Rainbow Dash Occosuicated me; my soul was almost dragged into hell. For some reason I still dont know; I came out of the Never and back into the material world. But, 23 years have passed." I look down to myself; and remember somthing. "Do you know where my jacket went?"

Sometimes, a specal thing occurs,

Movement in all hearts it spurrs,

But to itself, It is just another day,

Another second of its live worn away.

Into the fire and flame one must go to baptize.

The jacket is the first thing farmilar I have seen today. While it seems a little faded; I don the leather. It still fits perfictly to me; and I can feel the nostalgic pain of my wings pressed under the constricting leather. That is when I get an Idea. "Twilght, do you have a knife?" Twilight Sparkle looks at me strangly; then hands me a small table knife. I take off the jacket; and stab the knife into the back. Slicing two slits into the leather; I don it again. My wings slide effortlessly through the holes; and have absolutly no discomfort. I hand the knife back to Twilight; who places it back into the open drawer. The lavender unicorn looks at me with a teetering question. "Why did you want to check out a book on Satininsam? I thought you were an Exorcist?" I look to her as we exit the small closet; and ready an answer for her. "I was thinking about Ozzy." Twilight looks empatheticly at me; realizing the hurt I was feeling over the loss of my good friend. "What about her?" I dare not shift my view; and look straight ahead. "If she killed herself, she went to hell. I need to save her. If I can go... Down there... Then maby, I can save her." The unicorn stops walking; and processes that. "What the fuck are you talking about? Are you seriously suggesting that you should 'GO TO HELL' and 'RESCUE' Ozzy!? Do you have any idea how fucking insane that sounds!?" I turn; eyes rimmed with tears not yet fallen. "And being in anti-existance for 23 years and comming back completely unchanged isnt!?" Twilight looks over my sholder; and sees some people eyeing us suspiciously. She dosent slow her pace, but whispers to me. "Lower your voice. People get scared very easy now-a-days." Carrying the thick book; we walk out the library doors. "So... If you plan on actually going through with this; how are you getting 'there'? I mean, its not like theres a bus line that says 'Going To Hell?" I think for a moment; and remember what I was taught. "I can make a portal. But I need four other ponies." I look to Twilight. "Do you know four ponies that can be loyal to you?" She chuckles at this, and sighs. "Yea. I do."

Later on in the evening; I stand in the same cornfield with Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. Unpacking the supplies I had Twilight bring me, I look at what I had at hand. A pile of whitend bones sits at my side; and a piece of chalk is next to that. I take a peice of stick that was in the bag; and tie a string to it. Securing the other end to the chalk; I plant the stick into the ground. Stretching the string as far as it would go; I start my mark. I trace a large circle in the dirt; and place lamb bones in the diviot that it had created. I then make the over-lapping star inside the circle; taking care to make all the proportions equal. "Now, I need you five to each hold one of these candles at each point." I hand each of the mares a lit candlestick; and they sit at the five points. "Now listen. This is EXTREMELY important! Whatever you see inside this circle; dont let those candles fall down. Even if you see me ask you to put them out, dont." I look one last time to all of the mares; and once at the sky. This is probably the last time I'll ever see it again. Funny, when you walk down the road; you take so many things for granted. The trees, the dirt, life and existance around you. But in these last seconds before my shifting, I feel all the closer to nature. I feel the birds and squirrls; the shrubs and trees, everything in motion around me. I take a deep breath as I take in this wholeness of existance. Checking my pockets; I make sure I have what is neccecary for the procediure to be made. Holy water, Crucifix, Bible, and Quicksilver. "Alright. Light me." I feel gasoliene soak my back and face; and then flames are climbing up my body. It seems to me I am in a movie; not in real life. I am wearing light and fire like a suit, it dripping off of me like water also. Then it hits me. Singing fur and burining hair waft through what little I can smell; and soon the first flame contacts my skin. I writhe in pain as I feel my body being burned; and soon after that, my very soul is burining. The pain is unmeasurible. I have never felt anything close to this in my life; even the time I had been lit on fire before I was already dying. Now, I am perfictly in-tact; lit up like some stuntman in an action film. I try to scream; but the flames have melted my skin shut. All I can manage to do is stand still, fearing that if I were to exit the Pentigram that I would die for nothing. I spin and spin in my head; and fall helplessly into blackness.

