My editing skills SUCK! But anyways, yeah I'm back for now. However, the chapters keep getting longer and require more time, so i might need more then a weeks time. Anyways, just read the darn thing.
Chapter 16 D: Tainted and Desecrated. (Part one of two)
"She appears to be slipping in and out of conscious sir."
"It doesn't matter; just do what I've told you…
One hour passes.
"She's awake again."
"My lord, her vital signs are fading!"
"You call yourselves doctors? Bring her back to health!"
"We're losing her!"
"Another dose of the drug, NOW!"
"Her heart rate is dropping!"
"Find the problem this instant!"
"Sir, she's losing conscious…"
Another hour passes.
"So this is it, the final test before Equestria's fate is decided…I hope you're making the right decision…
Twilight awoke abruptly, taking a deep breath and looked around. The area she was in was indeed a prison, but it seemed…nice. The walls and floor were decorated in all sorts of colors; the beds were laid out with comfortable cloth, giving it a hotel type feeling. It even had a window, with bars of course. Looking to the exit, the prison bars were replaced with steel and seemed to be humming with magic.
"Well, this doesn't quit fit home but it's better than I thought it would be."
"I'm glad you're doing better, so you like the scenery?" A voice asked from behind her.
"Dark Fire!" Twilight yelled, jumping back a few feet.
"Well, I asked you a question? Do you like it; I had it designed just for you."
"I…" Twilight looked around the room again. "It's…alright."
"Well that's good…"
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Twilight finally asked.
"Let's just say a voice in my head told me to."
"Night Shadow?" Twilight asked.
"No...the other one."
"Can I…talk to Night Shadow?"
"That…isn't possible right now."
"Why!" Twilight said, almost angrily. "I haven't seen him in over nine months, maybe even ten, and your telling me I can't talk to him?"
"Why do you care anyways? You hate him!"
"NO!" Twilight shouted. "I love him…"
"Even after everything he did…what I did, you still love him."
Twilight nodded slowly, as a small tear fell down her face.
"So why can't I see him?" Twilight asked, saddened.
"Because he refuses to speak." Dark Fire told her.
"What?"
"It's easier if it just show…"
Dark Fire faded through the prison bars and stood before Twilight.
"We have to be close for this to work." Dark Fire said, taking a step forward.
Twilight stepped back, obviously concerned.
"What makes you think I can trust you?" Twilight asked.
"Well, I wouldn't have given you such a nice room, saved your from Desolent, or saved you through the help of medicine if I wanted to hurt you now would I?"
"You have always been a deceiver Dark Fire…it's not like much has changed."
"Do you want to see Night Shadow of not!?" He finally shouted.
Twilight sighed loudly, walking up to him.
"Now stand still…"
Dark Fire touched his horn to Twilights, causing her to blush. It soon faded when the room around them suddenly ripped apart, showing a large dark void with a beam of light shining on what looked like a giant, clear ball.
"Wha…what is this place?" Twilight asked.
"This is my mind, Twilight. Where all my decisions are made…"
"Dark Fire, what are you doing?" The good form of Night Shadow asked, appearing before them.
"Night Shadow?"
"No Twilight, Night Shadow is over there…"
He pointed to the giant ball. Twilight squint her eyes to see Night Shadow floating inside the ball, bound to black ropes of darkness.
"NIGHT SHADOW!" Twilight screamed, running to him.
"Twilight no!" Dark Fire said, grabbing her tail. "It's not that simple."
"What do you mean, he's right-
"He is in a coma so to speak, he's lost in his own…my mind…constantly replaying his memories from start to finish." The good form Night Shadow spoke.
"Is there no way of freeing him?"
"There might be, and that is why I need your help." Dark Fire said, vanishing from her eyes.
The void suddenly returned back to the prison room, like nothing had happened.
"I…I want to be good again." Dark Fire told her.
"What…well why that is hard, you imprisoned Night Shadow in the first place?"
"Because of two things Twilight. One, I want to separate from him and live my own life among you, be my own pony."
"Is that possible?" Twilight asked, confused.
"Yes…but there's a catch."
Twilight nodded.
"If I separate, I will have no sense of right and wrong, no conscience. Me, naturally being the evil self will have no control over my actions and only act out in pure evil. This form you see in now is Night Shadow preventing his true evil from being released. I was never meant to be, I am a mix of Neutral and evil. However, there is hope." Dark Fire explained, being nervous. "If I come into contact with the elements of harmony, my evil will be erased, only leaving a neutral conscious…but if I am attacked by darkness or corruption…this will happen."
Dark Fire used an illusion spell and used the room as a live theater.
"I witnessed this in a dream not too long ago, and I'm convinced that this is the future." Dark Fire said, bleakly.
Twilight looked around, seeing countless ponies in shackles and chains. The sky itself was filled with black smoke that blocked out the night sky while skyscrapers touched the heavens. With the swipe of Dark Fire's hoof, the appeared in the throne room, where he was.
"They call him…me…Death Fire. He is a heartless king that enslaves the entire planet and brings hell itself into a once peaceful world. His power surpasses mine by tenfold and has almost full control of the black book that I once tried to use before. This is what was supposed to originally happen, until Night Shadow stopped me in mid-transformation. Now, it's time to prevent this Nightmare from ever arising. Will you help us?"
Twilight nodded joyfully, hugging Dark Fire.
"Thank you…for finally finding your way."
"There's only one problem and one condition…" Dark Fire said bleakly, struggling to hug back.
"What is it…"
"The condition is that if the Elements of harmony imprison me rather than free me, you must accept and forgive my friends. Nightmare Moon, Chrysalis, Sombra, all of them, you must help them become free from their pain. They're not evil, there just misunderstood and afraid. Please tell your princess this; I don't want them to suffer if I have to."
"Ok, I will. So what is the problem?"
"You must duel Trixie…my marefriend."
Twilight abruptly slapped Dark Fire across the muzzle.
"YOU'RE CHEATING ON ME!"
