Chapter 3: Taken
It was the second morning that we stayed at Fortune's house. It was a quiet morning as I woke up, curled against my mother's chest. I slowly opened my eyes, while letting out a quiet yawn. I felt my mother stir underneath me as I stretched out. I felt her warm hoof wrap around me for a hug, I reached out and returned the hug. "Good morning sweetie. I hope you slept well."
I squeaked at her, and wiggled up to her neck, cuddling it. My mother held me for a while until my stomach rumbled with hunger. She sighed and rolled out of the bed, I whined at her at the sudden loss of heat. I looked up to my mother as she picked me up from the bed. "Oh sweetheart, It's okay, I'm right here."
We exited the room and went downstairs to the kitchen, It wasn't long before I was fed. After I ate, my mother brought me into the living room and set me down on the couch. She grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around me, saying. "I will be right back okay sweetie?"
I nodded at her, and crawled over to the edge of the couch, watching her my mother go upstairs. As soon as she disappeared from sight there was a loud crashing noise to my left. I jumped and squeaked out in surprise, turning around to see where the noise came from. There were several ponies flooding through the door, the first pony went into the kitchen. The second pony that came in, however, noticed I was sitting on the couch. I saw a rather big bag float by his side as he rushed towards me.
I screamed and tried to get away but the big pony threw his bag over me, trapping me to the velvety darkness that enveloped around me as I struggled to escape my confines. I pushed as hard as I possibly could, but the soft walls kept shifting. After a moment I was jolted around and banged against a corner of a wall. Loud clanging noises were all around me as I curled into a ball and whimpered. I heard a voice call out, "Hey you clumsy oaf, be careful with that bag!"
The pony holding my bag replied back, "He will live." l felt myself sway from side to side as he continued, "Let us get these three to the castle before the King gets impatient with us." A door slammed shut loudly behind me, this caused me to squeal and jump in fright. The soft walls of the bag made me to slide to the bottom again. I returned into a small ball as a pony started to talk.
"I'm bringing the foal to the King; I will meet you colts there." My captor didn't even wait for a reply and took off as I heard a rhythmic pattern of metal hooves striking the ground quickly. After a few turns I knew I was never going to see my mother again and began to cry. It didn't take long for the guard to notice my sobbing, saying.
"Be quiet foal, we're almost at the castle." This didn't stop me from crying, but he didn't say anything else. After some time has passed, the guard slowed down and said.
"We are here at the castle foal. Behave yourself and maybe the king will let you live." I whimpered even more but the pony kept talking,
"Guards! Open that door; I have a present for the King."
There was a new voice to my right that said, "Where are the others?"
The guard holding my bag replied back, "They are on their way; they were slow so I ran ahead."
There was a moment of silence before the new pony said, "Very well. Go see the King." The door in front of us squeaked open then slammed shut behind us. I jumped at the loud noise and felt myself spiral upwards. A couple minutes passed by, the metal hooves echoed more and more and eventually stopped.
An evil, menacing voice boomed out loudly, "Where are the other guards that were sent?"
The guard replied, "They will be here soon, but I have brought you a gift, my lord."
I heard slow heavy metal hooves strike the floor as the king approached us. "And what is this gift?" Above me the bag was opening up and I was forcefully rolled out. I landed on my side, knocking the wind out of me; I curled up into a ball quickly and looked at the King. He lowered his head closer to inspect me better; however I couldn't stand his stare. I quickly turned around and ran as fast as I could. I took a couple steps and I felt something hold my tail down, looking back I saw the King's metal hoof firmly planted on my tail. I tugged on my tail as hard as I could, but to no avail.
"Where do you think you're going little one?" The only reply I could give him was a pitiful squeak and shrank down to the floor.
The king looked over at the guard and says, "Excellent work for bringing my foal to me, now leave us." I glanced over to the guard whom bowed and left the room. The king picked me up with a hoof and took me towards the throne.
There was a little platform in front of the crystalline throne; he set me down onto the pedestal saying. "Stay here little one, or I will make you stay there." I was absolutely terrified so I laid down on the cold, hard floor and didn't move. A couple minutes passed by and a pony came through the door.
He quickly approached us and bowed down asking. "What can I get for you, my lord?"
I turned my head to look at the King as he casually tossed a clear crystal away. "Get the Prince here a pillow and bring the trainers."
The new pony bowed while saying, "As you wish, King Sombra." I took the time to observe the giant throne room as the pony left. The entire room was black except for the windows, which let the light in. There wasn't a whole lot to look at so I just laid my head down onto my hooves, waiting. Fifteen minutes passed by with nothing happening, and just as I was about to fall asleep a loud boom echoed through the room.
I jumped slightly at the noise and looked up. There was a big group of armored ponies that entered the room, I noticed a familiar Unicorn and a Pegasus. I jumped up in joy as I realized it was my mother, and I was about to run over to her when the king growled. "Stay where you are foal." I stopped myself and sat down, head hanging low.
