//------------------------------// // Chapter fifteen. Scorch part three // Story: Shadow in the Dark // by Thestoryteller //------------------------------// The castle was filled with panic as the citizens that were in the Mountain castle scrambled their way into the trolley cars that led to the Lonely city. Guards tried their best to guide the ponies as best they could, but with most of their numbers fending off the attackers, they were currently short stocked. Meanwhile Nightwing, Flash, Queen Jade, and the Guard that was leading them, were running down the hallway towards the armory. "There's the armory." The guard pointed down a separate hallway and at a single door with the label 'Armory' on it. The group ran towards and burst through the door. The room was filled with organized helmets, chest plates, and various weapons. Flash grabbed a set of golden armor and helmet which he quickly strapped on. Queen Jade grabbed a similar set of armor except she didn't grab a helmet. Nightwing grabbed a set of golden armor and put it on as well. But in the mirror across from him he saw just how ridiculous he looked in the armor. Not happy with it's style, Nightwing used his crystal to change his armor from normal gold, to lunar guard armor. Nightwing smiled at his new armor. Flash grabbed a steel tip spear and Jade snapped on a sword sheathed in it's scabbard. "Aren't you gonna grab a weapon?" Flash asked his friend. "I have a complex crystal, I don't need a weapon." Nightwing said smugly, which lasted for three seconds before he turned towards a rack of metal bows and arrows. "On second thought I will to a bow an arrow." Nightwing said as he placed the bow on his back and the arrows quiver strapped to his left side. "We're all set, let's move out." Nightwing said as the group was once again, racing down the hallway. "Hey you." Nightwing said to the guard. "Yes Captain." The Guard replied. "How did this attack begin? I mean it must have started somehow." Nightwing said. "Well Captain, it all started while my partner and I were watching the side of the castle when we saw those metal ponies climbing the mountain. We tried to pick them off with the Gatling guns we had but they overran us and we had to fall back. I was ordered to notify the Queen immediately." The Guard explained. "Tell me Captain, have you ever fought anything like these creatures?" "Yeah their created by a spell known as the animation spell, it literally brings any inanimate object to life. These metal ponies are a lot like the Gladiators. But smaller and less destructive." "Why would anyone create something based off the Gladiators?" Jade asked. "We don't make the Gladiators anymore because there are no more dragons in the mountain kingdom. How could anyone build something like this if all the Gladiators blueprints are destroyed?" "They must have gotten a hold of a set of those blueprints." Nightwing muttered. "They?" "The Order." "The Order? I thought that organization was destroyed long ago?" "It was but now it's resurfaced and are trying to finish their mission." "Nightwing please tell me you have a plan on fighting these...miniature Gladiators." Flash said. "Yeah, hit them hard and fast before they can regenerate." Nightwing answered. "And Miniature Gladiators? Really?" "How do we do that. Our Gatling guns are the fastest weapon we have and they can still regenerate." Jade said. "That's because your...what do Gatling guns fire?" "Bullets." "Bullets, are just piercing through it's armor. To take them out, we need to extinguish the flame that's keeping it alive." "How do we do that?" "We need to suffocate the flame, but this new model can seal itself up and protect the flame. So a water spell is gonna be useless." Night sighed. "Hey Nightwing. I'm no expert on magic and whatnot, but doesn't fire need feed off something to keep itself burning?" Flash asked. "Your correct, that's what's been frustrating me for a while actually. How can these creatures fire be keeping them alive when the fire has nothing to burn?" Nightwing asked himself. "Halt!" The stern voice caught the group off guard as they came to complete stop. The voice belonged to another Stallion guard. Behind him were a number of guards that were behind Gatling guns that were aimed down another hallway. "Your highness what are doing here?" The guard asked. "I have come to buy my ponies some time." Jade stepped forward. "But this is no place for you my queen. You must leave right now!" The stallion demanded. "If I'm going to die here then I will die knowing that I saved my ponies." The Queen said. The Stallion was about to say a response but was cut off when one of the guards yelled, "Sir, the enemy is closing in. Permission to fire?" "Permission granted on my mark. Begin rotation." The stallion ordered. With their orders the Gatling guns barrels began to turn in a 360 degree angle as guards turned the levers. "Hold." The stallion said. In the end of the hallway that the galling guns were aiming at was a large double door that had planks, swords, and a bunch of other stuff that was keeping it board up. A loud thumping could be heard from the other side as whatever was there tried to budge the door open. "Hold." The stallion repeated. A loud crack was heard as the wood began to split open. Then there was a loud crash as the door was forced down and metal ponies began to crawl through. "Light em up!" The Stallion ordered. With the order given other guards began to feed the belts of bullets into their assigned Gatling guns. Bullets split through the air like a knife through melted cheese as the metal ponies were pushed down by the onslaught of gunfire. "Cease fire!" The stallion ordered. Creating silence from the guns. Smoke fumed from the Gatling guns chambers. A thick