"We never were together, and she's so hot!" Dark Fire said, hiding behind the bed.
"I…I CAN'T…*large sigh* I guess I had my chance…" She said, in a saddened tone.
"You do realize that if this plan works, Night Shadow will be separated from me right?"
Twilight blinked a few time, frozen in place.
"Yeah…so I'll open a portal up so you can speak to your princess about what we've talked about." He said, blasting a portal into the wall.
"One more thing Darky…"
Twilight ran up to him and pecked him on the check.
"Trixie kisses better!" Dark Fire blurted out.
Twilight raised her hoof and grunted at Dark Fire before he ran off in a puff of smoke.
"Twilight…" A soothing voice said behind her.
"Celestia?" Twilight said, sniffling.
Twilight ran up to Celestia and latched onto her like a lost puppy.
"I've missed you so much!" Twilight said as her eyes watered.
"I have to Twilight…and so have others." Celestia said, gesturing to Cadence and Luna.
Twilight, being reunited with Celestia and the others, couldn't help but feel overjoyed. Even if she was in prison, she was with those that cared about her. About an hour passed just with them talking and establishing plans.
"I don't trust him." Blue Blood said, angrily.
"Well, you're just a frog." Cadence teased.
"Anyways, it just seems risky. Yes, our stay in prison has slowly turned into a five star hotel, but it just doesn't seem right." Luna said, staring out the window. "Dark Fire can not just simply, 'become good.'
"Going off subject for a moment, why haven't you tried to break out yet, it's not like your magic is being restrained like it used to." Twilight asked.
"It's the magic fields Twilight; they resist any type of magic or discharge. Discord put it up himself along with Dark Fire."
"They're slowly moving to advanced technology though. Soon, there will be no need for magic to power everything." Cadence added.
"I fear the worst though." Celestia intervened. "This electricity Dark Fire is so obsessed with can be used for a darker purpose. I have seen Canterlot grow from the time we have been here, and as its buildings rise, so does it's corruption."
"But if what you say about Dark Fire is true, then there is defiantly hope for redemption." Cadence said, happily.
"Let's focus on the now everypony, like how you four are going to break this curse on me." Blue Blood said, with impatience.
"Why don't I try?" Twilight asked, casting a transformation spell.
Blue Blood glowed violently with magic before turning into a cat.
"Now look what you've done, you fool!" Blue Blood yelled.
"Come now, thy looks cute in this form." Luna teased.
Everypony chuckled except for old grumpy cat until a metal door was heard slamming open. Several muffle sounds were heard from around the corner of the cell and then silence.
"What's going on…" Twilight asked.
As if answered immediately, a pony guard was sent tumbling down the stairs unconscious. They all stared awkwardly at the pony until a black robed pony with a hood walked in.
"You think you could get away that easily!"
"Desolent!" Twilight yelled.
"This time there really is no escape for you!"
"You're going to have to go through us Desolent!" Celestia said, stepping in front of Twilight.
"The Princess of the Night will not fall a second time!" Luna shouted.
"And I won't watch it happen again!" Cadence added.
Everypony looked at Blue Blood.
"Aren't you going to say something?" Twilight asked.
"I'm just a cat, what do you want me to say!" Blue Blood screamed.
"Whatever, now I can have the satisfaction of taking you out and the princess in one-
Desolent grabbed the prison bar and pulled, but nothing happened.
"What the buck?!" Desolent yelled, pulling harder. "You got to be kidding!"
Desolent let go of the bars and gave it one strong punch, making the shield ripple but nothing more. Twilight and the others just stared awkwardly as this once frightening pony was struggling to open a prison door.
"OF ALL THE THINGS TO PREVENT ME FORM DESTROYING YOU!" Desolent screamed, punching the field in rapid successions.
Desolent screamed loudly as he turned and bucked the field with all his strength, but nothing happened. He twitched in anger before his hooves were enveloped in black and green light.
"DESOLENT WAIT!" Celestia screamed, before he hit the field.
A large explosion occurred, but the ponies inside remained unharmed. Outside, the smoke cleared, showing a very pissed off pony.
"THIS IS BULL ^&#(, HOW CAN A &#( &# WALL STOP ME!"
"Watch your language there Desi…you might pinch a nerve." Luna snickered.
"Oh that's funny…THAT'S VERY *#&$( FUNNY!"
"Desolent, calm down, there's nothing you can do." Cadence suggested.
Desolent stared darkly before he sat down like and angry elephant.
"There, feeling better?" Cadance asked.
"Shut up."
"So you're just going to sit there and stare at us?" Twilight asked.
"You're the only thing left that stands in my way; it is my last true goal in life besides making the world suffer."
There was a pause in the conversation, long enough for everything to die down.
"What happened to you Desolent?" Celestia asked. "You used to be full of life, full of happiness, and suddenly it all vanished. What else did the necronomicon take away from you…Dust Breaker?"
Desolents eyes widened.
"DON'T EVER ADDRESS ME BY THAT NAME AGAIN!" he yelled, smashing the field.
"Dust Breaker?" Twilight repeated. "Wait, THAT WAS YOU IN THE ACADEMY!?"
"No Twilight…that was a different pony…a pony that has long departed from this world." Desolent whispered.
"Why are you like this, why are you so evil, so corrupted! What could have possible happened to make you like this!?" Twilight demanded, with rising sorrow.
"Very well, I shall retell my painful story from the very beginning…"
Warning: Desolent's life is both saddening and disturbing, as said before he is the main reason why the fanfic is rated teen and maybe altered to mature. Read with caution…
Thirty two years ago.
Location: Germania.
Twenty eight years before Luna's redemption…
"The child's power his hidden, but off the charts. He's stronger than any child we have ever seen!"
"What! Even the elite class?" A dark green unicorn with black hair asked.
"Yes sire…his magic well is almost as strong as yours."
"This is preposterous, inconceivable, and unacceptable…FROM A LOW CLASS HARLET! NO UNICORN CAN SURPASS ME IN POWER!"
