The Rise and Fall of Dark Fire and The Elements of Disharmony

by Shady pillow

For Twilight Sparkle, making friends was tough. So when a new unicorn comes into Ponyville, she naturally tries to show him kindness and friendship. However, when Twilight's new friend constantly distracts her from preventing a warning from the future and an assignment from the princesses, things can be said that weren't meant. Can Twilight and her friends stop this new threat?

30. Chapter 16 F part 1-1

Warning: Future me here, these chapters are all but...well...decent. They didn't turn out the way I wanted them to be and are frankly bad in my eyes.
Reasons: O.P characters, no plot development from them, and unnecessary religion nonsence. The cause of this was because I wanted a friend of mine to help out with the character development with the character, "Blue". What he did was take my story and made it his own. I didn't want to say anything about it until now. Part 1-1 and further until part 3 is just a big mess of frustration and stress. I will rewrite these chapters myself in the future, until then, read them if you want. You're not missing much.

The chapters are cannon to the fic...sadly, but here is what you should get from part 1 until part 3. Refer to this chapter if you must. Sapphirine and who she is, Blaze Cast, Solaris, Herus, Night Shadow's friends: Mico, Tremor, Elegit, Legio, Callidus, and Filia. Know who they are because they are actually important for the rest of the story. Thank you for your support and I will try to do better in the future.

Chapter 16 F: The Forgotten past (part one of four)

"Night Shadow, I can't believe it's really you!" Twilight yelled happily, running to him.

"Twilight, wait!"

Twilight leaped forward to tackle the stallion so she could gave him the biggest hug of his life. Unfortunately, when she made contact with his body, she simple faded through and tumbled on the floor behind him. She looked up to see Night Shadow flicker several times before vanishing like dust in the wind.

"Night Shadow!" Twilight yelled in panic.

"You and I both know that there's no point in trying to grasp at what our minds want us to believe. It will only end in disappointment and sadness."

Twilight turned around to see Night Shadow's light side standing before her. He had a serious look on his mussel rather than the calm smile he normally bared.

"We must hurry if life is to be preserved on this planet."

With the swipe of his hoof, they appeared before the glowing orb which was Night Shadow's prison.

"As you already know, Night Shadow is unconscious of what goes on anymore and is lost within his own mind. However, the traumatizing event involving Trixie has blinded him with pure rage and darkness, removing any barriers within his mind."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, clearly being lost.

"When you defeated Trixie, Death Fire used that moment to seize Dark Fire's mind, restricting his abilities and senses. Nothing but the elements of harmony and Night Shadow's release can stop it now."

"Then I have to act now!" Twilight declared as she darted to Night Shadow, only to be pulled back by blue magic.

"It's not that simple Twilight."

"You always say that, just let me help him!" She yelled, full of concern.

"Twilight, look at him and tell me what you see."

Twilight calmed down and stared. It was then that she noticed four specific things that bound him. On the outside was a large, bright white orb that prevented anything from going in. Inside the orb where six, rotting, pure black thorn bushes that surrounded Night Shadow from all sides. She also noticed large steel chains that orbited around his entire body and bound him to the floor. Lastly, Night Shadow's coat was pail red and his blood veins were popping out with pitch black color.

"I-I see a nightmare." She said, frightened.

"Only you can free him, but the darkness within your heart must be accounted for. You must go through four trials, one for each binding on Night Shadow that will play traumatic moments in his life. Be warned, these four moments are the worst his life has had to endure and you must be mentally prepared to see the worst."

Twilight approached the bright field around Night Shadow before turning back to the stallion.

"Can you tell me when these moments took place?"

"Only when you face them Twilight. This first one took place before Princess Celestia took the throne from Discord. About 5,000 years ago, during the Great Alicorn persecution."

As Twilight was about to place her hoof on the field, it was held back with magic.

"One more thing, the pony known as Night Shadow will not be the same pony you knew in these memories. Please be mentally strong with what you will witness here, because if it breaks you, then all hope will be lost."

Twilight closed her eyes before turning around.

"I'm ready…"

---

5,014 years ago

Location: unknown

Ten years before Celestia took the throne.

"WAKE UP MAGGOTS!" A pony sergeant commanded, switching on the lights. "COME ON, UP, UP, YOU DON'T WANT ANOTHER BEATING DO YOU?!"

About fifty young colts and mares around the age of thirteen and lower suddenly rose from their mattresses and fixed their sheets. Among them was Night Shadow, who was only a ten year old at the time. As quickly as the children were told to get up, they had formed in a line in front of their bunk beds and stood at attention.

"Good." The sergeant hissed. "But not good enough! Drop and give me fifty on the double!"

Every colt and mare did as they were told quickly without hesitation. If they struggled, they were brutally beat and whipped until they bleed. On rare occasions, if weakness was seen in the pony, they would be dragged away and never seen again. Rumors had it that the ponies that were unfortunate to fall under this category were turned into ground meat for the others. Luckily, nopony would have to suffer this fate today, but that didn't prevent them from trying.

A pony right next to Night Shadow was misfortunate enough to collapse onto the floor after his muscles gave out.

"HEY, DID I SAY YOU COULD GO BACK TO SLEEP!" The sergeant screamed, standing above the colt.

"I…I'm sorry…it's just that-

"YOU'RE TOO WEAK ISN'T IT?! IS THAT WHY YOU CAN'T DO SUCH A SIMPLE TASK?!"

"I'm so hungry…please…"

"I'm going to give you until the count of ten to stand back up." The sergeant growled, removing a small steal tipped whip.

As the pony counted down, whipping the poor colt as he did so, the others where to remain in attention and not show emotion. Only to face forward and except what was happening. Finally, after eight brutal hits, the colt stood to his shaking hooves.

"Let those wounds be a lesson to you, weakness is not aloud here and neither is petty emotions! NOW GET YOUR SKINNY LITTLE FLANKS OUTSIDE!"

Within seconds, everypony ran out of the barracks and lined up in a vertical line in front of what looked to be a huge metal door. Looking around more, you could see huge electrical fences that reached over 100 feet high, watch towers with spotlights, more barracks along other huge buildings, and interracial guards of all sizes and colors. The area could be compared to a large concentration camp.

"Listen up worthless rats!" A large snow leopard growled. "You are to go out and pillage anything you find and bring back anything of worth. Surly you know by now what the master expects from you. Now get out of my sight."

A red light flashed as the large metal door opened, revealing a rather impressive armory. They all walked forward to the inside of the gate before it closed behind them. The weapons looked like they came straight out of a horror movie with the sole propose of doing what they were made to do…kill.

"The kill switch doesn't activate until you're a good several miles away from the base." An intercom announced above the children. "And remember, if you even think about deserting us; just remember that those collars around your necks aren't meant for show. Think of yourself as a walking time bomb waiting for just the right moment to explode."

Night Shadow could care less what was being broadcasted as he slid a gauntlet onto his right fore-leg. Turning his fore-leg over, he slipped a 9'inch ammo clip into its opening and slammed it shut. Quickly grabbing an ammo belt and five explosives, he turned to the second large metal door.

"Remember, you're not the only racial group going out there, much less pony group. They have been told the same thing as you have because only the strongest can survive in this world. Prove your worthiness to live another day. Have fun….Ahahahahahah!"

The doors slide open and everypony flooded out, disappearing into the woods. Night Shadow looked to his right and left, seeing other groups quickly running out of the gates and vanishing from view. A good hour passed before Night Shadow reached the outskirts of the hidden forest.

"Weapon systems online." The gauntlet voiced as a bright blue bar on the side of the gauntlet lit up.

Night Shadow sighed heavily, looking to the cloudy, gray sky.

"I have been doing this for as long as I can remember and yet every day goes by slower and slower."

Night Shadow continued to walk until he stumbled upon a medium sized village full of ponies.

"Fools, don't they realize that putting a village near this forest is suicide." Night Shadow said in slight anger until his stomach growled loudly. "Very well, if I have to show them the error of their mistakes then so be it."

The red pony darted out of the bush and ran behind a medium sized log cabin. He noticed a back door to the house and positioned himself in front of it.

"I'm sorry…but I have to…forgive me."

As quick as a bullet, he spun around and bucked the door off its hinges before running inside and pointing his gun at the ponies inside.

"UP AGAINST THE WALL NOW!" Night Shadow demanded.

The three ponies froze in place, being complete shocked by the sudden intrusion.

"I SAID NOW!"

The ponies did as they were told in complete fear. He then distinguished the ponies apart to find the most threatening. His eyes scanned from the stallion, the mare, and then to the little filly hiding behind her mother.

"Where do you keep your food?" Night Shadow asked aggressively.

"You're…you're one of those child soldiers aren't yo-

"ANSWER THE %* #$^ QUESTION!"