Black. Black is what I am greeted to again. The tugging and pulling of the Netherin at those invisible shackles dosent cause me so much terror now. I know where they are taking me; and for some reason; I am alright with this. No. Not for some reason. I am going to rescue Ozzy. I am going to get her out of here. The gates come closer and closer; and finally open. The shrieks and moans are like broken glass in my ears. Flames and that unmistakeable smell of brimstone tell me im in the nether, Im in Hell. Goody for fucking me. I think about what the Minister had told me about spirits; In that they are magnetic to their prized posessions in life. I think about this; and take out the ribbon that had once been tied around her beautiful neck. It straightend out to point to a prison-like holding area; and I took this as to that she was there. Trotting quickly over to what seemed to be an opening; I use the green ribbon alike a compass, searching down what seems to be an endless hallway. I pass past the most horrid and gruesome creatures that I have ever layed sight on. Blood and bone, flesh and cartalilage are composed in ways blashmious to existance itself. After what seems like forever, I finally find the cell which my love lays in. I look through the earthen bars; and in on the saddest thing I've ever seen. Sure, there is Ozmosis Tryial; but she is just a shell of herself, sitting slumped against the wall. I take out the cross; and press it against the brimstone bars. They start to dissipate; and I walk inside. "...What...Who..." The shell of Ozzy keeps asking partial questions as I lift her over my sholder; turning and starting to leave. "Illuris Recii Nejak?" The demon standing before me is massive; holding a massive bone-sword like a knife. I feel somthing weigh down in my left hoof; and see that the Crucifix has grown into a sword; seemingly made of just light. The Netherin covers its eyes at the holy light; squealing alike a pig to the slaughter. I push past the cowering demon and through the hallway; trying to get out of this rathole as fast as I can. I exit the prison just in time to be greeted by a drake. No; not the majestic, docile creatures of the earth. This creature was made just of hatred and death; and I could feel the Six radiating off of its aura. The dragon shreiks, and bellows loudly. Flames shoot from its open jaws; and I hold the sword before me. The flames part before the crystal blade, spreading harmlessly around me and Ozzy. This dosent stop the dragon for long. It speeds indimidatingly at me; meaning to scare me into running, so it would have a clear shot at my back. Instead; I lay Ozzy on the ground. I take the sword in bolth hands; and leap at the Drake. It has hardly enough time to react as I plunge the blade into the base of its neck. Acrid blood spurts from the impaled wound; and the drake falls the five feet into the ground. I rip the Cross-blade from the unholy beast; and take up Ozzy once again. More drakes and demons shreik in the distance; and it seems killing the beast has disrupted the aura. I need to get out of here. Running in the direction of the hell gates; I can feel the dark beasts getting closer. Bursts of flame are landing all around me, and an extremely close explosion knocks me off my feet. But only for a second. Adreniline takes hold as the Nether bends around me, seeming to me like Im looking through a glass ball. If I stop for even a second, im dead. I feel immence heat blast my back; and Im on the ground. Taking care to turn mid-fall; I counter the fatal strike aimed at my neck. The drooling maw of somthing unspeakable, clenching between its lethal fangs my Crucifix-blade. I look the abomination straight in the eyes; and flick the blade inward. The upper portion of the demons skull slides away with a sicking sucking sound; and its massive body falls to the ground, giving way to two others. If I dont get to those gates; Im going to be outnumbered, outflanked, and mostly just dead. Swiping the blade wide in front of myself; I feel breif, but not strongly resisted connection. My hands grow warm with the newly spilt blood; and before I can react, I am running. Running from my impending demise. The wails and screaches of horrors unknown blare behind me, seeming to get closer to myself every second. Once uppon the final front, I think of how I can break the seal of hell and reverse the gates; and I remember the bible. If I read a holy text inside the gates; could they possibly open? There is truthfully only one way to find out. I lay the sword and Ozzy by my sides, and take out the book. I open it; and the pages are blank. They are all blank. Blank. Of course they are blank. Why would anyone have use for a holy context in this realm? I put the book absentmindidly into my pocket again; and take up the sword. Thinking of any words that may stand in His memory; and I remember the chapel in Canterlot. 'Del Unis Rio' had been carved deep into the chest of that marble statue. That statue of Himself.