cloud of dust blocked the guards view of their enemy, making it hard to see. Or so they thought, as the dust cleared the guards saw that their attack was slowly being undone as the remains of the metal ponies were slowly rebuilding themselves. "Grrrrr." The stallion growled. "All units fall back, as for you your highness we must get you to safety at once." "I will not hide from the enemy like some coward." The Queen snapped. "Hey Flash, can you shoot a lightning ball at one of those metal ponies for me?" Nightwing turned to his friend. "Um...why?" Flash asked. "Call it an experiment." Nightwing said bluntly. Flash shrugged as he lifted up his right hoof and a lightning ball formed in it. Once the lightning ball was fully complete Flash eyed one of the metal ponies that had fully recovered itself from the attack. Wasting no time Flash threw the lightning ball at the metal pony. *Bang* The ball impacted the metal pony, causing it to skid backwards a bit. Then fell to pieces. "What the." Flash said confused. "Just as I thought." Nightwing said. "What just happened?" Jade asked. "How did you do that?" "Care to explain Nightwing?" Flash asked. "Remember when I said that fire needs feed off something in order to keep itself burning?" Nightwing asked. Flash nodded. "Well I assumed that said fire must be feeding off magic." "How does that explain why my lightning ball just killed that thing?" "To put it in simple terms your lightning ball short circuited the Magical energy that the fire was feeding on. No magic, no animation spell." "Okay next question." Flash turned away from Nightwing. "How do I take down the rest of these guys?" Flash asked as he looked at the rest of the metal ponies. "You don't. Instead we run like our lives depend on it towards the forge." Nightwing said. "Except for you two." Nightwing pointed to Jade and the stallion. "Us? Why can't we follow you?" Jade demanded. "Because the guard is right, this kingdom needs you. Without you the kingdom is gonna crumble to nothing. Which is why you must retreat. Don't worry I have a plan." Nightwing said confident. "But-" Jade was cut off as her eyes became closed and her body became limp. She fell to the ground but was caught by the stallion. "Don't worry I casted a sleep spell on her, she'll be fine. So stop looking impressed and get a move on. That includes us, come on Flash." With that Nightwing, followed by Flash, were running away from the area and towards the forge. "Why do we need to head to the forge?" Flash asked as he ran side by side with Nightwing. "I've figured out a way to create an army that can rival the Orders. But now that I know that the metal ponies fire feeds off magic, I need to add a little tweak to it." Nightwing answered. "Wait you did it? You know a way to stop the Orders army?" "Yep. When you told me to stop trying to make something new and instead make something better I began to work on an old model that was made long ago and made it ten times better." "Which was..." "It's a surprise." Nightwing grinned. "Wait, if you know where the forge is why don't we just teleport their?" "Oh yeah I can do that." Nightwing said as he came to a halt. Placing a hoof on Flash the two vanished. "Hello again!" Nightwing greeted the same earth pony mare he met before. "Gah!" The startled mare shouted. "No time for being scared, tell me have you completed the Guardians?" Nightwing asked. "I...um...yes, we have them all ready but we waited for you to return before we placed the crystal inside them." The mare said. "Excellent. Show me to them." Nightwing said. The two followed the mare down the forge, the mare stopped in front of three hollow Pegasi armor suits. "The Sentinels Guardians." Shadow said. 'Guardians?' Flash questioned in his head. "During the time when the Sentinels were the protectors of Equestria more ponies wanted to become Sentinels than they wanted to become guards of Canterlot. Because of this the Guardians were made. They followed every order without question, protected their leader no matter the cost, and the best part was they could make many Guardians. But when the war against the Order came all of the remaining Guardians and their blueprints were destroyed. I guess the Mountain kingdom must have had a set of blueprints that wasn't destroyed." Shadow explained. "But these versions look different than the ones from back then." The sweet voice of the mare inside Flash's head said. 'Oh hey it's you. Um...what's your name again?' Flash asked. "You may call me Light." "Where the hay have you been? Shadow demanded. "Resting, it does wonders for the soul." 'If you two are gonna argue please do it quietly.' Flash groaned. "Flash?" Nightwing's question brought Flash back to the real world. "Huh? Oh hey Nightwing what's up?" Flash asked. "Did you hear a word I said?" Nightwing asked. "Ummmmm...no." "Ugh." Nightwing face hoofed. "Listen I need you to create a lightning ball, I'm gonna use a program crystal to then absorb the lightning ball. Once it does that I'm going to copy and past that program into two other crystals which I will then place into the Guardians armor. Got it?" "Uhhhhhh." "Just create a lightning ball I'll do the rest." "Okay." Flash said as he raised his hoof and a lightning ball formed above it. "Hold them back!" A guard shouted as he pushed against the large door. "We can't let them through!" Another shouted. Queen Jade watched in despair as her own guards were risking their own lives to save hers. It just wasn't right to her. The remaining guards had barricaded themselves inside the very room that the party was supposed to be held. There was supposed to be joy, laughter, and happiness. Instead tables and chairs were being used to bar the door closed, and guards were trying to keep the metal