"What shall we do clan leader Olympus?"
"I want this child executed immediately…"
Everypony looked towards the exit, seeing a gray unicorn mare with blond hair enter the open tent in torn rags.
"Please don't do it, I beg of you, look into your heart sire." The mare said, stepping forward.
Multiple guards stood up and restrained her, pushing her back to the exit.
"PLEASE, HE'S JUST A CHILD!"
"I will not stand idly by and watch a disaster destroy everything I have worked for!" Olympus said, walking to her.
"You haven't given him a chance; he could be a great ally, a great magician!"
"I have made my decision; he will not see the light of day…"
"BUT HE'S YOUR SON!"
"THEN YOU'LL DIE WITH HIM!"
With a flash of light, the mare was blasted out of the tent and crashed into the mud, making her already filthy coat turn brown. Olympus walked out of the tent, staring upon her with his dark green eyes.
"No son of mine comes from a harlot! Take her to her home!"
"You can't do this…you can't do this!" She screamed.
"You made the mistake of barring a child Salvia, no I must cleanse mine."
"No st-
Two guards grabbed the mare and muzzled her mouth as they dragged her hind-hoofs along the dirt road. About five minutes passed before they reached her broken down house.
"So this is where the filth sleeps." Olympus whispered. "Are you men ready…"
The guards unbound the mare and threw her into the house, meanwhile Olympus walked by her slowly, followed by another large guard. Salvia looked up to see the two overlooking a broken white crib. Olympus removed the white sheet as the guard levitated a dark green colt with black hair.
"So this is the sleeping child, the abomination to our land…Fast Draw…my sword." Olympus whispered.
The guards showed no signs of remorse as he handed a golden hilted saber to his clan leader. Olympus unsheathe the sword and examined it.
"As you can see, even your beloved leader makes mistakes, but unlike other I will correct them!" He said, pointing the sword to the child.
"STOP THIS, DOES YOUR CODE HAVE NO MERCY TO INNOCENT CHILDREN!"
"SILENCE!" A guard yelled, smashing his hoof against the back of her head.
The mare fell to the floor, watching her son float before Olympus.
"WITH THIS MY SINS ARE FORGIVEN!"
Salvia looked away, shutting her eyes in tears as she heard a sharp scream of pain.
"I hate you…I HATE YOU ALL YOU HEARTLESS MONSTERS!" Salvia screamed in tears.
Several guards laid out hay all over the floor before they departed and stood at the door. Olympus smirked as she continued to cry in the middle of the floor before he tossed a torch into the room, lighting everything on fire. Salvia soon came to her senses and ran to her child, attempting to cover the wound with her rags. She held the child in her hooves as the fire spread all around the house and her.
"I…I love you my son…don't let anypony else tell you differently."
She put all her strength into stopping the bleeding and keeping her son alive, but it was quickly fading as the fires grew larger and stronger.
"PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP US!" The mare screamed, holding her child closer to her.
Minutes passed, and still nothing happened…until the impossible happened. The child's hair slowly turned from black to pure white as his eyes shot open. His eyes glowed bright purple as a bubble of magic enveloped the two ponies, shielding them from the fire. The mare stared in shock at her son as he screamed loudly and repulsed the bubble outward, blowing away the fire and the house. The ponies outside were frightened as they saw the two ponies ascend into the sky and with a burst of magic, the two had vanished in a white flash.
"This isn't over…" Olympus whispered, staring into the dark, cloudy sky.
Seven years pass…
"Dust, where are you!" Salvia shouted, walking through a fairly large forest. "This isn't funny Dust, please come out."
Salvia continued to walk around, shouting for her son's name. That is until she found him staring into a pond.
"Dust, what are you doing?"
"I'm looking into the pond mother; it's a reflection of one's self, of one's past. See how it brightens when I look into it mother, because I have not done anything bad."
Salvia stood beside her soon and gazed into the pond. Seeing herself, all she could think about was how horrible her life was and still is.
"You see mother, the pond shivers at your reflection." Dust said, innocently.
Salvia saw, to her surprise, that the pond was losing brightness and that it was indeed "shivering" as he put it.
"My life might be tainted Dust, but your has only started. You have a chance to redeem our family from what it was…because you're my light in this darkened world."
"You mean redeem my father…you never told me about him mother, what was he like?"
"He was…let's not talk about him shall we?"
"You also never told me why I have this scar around my heart." Dust said, putting his hoof to his chest. "How did that happen?"
"You ask a lot of questions don't you, you little genius." Salvia grinned, tickling Dust.
Dust started to laugh uncontrollably as Salvia practically tickled him to death.
"Stop it mother, I hate it when you tickle me." Dust said, trying to control his laughter.
"Come on little one, let go home." She said, putting Dust on her back.
"Mom…I love you." Dust said, lying on her back, starting to fall asleep.
"I…I love you to Dust Breaker…I love you to." Salvia said, as a tear fell down her eye.
"Mother, where are you going?" Dust asked, sitting up from the bed.
"I'll be back Dust, go play with your friends, and then we can go eat somewhere." Salvia said, putting on her cloche.
"Mom, why is it when you leave, you always come back with a bag of bits, but you say you have no job."
"Dust…*sigh* some things are better left unsaid. Someponies or mare in this case, has to do what is needed in order to survive. I hope one day you can save me from this life of mine, but I must do this for you." Salvia said, closing the door.
Dust ran to the window, making sure her mother didn't see her. Salvia looked around before she put black hood up and walked to the illuminated city about two miles away.
"I wonder why mother always goes to the city; she tells me that a lot of bad things happen there." Dust pondered.
Even if Dust was a small colt, his constant study and fascination of magic gave him an advantage over all the others, making him very intelligent for his age. Dust waited a bit longer before he opened the door to his small house and followed his mom. About an hour passed until he reached the cities entrance.
"Welcome…to…Los…Pegasus." Dust sounded out, still having difficulty reading.
"Hey kid, isn't it passed your bed time." A city guard asked.
"Well…no…why?"