'Under Broken Wing We Shall Return' That should do. "Del Unis Rio." Those words echo throught the banks; over the crags and finally back again. "Novucts Ject Sustin Queriso... DEL UNIS RIO RECTUR" Rasing the sword high over my head; I strike the gates with all my might. Its sink or swim. If the gates dont open; Im fucked, Ozzy's fucked, All of Ponyville is basiclly fucked. But that wont happen. It cant happen. A sound I cannot truly discribe issues from the gates; alike that of all things good and bad in your life, combined. My heart literally stopped, and I held my breath in anticipation. Anticipation of what was to happen. The metal rung loud; and shattered under the strike. I had never felt so much releif in my life. It felt as if I was free already; and I could taste the sweet air again. I step out into the darkness; and feel like Im falling into myself again. I welcome this feeling; gripping tight onto Ozzy.

Not everything is quite as it seems,

More like your fears and dreams,

Than the 'Reality' which you have come to know,

Is the place where you have to go.

In the illusion the reality lies.

I come to much too soon; I think im still in hell. Twilight Sparkle and the others lay; throats slit. Rainbow Dash holds Fluttershy by the chin; slowly pressing the small blade to her throat. The yellow pegasus is crying; sobbing over the death of her friends. Rainbow looks up from her tormenting; and smiles. "Look, Fluttershy! It seems that we have guests!" With this she brutally swipes the blade; sending a streak of red down her arm and onto the ground. Fluttershy falls to the ground; hoplessly grasping her neck to staunch the bloodflow. I look to the bloodied cyan pegasus, and releif is replaced with animotical anger. A million words come to my mind; but I can only manage to say one. "...Why...WHY...WHY?" Rainbow smirks; and throws the small knife, it imbedding deep into Applejack's flank. The morbidly jublient mare skips over to me; and places a hoof against my cheek. "Look at you! Twenty-Three years and your still the same sexy, bad-ass sta..." My hoof slams viciously into her jaw, and the small pegasus falls down to one knee. Still laughing with the same sick sadisticness, Rainbow wipes her arm brashly across her face; and smiles at the blood. Raising off the ground in a fluid motion; she stands before me once again. "Now, that wasent nice..." I have barely enough time to react as a swiping kick trips me onto the ground. I hit the dirt with a sicking thud; and the air leaves my lungs. Standing over me, and placing her front hooves on her knees; she leans in close to my face. "Am I gonna have to go and punish you?" I mimic her cruel smile; and grab just below her chin with my right hoof. The smile wanes as my left hoof grips her mane; and my arms twist. Vertibre can be heard snapping as I twist Rainbow Dash's head like a bottletop, and look deep into her now empty red eyes. "Not at all, 'sugar" I toss the cyan corpse to my right; and look up to see my efforts wernt in vain. Ozmosis Tryial stands above me; holding out a hoof. "Good to see you again." I take her hoof in hoof as Ozzy pulls me from the frozen ground; and I try to work out an explination. "Im sooooo sorry Ozzy, I should have listened to you... I cant tell you how bad I feel..." I cannot finish my apology, for the grey mare kisses me. I stare wide-eyed, not at anything, as the impossible just happend. A flow of tears pump from my eyes, and I cannot help but meld into her arms. The unicorn pulls away from my grasp, and suddenly the left side of my face is burning. Through a shimmer of tears I see Ozzy, the real Ozzy, standing in front of me. "Thats for dying on me, you bastard! Dont ever do that to me again!" I smile, and she hugs me again. But the sweet bliss is only for a second. "Hey, hey... Look at this sweet little scene!" I turn to the tomboyish voice; and see Rainbow Dash standing behind me. Her head is still twisted at an unnatural angle; and blood issues from her mouth and nose. "Now; I cant have a normal conversation like this!" The cyan pony grips the sides of her visage; and twists her head back around. Cracks and protests of muscles issue from the pegasus; but she shows no signs of pain. Standing full, Rainbow walks slowly at first to us, slowly gaining speed. "And is this the same Ozmosis Tryial? I heard you were dead! Splattered on the sidewalk like a fuckin' egg!" The pegasus flops on the ground emphasizing her point. Acting like a derranged child, she rolls over on the dirt; and starts to laugh. "How was it in hell? Hot enough for 'ya?" Ozzy steps forward; and once again puts herself beteen Rainbow and I. "Fuck you, you stupid, homosexual pegasus!" Rainbow Dash looks at Ozzy, and takes out another small, metal blade. "Did you know there are about 23 square feet of skin on the advrage mare? And that you have about 126 feet of intestince in your body?" With this she makes to lunge at the grey unicorn; but stops in mid-stab. Laughing with an uknown comedy, she stabs the blade into her own chest. I wince at the act of such self-harming; but no blood issues from the wound. She continues the cut down her stomach and finally ending it at her hips.

