The Shadow of Equestria

Chapter 9

By Royal Decree

Running from those guards had to be one of the most heart racing thing that I have ever experienced. I could help but have a bit of fun as we weaved in and out of alleyways and backstreets. The sound of clattering armor and fear of being captured was the only thing pushing us forward. If not for that, we would have collapsed from exhaustion by then. However, I hate to say that I actually feared for my life during this time. As soon as we started to run, I thought back to the time Agent Warren chased me through that motel before ending my life. I had a fear that it would end the same and I didn't want that to happen.

We continued to run until we hit a fairly large back road, one that we both recognized. It was the road nearest to Dark Wing's club. With a sigh of relief, we both began to run down the street, getting closer and closer to the club. We stopped dead in our tracks once we saw the golden gleam of the Royal Guard armor. Panicking, I began to look for another way out, a side street, an alley, anything. I eventually found an alleyway off to the side and not a moment too soon.

"Let's head for that alleyway Spectre, I'll cover us." I said as I held my bow tightly.

Poison Spectre panted loudly before answering. "What's the point of running anymore? There's no way we'll be able to escape the entire Royal Guard."

I snorted, "Not with that attitude." I said as I put the bow around my chest and scooped up Poison Spectre. I placed her firmly under my arm and made a mad dash for the alley. At that point, the guards at the other end of the street noticed what I was attempting and began to give chase.

I ran down that alley and started to take as many turns as possible to try to lose the guards behind us. Each attempt was met with failure as the guards were able to keep up with me. As I continued to try and evade, I got a brilliant idea. I was quite positive that the guards were after me and that Poison Spectre was secondary. This would work in my favor.

"Hey Spectre." I said as I sped through the alley I was currently in. "I think we should split up."

"What?!" She yelled. "Why the hell would we do that? It makes no sense." she said as she wiggled in my hold.

"It makes plenty of sense. If you think about it, they're probably after me, not you. If you were somehow able to get out of their line of sight, they probably wouldn't even notice."

Before she could answer, I saw the alley branch off into to paths, one out into the streets, one into another alley.

"Tell Dark Wing what's happening. I'll do my best to keep their attention on me." I said as I launched her as far down the alley as I could before turning down the alley that led into the street. I got out into the street and turned to see the guards were no longer behind me. I feared for the worst as I reached for my bow and strung an arrow. I pulled back the string and aimed it at the alley I had emerged from.

It was silent for a second, almost enough incentive to make me run back into the alley to see if Spectre was fine. However, the sound of armor clanking around told me that the guards were hot on my trail. I pulled the string as far back as I could and waited for the first guard to peak around the corner. Sure enough, the guards come around the corner and I let loose the arrow. It flew through the air and found its mark in the front leg of the closest guard. I smiled and slung the bow around my chest and started to run again.

I looked back to see that the guards had left behind the pony that was injured so that they wouldn't lose me. I frowned and continued to run until I hit a main street. That when I made a drastic mistake, I didn't account for the number of guards that would be held up on the main streets. I only found this out when I turned the corner and found myself facing several hundred Royal Guards.

I froze in place as I watched the guards surround me. One after another, the guards took their place in a gigantic circle that completely boxed me in. There we stood for a good 5 minutes in silence before a pony in purple looking armor made his way to the front. I recognized him from my first escape. He was the dumbass pony that thought he could defeat me. Apparently he hadn't changed one bit.

"Zhane Black." He began. "You are wanted for the several counts of murder, helping those who wish harm to our fair nation, and assaulting the Princess of Equestria. The way I see this, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. You could surrender and return to the castle to face trial or we will force you to come with us."

"What's stopping me from putting an arrow between your eyes?" I asked as I placed a hand on my bow.

"You are surrounded by at least 200 Royal Guards. Killing me would only seal your fate."

I frowned and looked around, he was right. There were guards everywhere covering every means of escape. There was no way out.

I sighed; this really put my plans to a halt. I looked up and lifted my hands to signal surrender. The purple armored pony looked stunned. Like someone had just told him the most shocking piece of information one could hear. Maybe he expected me to not go quietly. If he thought that, he was wrong. I wasn't going to sit aside and waste in some jail cell. I wanted to be free to do as I please. All I need was a chance to strike, a chance to get out of there. The only question was which one of these ponies would make that mistake.

The purple armored pony, still looking stunned, called to several of the soldiers beside him.

"Get the shackles on him and get him ready to be taken back to the castle."

The three guards looked at each other before nodding and approaching me with shackles similar to those used at the castle.

"Why aren't you using the power that I have so generously given you?" asked Umbra as the ponies got closer.

'I'm going to try another plan to see if I can get out of here. If that fails I will fall back to your magic.'

"What plan do you speak of?" asked Umbra.

I waited until one of the guard ponies got close enough and grabbed him by the collar of his armor and held him high.

"So you're going to use him. I see what you're going for but the magic is still available if you need it."

My mind went silent as I pulled out one of the knifes that I bought at the blacksmith and held it to the guard's throat.

"You do realize that you are surrounded, there is no way to escape." yelled the purple armored pony.

"You're wrong about that!" I yelled as I pulled the knife closer to the guard's throat. "The choice is simple, either you let me go and I'll let the guard go or I'll take his fucking head off and still escape. The choice is yours, your pride or your soldiers, pick one."

The purple armored pony looked like he was going to burst with anger. It was easy to see the red forming under his white coat. Making him this mad would lead to a mistake being made and thus lead to my escape.

"Come on; make your choice before I make it for you." I taunted.

"That is not for you to decide, Zhane." called a voice above us.