The three ponies recoiled back in fright by his outburst and hesitated to answer.

"…in the cupboard behind you." The stallion said, finally speaking up.

Without thinking, Night Shadow turned around to open the cupboard behind him. With his left hoof off of the trigger, the stallion boldly charged at the armed pony. Night Shadow was only able to grab a hoof full of carrots before the stallion rammed his ten year old body into the stove. He quickly tried to point the gun at the attacker, but was easily overpowered by the stallion as he slammed his hoof against the stove. The pony jumped a bit when a large blue thunder bolt erupted from Night Shadow's gauntlet, alerting everypony of the situation.

Acting out of survival, Night Shadow slammed his gauntlet into the stove which allowing a 6'inch blade to slide out, and stabbed the stallion on the side of his chest. After a loud scream of pain, the stallion fell to the floor, holding his wound with his hoof.

"Why, WHY DO YOU PONIES ALWAYS HAVE TO RESIST?!" Night Shadow yelled in anger.

"HE'S IN HERE!" One of the villagers yelled from the outside.

'Of all the things.'

Night Shadow quickly pointed his gauntlet to the door just as a villager with a pitchfork came in.

"BACK THE %^ $ UP!" Night Shadow screamed.

The villager froze in place, that is, until he saw the stabbed stallion bleeding on the floor.

"You…you killed him!" He shouted in disbelief.

"What, no…no, I didn't kill him!" Night Shadow replied in fright.

"You and all of your kind just don't know when to stop do you?!"

"Please, I can explain!"

"Well I've had enough!"

Night Shadow quickly ducked just before the stallion trusted the pitchfork into the wooden cabin wall. Out of reaction, he jabbed the villager's throat with his hoof, making him cough uncontrollably. With this going on, Night Shadow ran and grabbed the little filly hostage just as more villagers ran in.

"LET GO OF MY DAUGHTER!" The filly's mother screamed, grabbing a broom.

"SHUT UP!" Night Shadow shouted, drawing everyponies already given attention. "If any of you come any closer, I will blast her brains all over the wall, so back up!"

The room became silent as a library aside from the heavy breathing and squirming of the captured filly. He looked to his right, noticing a thin window panel that would easily break if hit hard enough. What was used for decoration was now used for his salvation as he pushed the filly forward and leaped out the window. The mother quickly grabbed the filly and held her in her hooves while the others attended for the wounded pony. However, when they looked out the window, they could see a small outline of a red colt before he vanished in the thick forest.

---

'Why did I have to go over and screw myself up again?' Night Shadow thought, stirring a fireplace with a stick.

He closed his eyes, hearing the soft crackle of the fire and the crickets in the dark forest. Opening his eyes again, he looked into the sky, seeing nothing but darkness and outlines of tall tree branches.

'Man, not even the stars or moon are out tonight. You would think an Alicorn would do something about it rather than have Discord do all the work, if he even bothers with them that is. I guess Herus was right about them, alicorns are nothing more than self praising attention seekers. I don't know about the whole 'world enslavement' thing though, I just kind of wish we didn't have to hunt down every single alicorn like animals.'

Night Shadow closed his eyes once again as he let his thoughts drift. Several minutes flew by until he heard a stick snap only several feet away from him and quickly opened his eyes. When he quickly looked to his right to grab his gauntlet, his eyes were filled with the image of a dark blue filly which gave him a mini heart attack. Both him and the little filly screamed like a banshee and leaped away in opposite directions.

"Who the hay are you and how did you find me?" Night Shadow demanded, hiding behind a tree.

When the filly didn't respond, Night Shadow stuck he head out from behind cover to see the filly shaking with fear, holding a small bag made of cloth. Out of sorrow, Night Shadow stepped out from his cover and slowly approached the filly.

"Wait, you're the same pony from the village!" Night Shadow said, being able to see her in the bright light of the fire. "But…but why are you here, why did you come to find me?"

The small pony continued to stay silent as she laid the bag down and untied the not. When it opened, it revealed multiple items of food that made Night Shadow drool a bit.

"Wait, why are you helping me and how do I know these aren't poison?" He asked.

The filly face hoofed before picking up an orange, unpeeling it, and taking a bite.

"Well…maybe that one wasn't poisoned, but the others wi-

The filly put a hoof over Night Shadow's mouth, shushing him and giving him a piece of bread. Night Shadow hesitated until his stomach growled loudly, forcing him to snatch the bread piece and shove it into his mouth. The filly chuckled lightly, sitting next to him as he gulfed down everything before him. As soon as he finished, he wiped his mouth with his fore-leg and rubbed his full stomach.

"Thank you…" He whispered. "What's your name by the way?"

Night Shadow noticed the slight nerviness in the filly as he stared into her bright sapphire eyes. She started to wrap her gray mane around her fore-hoof before looking down.

"Sapphirine." She whispered shyly.

"Sapphirine? Wow, that's a unique name."

"So…what's your name?"

"It's Night Shadow, nothing too special."

"That's…that's a nice name…" She said, leaning her head on Night Shadow's shoulder.

Night Shadow was taken aback by this sudden move by her.

"No offense, but you are either really gullible, stupid, or to trusting. Things like this can get you…killed."

Night Shadow abruptly stood up and grabbed his gauntlet, powering it up.

"What's going on Night-

"Hide…now!" He said, becoming panicked.

The filly tensed up, running into a bush and hiding from view. Just then, about ten ponies jumped down from the trees and surrounded Night Shadow.

"Who were you talking to Night Shadow?" One of them asked in a dark tone.

"Yeah, are you hiding things from us?"

"We don't like having things hidden from us."

Night Shadow continued to stare into the other pony's eyes, making no movements as the others encircled him.

"So tell us…who were you talking to." The lead pony demanded.

"I was sleep talking." Night Shadow responded.

"LIAR!"

Two large ponies behind Night Shadow quickly grabbed him and forcedly made him kneel to their leader.

"That voice belonged to a mare and we want to know where she is!"

"Why, so you can indulge in your sexual fantasies again?! I've seen what you and your group do to mares and fillies of any age and it's sickening!" Night Shadow yelled.

"Only the strong survive out here Night Shadow, something you should've learned from master Herus…"

The lead pony stuck his hoof out to the left, allowing for another pony to give him a large combat knife.

"I'm going to skin you alive and wear your fur as a trophy."

Night Shadow was amazed at how stupid these ponies where, mainly because they didn't even bother to secure his hooves, much less his gun. Aiming forward, he shot a blue bolt of thunder that blasted the pony into a thick oak tree. Night Shadow took the opportunity to release his blade from his gauntlet and jab the pony to his right before bucking the other pony in the face. Two were down for now, but there were still eight rough looking stallions ready to take his life. As Night Shadow was setting his thunder gun to full power, a bullet scraped his fore-leg, making him flinch in pain.

"You're not the only one with weapons!" One of the eight said as the others pointed their own at Night Shadow.

The red pony leaped behind a thick tree just as bullets, lasers, plasma, and magic beams flew past him and started to impale the tree.

'Crap, this tree can't last very long with them blasting it like this.' He thought as lasers started to rip through the tree above and below him.

This lasted for three more seconds until he heard the empty clicks their empty guns.

"Make it count…"

Night Shadow leaped to the left and shot his gun twice, sending large waves of lightning and air towards the targets, knocking out four soldiers. It was then that he realized that his ammo was still next to the camp fire. Jumping over a fallen tree and the fire, he grabbed the ammo belt but so did another stallion in front of him. The two struggled left and right while the remaining three continued to reload their weapons. Night Shadow, losing time quickly, pushed the belt forward and wrapped it around his neck.

Grabbing one the explosives on the belt, he kicked the stallion into the fire, setting off the extra ammo and bombs in a massive electrical eruption. By some miracle, the fire was still going, but that was the least of his worries. Night Shadow suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back as a medium sized pony stabbed him with a large bowie knife, barely missing his spinal cord. Spinning around foolishly, causing the knife to twist deeper into his flesh, he punched the stallion off and painfully pulled the blade out of his back. He quickly pinned the stallion against a tree and impaled the knife into his stomach.

Rapidly cutting up with the knife, he took the detonator, armed it, and forced it into the pony's body before leaping away from the explosion. Taking the same knife, he threw it into a pony's skull just as he finished reloading, forcing him to twitch madly before falling to the ground. The last pony, finally reloaded, pointed the gun at Night Shadow and fired. The red colt took three shots to the chest before he jumped into the air. After taking one last shot in mid-air, he impaled his 6'inch blade into the pony's neck. The impaled pony remained paralyzed before he fell to the ground in a rough thud, letting Night Shadow roll onto his back next to the fire and in the middle of a bloody mess.