"It's an hour till mid-night kid…go back home." The guard said, without moving.
"Umm, ok then." Dust said, walking through the gate.
"Hey, I said go home kid." The guard said, getting aggravated.
"Well my house I like over there." Dust said, pointing inside.
"Really now, I'll follow you in then." The guard said.
"Hmmm, ok…you sure you can follow me though."
"Yes, now lead the way."
Dust's horn glowed before he suddenly dashed away in a green blur.
"WHAT THE HECK!" The guard shouted.
Dust finally stopped running after a minute had passed, giving him distance. He was surprised and awe struck by all the lights of the city, practically lighting up the area like Celestia's sun itself.
"This is so coooool!" Dust yelled, looking around with a smile.
"Hey, watch it kid!" A tipsy pony said, bumping into him.
"Oh, sorry…I didn't see you there, but have you seen my mom around."
"Kid, I've been with a lot of mares, but I'm still not going to claim you."
"I don't get it…"
This continued to happen until he reached the side of the road.
"Have you seen my mom?"
"No kid, it's not like I would care anyways." A stallion said, walking off.
Dust looked around and spotted a white stallion near a mare with a light gray and blue coat mix.
"Ummm, mister, do you know where my mom is?"
"No kid, I'm a busy stallion and I'm trying to let out some steam her, so why don't you-
"Affluent…this is no time to be angry." The mare said. "Hi there little one, my names Mystic Charade, what's your name?" She asked, with a motherly tone.
"My name's Dust Breaker, it's nice to meet you." He said, happily. "Do you know where my mother is?"
"No, sadly I don't, why don't we find her together." Charade said with a smile.
"This is ridiculous, you can't find somepony in Los Pegasus, just leave him!" Affluent shouted.
"Don't be so harsh, I'll be back soon." Charade said, lifting Dust to her back. "Now little one, tell me where she might be."
"Over there, perhaps…"
About two hours pass without success, until the two found something they weren't suppose to find.
"Hey look, that's my mom!"
"Where?" Charade shouted, excited.
"Well, it's a picture of her."
Charade walked up to the picture, shocked at what she saw.
"Oh no…"
"What wrong?"
Not wanting to tell a lie, she quickly took the picture off the wall and read it mentally.
Salvia, wanted for treason, robbery, vandalism, piracy, racketeering, black market dealing, drug distributing, and possible murder. She tends to sell herself from time to time to other criminals. If spotted, contact authorities, she is not to be confronted directly. Reward, 100,000 bits.
'I thought I had it bad…' Charade thought to herself.
A large explosion was heard behind the two. Turning around abruptly she saw multiple, massed ponies run out of the bank, but the one that caught her eye was the mare herself. She had what looked to be several bags of bits on her body before she accidentally ran into Charade.
"Hi mommy! Why are you all dresses in black?"
Salvia starred into the eyes of her son, to ashamed of herself to even speak.
"THERE SHE IS, GET HER!" Several armored guards shouted, running towards her.
"Hey everypony, watch this!" Dust shouted.
"Wait Dust! Not so-
Charade was cut as Dust teleported all three of them back to his home. It took Salvia a few more moments before she came back to reality.
"What were you thinking Dust Breaker, you could have gotten hurt! Did I not tell you to stay home?!" She shouted, almost angered. "You should be lucky nopony tried to ponynap you, get inside now!"
"I-I was j-just trying to find you." Dust said, almost tearing up.
"I…*sigh* I'm sorry Dust…I'm sorry I can't be the mother I should be. Just please go inside."
Dust slowly opened the door and walked inside.
"You don't have to do all of this you know…" Charade said, unfolding the wanted poster.
"You don't know what I go through…"
"I know plenty, and I know that it's eating away at your heart. Like it does for me…"
"Look, I don't know who you are or what you want…but, thank you for finding my son."
"My name is Mystic Charade, but as I've said before, you don't have to go down this path." She said, giving her a card. "I do shows every week, it pays the bills, but you can come talk to me anytime. I'll help you, but you must trust me." She said leaving. "One more thing, your son has amazing skill with magic; you should push him to join the School for Gifted Unicorns in Canterlot."
"That…sounds like it could work actually." Salvia agreed.
"Take care…"
Charade threw a smoke bomb onto the floor before vanishing.
"It might just work Charade…It just might work.
Three years later…
"FOCUS DUST, LOOK DEEP WITHIN YOURSELF!" Salvia shouted from a distance.
"I'm trying!" Dust said, struggling.
"TRY HARDER; I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!"
"ERRRR…BUDGE YOU STUPID BOULDER!"
A large stone the size of a large hill was slowly levitating before Dust…along with five others stones of the same size. He was working on levitating a sixth boulder.
"REMEMBER YOU'RE TRAINING DUST, WORK WITH THE STONES RATHER THEN AGAINST THEM!" Salvia advised.
"WHY WON'T IT MOVE?" Dust said, becoming angered. "MOVE YOU WORTHELSS PIECE OF GARBAGE!"
All six stones suddenly exploded, sending shards of stone all around the unicorn. As fast as he was, he wasn't successful in shielding himself from all the debris of rock.
"DUST!" Salvia shouted, running up to him.
"I'm fine mom…it's just a scratch." Dust said, flinching in pain.
"You're all cut up Dust! What did I tell you about using your anger?"
"Mom, most of my power comes through anger and pain…why can't I use it." Dust said, looking at his mother.
"It's not right Dust, and ponies can get easily corrupted when they rely on to much anger. You could also lose control, like you just did now."
"Ok mom…I'll try."
Salvia was used to healing up Dust in situations like this, learning healing spells in the process, but as his mother it was always hard to see her son get hurt.
"Aside from that, let's go into town and get some more magic tomes. You already mastered the ones I bought you." Salvia said, smiling.
"But aren't you still wanted, they'll spot you a mile away."
"Illusions my son, most ponies in Los Pegasus are weak minded from all the gambling. Us unicorns are blessed to have this wonderful gift of magic, and it is up to you to decide how to use it."
