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The Shadow of Equestria
Chapter 25
Anti venom
Within 2 hours, I was back in Ponyville. The Crystal Heart that Umbra had absorbed had given me an enormous upgrade to my magic. I could feel the power pulsing through my hands as I watched the black fog around me disperse. With a smile I gathered magic into my hands and took a good look.
"I've never felt better in my entire life." I said with joy.
"There is far more where that came from." said Umbra. "Think of the potential of the Elements of Harmony or maybe even the magic of one of the Princesses or those two humans that keep chasing you."
"You can take magic from other things?" I asked.
"Of course, just wrap them in your magic and like always, I'll do the rest."
"I guess I know my next target." I said. "I'll stop by that annoying purple unicorn's library to see if she'll talk. If not, I'll have to take it up to Celestia."
"One step at a time Zhane." said Umbra with a laugh. "Don't overstep yourself, it'll lead to your death. Try taking smaller steps, preferably towards other magical artifacts."
I rolled my eyes as I approached Red's house and proceeded to open the door. I was meet with a darkness that put dread into my very soul. Usually the lights were always on and if they weren't, it would mean they were out on the town or somewhere else. The only problem was that Red never left the door unlocked when he left the house and the fact that it was still daylight concerned me further.
I swallowed hard and took a step inside. Once my eyes adjusted to the dark I saw the scene before me. Chairs, the table, the plates from the cabinet were thrown all over the place. I carefully drew my sword and continued into the kitchen. I stopped about halfway through once I saw a small reddish heap laying on the floor. Forgetting all subtlety, I ran over to the heap and turned it over. Red was laying there on the ground blood covering his mouth.
"Red, are you alright?" I asked. "Red." I said once more as I shook him.
Suddenly, Red bolted awake with a sputtering cough.
"Zh-Z-Zhane? Is that you?" he said as he strained his eyes.
"Red, what happened here? Where's Spectre?"
"It was Darkwing. Several of his enforcers just showed up out of the blue and started to trash the place."
Red paused and looked at Zhane.
"They were looking for Poison Spectre."
"Where is she Red? Where is she?!" I yelled as I shook the Earth Pony in my arms.
He twisted his head and looked towards one of the bed room doors. I placed Red back on the ground and made my way towards the bed room door opening it slowly. The room was as dark as the rest of the house but a small glare bounced from the floor. I looked down and saw another figure laying on the floor.
"No." I said to myself as I reached for the light switch only to confirm my fears.
Covered in a pool of red, Poison Spectre laid on the floor with cuts and bruises all over her body. I slowly slinked my way over to the body, through the blood and onto the floor next to her.
"No, no, no, no, no, no." I said as I slid my hands under her body and picked her up. "Spectre, wake up, wake up dammit!" I yelled.
"She's lost too much blood Zhane. There's nothing you can do." said Umbra quietly.
Ignoring the entity, I continued to try and wake Spectre... with no luck. Slowly, I placed the body back on the floor.
"Spectre."
In anger, I smashed my fist on the floor next to the body, breaking the floor board and causing the blood to drain into the basement of the house.
"You take a loved one from me." I said. "You think that I'm your property? You think that you can control me? You think that you'll be safe from my wrath?"
I stood up, looking down at the lifeless body of Poison Spectre one of the only friends I had made in Equestria. A feeling of rage over took my body as I looked out of the window towards Canterlot.
"Nothing will save you from what I'm going to do to you!" I yelled as I made haste to Canterlot.
To be honest, everything went black after that.
"Why do you keep letting him keep getting away?" asked Phoenix as the trio appeared back in Canterlot Castle.
"We're not letting him go on purpose." said Agliss. "He just keeps find ways to escape."
"OR." emphasized Phoenix. "You keep letting him get away."
Agliss frowned.
"You could have flown after him. Kept up with the fog as it got away. It would at least given us an idea where he was going. Now, he has possession on a magical artifact that greatly increased his power. If you think that you can take, be my guest to take him on but I guarantee that you won't survive."
Phoenix rolled him eyes as the trio entered the throne room and greeted Celestia.
"How'd it go?" asked Celestia.
"He escaped." said Agliss. "With the Crystal Heart."
Celestia frowned and then sighed.
"To think, one human could cause this much trouble."
"Don't forget Celestia." said Agliss. "It was one human that ended us as a race. I wouldn't be too surprised at what Zhane can do. We are deceptive and corrupt by nature. It take a noble man to break that monotonous cycle."