My mother screamed out when one of guards shoved her forward, "Let go of me you ruffians!" When the group got to the middle of the room, Dark Fortune nudged my mother's' hoof and pointed at me.
She gasped and said, "Blazing! Thank goodness you are alright!" I stretched a hoof out, wanting to be in her caring hooves. She tried to approach me but the guards stopped and shoved her back.
My mother sat down and began to cry; Fortune put a hoof around her and asked. "What do you want from us Sombra?" The dark king got off his throne, and slowly made his way towards them.
"What do I want? Crystals, and soon they will be mine. Guards take him to the mines, leave the mare here." Most of the group turned their weapons and escorted Dark Fortune out of the room.
A couple guards stayed at the doors while the King talked to my mother. "So you really thought you could keep my foal away from me..."
He paused for a minute, my mother's sobs echoed through the giant room, "Tell me, after all this time, surely you have named him."
The king got no response from my mother so he said, "If I'm not mistaken I do believe that you said 'Blazing' before no?" My mother collapsed on the floor in tears, I couldn't stand seeing her like this.
I jumped off the pedestal and ran towards her. I had gotten halfway to her; then out of nowhere, a wall of black crystals appeared all around of me, trapping me. I tried to stop myself but I slid right into the new wall, face planting into it. I whimpered as I held my tender nose in pain, my mother screamed out as she ran to me.
"Blazing! Are you okay sweetie?" She tried to push and kick my crystal prison with no luck as the king started to laugh at us. My mother gave up on trying to get me out and stared at me through a small crack. I scratched at the crack mercilessly when I noticed mother's tear stained face.
King Sombra said, "Well that was easy..." a loud boom interrupted the king as he turned around leaving us alone momentarily.
My mother started talking quietly to me, "I'm so sorry, my little pony..." I held a hoof out to her, tears running down my cheeks like waterfalls. It wasn't long before Sombra came back to us, accompanied by several ponies.
He said, "Take her to the dungeons." My mother didn't even resist the guards, she was utterly defeated at the fact I was with the King now. The King turned his attention towards me when the guards had left.
Quietly he said, "Now I would have you training right away but it seems you need some disciplining." I feared for what was going to happen to me, I cowered in the middle of the crystal prison. When I looked up again I noticed the crystals around me were gone, as Sombra lowered his head to me.
"Don't disappoint me Blazing." One of the new ponies that had stayed approached and inspected me. He lifted my right hoof up, twisting it gently, and then moved to my left side. I sat still while my left wing was raised, lowered, and twisted to see how far it could move. He lifted me up so I was standing, 'What is this pony doing?' My question was answered when I saw a hoof fly towards me.
Quickly ducking down, the hoof sailed right over me, missing by hairs. The pony that tried to hit me walked over to the king, saying, "Well it seems he will be quick and agile, but his strength and endurance is something I will have to test."
Sombra nodded at him saying, "We shall have him start next week then."
I looked away from them and stared at the Pegasus in front of me as he said, "It will be some time before he can fly, probably within a few months at the rate he will be growing." he turned around and left the room along with the other trainer.
King Sombra returned to my side, picking me up and headed towards the throne, not saying anything. I noticed a nice big pillow where I was sitting earlier. The king set me down on the red cushion gently; I pawed at it until he spoke up.
"It's late and you are going to have a busy day tomorrow, so get some rest Blazing." I was confused; my mother said the king is cruel and evil. But he was kind of being nice to me and it was weird. I brushed the thoughts away with a yawn and curled up into a ball. As I was passing out I heard a soft click as the door quietly shut. It almost seemed like I feel asleep instantly.
My dreams were full of shadows, flickering, tormenting me, laughing at me. I woke up several hours later in a cold sweat as wind howled past the castle. Looking around warily, I couldn't really see anything in the dark room. However I knew something was in the room... But where was it?
I cautiously put my hooves on the crystal floor and got up. As I moved forward, I kept poking my hoof out in front of me to make sure I wouldn't fall off the pedestal. After a few moments I eventually found the edge, spinning around I crawled down the steps. I had a hard time placing my hooves down, as they were as dark as the room around me. After a few minutes of struggling I got to the bottom of the giant throne and began walking along one of the dark walls.
I got closer to the other side of the room, and felt more uneasy with every step I took. I constantly kept looking around the dark room making sure that I really was alone. I reached the doors with nothing to be seen, I turned around and started heading back to my bed. However before I could even put my hoof down, I heard a loud shattering noise to my left side.
A really cold wind whipped through the giant room as glass scattered all over the floor. I squeaked loudly and began to run towards the throne, as fast as I could. I risked a glance behind me to see what was there; a big black shadow hanging ominously in the air.
When I looked at the thing, it surged towards me, making me run even faster. However as I ran, I stumbled on my own hooves, causing me to roll to a stop. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the shadow thing surge over me as I covered my head.
End of Chapter 3: Taken