I froze; I could recognize that voice from a mile away. The one voice that made me angrier than anything else. I looked up to see that bitch herself, Princess Celestia. Giving her giant wings a great flap; she landed in front of the purple armored pony and started to walk forward.

"You do not realize how little leverage you have at the moment. You hold within you're grasps a guard that is willing to give his life for the betterment of Equestria. Holding him hostage under your conditions will do you no good and now you must realize that you have lost. Please don't make this any harder than it needs to be."

I started to panic, she was right, I was surrounded. No option of escape was available. Everything started to look down as Celestia started to close in, inch by inch, the sound of her hooves ringing in my ears. I had to do something, anything to get out of this situation.

"Back away or I will do more than just kill this guard." I said in a threatening voice.

"Oh really Zhane, tell me how you would do something like?" she asked as she looked like she had seen through my lie.

I backed up a bit further, pulled my knife away from the guard's throat, and held my hand out.

'Umbra, help me out here.' I asked.

"What good will it do to show off your powers instead of using them?" he asked back.

'I really have no idea how to use them properly. So I need a little demonstration with my little fib to persuade the Princess to back off.'

"Fine, but if we make it out of this, I'm teaching you how to use them properly and not to rely on me every time you need to use them."

'Fine, whatever, just do it.'

A few seconds after the conversation, a small blackish-purplish orb started to form in my hand.

"You forget of the powers that I wield Celestia. If you still wish to bring me back, it'll cost you the lives of your Royal Guard as well as your own life. So like I said, let me go and I won't kill every single pony here."

Off on a nearby rooftop, Poison Spectre and Dark Wing watch the ongoing conflict.

"You weren't kidding about this, Zhane really is in trouble." he said in disbelief. "Enough trouble to have the fucking Princess down here."

"See, I told you I wasn't kidding. We need to help him get out of there." said Poison Spectre.

"We will but first you must listen to me carefully. If we are able to distract the guards long enough, I want you to take Zhane and head for the South Gate. There, a carriage will be waiting to take you and Zhane where ever you want to go. I recommend getting away from Canterlot. The driver is an old friend and should be able to take you to any of our contacts in any place you visit."

"Why me?" asked Poison Spectre. "Why do you want me to go with Zhane?"

"Because you're the only pony that's been able to get close to him. I haven't been able to keep a good conversation with him let alone get the stuff you've been getting from him. I know that you aren't the most sociable pony and I know that you dislike going to new places but I need you to stick by Zhane, keep him safe and you're the best pony for the job."

Poison Spectre smiled and nodded. "I'll do my best."

"Excellent, now lay low, I'm about to call the attack."

"I've tried to reason with you Zhane but I must not be getting through to you. So I will go above and beyond what is required to bring you in." Celestia cleared here throat. "I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, hereby state by royal decree, that Zhane Black is now an enemy of the country of Equestria and all her inhabitants. All surrounding countries will be informed and all citizens will be told of your atrocities. On top of that, I will be forced to bring in skilled hunters from the nearby lands to find and retrieve you. Do you realize what that means for you Zhane?"

"I don't give a shit about being the enemy of Equestria but if you must go to such lengths to find me, I might as well make the prize more enticing. I hereby announce that The Shadow has now made his glorious return to a new land with new prey."

"What do you mean by that?!" yelled Celestia in anger.

"I simply aim to make myself more enticing for these skilled hunters. What better way to do so then to take up my old hobby and introduce it to Equestria."

"You wouldn't." Celestia said in a low, angry voice.

"I would." I said with a smile on my face.

"ATTACK!" yelled out a voice.

Celestia turned towards the purple armored pony with a look of anger.

"Shining Armor, I did not order your troops to attack!"

"That wasn't me Princess, it was somepony else." said Shining Armor as he looked around the area to see who yelled the order.

Just then, the twang of an arrow rang out as a guard fell over, dead.

"Arrows incoming!" yelled one of the guards as more arrows started flying towards the guards.

"Ambush!" yelled another guard.

"Black Hooves Enforcers coming from the north!" yelled another.

And just like that, it all started to kick off. The sound of fighting started to fill the air as most of the soldiers started to engage in combat.

"Zhane!" yelled a familiar voice as she came up beside me. "We need to leave."

I looked over to see Poison Spectre and closed my hand, causing the orb to dissipate. I tossed the guard off to the side with all of my might, placed my knife back in its holster, and looked back down at her.

"Lead the way." I said as she took off into the air, leading me into one of the nearby alleys.

I looked back to see Celestia looking at me from across the now bloody battlefield, hate clear on her face. I could help but smile as I dashed off and followed after Poison Spectre.

After several minutes of running and following, we came upon a small carriage with an old looking driver.

"Ah, I've been waitin' fer you two. Dark Wing told me ta take yah where ever yah needed ta go. So where do yah want ta go?" asked the old pony.

I saw Poison Spectre look up at me, telling me that it was my choice on where we got to go.

"I have an idea about where we should go." said Umbra. "I think we should go pay the Elements of Harmony a visit for old time's sake."

"Where do the wielders of the Elements of Harmony currently live?" I asked.

"I think they all live in Ponyville if I'm not mistaken." said Poison Spectre.

"Then that's where I want to go." I said looking at the carriage driver.

"I can take yah there. Dark Wing has a pony by the name of Red that lives in the lands just outside of Ponyville. I'll take yah to his house."

I thanked the carriage driver and climbed aboard the carriage. I had a feeling that the carriage ride would go by slowly as I anticipated the chance to "thank" the Elements for what they did to me. I could hardly wait.

Here's Chapter 9 for everypony, it's on time and ready for you to enjoy.