Sapphirine quickly got out from cover and ran to Night Shadow, who was still in the middle of coughing up blood.

"Where did they hit you?" She asked, panicked.

"Oh wow, you're the first person to not ask me if I was ok after…after-

After coughing up more blood, he let his head rest on the soft dirt covered in blood.

"I haven't been this beat up since…two days ago." Night Shadow recalled.

"So you've been through worse."

"Ehhh…I wouldn't say worse…but I wouldn't say better."

"Can you make scenes for once?"

"You just meet me five minutes ago, and now your acting like you-

"I WILL OBLITERATE YOU!" The lead gang pony screamed, bursting out of a pile of logs.

Night Shadow stared hopelessly at the gang leader, knowing good and well that he wouldn't be able to fight back.

"That mare is mine…now watch me take her innocence from her."

The little filly's face turned ghost white and remained frozen as the stallion approached her. After taking one more hoof step, a loud bang rang through the forest and before they knew it, the stallion was lying on the ground in his own blood.

"That…was awfully convenient." Night Shadow said, starting to become woozy from blood loss. "Hey…listen…I'm sorry for this large mess…mares shouldn't be seeing these kinds of things…"

Night Shadow smiled as he slowly closed his eyes, allowing sleep to take over.

---

Night Shadow awoke suddenly on what looked to be a dissection table. Looking around, he recognized the medical lab that he visits on a daily basis after every assignment.

"You are one very lucky colt." A calm yet commanding voice commented from the side. "624 times wounded in the resent year alone, yet Herus wants you alive…for now at least."

Night Shadow turned to see a purple earth pony stallion with a blue mane and tail, nothing unusual for him except for the fact that he was a blank flank and looked like he was seventeen years old.

"Who are you and what did you do with my friend?" Night Shadow asked.

"Not going to ask how you got here, how you got healed or even who saved you?"

"I'm here now, that's all that needs to be said about me. Now, what did you do with her?"

"I would say you're either selfless or foolish, but either way you can't show feelings for anypony here, especially with the enemy."

"I don't care; just tell me where she is!" Night Shadow yelled.

"To answer the first question, my name is Blue Aspyxia, and your friend is safe at her home."

"So you're the one that returned her or did she find her way back by herself?"

"She told me to get you to a safe place and to not worry about her. Quite a brave little filly you found honestly."

Night Shadow took a sigh of relief.

"What's my next assignment?"

Blue walked over to his sniper rifle and put it over his back.

"That's just it though, you have no assignment. You work under me now, one of Herus' elite assassins. Consider this an early promotion and an honor." He informed, not being as joyful as Night Shadow would have imagined.

"What are the benefits to this?" Night Shadow asked.

"Well, you don't have an explosive collar around your neck anymore and you don't have a curfew. Plus, you don't have to report back every day just to get yelled at."

Blue pressed a button on the side of the medical door, causing it to slide open in a split second.

"Let's go, I don't want to stay here longer then I should."

Night Shadow slide off the metal table and hit the ground roughly, making him flinch in pain.

"Careful now, those stitches only hold if you let them." Blue said, walking out the door.

Night Shadow quickly followed to the best of his abilities. When he caught up, he noticed that the two of them were walking down what looked to be a giant tunnel in an underground bunker dimly lit by emergency lights. The walls were layered by solid concrete with occasional metal doors leading to who knows where. The two remained silent as they passed creatures of all sorts and sizes until they reached the stairway to the exit.

"Night Shadow, stay close to me." Blue said, continuing to walk.

"Wait, why?"

"Them."

Before them were a dark ash Minotaur and a black griffin, glaring at them with mocking looks.

"Well if it isn't Blue kazoo, how's it feel to be the only pony among the elite group of assassins."

"How's it feel to be Herus' personal &^%$ , Black Hawk?"

"Such harsh words from a weak pony, you almost got my feathers ruffled. What do you think of this Zanlamin?"

"I think the pony has forgotten his place." The Minotaur snorted. "And it's Zanlamin Greataxe the cursed to you."

Night Shadow attempted to remain calm around these two as Blue continued to walk. That is, until a giant battle axe head the size of a fully grown horse almost cut his head off by landing mere inches away from his muzzle.

"And who is this little guy suppose to be?" Zanlamin laughed.

"My new partner in training, is that a problem?" Blue asked sternly without turning around.

"Looks more like a snack to me." Hawk exclaimed. "I give him a week before his blood is splattered over the walls of our enemy and his head on a pike."

Night Shadow shivered a bit but quickly replaced it with confidence as he quickly jumped over the axe and walked next to blue.

"Who are those two?" Night Shadow asked.

"Herus' personal bodyguards, yet even they have not seen its face. Now enough with the questions, we have a job to do."

The two of them emerged from the tunnel and traveled into the dark, foggy forest where they vanished from view.

---

So here's my base of operations." Blue said, emotionless.

Night Shadow looked around confused.

"All I see is a dark cave surrounded by thick trees, a convenient view of a lake to the right and a large boulder. Not much of a hideout if you ask me."

"It's not what you see, but what you don't see."

"Well I don't see anything." Night Shadow pouted.

Blue chuckled slightly.

"You have a lot to learn."

He casually walked over to the caves entrance, waiting for Night Shadow to do the same.

"Tell me, what about this cave strikes you."

"It's big, dark, and…big."

"In other words, it's the perfect place to hide right."

"So your hideout is in the cave then." Night Shadow said, excited.

"Nope, to obvious. Plus, this cave is a labyrinth and is apparently cursed." He said, walking away.

Night Shadow remained confused but was also slightly annoyed.

"OK…so then where is it?"

Blue casually walked over to the lake and silently stood, admiring the scene.

"So there's a secret passage underwater then?" Night Shadow asked.

"Not even close."

As blue walked passed Night Shadow, he noticed his face turning red from frustration. Blue then stood next to the giant boulder and placed his hoof on it.

"Secret door perhaps?" Night Shadow asked again.

"Don't be silly." Blue responded calmly.

Night Shadow twitched with frustration and stress as he turned to his teacher.

"Then what the buck are we doing here!"

Calmly reaching down to his boot, Blue took out a solid wooden bowie knife and quickly jabbed it into a tree, turning it clockwise. What happened next astounded the little colt. Four, solid, white lines suddenly shot out from the cave, lake, rock and tree to form a rune circle in the direct center of all the landmarks. The white circle suddenly parted, revealing a dim lilted stairway that lead deep underground.

"Well, are you coming?" Blue asked.

"I…I give up." Night Shadow said, following Blue.

The two descended down into the ground until they reached a small, box shaped room that was dimly lit with candles. The walls where painted white and the ground was made out of wood. To the left was a long, rectangular gun table sitting right next to a wall with several faces of ponies and goals. To the right was a medium sized bed that looked like it hadn't been touched in months that lay several inches away from a fridge and cooking stove. In the middle of the room was a large table with plans, mission logs and maps. Lastly, at the very back was a rundown black couch with dust on the surface.

"This place seems a bit...small...and is that a working box thing." Night Shadow said, pointing to the fridge.

Blue stares at him for a few seconds before sighing, proceeding towards his gun racket.

"You're such a foal." He muttered.

"What, why? All I asked was a question."

"And I replied." He said walking towards the fridge, opening it.

He lifted a brow surprised in the slightest, seeing that there was only a gallon of milk along with a small 6MM pistol taped near the light.

"I thought you needed magic to power that...and do you have food in there or do I have to hunt outside?" Night Shadow said, sitting on the couch.

"You could sit still and shut up." Blue said taking out the bottle of milk, before closing the fridge. "I have milk."

"Umm...ok..."

"Now, you could stay here for a few days, before I kick you out."

"That shouldn't be a problem; I would imagine that we would only be here for resting if that."

"Yeah, we have a big day coming up soon. So, this place being our closes hideout; since we are in the center of the exiting borders, it'd be best to rest here for a while."

"How long until the assignment if I may ask."

"Probably weeks."

"Any rules or things I need to know. 'I swear, if I get another curfew..." Night Shadow thought.

"Don't die, make noises, or kill anybody unless you need to or told to."

"Sounds good enough."

"Nothing could sound good enough if your life is on the line." Blue said putting the milk back in the fridge.

'What...' Night Shadow thought.

"If you die, I will find another replacement, simple as that, understand?" Blue asked looking at him.

"I know that already, but are you going to train me?"

"If I did...you need to learn how to curve a bullet and survive a long time extension under the blue river without magic to apply you oxygen."

"I...can't use magic...I don't know how." Night Shadow said embarrassed.

"Well...that will make your life a whole lot easier." He said resting next to his gun racket. "What time is it?"

"Not sure, the sun was going down when we arrived. But what do mean a whole lot easier without magic, besides the fact that I've survived without it. Do most unicorns rely on magic to much?"

