Walking on the path through the gloomy forest his mind was filled with thoughts. Recalling the set of events that set into motion him being here although almost…how long ago was it…he couldn't remember about 670 years ago give or take a few. While still deep in thought the black alicorn ran into a sharp bush reopening the scared flesh there. Sighing as the blood dirtied his dark blue mane and made the white streak down the middle of it red. Stepping out of the bramble he tore his white goatee. Remembering with both regret and sorrow he laid out his sleeping role and recalled the events in detail.
690 years before
The warrior Shadow Mark was born in Canterlot before the mating of a unicorn and Pegasus was outlawed eliminating the chance of an alicorn child. Since then they have all died, in a dungeon, or in hiding. In school he was always attentive never making friends though. He was rather solitary especially after his parents died.
He had known what his destiny was since he was a very young colt. That was to be the head of the personal guard of Princess Luna. Bully's telling him otherwise…though they always received a trip to the hospital shortly after to make sure they were not sterile. Most of them were though.
He did however make many friends with those much older than he. Most did not even know how young he was due to the fact that alicorns' had naturally longer legs.
After graduating high school he immediately trotted up to the palace of the two princesses. He was uncaring of the passing scenery he only cared on what he was going to arrive at. The castle loomed over him as the gates approached guarded by four guards two of them Luna's on the right side on the left Celestia's.
"Halt who goes there and what is thi business." Asked all of the guards simultaneously "I am here looking to become a royal guard of the Princess Luna." Stated Shadow Mark respectfully.
"You realize how many years of training it takes. How much it takes, are you sure you have what it takes?" a hidden voice answered it was feminine. Shadow looked around wondering who had spoken though eventually gave you and answered.
"If I said I did, I could be lying for I know not yet, though if I said I do not I would be cowering out of a difficult task without even trying. If I said that I will try my best then it is not enough. So I will say I will spend my life in service of her who raises the night. Even if it costs my life, torture will not change my mindset for I have decided." Shadow said to no one in particular for he did not know where the voice came from.
His eyes widened as he saw the beautiful princess of the night Princess Luna step out from behind a bush. "What is your name young sir? You seem worthy enough to be in my personal guard, though you will have to pass through the ranks of course." (No I am not going to use the Canterlot voice get over it) Princess Luna said almost as if she were speaking to an old friend.
Quickly bowing down while speaking "My name is Shadow Mark your highness. My dream is to be in your service. I wish to do so." His mane was in his eyes as he spoke he bowed as low as possible until his horn pierced the dirt between the cobblestone path. Raising his wings because they were too large to stay closed while bending so far down.
"Rise young Shadow, and please walk with me. We have much to do." She turned as she motioned with her hoof starting to trot slowly then stopped waiting for him.
He followed for a moment then was stopped by a guard's voice. "Luna you need to have a guard at all times. For all you know he could be a spy." She looked at them and said "If he were a spy then he wouldn't have been so frank. A spy even an untrained one would try to be at least a little subtle about their intentions. Besides if there was another spy or assassin. He has already pledged his entire life to protecting me so we shall see."
"Please Princess do not put all your faith in me. For I am untrained I cannot defend you." Shadow said almost pleadingly she looked into his eyes as if searching for something. She raised a hoof in the air as if signaling.
Then he saw a magical bolt hurled towards her. It was expertly cast and he could not dispel it. "PRINCESS LOOK OUT!" he said flying in front of the bolt to shield her. It hit him square in the chest; the electricity sent him falling to the ground in convulsions.
"I feel this proves my point." She said walking away while Shadow got up. "I am still not convinced. It could have just been instinct." Said one of the guards
Then two strangers trotted slowly up the road. When they came within ten meters they removed there cloaks revealing knifes at least a three dozen each. Using their magic to take about six each and flung them toward each of them.
It all went slow motion then charging forward, horn glowing; he took hold of them and continued the charge until the only thing left of them was corpses. Blood trickling out of the wounds down the cobblestone path. Heart still pumping for a few minuscule moments.
Looking down at his work then back to the guards and the princess. They gaped in awe "I have never seen anything move so fast. Let alone on land." (Cause there is no rainbow dash yet) stated one of the guards. Luna simply said "So you were telling the truth. Come we need to go the blacksmith we need to get you some armor as a badge of office."
The guards all looked simontainously at her and said "Princess we do agree he should be allowed to skip some of the training procedures. Yet the loyalty test he must do no matter what he does out here, it could all be a fabrication, a trick, or instinct."
"If it must be then fine he will go through the test. Go ahead of us and set it up." Luna then turned to Shadow Mark as the golden armor of Celestias' royal guard and the deep blood red of Lunas' royal guard walked through the gate of the castle to set up the test.
"Young Shadow I thank you for saving my life. So I must warn you this test of loyalty has injured or killed many. I hope you do not become one of them."