What I see makes me wonder if im still in hell. Black tendrils creep out from the incission; and Rainbow Dash begins to lift off the ground. Face contorted in a mixture of ecstacy and dark pleasure; the contorting lines of darkness wave and grow thicker and thicker. They wrap themselves around the pegasus's body; and soon she is just a figure of black shadow. Rainbow's eyes open, still red as they were, but now without retnia or white, only solid, blood red. In a voice distorted and twisted; the pegasus speaks. "Silver Blade; You've tread on my realm and seen my creations, but you have yet to see true terror! What you see before you is all that hell can offer! All the horror and fear that you could possibly imagine, and more! I AM TERROR ITSELF!" The black being sends tendrils into the ground, and they leap out at me. I flip backwards; Remembering the sword that had been with me in the Nether. I look to my right to see a glowing blade; the one that had saved me before. I notice that the tendrils do not go near it; and seem to be repelled by its light. Taking my lone and final chance; I lunge for it. I jump over the tendrils of corruption and feel the comfort of the crystal blade in my grasp. I look back to where I had been; and I see that Ozmosis is being attacked by the things, too. I run with the blade lightly tracing the ground; and I hear the high-pitched screaches of darkness illuminated by light. I slash rapidly at the tendrils targeting the grey unicorn; and she is freed. I smile; telling her to run. "ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?! YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE THIS THING ALONE?!" I look to her, with just a mild twitch to my eye. "Maby I am!" I dont have time to watch her leave. "USELESS MORTAL! DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO I AM? I AM ICCHTILULU, LORD OF FEAR! I WILL TAKE YOUR LIFE AS I HAVE THOUSANDS BEFORE YOU! THE LIGHT SHALL BE CAST AWAY FOREVER!" With this the tendrils retract; and the creature lowers to the ground. The water below the once-Rainbow Dash taints a deep red; and the grass begins to die around it. I bring the blade before myself; and notice as the world around me starts to darken. The sun becomes covered by a veil of black; and the clouds, sky, trees, everything melds into blackness. The only ground I can see is that below me; Illuminated by the swords light. "I WILL TAKE EVERYTHING YOU LOVE AWAY FROM YOU! YOU SHALL KNOW ONLY PAIN AND SUFFERING ONCE IM THROUGH WITH YOU!" I see a medium-sized pony; about three feet at the sholder, and with a green mane. "Silver..." Ozzy looks at me with empty eyes; and reaches out for my hands. I step backward, and rase the sword once again before myself. "No... NO!" I bring the sword over my right sholder; and slash verticlly into the apperation. And as quicly it dissipates. "ENOUGH. I WILL FACE YOU ON MY PLANE. PREPARE FOR MORE FEAR THAN THAT OF YOUR WORST NIGHTMARES MORTAL!"