"Yes, most do a lot while few in the farming fields relies on technology like wagons and sickles to survive," he rolled his eyes, "that would surprise most of the earth ponies down in the south as well as the griffins in the north."

"I see. Still, it would be nice to teleport and transmute like I've heard."

"And waste energy quickly allowing the enemy to kill you."

"Well there must be a way to control it though, anyways, no point in wondering I guess."

Blue gazed at the gun racket before shaking his head.

"Once you use it...you start to become addicted to it."

"What, the milk?"

"Such a foal." He muttered in annoyance. "Go to bed."

Night Shadow sighed softly before laying his head on the couch.

"Good night...I think."

Blue closed his eyes and frowned.

"Once you wake up, I will train you in performing CQC." He said before walking towards the exit.

As Night Shadow closed his eyes, only one thing went through his mind.

'I'm still hungry...'

---

The gray clouds drifting slowly in the sky concealed the sun casting a wave of gloom throughout the earth bounded creatures from below. Next to a running stream leading down to a pond, Night Shadow and Blue were standing on top of rocks. Under the water were strapped eels, with tied black wire around their mouths to the rocks. Blue stared at Night Shadow with his regular emotionless expression before calmly releasing a sigh.

"Today we're going to be practicing CQC..." He looked up at the gray cloudy sky, "but unlike the ones at your camp, this one is brutal and perhaps life threatening; I'm sure you encountered many life threatening things before."

"Over 600 times in one year, like you said yesterday, but what's with the eels?"

"You'll find out very soon. These eels were target to be exterminated by the griffin king Talos, due to them being the most dangerous creatures in the icy sea. Within their slimy skin is paralyzing toxins. If you were to get shock, you will instantly become incapitated and since we are near water..." He closed his eyes and flipped his mane to the side, "you will die."

"Ehhh, all in a day's work." Night Shadow commented, unfazed.

"How do you fight?" He asked.

"I've used weapons like blasters and blades, nothing with just my hooves though."

"Then you better learn fast." He said laying his hooves gently in the water, inches away from the slick body of an eel.

Despite Night Shadow showing boredom to the training, the concept itself made him feel nervous and almost fearful.

"I intend to..."

Blue narrowed his eyes before moving his right foreleg up tossing water towards Night Shadow's face before leaping onto a rock next to him. The stallion quickly twirled around, grabbing his neck and flipping him over.

'What the heck was that?!' Night Shadow thought with panic.

Blue quickly held Night Shadow from touching the surface of the water as his back was only mere inches away from it. His hind-legs were pressed on the sides of the rocks, trembling. Blue tighten his grip on the pony's neck.

"See the sky? Ever wonder what it'd be like if it were the last thing you ever see before the darkness swallow your vision up, leaving only a gripping cold embrace?"

"I'm more focused on the heart attack I just had at the moment." Night Shadow said, with his heart racing.

"Such a foal." Blue muttered.

Night Shadow groaned loudly.

"Get ready." He muttered before flipping him back before letting go and grabbing the side of his neck, forcing him down. He crashed his right hoof straight in his back before twirling him to the side.

'Where's the easy mode on this guy?!' Night Shadow thought, catching himself.

"CQC does not mean punching and kicking. It involves countering and grappling." Blue said, hopping from rock to rock towards him.

'Left, right, left, left, right, stop moving already!' Night Shadow screamed in his mind, attempting to predict his movements.

Blue quickly splashed water in Night Shadow's face before quickly flipping over him. Blue landed on the tip of a rock before turning around, glaring at the pony with a menacing, expressionless intent.

"You really like water splashing don't you." Night Shadow said, getting angry with himself for not keeping up.

"If you continue to complain, Death will come to you quickly." Blue said, biting his tail and pulling him back before grabbing his hind-legs and twisting him around before bucking his stomach, kicking him back.

'Ok, let's try actions instead of words.'

Night Shadow grabbed a small stone from the water and chucked it into the air. He then splashed water towards Blue before running to the side, continuously splashing as he went. After about four more splashes he jumped forward, cocking his hoof back. Blue narrowed his eyes before side-stepping to the right in a twirled motion, smacking the side of his cheek with his tail before flipping back. Night Shadow regained his footing and leaped towards him again.

Blue leaped to the side balancing himself on top of another rock. "You never charge..." He smashed his hoof down on a string, freeing an eel as it swam around rapidly. "The enemy could easily kill you on the spot like that. CQC requires time attacks and patience."

"SO YOU SEND A FREAKIN EEL AT ME!" Night Shadow panicked, jumping onto a stone. "Time is something I don't have at my disposal you know."

"Then you better find it and save it because I will not hold back here." Blue declared, leaping from rock to rock before landing in the water, grasping a wire with his teeth.

In the next second, he quickly slung the wire that an eel was attached to at Night Shadow and clapped his hooves together. The air around them miraculously started to grow heavy as the wind blew around Blue. Suddenly, Blue held in the center of his hooves a small glowing ball with a small white light illuminating in the center.

"Take this..." He vanished before appearing behind him, smashing both his hooves against Night Shadow's back, sending him towards the eel. "Focus strike!"

"WHAT THE &#^ !" Night Shadow screamed, landing in the water. "You said magic was just a barrier! And how did you do that, you're just an earth pony!"

"It was no magic." Blue said calmly as he swayed to the right, dodging an eel, "it was..." He stood still on the rock before glaring at Night Shadow, "an illusion."

Night Shadow, being confused and aggravated, leaped over the eel and grabbed the wire holding its tail. Welding it in his right hoof, he commenced to spin it around like a ball and chain before throwing it at blue.

Blue narrowed his eyes as he darted forward, ducking the eel. He stopped and motioned his hooves to form the same ball he had created before.

"Pay attention, boy." He muttered before vanishing.

The air grew light as the sound of the wind silenced; only the water remained to be the sound effect for the environment. Soon, Blue was balancing over Night Shadow's head with only his right fore-leg.

"Force..." The air suddenly came down hard blowing him down, "Strike!"

Night Shadow abruptly hit the ground, causing the rock to crack and shatter.

"I'm getting really tired of your magic force crap!" Night Shadow grunted, flipping away onto another rock.

Blue stared at him for a few seconds before looking above, narrowing his eyes as dark clouds slowly passed above them. In an instant, a bright flash of lightning flew by in the distance before a loud thunderous boom erupted. Closing his eyes, rain started to pour down causing the water to rise along with the eels. The pony's hooves were only two inches close to the surface as the tips of the eel's tails surfaced above the water.

"Lau...are you watching us, too?" He asked before opening his eyes.

He sat down and stared at Night Shadow with his usual facial expression, moving his hooves in many directions before holding them at a distance from each other.

"Here's a new trick, probably this one won't be confused to be magic as you would believe it to be, foal." He said as a large sphere, similar, but larger than the previous one formed in the center of his hooves.

"And this is different because it's...bigger?!" Night Shadow asked, confused.

Blue narrowed his eyes before dashing towards him, suddenly appearing by his side and hit him. He then appeared to his right and struck his stomach. He continued appear and disappear from many directions, hitting Night Shadow multiple times before appearing about five feet away from his face with his hooves together.

"Gravitational...push." He muttered as the air suddenly pressed down hard on Night Shadow. The punches Blue had swung were now being mimicked by the air as it struck Night Shadow in all directions.

"How are you doing this?!" Night Shadow demanded, attempting to block the air attacks.

"I am controlling your eyes," Blue said before standing onto his fours and leaping to rock to rock, heading towards Night Shadow. "Get ready!" He yelled.

Night Shadow's fur stood up as he prepared his ears for what he thought would be an ear rape but it never came. Blue stepped on the water and swung his right hoof, making time apparently slowed down.

"STOP USING MAGIC!" Night Shadow yelled, jumping to the side.

Blue eyes narrowed as he twirled to the right and bucked Night Shadow back. "ON YOUR HOOVES!" He ordered before dunking his head in the water, grabbing a wire quickly. He then moved his head out of the water and glared at Night Shadow, slinging the eel attached to the wire towards Night Shadow, "Or die!"

Night Shadow's eyes widened as the eel came at him like a rocket. His vision became blurry as if everything around him slowed down. Quickly swaying his head out of the way of the eel, he reached back and grabbed the wire before "time resumed" again.

"Now how about we have some calamari for dinner!" He said, twirling the eel like a numb chuck.

Blues eyes widened, shocked.

"Ugh..." He shook his head and lifted a brow confused, "that's not what calamari is," He said.

"Wait...what." Night Shadow said, before accidentally slapping himself with the eel, knocking himself unconscious.

Blue blinked twice before releasing an annoyed sigh.