"Then let us begin, I do not wish to disappoint you so I will complete this task." He said walking along side Luna
The guards shoved him into a doorway and closed it behind him and sealed it with magic. He knew that the goal was to find the exit of the maze. So he followed the wall for a while. He then he felt the ground underneath him give way. Before he knew what was happening, flames shot up from the ground, searing and boiling his flesh, bubbling up and popping, then cauterizing. Staggering back screaming, he knew that these must be the things the princess warned him of, so he would fly.
After about five minutes of flying through the white washed maze, he felt a cable on his neck. Again the flames shot out, but now from the ceiling, searing his wings and all of the flesh that was not burned the first time. He fell with a crash and whimpered where he lay.
He examined his wounds; glad he had taken Health in high school. The wounds had cauterized, but still oozed blood. Every time he moved, the scabbed flesh popped and bled. The pain was unbearable, but he knew he would have to bear with it.
After triggering another pressure plate, he came to an idea. Make a trail along the walls. He would have to use his blood, but he would know when to turn. After beginning this, he nearly gave up. The opening of the wound was too painful.
Unfortunately, Shadow put most of his focus onto the trail of blood he was leaving on the wall, and stepped on a pressure plate. As the flesh burned, he flew up into another cable in the sky, scalding his eyes shut, making him blind.
Screaming in horror as the blackness sprawled him out on the floor. Unseeing, unknowing where he was. He felt a gentle hoof on his scabbed shoulder. He instinctively turned to see who it was even though he couldn't see. Although he couldn't see, he saw what looked like an older version of himself. He looked into his own eyes. It was strange, but he ignored it. He saw himself pointing towards the ground behind him. He looked there, and saw what looked like black hoofprints.
Then he realized that they were his own. He knew how to retrace his steps now. He gasped as he realized that he didn't feel the pain of the burns. After he shrugged off the fact he no longer felt the pain of the wounds, he continued on, determined to find the exit.
After countless times of losing his focus, he screamed in horror as the pain came back. Rolling around, writhing until it subsided. He bore through the pain, managing to stand up, nowhere to go.
He began talking to himself; yet what he said were just his thoughts actually spoken aloud with no one around. "How long has it been? My strength fails, yet my hunger does not. Wait… what is that? Those aren't hoof prints. Is it blood? Forget it. I should continue."
After what seemed like forever, he had finally done it. He had traced the entire maze, gone through every entrance in every tunnel, twice, to make sure he wasn't missing an exit, but there was nothing to open to the world. He had given up. He glimpsed around the outermost walls.
He then saw a faint glimmer through the darkness. It seemed to be a reflection of sorts. He knew the escape now.
Luna stepped into the observation room. "How long has it been?" Luna asked with curiosity. "Umm…," *the guard glanced down at the timer* about ten days and seven hours. It's been six days since he's beaten the record. And that's of surviving at all. Those who survived the test and come out only lasted a day or two." "What is he doing now?" Luna asked.
They saw Shadow Mark bashing his hoof against a wall violently until it was bleeding vigorously. Then he used his horn to open even more scabs and made a large puddle on the ground. Then, dipping his horn into the thick liquid, he began to scrawl something over the wall. He continued dipping his horn into the blood; occasionally bashing the wall with his hoof again.
"My word….why would he do such a thing…? Is it his last testimony? WAIT! What is wrong with his eyes?" She squinted, looking at his eyes, how they never focused or opened. They were gone; almost a blackened lump of charcoal in his skull.
He actually looked at them when he finished writing it said. 'I know you are reading this Luna. Step away from where you are.' With this he began to flap his burnt wings, the bone stuck out in places and the red liquid seeped through the skin.
"What is he doing now...my he does look disgusting. He's charging get out of the way!" Luna shouted while jumping to the side. The triple pane glass of the room shattered almost without effort, though one of the shards cut his wing but that ruined his focus and he crashed into the doorframe.
Standing up on his new and scabbed flesh. And looked at Luna, who in return looked at him. As she looked into his eyes she saw they weren't lumps of charcoal but were eyes. Although they were bubbling. Boiling, scalded looking at her, disconnected, dead, yet he could still see. "Please don't look at me with those eyes Shadow they are grotesque. The doctors can…do something."
"Luna if you do not like them…then rip them out of my skull they are useless. I can see not with those eyes I have a different way of seeing. The only way the doctors can help is a transplant." Then he raised his head up as if waiting for her to actually do it.
"Are you serious? I could never do that I won't hurt you for the weakness of my gag reflex." "Luna your hurt!" Shadow dropped the subject as he noticed the blood on her side trickling down from a gash from the glass.
"Shadow would you stop….ergh just get the doctors." Luna said storming out after she was out the door she sighed. She tried to be the good ruler who cares for their subjects then they just care for her more.