ponies from entering the room. "No." Jade said as she sat up. "I refuse to be nothing but burden." Jade said as she ran up to the barred door and pushed against it. "Y-your highness." A guard said in bewilderment. "What are doing?" "Aiding my guards. If I am to die here, I'll die fighting by your side." "No ones going to die on my watch." A voice came from behind them. Jade swung her behind her to see that Nightwing, Flash, and three empty golden Pegasi armor that had a faint blue light coming from inside them. "All of you step away from the door." "But-" "Don't worry I have everything under control. Guardians, ready lightning." "Yes sir." The three Guardians saluted as blue lightning engulfed their forehooves. "Okay, now seriously please move away from the door. You don't to be I the crossfire of this." Nightwing said. "But if we do that, the creatures will get in." A guard said. "Duh. Now get out of the way before I pry you from that door." Nightwing said. "Do as he says." Jade said. "But-" "Enough buts, we must put our faith in Nightwing now. Now all of you release the door." Jade ordered. The guards looked at one another and let go of the door as well as running behind Nightwing, Flash and the guardians. A fiery beam shot through the door, cutting through all the wood. With the barricade destroyed the metal ponies began to enter the room. "Open fire!" Nightwing yelled. Lightning balls fired from the Guardians hooves, causing any of the metal ponies that tried to enter the room were turned into nothing but empty metal shell. "Incredible." Jade said in astonishment. "I know right, and this just took me only one day to make. I mean an idea like this should have taken about months to complete, but no I did it in a day. Can you believe it?" Nightwing asked. "Yes...I think?" Flash said unsure. "Captain. The threat has been neutralized." The third Guardian saluted. "Awesome." Nightwing smiled. "However I must inform you that the magical energy inside the threat is beginning to form again." The first Guardian said. "Oh...we need to run. Now." Nightwing said. "Queen Jade, Flash, Guardians one, two, and three, come with me." Nightwing ordered. "What? Why, I thought these Guardians destroyed the metal ponies?" Flash asked. "I thought I did, the electric energy from the program crystals should have canceled out the magical energy inside the metal ponies but all it did was repel it. Now that the electrical energy is no longer repealing the magical energy, the magical energy is now beginning to form the animation spell again." Nightwing explained. "...What?" Flash and Jade asked in sync. "Uggghh...the metal ponies are coming back to life, so we need to leave before they wake up and burn us alive." Nightwing said simply. "Now for those who do not wish to be 'burned alive' and your body turned into nothing but ashes, which will be very painful by the way, I suggest you all run and evacuate the kingdom at once. The Queen and I will join you all later, sounds good?" Nightwing asked. "Um-" "Great, let's get to it." "You heard the Captain." The second Guardian said. "Move it." The Stallion, that the group had met that a while ago, stepped forward. "We do not take our orders from enchanted armor." The Stallion glared. "Then you will obey this order as if it were mine." Jade said firmly. "Your Highness-" "No. You have done your duty today. Now leave, go home to your family's. I swear to all of you that none of you shall die this day." Nightwing's ears perked up at those words. "Wait a minute, Queen Jade what are the total numbers of casualties in the entire kingdom ever since the metal ponies came here?" Nightwing asked. "None." The Stallion answered. "We haven't had any because we have evacuated everyone to the lone city." The gears inside Nightwing's head began to turn as the true plan of the Order became clear as the moon in the night sky. "Of course how did I not see it before?" Nightwing groaned in frustration. "Nightwing, what's wrong?" Flash asked. "Ever since we received that distress letter from the Mountain kingdom I always thought the Order was attacking the kingdom because it would cripple our ore resources, but their real plan was to round up all of the citizens into one place. Now the only place that the entire kingdoms residents are at is the Lone city and the castle. Isn't it strange that the metal ponies attacked the castle first rather than attacking the city? Especially since to even get to the castle you'd have to go past the city. Which means their plan must have something to do with herding everyone up into the city." Nightwing explained. "But why do that? They clearly have the power to destroy us, why do something like that?" Flash asked. "Because it'll be easier to take out everyone when their in one spot. The question is, how will they do it?" Nightwing questioned himself. Just then a roaring boom shook the entire mountain. The walls and the floor began to crack, the shockwave was so fierce that Pathan entire group stumbled and fell down. Eventually the shaking stopped and Nightwing stood up. "What in Tartarus was that?!" Jade nearly screamed. Nightwing ran to a window to see what the cause of the shockwave was. He peered out the window and saw Lightning strike flying steadily in a single place. But their was something different about him, his mane looked like a lot like a roaring fire as his red mane danced uncontrollably in the wind and the tips of his feathers on his wings. Flash approached the window as well and saw what looked like his brother Lightning strike. "Lightning." Flash muttered in disbelief. "Just as I feared. That is no longer your brother Flash." Shadow hat is Scorch, the destructive side of chaos." Shadow said as the Element of Scorch released a loud roar.