"Such a foal." He muttered leaping on top of a rock next to the unconscious pony. He stared down and sighed. "You...caught it," he muttered in an amused tone before glancing up at the rainy sky, "Impressive...foal." He closed his eyes.

---

The next day, Night Shadow awakens on top of the grass, staring straight up at the blue sky. He blinked twice, confused.

"Am I dead?" he muttered before moving his head back.

His muzzle smacked the base of a wooden block, causing him to cry out in pain. He got up from ground holding his muzzle tightly, rubbing it. Blue stared at him with another annoyed expression before sighing.

"You asleep?" He muttered.

"Do I look asleep?!" Night Shadow said annoyed, rubbing his muzzle.

"Stop being a foal." Blue said hopping off of the rock, trotting pass him towards the waterfall.

Night Shadow stared at him as he left before hitting his head back onto the grass. With a grown of annoyance, he put his hooves onto the grass and flipped to his hooves.

"So now what?"

Blue stopped and looked back at him. He closed his eyes and looked straight ahead.

"You did good, foal," Blue said walking ahead again.

"Really, all that happed was me getting thrashed around and then me foolishly smacking myself with an eel."

"You caught it." Blue said entering the path leading within the forest.

"Ohhhh...yeah...that."

"Hurry up!" Blue called.

"Fine."

The travel back to the hideout only took an hour. Blue opened the fridge and saw a gallon of milk along with his gun taped to the roof the fridge. He sighed and closed door before opening the freezer, seeing nothing but ice at the end. Backing away from it, he sighed and looked back at Night Shadow.

"I forgot to go grocery shopping," Blue muttered before shrugging his shoulders, "Milk it is." He mumbled.

"We have a grocery store? I thought that was just a legend in a colt's story."

"Am I a colt?" He asked, lifting a brow confused.

"Where is this grocery store anyways?" Night Shadow asked, waiting for the milk and ignoring Blue.

Taking out the milk, he sighed and handed the pony it, not realizing that it passed its expiration date. Walking to his gun racket, he looked at each gun and started to think. Something felt odd; alien for one of the guns was touched.

"Somepony was here, but how?" He muttered.

"Did you leave the door open?" Night Shadow asked, crashing on the couch.

"Door?" he muttered confused, "I have a door?"

"It's you're hideout, how did we get in them?"

"That's the problem." Blue said staring at the gun racket.

"So we don't have a door...but we somehow appear in this room?"

"Shut-up," he said before shaking his head.

"Ok then!" Night Shadow shouted, annoyed

"Something is here, hiding, where ever it is hiding, kill it," He ordered.

"We're in a white box, how could something hide in here?" Night Shadow asked, looking under the couch.

"Something touched my guns." Blue said looking around, scanning the room.

"Maybe it walked out before we got here? Do you have any secret passageways?"

Blue started to think for a few minutes before nodding his head slowly. Walking towards the fridge, he pressed a button and backed away. The fridge made strange noises, similar to the moving cogs inside an engine along with pumping sounds of a running engine. Soon, the fridge submerged to the ground, revealing a door marked with strange markings that remained unfathomable. A circle in the center of the wooden surface started to glow green, as the door unlocked and opened to the inside allowing passage to the dark corridor that sent a shivering chill in the room. Blue, however, remained unfazed by this. His expression towards the strange markings on the door and the long stretching darkness behind it remained abstruse.

"What is this, you're crack room?" Night Shadow joked.

"Such a foal." Blue scoffed before heading through the passage, but as soon as he made a step within the entrance, he stepped on a puddle and froze. He shook his head and continued on, shaking his head lightly in the process to keep his mind together. Looking back, while remaining calm, he nodded his head.

"Hurry." He ordered.

"Where does this lead, it's so cold in here?" Night Shadow said, being able to see his breath.

"To..." He muttered while he started to lower his eyes along with his tone became too difficult to hear. "A lagoon."

"Why is there a...never mind."

The walk was long, but soon Blue stopped at the exit and looked back passed Night Shadow.

"That's the last time we ever stay there." He said pressing his right hoof down onto a rock.

The dark passage began to shake as a loud boom was heard all the way back to where the hideout was. Blue opened the door behind him and motioned Night Shadow to walk out. There, beyond the exit was a waterfall surroundings by hard rocks, indicating they were behind the waterfall.

"This place seems...ancient...like something important used to happen here."

"This place...shows no importance to the living...only to the ancients that lived before us that it did." Blue muttered walking towards the exit, leading through the light waters falling down from the ceiling.

Blue eventually stopped and looked back, examining the entire area around him. Though, Night Shadow couldn't see it, he could. It sadden the earth pony on the fact that the glowing markings that remained cryptic to him still glowed all over the walls, ceilings, and the stalactites that pointed down, dripping water that came from the river above them. He scoffed and looked at Night Shadow, his tone grew back to being cold as he started to speak.

"We have no time being here, the day grows tired and we need to start our mission very soon." He said before proceeding towards the exit, carrying his slight-phlegmatic temperament.

"Do I even get a weapon, like a pistol maybe?"

"Your mind and body." Blue commented. "Are the only weapons that no pony can overpower."

'Great...just what I needed.' He thought, continuing to follow.

Once they exited the strange cave that was littered with glowing celestial patterns drawn by, perhaps, ancients who were aeons to its meaning, Blue made sure Night Shadow was by his side, worry the enemy might surprise them if he walked ahead and leave him behind. He had a mission to make sure this stallion stay alive so they could complete their mission, having him kill before the mission meant failure and though punishment was never really his worry for he managed to become a doll; immune to the painful torment any commander could order upon. He would not allow others to see his reputation tarnish.

"I don't know what it is about this place...but I think alicorns made it." Night Shadow observed, as his horn glowed slightly without his knowledge. "Like it's calling to me."

Blue closed his eyes before scoffing.

"Alicorns...are simply myths made by foals."

"Is that what Herus told you, because what else would he be hunting if not Alicorns?"

"You don't want to know." He muttered before stopping.

The wind started softly blow against him as he stared at a tree to his left. His eyes narrowed before quickly digging his left hoof into Night Shadow's mane, pulling out a small throwing knife and slung it through the leaves of the branches.

"How did that even get in my hair?" Night Shadow said in shock, grabbing his 14 inch long mane.

Just then, a familiar blue mare fell out of the trees and landed roughly onto her back

"That thing almost hit me!" Sapphirine yelled frightened.

Blue closed his eyes as the wind ceased and released an annoyed sigh.

"You..." Blue narrowed his eyes, "were spying on us?"

"Well...yes...and no. I was spying on Night Shadow here."

"Then you are an enemy." Blue said pulling out a Berretta M9F5 from Night Shadow's mane again, pointing it straight at Sapphirine.

"EEEPPP!" The mare panicked, jumping behind a tree. "Please don't, I-I don't want to die."

"Blue, don't shoot her, she's the filly that stayed by me when I was bleeding out!" Night Shadow said, jumping in the way.

"Probably gives me a lot of reasons to kill her," He said looking at her with killer intent through his calm exterior, "she might be a foal soldier preparing to kill one of us or mostly you since you are too kind to her."

"Hey, I don't know who you think I am, but I'm no traitor. I've seen plenty of those around here. Besides, if you shoot me, you won't be able to get into the base you've been trying to breach." Sapphirine declared.

Blue narrowed his eyes and looked at Night Shadow before whispering in his ear. "Do you think this runt could actually get us in that base?"

"Of course I can do it!" The mare said, hearing their conversation. "There's a cliff slide that overlooks the base and there's a flaw in the changing of the guards on the south-west tower."

Pointing the gun at her, Blue focused his aim towards her head.

"It's not wise at all to spy on your fellow comrades, not only that, this is a classified mission, appointed by Herus. You are not only risking your life, you are also breaking the rules," Blue said sternly.

"What rules? It's not like I work for anypony anyways."

"Gives me every reason to kill you," Blue said.

The blue mare sighed softly.

"Look, what will it take for you to trust me besides killing me or...impregnating me."

Night Shadow looked confused but also flushed.

"How do you even know this stuff?" He asked.

"When you live around a bunch of child soldiers that try to kill you and take your innocence, you tend to learn some things."

Blue closed his eyes before lowering the weapon and dismantling it. He tossed it to the side and started to walk ahead, but once he passed by the filly, he opened his eyes and stared into hers. All he saw was his reflection on the surface of her pupils and saw the emptiness within his own. Looking ahead, he continued walking without saying a word.

"What the wrong with him?" Sapphirine asked Night Shadow, still slightly intimidated by his character.

"I have no idea, but he seems rather blue today..."

---

Blue watched from on top of a grassy hill, far through the peaks of the forest, the fortress they were going to penetrate. He narrowed his eyes, examining the watch towers thoroughly, before sighing in annoyance.