I find myself in a wirlwind. No, not the wirlwind of actual wind. Time is crumbling around me in all directons; and rot of existance is all I can see. A large, no; A massive demon lands before me; seemingly unfazed by the bufferting winds. It has a good ten feet on me; and is heavly muscled. Talons; alike those of an eagle; resemble fingers on each of its massive hands. I look up to its towering height; and see its face. Typicall of a major demon. Horns and scars protrude from its head; and two massive, bat-like wings are stuck from its sides. Icchtilulu bellows a bloodcurdling roar; and brings its head down to my line of sight. "Stand still and this will only hurt for awile!" It brings down a swipe of its massive arm; and I roll forward; right between its legs. I slash at its calfs with the blade; and it recoils; but only for a second. Turning; it hits me full in the side with its lenghty tail. I fly; feeling my body tumble over itself over and over again untill I hit somthing solid. I look up hopelessly as the demon lumbers after me, taking care to make slow strides, and reach me as slow as possible. When finally the demon is uppon me; I ready my legs. It looks mockingly at me, and starts to laugh. "I wonder how you will taste, you of ponyflesh!" It picks me up; and brings my body, headfirst, to its maw. "One thing." Icchtilulu pauses; seeming to have intrest in what Im saying. "IM A FUCKING ALICORN!" I flick the cap off of the holy water flask; and pour it all over the gripping hand. The demon responds with a demented cry of pain; attempting to release me. I cling onto its hand; and jump onto its sholder. In the midst of its cries, I climb into the mouth of Icchtilulu. Once inside the foul creatures mouth; I work fast. Crawling into the back of the demons mouth; I find the throat. I grip the Crucifix-Sword tighly in my left hoof; and slide down the esophagus. About two feet down; I stab the blade deep into the creatures flesh. I am rewarded by a spray of crossive gastric acid and blood; and I work deeper into the creatures chest. Past the lungs, I find the heart. Gripping the blade, reversed, as hard as I could possibly manage, as not to lose it. I take the last of holy water, and coat the blade in it. I close my eyes; and feel the strenght of a thousand angels guide the blade deep into Icchtilulu's heart.

I awake in a hallway of white. No; this is no hallway, It is the afterlife. The gates to heavin. I walk forward; and am greeted by a farmilar sight. My parents, each in their prime, stand behind the gates; and are waving to me. I run to the golden bars, but am stoped by a gentle arm. I look to see Him, in all his glory, smiling at me. "You have done well, Silver Blade. You've completed your mission. We are all proud of you." I smile back at him, but I look back at the gates. He sees my longing; and pats me on the sholder. "All in time, my friend. All in time. For now; I need to explain to you somthing." I walk with him; not tward the golden gates, but instead through a long hallway. Paintings and photographs of Alicorns don the walls; and pillars carved into massive ponies hold the ceiling up. The ceiling itself is painted with pegasi, and they are all holding trumpets and spears. Cherubic, yet somehow mature; the pegasi are all facing somthing. Indeed; they are all looking uppon a ball of light, that of Him. "Silver Blade, You are blessed. You are blessed as an Alicorn to not fear death. Though this does come with some drawbacks; you will see those around you die, and the world will change without halt around you." With the closing of this sentince he points to a large, glowing crystal. "That is the Krisrock. It is the only thing that is still left of the material me. Touch it; and you will remember all of your past lifes, all those years you had existed." He lowers his arm; and turns to me. "Or, you can choose to forget everything and I can send you back to your normal life with Ozmosis. I can bring back Twilight Sparkle and your other friends. The choice is yours." I look to the stone, to Him, and to the ceiling. I return my vision back to Him. "I've made my decision."

The true hero isnt afraid,

To give his life, to others it is weighed,

He would sacrifice himself for the common good,

Like any man of dignity would.

It isnt in vain that he hath died.

I awake to the smell of sterile bandages and medicine. Looking around me with weary eyes; I see Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Ozzy. "Morning!" They all shout in disunisin. I go to get up and say hi also; but the restraints and bandages hold me from moving. I laugh to myself; not exactly knowing where I am or much less who I am. All I remember Is that my name is Silver Blade. Ozzy bends down, and kisses me on the bandaged forhead. I smile; and she for once smiles back. "You had me worried there! The doctors said you were dead!" I shift my weight; the cricento of bloodflow to my wings is increasing; and I can feel my heart begin to race. Ozmosis giggles at my wings; now protruding the white bandaging and sticking outward, completely erect. "Looks like someones happy to see you, Ozzy!" Twilight walks over to me; and places my leather jacket at my bedside. "I got this for you; ya know, it wasent exactly EASY to get shit in an' out'a here." I smile at her too. Seeing all of my friends just does somthing to me; and I feel as if everything is all right. Ozzy gets a thoughtfull look across her visage; and remembers somthing. "OH! Silver! I found this rock-thingy in my dresser, and I thought it was yours!" She fumbles through my jacket pocket; and eventually reveals her hoof. There, in the grey hoof; lay a long; slender, glowing shard.

THE END