Faded Shadows

Chapter 16

I rubbed my eyes as the morning sunlight hit my face. Last night had taken its toll on my body and at that point, I was exhausted beyond all belief. I ended up passing out after five additional electric shock from the collar. At least I was confident that I wouldn't run out of magic for the rest of the day. Hell, I would probably be set for several weeks.

I sat up in the bed and pushed myself off onto the floor. It took a second to get used to the soreness in my muscles but after several seconds of stretching and pained grunts, I was able to walk normally with little to no pain. With my muscles no longer bothering me, I wondered over to the door and opened it slowly. Outside were no guards, no castle worker, nothing at all. This was a little concerning because there were always guards outside my door. I walked out into the hall, closed my door behind me and started in the direction of the throne room.

Several minutes of walking later and I arrived at the throne room. I pushed the doors open and saw Agliss and King Leo across the room looking at a large map behind a large, round table. I saw the old man look back with a large smile.

"Good morning." he said. "Are you ready for today?"

"As ready as I can be." I replied as I approached the table that stood in front of the map. On it were several pieces of armor along with a bow, a quiver full of arrows and a medium sized sword.

What's all of this?" I asked as I examined items.

"Those are for you." replied Agliss as he walked over to the table. "I consulted with Azure Phoenix and we were able to find the weapons and armor that would best suit your mission."

"You're actually giving me weapons?" I asked.

"I know you won't cause trouble." said the old man with the world's biggest smirk on his face. "That would only cause trouble for you."

I rolled my eyes.

"What's with these weird armor pieces?" I asked.

"It's what I could find that would both fit you and protect your vital areas. It's also extremely light and has been camouflaged for the terrain you'll be in. There's two arm guards, two shin guards, a modified chest plate with protection for your neck and a holster for the sword."

The old man then picked up the bow and tested the string.

"I also decided to give you a bow. I remember hearing how good you were with one. The quiver on the table contains thirty arrows so use them sparingly. We also have a set of wool lined clothes ready for you. I had them made according to my sizes but they should fit you just fine."

"Anything else?" I asked.

"If, for some chance, you're get spotted and have the base alerted to your presence, find a place to hide and let Azure clear the base. I know I'm giving you weapons but that's all you have. If you lose that sword and use all your arrows, you will be defenseless. Knowing you, you'll still try to fight but for the sake of both of us, don't"

'That won't happen.' I thought to myself. 'Not since I have this magic now.'

Life for a human in this world can be somewhat of a challenge. That's the best way to describe my situation as of now. As I sat and watched as the troops were deployed to each of their regions, I couldn't help but think that my next greatest obstacle lies ahead. At this damned mountain were the enemy lurk. I already had more than enough to worry about, like what that Nurse told me or that illusion that I had witnessed. I mean, I only have a little bit of time left in this world left to live. Is there really any point in caring anymore? Should I go now with caution or should I throw caution to the wind. Who would be here to help me if I told them what was happening to me? I'm sure I would get a lot of remarks about how I deserve it and to be honest, I really do. I've killed and ravaged my way not through this world, but also the world I originated from.

I guess it was already decided for me at the very beginning. I guess no one can live forever. So at this moment, I have decided that I should no longer to baby steps towards my actions but that I should take leaps and jumps. If I needed to clean up the mess I made in Equestria then so be it. I'll do so to the best of my abilities. If I need to assist someone in need, someone who truly deserves it. I'll do so at the best of my abilities.

In the back of my mind, this decaying of the soul and illusions is just something minor. What caused this change in me is something that I may never know. Maybe it's grief for the actions that I caused out of blind loyalty. Maybe the rotten part of my soul has already rotted away. No matter the cause, I will no longer continue with caution to hide my intentions but I will continue with absolute certainty to complete the objectives before me. Though I might still have to hide one or two things away from certain people, I won't let it stop me.

As if awaken from a sleep, I snapped back to existence by the touch of a hoof to my arm. I looked up to see Azure Phoenix standing over me with the same expression that he has always had.

"You ready to go, soldier?" he asked me as he looked me over. "You certainly look the part."

I smiled faintly.

"Yes, I'm ready." I said as I looked at the Pegasus. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Hope everyone enjoys this chapter. After this, there are three more chapters till everything will be back on track.