"It's going to be hard, but we need to find out some other way to get through. I don't trust that runt." He muttered before looking back seeing Night Shadow and Sapphirine talking together.

Blue looked at her with a hidden doleful expression.

'Blue...sapphire is blue. Her...' He looked back to the fortress, 'her name is close it. Such a perfect name for such a small runt, but it doesn't matter. Our life is miserable as it is; you don't have to bring him down too with you as he doesn't have to do the same too.' He thought.

---

Nine hours later...

"Let's make sure you don't screw this up, foal." Blue said standing still at the top of the hill with a Barrett .50 Caliber semi-automatic rifle by his side. He had it set up with a tripod attached to a stone block. He had a good distance to cover Night Shadow from both the outside and inside of the proximity belonging to the fortress' security.

"Ok, so tell me what we're dealing with." Night Shadow asked.

"Simple, get in unnoticed, weaken the defenses, and open the gates." Blue said walking behind his rifle and gently lifting it up, aiming it straight ahead. "A storm is coming, Little Yu, she's having trouble breathing," he muttered before shaking his head and focusing his aim at the guard located in the right watch tower near the spotlight. "Think you can take care of them, foal?" He asked, glancing at him calmly.

Night Shadow overlooked the large base which reminded him of his old prison home. The base was in the shape of a large square with walls up to one-hundred feet high. Bobbed wire and guards surrounded the base with four towers on each corner. Despite the intimidating sight, the full moon hung lightly above the base with the entire night sky lit up with beautiful stars.

"Should be able to, but what is your cover zone and what kind of communication are we using?"

"Headsets," Blue said tapping his right ear while holding out a small headpiece. "Take it."

"What's the sensitivity, like would I be able to whisper?"

"Yes, they can't hear me through it, so be lucky. Try not to yell. Speak in a calm tone or low whisper; it conceals your presence well from any pony that is trying to look for you or on watch." He said.

Night Shadow looked back to see Sapphirine calmly sleeping under a tree. He smiled softly before looking back to Blue.

"Take care of her for me." Night Shadow said, jumping down the cliff.

"Not going to promise you on anything, but if she screws you up, me, or tries to hurt me..." He pulled back the lever of his rifle, "I will not hesitate to kill her and you will be the one burning up her body, leaving no evidence for enemies to scavenge."

Night Shadow treaded through the thick woods until he was only 500 feet from the wall.

"Dang, there's no more cover from here to the wall." Night Shadow whispered, before pressing a button on his earpiece. "Blue, there's no more cover from where I'm at, but there is a dirt road that leads straight to the wall."

Blue focused his aim down the road spotting a merchant carrying a wooden wheel cart loaded with large cardboard boxes. He thought for a few seconds before turning his aim towards Night Shadow.

"There's a cart approaching, hop in there and hide. It looks like the merchant is carrying cargo and heading towards the fort."

Night Shadow nodded, spotting the large wagon approaching from his right side.

"I swear...this is too convenient." He whispered, preparing himself.

When the cart passed by, Night Shadow rolled under it and grabbed the under railing. He eventually climbed up to the back of the cart and tumbled into something soft.

"What in the..." Night Shadow whispered, picking up grains.

Looking around more, he noticed that the entire wagon was filled with spices of all sorts in cardboard boxes.

"What kind of idiot puts spices in cardboard boxes?" Night Shadow almost shouted until the wagon abruptly stopped, forcing him to fall into a box of black pepper.

"What do you have in the wagon sir?" A lightly armored guard asked.

"Your boss sent a request for spices; I'm just here to deliver."

"Ok sir, I trust you, but we still have to inspect you and your vehicle."

Meanwhile, while Night Shadow was attempting to not sneeze his entire face off, he jumped into the pepper box and sealed the cover.

Blue focused his aim on the guards, being sure they wouldn't blow Night Shadow's cover. He narrowed his eyes, spotting the guard using a levitating spell on one of the boxes and pointed his sights towards his head.

'Don't you dare find him,' He thought.

"These seem to be in order..." The unicorn stated. "Just one more and we're done."

"Sir your shift is now over, go get some rest, I'll take it from here." Another unicorn informed, coming from inside the gate.

"I'm in the middle of something here you know."

"I know that, but shifts have been rough lately due to the special visitors."

The guard sighed.

"Fine then, just check the last spice box before you let him in, good night private."

"Good night to you to...now which one was the one I had to check?"

Night Shadow started sweating.

"Was it the pepper box...?"

"No, you mean the rice box." Night Shadow said, in a high pitched feminine voice.

"Umm, ok..." The guard yawned, obviously being tired.

After checking the rice box again, the unicorn gave the signal for the wagon to go on through.

"Wow, I'm so glad that pepper box told me which one to check...wait, pepper boxes don't talk!"

---

When the cart came to a stop, he quickly ran out of the box and slid under the wagon before anypony could see him.

"Blue...I'm in."

"Good, I don't have you on my sights, so you have to inform me on your location, that way I could cover you when I am needed to." Blue informed.

"Ok, I seem to be more in the south western part of the base. There's a barracks nearby and some other buildings I can't recognize. There's also this giant building that looks like a plane hangar."

"Alright, I have vision on that, there are two guards guarding the front while two more patrolling. Where you have to go is the building behind it. That's where you will find the target. Sneak passed the barracks and avoid any spotlight."

"We were watching the base for almost nine hours, can you tell me the pattern of the guards and spotlights."

"The spotlights are always active while the guards take only three minute break to smoke or chat. It's simple and not hard to avoid, so you are good on that end."

"What time is it...each break occurs every two hours."

"3:00 AM." He answered.

"Right on the dot..."

Night Shadow dropped down to the grass, rolled out into the open and darted behind the nearest building. Using the three minutes he had to his advantage, he raced to get as far up north as he could. Just as the clock struck 3:03, he slide behind a large dumpster and hid just as guards emerged from the buildings.

'Ok, just one building away'. Night Shadow though. "Blue, do you have visual?"

"Yeah, I do. Hide behind those barrels, a spotlight is heading your way." He informed.

Night Shadow looked to the right and spotted the barrels, leaping behind them. However, what he didn't expect to happen was for his large tail to knock over the barrel and cause a loud crash.

"OH #& !" Night Shadow yelled.

"Who's there?" A guard asked, walking outside.

Night Shadow instantly grabbed the barrel, set it up and jumped inside.

"Hmm..." The guard grumbled before rubbing his chin lightly, "eh, probably my imagination." He said turning around and walking away.

Night Shadow, being head first in the barrel, started to struggle to get out until he knocked himself over and rolled out.

The spotlight suddenly shined upon him and a guard with glasses stared at him shocked. He pointed and struggled to shout, but his words did not come out.

"Why you stupid piece of worthless wooden junk!" Night Shadow shouted, accidentally killing the barrel at the guard.

The guard took off his glasses and rubbed the lenses before putting them, squinting.

"What in the names…?"

The barrel practically exploded in his face like a compressed watermelon, knocking him out.

"I'm just going to go now..." Night Shadow said, sidestepping awkwardly away.

"Once you enter the place, I won't be able to cover you." Blue said.

"Wait, I hear their voices getting closer."

"Hide." He ordered.

Just as he leaped to the side to hide around the building, the door was swung open with what appeared to be magic. Night Shadow continued to stare as about ten large figures dressed in black hooded robes stepped out of the building.

We will discuss further in the main sanctuary, for now we shall remain silent."

"But what about the disturbance?"

"All will be answered soon."

All ten figures quickly made it to the entrance of the large hanger and sealed off the entrance.

"One of them must be the target, but how do I get into that thing?"

Night Shadow looked around and saw nopony in sight.

"Perfect."

Rapidly running to the building, he grabbed part of a metal ledge and started to scale the building until he reached the top.

"Still doesn't make scene how ponies can scale walls with hooves...oh well."

He looked around until he found a hatch on the roof and walked to it. Opening it ever so slowly, he quietly entered the building and started to hang onto the metal beams.

"Ok, turning up the sensitivity so you can hear, Blue."

"Copy." Blue answered.

Night Shadow looked down at the ten seated figures around a C shaped table. They were all staring at a large whiteboard until one of the hooded figures stood up and walked next to the board.

"Ok, we scanned the room and there appears to be nopony else watching, we should be free to take off these robes."

'Wait, they can't detect me...why?' Night Shadow thought.

Night Shadow soon forgot this question when all the figures removed their robes, making his mouth drop in disbelief. He blinked several times attempting to make sure, but the image stayed the same. What he saw before them was not only the targeted pegasus, but also nine distantly colored alicorns.

"Blue...you're not going to believe this..."

"Night Shadow, something is going on. Our reception is bad; I think you are in a no zone. Whatever it is, it's blocking our communication." Blue said through the loud static.