"Well said Captain Agliss, well said." replied Celestia. "We'll just have to keep up the chase. I have recently assigned Captain Shining Armor the mission of helping you find and trap Zhane. Thought it would help lighten your work load."
"There's no need Celestia." replied Agliss. "We can handle it."
Celestia was about to reply but was stopped by a guard that had entered the throne room.
"Princess, there is somepony here to see you."
"Send them in." she replied.
Seven ponies proceeded to walk in with one Pegasus leading the group. They approached the throne and bowed to the Princess.
"You may rise." she said. "State your name and your business here my little pony."
"My name is Darkwing and I have come to relay some valuable information to you." replied Darkwing.
"Exactly what would that be?" asked Celestia.
"You see Princess, I'm a sort of information broker and an interesting piece of info has reached my ears."
"And that would be?"
"The location of Zhane Black's place of residence.
"Where is Darkwing?!" yelled a shadow covered figure as it stand in a small bar now covered in blood. The pony in its grasp, bloodied, replied to the creature.
"He-he's at the castle. Talking wi-with the Princess."
With that, the pony's life was ended and his body was thrown to the side as the shadow left the bar, leaving death in its wake.
"Where exactly is his place of residence?" asked Celestia.
"He currently lives in a small cabin on the edge of the town of Ponyville." replied Darkwing. "I've also received information that a team of enforcers from the Black Hooves has able to locate the house and eliminate the pony in cohorts with Zhane. I believe her name was Poison Spectre."
"Exactly who told you this?" asked Celestia.
"What kind of information broker would I be if I gave you my sources." replied Darkwing. "So let's just say that I heard it through the grapevine."
"I'm half tempted to have you locked up." said Celestia with a frown.
"Why Princess?" asked Darkwing. "I am but a mere info broker. I'm no criminal in any way. I just collect information."
Celestia snorted and closed her eyes.
"Thank you for the information. You may leave now."
Darkwing bowed and turned but was stopped by a loud rumbling and bang.
"Know this would happen." Darkwing said to himself. "Take up positions by the door!"
"What is going on?" demanded Celestia as Agliss and Yamato began to approach the ponies.
"A demon is about to show its true colors." he said as he turned back to the Princess.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Dark wing!" yelled a voice from nearby.
"Incredible." said Agliss. "I've never felt this much magic presence before, from anything."
"What is it?" asked Celestia.
Agliss simply shrugged his shoulders as he listened to the deafening explosions get closer and closer until they were at the throne room doors. With another loud bang, the doors were off their hinges and laying on the ground. Once the smoke had clear, there stood a battle-worn Zhane with black aura pouring from his hands and eyes. No words were said for a few moments.
"It's impossible." said Agliss. "Not even Avalan reached this power."
Agliss quickly shook his head and drew his sword and rushed at Zhane. Within a respectable distance, Agliss slashed his sword only to see it be stopped by Zhane's hand. Blood started to pour from the wound as Zhane looked at Agliss.
"You're time will come later. I am here for Darkwing." he said in a distorted voice as he threw Agliss across the room with one simple arm movement. "Stay out of the way and I may spare your life."
Agliss recovered from the toss and holstered his sword
"Agliss, what are you doing?!" yelled Celestia.
"He's too strong for any of us to handle." said Agliss. "It's best if we just stay out of the way for now."
Celestia frowned and looked over to the human killing machine who was currently slaughtering all of Darkwing's associates until he got to Darkwing.
"I will make your suffer!" yelled Zhane as he grasped Darkwing and lifted him off the ground.
"Are really mad for me killing your marefriend?" asked Darkwing jokingly. "She was a piece of scum and needed to be eliminated. Is it too much to ask that you would be wiped off this planet?"
Zhane gritted his teeth and surrounded Darkwing in his magic which lifted him further in the air.
"I'm going to rip you to piece!" yelled Zhane "One piece at a time!"
The magic around the Pegasus began to form something along the lines of ropes that held him in place. One for each appendage of his body. Zhane pointed his palm at the pony and pushed it forward.
"First your wings!"
The binds around Darkwing's wings tightened and began pulling. Through the yelling and pleading of the Pegasus a loud sound was heard followed by a wet tear. Two wings then fell from the body of the Pegasus and to the ground followed by a small waterfall of blood.
"Then your bones!" yelled Zhane as he closed his hand quickly.