"Do…do you still do all those bad things that are on your poster."
"I have long given up that life, thanks to her."
"Mystic Charade? I always wondered how she's been doing. I only see her about once a month."
"She tends to stop by every now and then, wondering about you."
"She does?" Dust said, surprised. "I thought nopony cared for us."
"No everypony is uncaring. Thankfully, she has proven me wrong. Now let's get going shall we?"
The two unicorns took a slow and memorable walk down to the city. For once in Salvia's life, she was happy, happy to be alive, happy to be her and her son. Dust latched onto his mother, somehow feeling the emotions she was showing. It made him happy and it made his mom happy, they were finally free from their cure…
"Do you know why we are here Affluent…"
"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" Affluent yelled, bound to a chair and blindfolded.
"I want her location, where she lives, and you're going to tell me!"
"I don't know where she is, and why would I tell you even if I knew!"
"Because…your family depends on it…"
Several unicorns in animal fur threw forth three ponies, one mare, and two small children. They then removed the blindfold from Affluent's eye.
"Charade!"
"Be strong Affluent." Charade whispered, bringing the two small ponies closer to her.
"WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT, MONEY, LAND, CONTRACTS!" Affluent screamed.
"TELL ME WHERE SALVIA IS!"
"Why do you even care, she's-
"TELL ME!"
Affluent looked to Charade, who only shook her head no.
"Fine then…"
The pony nodded his head, signaling another unicorn to grab the small colt and slam him onto the table. The lead pony then removed a golden saber.
"If you will not tell us where she is…then perhaps this will serve as an example…"
"LEAVE MY SON ALONE!" Affluent shouted, gritting his teeth.
Charade attempted to grab the armed pony, but was only restrained by two other ponies.
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS, DO YOU HAVE NO HEART FOR CHILDREN!" She yelled.
"I have done it before, and I will again! TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!"
Affluent remained silent as a single tear rolled down his cheek, marking the first time he ever cried in his life.
"They…they life on the outskirts of the city…to the north…"
"NO, PLEASE DON'T DO IT!" Charade shouted, tears forming in her eyes.
"SHUTUP!" A pony shouted, smacking her in the face.
"Near the forest…in a small house hidden behind the trees…"
"There…now was that so bad…"
The all the ponies but the leader left the room.
"You have done a great service for the Unicorns of War clan." He said, tossing a bag of bit onto the table. "Remember this day, for it is the day that the great Olympus chose to spare your life…have a good day."
The pony slammed the door, leaving the four ponies in the room.
Two hours later.
"What do you mean you learned how to do everything in the book already?" Salvia said, looking at Dust.
"I did, why is that so hard to believe?"
"It's a master spell tomb, those take months to master, and you're telling me you mastered them all in an hour."
Dust nodded his head happily looking up at her.
"It looks like the weather team has scheduled to rain today."
"Well…would you look at that." Salvia said, looking up. "I guess it is."
"Let's get inside before it rains mom."
The two ponies were now within eye sight of the home. Dust ran along ahead until he stopped suddenly.
"What's the matter Dust, did something catch your eye?" Salvia asked.
"Mom…we're being watched…"
"What are you talking about?" Salvia asked, worried.
"We need to get out of here, before it's too late…"
"Dust, I don't understand…"
"They're here…"
Salvia looked around in horror to see about twelve ponies in animal skins appeared before her.
"It looks like you trained your son well Salvia…"
"Olympus, w-what are you doi-
She was suddenly pushed into the center of the circle of ponies. Meanwhile, Olympus grabbed Dust by his neck and restrained him, forcing him to watch.
"LET GO OF ME!" Dust yelled.
"Why, we just meet my son. Aren't you glad to see me?" He said, laughing evilly.
Dust shock in his place, unable to speak.
"LEAVE MY SON ALONE!" Salvia shouted before a large hoof knocked her to the floor.
"MOM!" Dust said, losing restraint.
"Oh look at this men, my son has a temper."
The ponies laughed, continuing to beat Salvia before her son's eyes.
"LEAVE MY MOM ALONE YOU MONSTERS!" Dust screamed.
As Dust tried to use his magic, a ring was placed on his horn that caused him to scream in pain.
"That ring with continue to give you pain until all your magic has been extinguished. Now, as for you Salvia, you will pay for your crimes against our clan, against out people."
"I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG, YET YOU CONTINUE TO PILLAGE EVERYTHING IN SIGHT FOR YOUR FALSE GLORY!
"ENOUGH!" Olympus yelled, nodding to his men. "I want to see this witch burn…
"CELESTIA WILL NEVER LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS, ONCE SHE FINDS OUT ABOUT THIS YOU WILL ALL BE DESTROYED!"
"She is of no concern for me, and soon you will just be dust in the wind."
Some of the ponies walked up to Salvia and poured a black liquid upon her body.
"You there…break her horn…"
"NO, STOP THIS PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU!" Salvia shouted.
The pony had no remorse as he smashed her horn with his hoof, uncaring as she screamed in pain.
"STOP HURTING MY MOM YOU ANIMALS!" Dust shouted in tears.
"No, you are going to watch as I finish this once and for all."
Olympus lit a torch before everyponys eyes.
"THERE IS NO ESCAPE FROM SIN SALVIA, AND FOR YOUR REBELLION AND DISOBEDIENCE TO OUR ORDER, YOU SHALL BURN AND PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!"
Salvia looked up at Dust, gazing into her sons eyes for the last time.
"No matter what happens Dust, remember that I love you!"
Olympus threw the torch…
"MMMMMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!" Dust screamed, watching the torch fall to the floor.
Dust wanted to look away, but the magic restraining him from Olympus was to strong. There he sat…watching the only thing that ever loved him practically parish before his weeping eyes.
"NNNOOOOOO, MOM PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME, MMMMMOOOOMMM!" Dust screeched.
Salvia continued to scream in pain before everypony around her, but all they did was stare, stare with blank expressions and cold hearts.