As Night Shadow fumbled around with his mic, the large black alicorn with stars in his mane suddenly spoke.

"Ivory, may you please go over what you stated before the interruption." He said, looking at the purple coated mare with a vermillion flowing mane and tail with bright yellow eyes.

"With pleasure Midnight Astral..." The pagasus mare proclaimed happily, going to the board. "As you can see here, more and more camps have been established all over the land, slaying countless ponies and other species to their cause. I happened to encounter one of their soldiers not too long ago and it would seem as if they are getting younger and younger."

"Wait...that's Sapphirine's mom! What is she doing here?" Night Shadow whispered.

Blue became nervous, feeling that the lost communication was a bad sign. He aimed through his scope again, scanning the area, hoping to at least find Night Shadow, but he founded no pony in sight.

"Damn it." He muttered. "Every pony working in that fort is unaware of his presence, that's good at least."

Night Shadow still attempted to fix the mic as more static filtered into his ear.

"So now Discord using fillies and colts to do his bidding, quite low of him if you ask me." A bright red alicorn stated.

"Discord? Discord has nothing to do with this...do they mean Herus?" Night Shadow asked.

"What are his movements now?" A white alicorn asked with a mane that seemed to burn like fire.

"As far as I know...nothing." Ivory replied.

"What about the great city, do they know of its location?" The mare asked, slightly nervous.

"Impossible, the city is concealed from mortal eyes and no mortal being can ever reach it!" Midnight yelled with pride.

"Umm, sire...with all due respect...Discord is immortal." A timid black alicorn with a fire mane and tail spoke.

"Solaris, you do not have permission to speak."

"Listen to me, do you all really believe that Discord as clumsy and childish as he is would suddenly declare an all out war on every alicorn."

"Silence! You're just a simple servant, what could you-

"He has a point." A smaller white alicorn spoke up, looking exactly like the older white alicorn.

"Sunlit Aura...will you please control our daughter." He whispered.

"I have a voice dad, and I would like to prove to you that I'm not as ignorant in this matter as you think."

"Celestia this is the last time, wait for your turn to speak or-

"Let our daughter talk, midnight. I see no harm in it." Aura spoke.

The black alicorn groaned.

"Blue how are you not hearing this?" Night Shadow whispered, tapping his mic

Blue gritted his teeth adjusting the signal but it remained in its strange bad condition, unable to gain a signal. Deciding to move his position, he holstered his rifle over his back and quickly ran down the hill, hoping he could find another spot to snipe and get better signal.

"The air feels so cold, what's going on?" He wondered.

Night Shadow once again continued to mess around with the mic for two minutes until the conversation caught his ears again.

"I don't see how your friendship with Discord changes anything, sister." A young blue alicorn declared. "Dad has made it clear that Discord is our enemy."

"Luna, he held you in his arms when you were still a little filly, how could he be a monster?"

"Celestia, you might be the oldest but you're also to trusting. People can change, especially those with immortality, this betrayal was bound to happen eventually." Midnight informed. "Now take your seat."

Celestia looked to her right, staring right at the other four alicorns.

"Why do you remain silent, you know my words have truth in them."

The four alicorns, two male and two female, exchanged glances.

"We are at war princess...we must do what needs to be done...even if it means the death of your best friend." The bright blue alicorn mare spoke.

"But first, we must deal with these soldiers that plague our people." The yellow mare alicorn said, feeling pity for Celestia.

"You can't...you can't do this..." Celestia said, as tears formed in her eyes.

Night Shadow watched in confusion as the white alicorn ran off to the corner. Moments later, Solaris ran to her side and started to comfort her.

"We need to discuss a plan." The last alicorn spoke having a green coat and brown hair.

"Night Shadow, do you copy?" Blue spoke in the headset standing behind a tree. "What's going on?"

"Blue, there talking about this crazy plan or something...do you read?" Night Shadow said, becoming annoyed with the mic.

"I can't hear him, how would I know he is hearing me?" Blue groaned in annoyance. "Damn it, foal." He muttered before ducking as a few guards passed by. "I need to make sure he completes his objective."

"Come on...come on!" Night Shadow whispered angrily.

"I hope this plan works, Stone Fury." Midnight said, hoping for a miracle. "This meeting is over...Ivory; do you have what we've asked for?"

Blue stood in the center of the fort as the wind started to pick up.

"I need to make sure he gets out unnoticed." He said aiming his rifle in the air just after taking off the silencer. "Damn, foal. If we fail this mission, it's your head. I have a reputation to keep." He said adjusting his aim. "One shot will awaken every wretch in this place and riled them all up. I can take a few down, but it's best for me to run away if the numbers increases."

Night Shadow heard Blue's voice clear as rain, but he was too concerned with what the mare had in her hooves.

"This crystal is the only way to reach the capital city of Sanctam Civitatem...your beloved home." She said, holding a bright blue crystal and walking to Midnight. "And it's now yours."

"What the heck is that-"

Night Shadow suddenly slipped from the ledge and fell right onto the table, making all the ponies in the room freeze in shock.

"How did he avoid the-

"BLAZE CAST, DEAL WITH THIS TRAITOR!" Midnight screamed, cutting off Aura.

Celestia looked directly at the red unicorn and froze.

"Night Shadow?" She whispered before Midnight jumped in front of her.

"We've been compromised, everypony split up to avoid being followed!"

"WAIT, DAD!" Celestia screamed before her, Luna, Solaris and Aura vanished in a bright light.

"What the heck is going on?!" Night Shadow yelled, standing up.

Blue pulled the trigger firing into the air.

"Let's see them run."

Night Shadow heard a loud bang outside, knowing exactly where it came from and remembered where he was at.

"The Crystal!" Night Shadow shouted, turning around to see Ivory still holding it.

Taking two steps forward, he was suddenly blown back by the large red alicorn that appeared before him.

Blue managed to take down five unicorns and three earth ponies before tossing his emptied gun to the ground getting ready to fight back.

"These foals will all cease to breath!" He gritted his teeth.

Night Shadow stood up and glared at what looked to be a flaming horse.

"What do you think you're doing?" Blaze Cast mocked, igniting his fire mane and tail.

"WAIT DON'T HURT HIM! Ivory shouted.

Blaze paid no attention to her request as he appeared in front of Night Shadow and bucked him through a solid metal wall that led outside. As Night Shadow struggled to stand, he noticed a large fire trail leading back to where he once was.

"BLUE, I COULD REALLY USE YOUR HELP RIGHT NOW!" Night Shadow panicked

"We gave you everything...now we will take it back!" The alicorn shouted, dashing forward like a flaming phoenix.

---

(Not sure what this scene is about, hopefully it makes scene later)

Blue ran through a metal walkway as the guards behind him chased him. Once he made it through a door, he entered a long hallway and took a right. But his run soon came to a sudden halt once a large pony from the next turn to another hall tackled him through the window, causing them both to fall down into the massive storage facility.

"What the-" He was cut off once the large guard picked him up and threw him into barrels causing him to cry out in pain.

"It's time to finish you off, Blue." The large pony said. Blue looked at him and narrowed his eyes. The guard wore a green forest camo outfit over his brown coat of fur and a beret over his blond mane. The pony had only one seeing blue eye for the other was gray.

"Well, it's you, Scarface." He insulted.

"Joking around aren't you?" He asked gritting his teeth angrily.

"No, I am just being a prick. I should have killed you with the rest of those villagers." He said getting ready to fight.

"You should have, it would have saved me enough trouble in killing foals wielding weapons of mass destruction, and it would have saved me lots of dreadful nightmares because of you."

"I could care less. I am surprise no foal put a bullet in that thick skull of yours." He said backing away.

"Keep talking, punk."

---

Meanwhile, Night Shadow was dodging and avoiding everything he could in hopes something would happen.

"Do you enjoy watching us die?! Is that why you have killed us off one by one?!" Blaze yelled in anger, continuing to launch fire related spells from horn. "Or was it because we didn't give you mortals enough to make you happy, was it because you feared our race?!"

"What are you talking about?!" Night Shadow asked in panic, hiding behind anything that wouldn't melt within the next two seconds.

"Our leaders gave you homes, gave you land to use, and now you repay us with our own blood! Well no more...NOW YOU ARE THE ONES THAT WILL BE PURGED FROM THIS WORLD!"

"Give me a break! I didn't do anything!" Night Shadow shouted, ducking under a fire blast.

"I've heard enough excuses...

"Blaze, please stop this!" Ivory pleaded

"No, he has to pay for what he's done!" Blaze yelled, appearing behind Night Shadow and lifting him up by the neck. "Either through pain or death..."