The binds around Darkwing's arms and legs tightened until a sickening crack and snap were heard as they echoed through the throne room. For some reason, Darkwing had yet to pass out and was unfortunately awake for the last part.
"And finally your life!"
With another simple flick of his wrist, more tendrils, like the ones that held Darkwing, were produced. Another flick of the wrist sent these tendrils forward into Darkwing's body, running it through. Darkwing's yelling was reduced to a small gasp and the Pegasus finally hunched over welcoming death but for some reason, Zhane wasn't done.
Another movement of his hand caused the tendrils inside Darkwing's body to start to expand until the body exploded into a red, bloody mess all over the walls and ground. With the deed done, Zhane slunk down to the ground and remained there for the longest time.
Celestia looked over to Agliss with an obvious look of terror on her face. She had obviously never seen an act so violent. She looked to Agliss to handle the situation and he nodded in return. The Captain proceeded to walk over to the enraged monster that was once Zhane Black and hopefully still is.
"What was the point of the unnecessary violence Zhane?" asked Agliss in a soft voice.
"He killed her, one of the only ponies that I could rely on in Equestria." said Zhane in a normal voice. "Once again, I've lost those that I love and my happiness is ripped from my grasps."
Zhane stood up, tears in his eyes. He held his hand out and pressed it against Agliss' chest.
"While I'm here, I'll kill two bird with one stone."
Agliss, frozen by the fear of what Zhane would do, looked on as aura began to build in Zhane's hand.
"Goodbye Agliss." Zhane said as he readied himself to release the magic.
Agliss closed his eyes and quickly reached for his sword but stopped once a pillar of blue flames slammed into the magic wielding maniac and engulfing him completely.
Agliss looked back to see that Phoenix's wings were covered in a bright blue flame.
"Well that was unexpected." Agliss said to himself.
"You can ask question later." said Phoenix as he approached the human. "Just get Celestia out of here, I'll handle him."
"No, you still won't be able to handle Zhane. Even with that blue flames of yours."
The two were interrupted by a large shock wave that pushed the flame around Zhane away and surrounded it, effectively containing it. His entire demeanor had changed. His entire body was now cloaked in shadows. Two red eyes glared out at the two in front of him.
"You damn Wizard!" yelled Zhane or what Agliss thought was Zhane. "Damn you and your flames. I thought you were gone for good but no, here you stand stopping me from achieving absolute power."
Phoenix smiled.
"I had a hunch you were the source of Zhane's power...Umbra."
"How is it that you keep coming back. I've killed you at least once with each vessel I've controlled. I killed your last reincarnation 1000 year ago while I still inhabited Princess Luna!"
"Wait, what?" replied Celestia. "I thought Luna turned into Nightmare Moon because of her spite towards me?"
"You stupid pony, did you really think that magic can change that drastically in a pony? No, she agreed to allow me to inhabit her body in exchange for the power to have her subjects respect her. This vessel has gotten the most accomplished because you have done nothing about him. No attempts to send him to the moon. No good attempts at his life. He was able to absorb King Sombra's horn and the Crystal Heart. On top of that, he is perfecting the art of Shadow magic. He's the best vessel I've had yet."
"And I'm about to kill this one Umbra and finally send you to the void where you belong." said Phoenix.
"How do you know this entity Phoenix?" demanded Celestia. "Better yet, how does he know you?"
"Well it's a long story." he said with a smile.
The entity inside Zhane began to laugh.
"It's a pathetic story really. You see, long ago there was a wizard that protected a small village from dark spirits. Once he died, the village came together to give this wizard an immortal life. The worst part is that once he's killed he always comes back and no matter what he comes back as, he can still use those damn blue flames. But no matter what happens, nothing will be able to kill me, the father of Shadow and Soul magic, the Destroyer of Races, the Reaper, the One Void of Light, The Dark One, Umbra."
"The father of Shadow and Soul magic?" said Agliss. "I only know once person that held that title and he...he...he."
"Hehehehehe, looks like the last horse crosses the finish line. I honestly thought you would never find out but congrats on finally figuring it out Agliss. During my time among the living I was held in high esteem. I was exalted as a prodigy, the savior of my race, a master of magic."
The entity paused.
"My name...was Avalan."
Here's Chapter 25 for everypony. Enjoy!
Phoenix is an OC that is entirely owned by Neo Masamune. Thank you for letting me use him!
See everyone Monday!