"This isn't enough, I want to make sure she dies…" Olympus said, picking up a large stone.
"NNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO!" Dust bawled, not being able to take it anymore.
"Shut him up!" One of the guards yelled.
Dust looked at her mother one last time before a large stone hit the back of his head. Before he blacked out, he witnessed through watered eyes all twelve ponies throwing stones at her once beloved mother.
Dust Breaker woke up in the bottom of a cliff, hearing waves from the ocean crash upon the rocks. He was still in pain and his heart had been shattered. He looked to his left to see what was left of his mom. With aching pain and tears, he slowly crawled to her and sobbed next to her.
"Why did they do it…why mom? You where the only pony that loved me as your own. You where the only thing I had in this world, and they took it from me. I never did anything wrong mom, so why…why have I lived such a horrible life. I'm only ten mom, please, I'm not ready to life in this world yet, I still need you. Please wake me up mom; I don't want to be in this Nightmare anymore! I LOVE YOU, AND I CANT LIVE WITHOUT YOU MOM!"
Dust continued to sob heavily next to her mother.
"I was too weak to save you mom, I SHOULD HAVE SAVED YOU BUT I WAS TO WEAK!"
Dust grabbed a stop and started to beat and cut himself as if he had gone insane.
"I'M SUCH A PATHETIC DISGRACE TO YOU MOM, AND I CAN'T BE FORGIVEN FOR IT! I DON'T DESERVE TO BEAR THIS NAME, OR THIS LIFE."
He angled the stone to his throat, willing to do anything to stop his suffering, but suddenly he felt different. Something inside of him had snapped, as Dust's sadness was replaced with anger. His heart which was once pure had turned black and uncaring. His eye's dilated and became soulless as the stone he held was taken away from his throat and slowly started to sharpen itself.
"If my dad wants to come and take away my mom from me, then so be it…but in exchange I shall take away from his everything he had ever achieved. LET IT BE KNOWN THAT ON THIS DAY, I BECAME WHAT YOU HAD ALWAYS FEARED!"
Dust Breaker took the stone and levitated it near his face.
"I'm coming for you father…and I will destroy everything that stands in my way…"
"Why have you allowed them to come back here Affluent?" Charade asked, trying to recover.
"I've alerted the authorities, apparently they're from Germania and part of a dangerous clan that Celestia has been trying to capture for some time now." Affluent whispered.
"They came back smelling like smoke Affluent…I fear the worse. Poor thing, she didn't deserve what they did to her."
"I'll make sure that they're dealt with properly when the royal guards come capture them. For now though, their leader is sleeping in the guest room upstairs along with the others. After this is over, I'll take you to my home in Canterlot. I'm tired of all the madness here."
"Let's hope nopony else has to be harmed today."
"Are you sure you will be fine sire." A guard asked, overlooking his leader.
"Yes! Now get out of my room!" Olympus demanded.
The lights went out as the guard left, leaving him alone in the dark. He lay on the bed, over thinking what he had just did not too long ago.
"Tomorrow we shall raid this city of all its wealth. It is their punishment for harboring that harlot for so long."
He closed his eyes, putting his head down. Thunder cracked outside as lightning illuminated the room. Opening his eyes once again, he saw his son starring dead at him on his bed.
"WHAT THE-
Dust slammed his head down his magic and shoved a ring onto his horn.
"Remember this father; you used it not too long ago…" Dust said insanely with a demonic grin.
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE-
"Gone, erased, taken from life. No, not yet father, it doesn't end so easily."
"SIRE, WHAT'S GOING ON!" An awaken guard asked, opening the door behind Dust.
The small unicorn subconsciously slammed the door on the guards face and threw him back into the room, sealing the door with magic.
"GUARDS, MY SON IS-
Dust twisted his father's neck, making it pop suddenly.
"What's the matter father, not strong enough to face me alone?" Dust laughed. "You're pathetic."
Olympus quickly grabbed his son by his neck, attempting to chock him. Dust only laughed at his attempt as he used his magic to bind his hooves to the bed.
"You took away everything I loved father, now you will suffer for your mistake…"
Dust reached behind him and showed his dad the stone dagger he had created. Dust, smiling insanely, slowly dragged the knife to his chest.
"YOU'RE JUST A LOW CLASS WARRIOR, AN INSECT, A PAWN! YOU COULD NEVER SURPASS ME, I MADE SURE OF IT!" Olympus shouted.
"No dad, you are the pawn. What you did today was the first step to you and your clan's utter desolation. I will purge the world of your kind, starting with you…"
Dust brought the knife up and angled it to his heart.
"YOU'RE TOO WEAK TO HURT YOUR OWN FATHER, TO STUPID AND A DISGRACE! YOU WILL NEVER-"
"YOU'RE THE ONE THAT IS TOO WEAK! YOU WERE TOO MUCH OF A COWARD TO FACE YOUR MISTAKES!"
"What's going on in there?!" The guards yelled, trying to get in the door.
"I want to hear you suffer…JUST LIKE YOU DID WITH MY MOTHER!"
Dust took the dagger in his hooves and stood on his hind legs. Olympus starred at his son in complete shock and terror, desperately trying to move.
"BY MY HOOF, YOU WILL SUFFER FOR ETERNITY!"
Thunder cracked over the house, snuffling out any noise of screaming…and laughing.
Twenty minutes later.
"BUST THE DOOR DOWN NOW!" One of the guards ordered.
With their combined magic and strength, all eleven guards bashed down the door, what they saw frightened them to death. Dust Breaker, who used to be an innocent child, was now covered in blood and sitting on what was left of his father. In his hooves was a beating heart with the stone dagger jabbed into it.
"Well, it looks like my father's lackeys have finally joined the party."
All the stallions stared in horror, becoming white in the face.
"Don't worry; you will soon join him…
"What the heck is going on in there?" Affluent shouted.
"Affluent, stand back from the door." A royal guard said, bucking down the door.
Ten royal guards ran in the room, taking in the scene of twelve disembodied ponies and a bloodied up room.