---

Blue breathed heavily as he limped through the hall. He soon stopped and sat back against the wall releasing a small painful groan. Looking down, he gazed at the small gash on the side of his stomach bleeding severely. Shaking his head, he looked around for some sort of medical supply kit, but founded none.

"Damn it." He muttered before getting up and limping down the hall searching for Night Shadow. "Where is that damn fool?"

Night Shadow was suddenly thrown into the window where Blue was walking, creating a large crash.

"Found you." He muttered in a surprised tone.

"Blue...hide..." Night Shadow whispered before Blaze appeared in front of him in an explosion of fire.

Blaze, having the look of sadness mixed with anger, reeled back and punched Night Shadow with all his might.

Blue eyes widened, gasping at the sight before him of the large alicorn. He eyes started to tremble as his character started to falter.

"W-what is this? What is that thing?!" He yelled trying to comprehend the alicorn's existence. "What is that wretched thing?!"

Blaze picked up Night Shadow and dragged him along the metal wall.

"I used to have a family until they did this to us...now they lie dead because of your kind! Their blood cries out for vengeance..." He said, pulling back his hoof as it ignited with fire and magma. "AND I PLAN ON GIVING IT TO THEM!"

"ENOUGH!" Ivory demanded, stepping in front of the angry alicorn. "He's just a child, how could he do something to you that happened twenty years ago?!"

Blaze started to tear up from his built up depression but refused to let Night Shadow go.

Blue eyes lowered before anger boiled up within him.

"By the orders of our lord..." He said holding out his hooves from each other beginning his illusion trick, "I hereby offer you the choice to surrender your souls to him or die for him."

Blue still couldn't handle the immense emotions filling throughout his body.

'They exist...no...they're abominations from Gaea's raped womb. They must be killed, all of them. There's no such thing as alicorns!' He thought.

Blaze turned to Blue.

"Who are you to demand surrender from an alicorn!" Blaze screamed, making the air vibrate from his voice.

Blue formed his luminescent ball before pressing his hooves together causing wind to blow pass them.

"Your fate is sealed!" His tone grew cold as he glared at them with a soulless intent. The pony started running towards him, showing no fear towards the alicorn. "Abominations," his body started to duplicate as the leaves came bursting through the windows from outside by the powerful gust of wind. But only Night Shadow could see through this trick for it was only an illusion. "Fear the wrath of Kami." Blue spoke.

"No…it is you who should fear our wrath!"

Blaze stood to his hind-hooves and screamed out in a blood lust roar, summoning fire to burst all around the alicorn and rise in great pillars of destruction.

'Magic!' Blue gasped as he leaped around the walls before dashing towards him yelling swinging his right hoof while the other one swung his left.

"NOW PERISH IN FIRE!" Blaze cried, as the fire compressed into his body and suddenly exploded out in a large blaze.

Night Shadow managed to jump out the window along with Ivory before they were thrown out into the open.

"Blue, what are you doing?!" Night Shadow yelled.

Blue leaped back, remaining focus on the alicorn before him. He was not going to allow this one to live.

"Night Shadow, we have the target, right? Then go back to the cave!" He ordered glaring at Blaze. "Wait!" He yelled running towards Night Shadow's side.

"I brought this, just in case." He muttered pulling out a bag full of knives and sharp projectiles along with a semi-automatic Nambu lugar. "Now...go!" He ordered before looking back up at the burning facility where Blaze stood. "I will put this abomination down; I will make it cease to exist. Every last one of them will cease to exist!" He said as his tone grew angrier every second he released a breath.

"O-o-ok...I'll try." Night Shadow said, having lost of words. "Ivory, you're coming with me!" He said, grabbing her hoof.

I'm not going back there! I won't let you kill off the alicorns!" She stated, attempting to run to Blaze.

"Night Shadow, cease her now!" Blue yelled glaring at him.

"It's too late for that, Ivory! Please, I have you daughter with me, we're not your enemy." Night Shadow said, ignoring Blue.

Ivory's eyes suddenly dilated as she froze in place.

"But he is..."

Night Shadow looked behind Ivory to see a large black figure standing behind her enveloped in pure black aura.

"You've done well...my little pony!" The being yelled, extending a black limb and throwing Night Shadow back with pure force.

"Night Shadow!" Blue called out before looking at the large figure.

Blaze turned from facing Blue and stared straight at the black being.

"What in heck is that?!" The alicorn cried, overcome with fright.

"BLAZE, RUN!" Ivory screamed before she was bashed on the head by the beings dark limb.

Blue pulled out his explosive knife, ready to use it to attack just in case.

The being slowly creped over Ivory and picked up the crystal.

"Now the final piece of the puzzle has been found...hahahaha."

'What is this, I never felt so...frightened. What is that?' Blue thought.

Blaze had enough of this and appeared in front of the monster.

"I won't let you bring that crystal to your master!" He shouted, charging everything he had with his horn.

"My master...I have no master..." It said, rising its dark limb at the alicorn.

Blaze exploded in a fit of rage as he shot forth a large blast of fire that brightened up the sky as if the sun had appeared in midday. The heat itself was enough to disintegrate anything in its path and make everything turn to glass. However, when the smoke cleared, he saw that the being was simply standing there as if nothing had happened.

"In all that rage...you forgot about your friend." The being said, looking down at the magically protected Pegasus. "Now she has seen for herself how uncaring your race really is."

"W-w-w-what are you?" Blaze asked in total terror.

"I am Herus...the master of shadows." He said, smirking under his black hood. "And I am a race unlike any other, a race not born of your world...but the creator of it."

The alicorn was suddenly impaled in the chest with a large throwing knife, forcing him to stumble back and cough up blood.

"So...it was you all along..." Blaze whispered, falling to the ground.

Herus reached into his dark trench coat and pulled out a black 500 Smith and Wesson with red engagement and pointed it at the alicorn.

"Now die like the rest of your pathetic race..."

"Not...today."

Blaze reached into his hidden reserves and managed to teleport before Herus could pull the trigger. The being remained frozen until he pointed the gun at Ivory's head.

"Blue and Night Shadow...come forward!" He demanded.

Blue recognized the voice, but he became cautious once he moved forward.

"Night Shadow." He called, motioning him over to his side as he stopped only five feet from the dark figure.

Night Shadow stood to his hooves and stared at the scene before him.

"No...Don't kill her."

"Get over here." Blue ordered growing angry at the frightened colt. 'Fool is going to get us both in trouble.'

The red pony ran up to Blue with tears in his eyes.

"I must commend you two for doing this job...however, your original objective was nothing more than a lie." Herus informed. "The real objective was this sacred stone." He said, holding the crystal.

"But you wanted her alive." Night Shadow said, with tears forming in his eyes.

"You think I care about these ponies' lives, their nothing but tools for me to use!"

"You lied to us."

"Of course I did, and because of it I will soon eradicate this entire planet of alicorn scum!"

Herus reached down and picked up Ivory by the neck and placed the gun right on her temple

"No, please don't do it." Night Shadow pleaded.

Blue remained calm, as he looked at Herus. He closed his eyes, wishing to not see the mad man's work.

'Madness...this world is full of it. Abominations, crazy ponies, and this...thing coming from a world full of destruction only to self-proclaim themselves as our own kind. This world...it was dead when I was born. Wasn't it Muu? Wasn't it?' He thought before walking away, reopening his eyes, staring at Night Shadow before passing by him.

"Watch me..." Hersus said, pulling back the hammer.

"Let her go…LET HER GO!" Night Shadow shouted as his eyes were flooded with tears.

A loud bang was heard as the mare that the dark figure was holding fell to the dirt…lifeless.

"She was weak Night Shadow, something I don't want to see in my child soldiers, if you fail to do my biding again…you will meet the same fate!"

"SHE DIDN'T DESERVE THIS, WHY DID YOU TAKE HER FROM ME?!"

"Your tears show weakness! I WILL NOT HAVE WEAKNESS!" The figure said, removing a black wipe with a spiked tip.

Night Shadow was instantly hit across the face and fell to the floor. Hit after hit and blow after blow, Night Shadow took it all until his back bleed from the lashes.

"Learn from your mistakes as I have with mine."

"I'm...sorry Sapphirine." Night Shadow whispered in tears before falling unconscious.

"Blue, teach you new partner better, I shouldn't have to deal with this problem with my elites. Also, be ready in two days, we're going to find these alicorns and kill them all."

Herus faded away in what appeared to be black smog, taking the crystal with him.

"You should have dropped those emotions, death is common and you should have known that was going to happen." He said looking at Night Shadow. "Young yet gaining the taste of sorrow. You may mourn for the dead, but the dead will not mourn for you. Nothing will hug you, cry for you, or even go to you if it is dead. It is dead and there is nothing you can change about it. The best you can do..." He closed his eyes as his tone became calm, "is let the dead rest in peace…"