"WHAT IN CELESTIA'S NAME JUST HAPPENED HERE?" Affluent screamed.
"Affluent?" Dust said, walking out slowly from the dark.
Some of the guards almost hurled at the scene.
"Did…did you do all of this kid?" Another guard asked.
"Yes…they took my mother away from me and they had to pay…"
"DUST!" Charade shouted, parting the crowd and walking to him slowly. "What…what happened to you?" She said, frightened.
Dust starred evilly into her eyes until suddenly, he started crying once again.
"I-I don't know what's happening to me! Make it stop, MAKE IT STOP!"
"This kid just…just…massacred twelve criminals…we have to restrain him."
"No, please, I just want a home, a place to be loved." Dust said, weeping through his hooves.
One of the guards reached out to grab the colt to restrain him, but his hoof was grabbed without warning.
"I WON'T LET YOU TAKE ME AWAY!"
Dust let out a large burst of magic that launched everypony against the wall. The guard that he was holding wasn't so lucky. Dust spun around and chucked him out the window into another building.
"Tranquilize him now, before it gets out of hoof!" Affluent ordered.
"Our magic can't restrain that kind of power!" The guard responded.
"WHAT KIND OF GUARDS ARE YOU!"
Dust continued to scream, letting out all of his rage and threatening to take down the entire house with him. Charade, on the other hoof, stood up and walked towards him.
"Dust, I know you're still in there somewhere! Please stop this before you hurt anypony else!"
Dust continued to rage, summoning a small tornado within the room that blew the roof off.
"I know how it feels to lose a loved one Dust Breaker, but you have to listen to us! We're trying to help you, and destroying everything won't ease the pain! This isn't what your mother wanted Dust; she wanted you to rise above this, to redeem her of her past! She wanted you to life a life free of pain and sorrow, to become what you always dreamed of."
The twister started to calm down as Dust slowly descended down to earth and into her hooves.
"Don't let that dream fade away, because she will always be with you."
Dust continued to cry as Charade sang a slow tone to him. Dust grabbed Charade's fur and held onto it, whipping away his tears before he fell asleep in her hooves.
"Guards, I'm giving this child over to you, give him to somepony that will take care of him. No child must go through what he's been through."
Unfortunately, that's not what the guards though. After telling their captain what they had witnessed form Dust, he was sentenced to life in prison in the most infamous and rundown prison in Equestria. It harbored the most notorious criminals in the entire land and worst of all; Celestia was unaware that it even existed…
Day of arrival.
Dust was bound in chains that was attached to about fifteen other stallions. Looking up, he noticed the sky was gray and full of clouds. A prison guard captain soon approached the group with no sigh of emotion in his face.
"Alright maggots! Welcome to prison Ponatraz, the most infamous prison in Equestria and perhaps the world. I will be guiding you through this living hell hole and showing you your rooms!" He said, walking down the line of Stallions, staring each one down. "Note that you were taken here on a boat, meaning you had to cross a lake to get here for those that are stupid. This puts you Stallions in a predicament, because we are five miles off shore, and last time I checked ponies can't swim very fast. None of you have any chance of escaping and that goes for unicorns and pegasi as well.
The weather here never changes because nopony, and I mean nopony knows about this place but the guards and prisoners here. Meaning nopony knows where you are and that nopony can bail you out. They say that Celestia knows and sees all…this prison is proof of that lie. Even though we love and adore our princess, we understand that not all ponies are willing to give up their evil spirits, something that she doesn't understand yet."
The captain noticed some of the stallions were staring down, looking at him with blank faces, or off in their own little world.
"I don't expect to be liked here or make friends with anypony." He said, popping into a prisoners face. "But I do expect to be treated with respect."
The captain stared down all the prisoners until he got to Dust, who was pint sized compared to all the other prisoners.
"What the…why is there a colt here!?" The captain asked.
"He's here because of twelve murders, assault on ten guards, and destruction of property." Another prison guard said.
"Twelve murders from a pint sized kid?! Didn't your mother teach you better?"
Dust's eyes dilated as his face twitched in anger.
"Don't, ever, talk about my mom again." Dust said, darkly.
"Ha, I've seen enough, lead them in."
The prison gates opened, revealing a court yard full of large ponies of all races and a pathway inside the building. All at once, it would seem as if everypony ran to the gates and made a large racket by yelling and shaking the metal gate. While some insulted the so called, "fresh meat", most concentrated on Dust as he continued to walk motionless to the entrance. Their comments where either wounding, vulgar, and even inappropriate and dirty. However, what they didn't know is that Dust was slowly feeding off of their words and using them as power to push him forward, and he loved it.
The doors slowly opened, as Dust and the others walked in to get checked in to their new lives. Dust looked around emotionless, watching some of the stallions having their manes shaved and unshackled from their bindings. He looked to his right to see pegasi having their wings clipped as they gave him a dark look.
"Keep it moving, you filth!" A guard ordered, pushing Dust forward.
Dust turned slowly, giving the guard the most frightening look he had ever seen.
"I suggest you keep one eye open at night…you might not wake up in the morning."
"Is that a threat!" the guard yelled.
"No…it's a fact."
"NEXT!" The admittance pony yelled in his ear.
Dust snapped out of his insane glare to the guard and stepped forward.
"What's your name?" The pony asked.
"Dust Breaker."
"Ah, your that colt everypony is blowing up about. To be honest I feel bad for you, your time here will not be a pleasant one, especially at the age of ten. My advice is to stay near the guards or set up a reputation here fast. These ponies are the roughest bunch in the entire county, and they will give you no mercy."
"I appreciate your advice, but my magic should be enough to defend myself."
"Well that's just it, you won't be able to." The pony said bleakly.
"What?" Dust said, angered.
"You're in prison kid; we have to give you a device to wear to prevent magical usage to prevent escape. I'm sorry, but you will be on the same level as the rest of the prisoners."
Dust sighed loudly, looking up to the pony.
"A unicorn being separated from magic is like a pegasus without wings or an earth pony without strength. Is there no other way?" He asked.
"According to your files, you lost control of your magic and almost destroyed a city. We can't take that risk here, so either comply or we will have to force you."
Dust closed his eyes and nodded.
"Do it…"
Two prison guards approached him and slid a cone like device around his horn. As the guards unbound Dust from his cuffs, the device constricted his horn like a vase, making him flinch in pain.
"Is it supposed to hurt?"
"For a bit yes…now go on in, your prison cell is in block D, second floor, number 296."
Dust stared forward, gazing down the hallway of cells and talking prisoners. Trying to make himself invisible from the crowd, he walked down the right side of the hall. He was successful for the most part until he reached the stairs.
"Hey newbie, last time I checked little kids weren't allowed to play with the big boys." A prisoner mocked.
"You can get hurt around these parts, shrimp." Another prisoner added.
"Because big boys tend to play very rough." a different prisoner said.
Dust paid no attention to his harassers until he was grabbed by his mane.
"Leaving so soon."
Dust was tossed across the floor where nine other stallions gather around.
"Do you know what we do to weakling around here?"
"Not to mention kids?"
"We show them who the boss is around here."
The stallions cracked their necks and pounded their hooves together. Dust looked around, un-amused until the group leader appeared before him.
"Some of us are here for vandalism and theft. Others are here for murder, but me…"
The stallion paced his hoof on Dust Breaker's head, slowly going to his ear and scratched behind it.
"I'm here for molestation…"
Dust became discussed, slapping his hoof away.
"If you touch me again, I will make you experience pain like never before." Dust whispered, causing all the stallions to laugh.
"I love it when they struggle…"
The leader of the group uppercut Dust into the wall, followed by a quick knee to his stomach. Dust gasped, struggling to breath as the stallion pined his neck to the wall.
"YOU'RE NOTHING HERE BUT A PLAY THING TO US! TO USE WHEN WE PLEASE!"
Dust started to shed tears as the stallion held him in place.
"Awww, is the little boy going to cry for his mommy." He laughed, followed by his other lackeys.
Dust's eyes shot open as he glared straight into the eyes of his aggressor. With one swift motion, he twisted the hoof of the stallion, making him cry out in agony.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Dust screamed, demanding all the attention of everypony in the prison.
Dust exploded in an aura of dark green magic as he launched the stallion into a nearby prison cell. The other nine prisoners stared angrily at Dust, ready to avenge their friend. Dust stood up on his hind-legs as his hooves were enveloped in pure black aura.
"What is this power?" Dust said, becoming frightened.
"GET HIM!" The group leader ordered.
Dust shot out his hooves towards the charging ponies, unknowing what would happen. To everyponies shock, a black wave shot out from his hooves, flying past the prisoners. Dust watched in horror as the nine ponies furs suddenly turned white as they collapsed onto the floor. Their eyes were now devoid of color and their veins had turned pure black.
"What did I just do?!" Dust asked, backing towards the wall.
Dust had no time to react as he was abruptly hit with volts of lightning by five prison guards. He only lasted for five seconds before he hit the floor unconscious.
"Everypony back to your cells!" The captain ordered.
"Sir, these ponies…they're gone." A guard said, feeling for a pulse.
The captain couldn't believe it as he stared around at all the damage.
"What kind of demon child are we dealing with…"
"Kid…hey kid wake up!" A pony whispered, talking through the cells window.
Dust slowly awoke, feeling cold in the dark room of his cell.
"What…what happened?" He asked, feeling a massive headache.
"I thought you would know?"
"Who the heck are you?"
"My name's Salvador, I'm the pony you talk to get things done. That pony that used to have a gang, thanks to you, is bucken furious."
"So he's ticked at me, like I care about somepony like him.
"No, that's his name here."
"What kind of stupid name is that?" Dust asked.
"It's more of an earned title. Ponies can earn titles here in prison, same goes for you."
"I'm fine with my own name thank you." Dust said, aggravated. "What's the real reason why you're here?"
"Straight to the point…good. It's your first day here and you have already made some enemies, but you can also make some friends."
"I've been by myself for over two months now, what makes you think I need them, much less can even trust them."
"You got lucky with that magical outburst, but what guaranty do you have that it will always save you? You're magic is repressed by that thing on your horn and rumors are that the guards are going to make devices for your hooves. You will technically be powerless against everypony unless you're protected by us. You're the top dog in this place right now and if ponies find out your powerless…let's just say there will be a grave waiting for you."
Dust sat in silence, thinking about the offer.
"You have till tomorrow to decide, but just remember that the strong thrive here. Anypony that's weak either becomes a pawn or kicks the bucket…so chose wisely, I know you will."
Salvador left the cell, leaving Dust alone in his dark confinement.
"Captain, I'm taking my break." The guard from the admittance table said.
"Sure it's almost mid-night anyways, just go to the barracks, your shift is over." The captain told.
"Alright, good night sir."
The guard exited the prison and started to walk down the pathway to the barracks. Making sure nopony was watching, he took out a small bottle of liquor and drank some. As he put the cork back on the bottle, he noticed that thick fog had formed around him. He was already too tired to care, so he continued on down the path. Rubbing his eyes sheepishly, he noticed a dark but small figure only about ten feet away.
"What the-
A large rock collided with the guard, making him fall to the floor on his back. As he struggled to get up, a dark green hoof was placed onto his chest.
"YOU!" The guard shouted, almost panicking.
The figures other hoof was shrouded by black aura as he brought it above his chest.
"Sweet dreams…"
A high pitched scream rang throughout the night sky, startling everypony on the entire island. The guards thought none of it as they continued on with their night. As the next day dawned, a body was found in a red pool of blood and water with his heart missing. The news quickly spread throughout the prison, sprouting rumors and theories. Almost everpony was shocked by the news, wondering who or what could have done the act. Everypony except Dust, who always sat in a corner of the prison cell with a sadistic smile…, laughing.