The wheels on my pull cart squeaked in regular intervals as I continued my journey through Canterlot. The only other sounds that accompanied were my hoof steps and the cold wind that blew in random gusts. My muscles had long ago begun to stiffen as the result of the chill but I cared little. Even as the tears I shed froze to my face and each new step became laborious, I just continued to trudge ever onward.

The city I now walked through had become a distorted image of what it once had been. The sounds of laughter and countless other emotions were stripped clean leaving nothing, but a deathly silence. Even much of the buildings themselves had been altered, burned, or destroyed. The pleasant city that I had remembered, had been tainted. It would take years before this place could ever reclaim its former glory. But even then it shall never be the same for me.

As I continued my dirge I found my vision started to shift to all the bodies that had littered the streets. Whatever Death had done when I released him had become apparent. Rogue soldiers beyond of the realm of counting had their very lives ripped from them. Each face wore a visage anywhere from terror to sorrow to peaceful rest. In some ways I envied them. No more struggling through this world, just a simple end. However, my father's last words to me had rung through my head in response. The statement "This war between the kingdom and the rogue factions needs to end or more shall suffer" echoed and repeated in my mind. The cold fact that he was indeed right was probably why I continued on regardless of what I currently felt.

After an hour I had reached the main gate of Canterlot. The doors of said gate had been torn off their massive hinges from earlier. What was left of them was a barely standing archway. I had only stopped for but a moment to analyze the damage done before I passed through it. The other side of the main gate gave way to what had taken place outside the city walls. Our forces had indeed kept the rogue soldiers focused and contained, but at the cost of numerous lives.

Pockets of activity were spread out on the battlefield. Most of which were probably battle medics and the such, but I did not view for long. I just could not handle even more sorrow so I stared at the ground as I continued to walk.

And so my walk continued until I realized everypony was beginning to notice me. Some seemed to look surprised or confused. Others however stumbled over themselves to run away from me for some reason. I had a nagging feeling that it would have been a reasonable response if I were them, but I could not remember why. I just did not know why I had frightened them so thoroughly and it bothered me.

My thoughts of such did not last long though when I reached a veritable wall of weapons pointed at me. The center of which stood a grim looking Celestia. Her face was contorted into a mixture of fear and yet fortitude at the same time. Her eyes narrowed as she barked the order "Everypony keep your distance from him!"

I then saw somepony stumble to the front of line only to meet an armored foreleg blocking their path. After a few moments I realized it was Twilight attempting to struggle her way through. A few seconds had passed before she gave up her futile efforts and yelled "Let me through!"

Celestia held firm her foreleg and said something to Twilight that I could not make out. The result of which caused tears to flow down Twilgiht's face in response. Even in my current state I could not stand to see her cry so I took a step forward. Celestia however shot me a cold leer as everypony backed up a few steps. After which she bellowed out to me "What is your purpose here!"

It seemed like an odd statement. My mind went blank for the most part so I just mentioned what first came to me. "I...I just could not leave their bodies. They all fell protecting me. Please I-" I said before I felt a hard impact on the back of my head.

I collapsed to the ground and darkness crept up on the edges vision. The last thing I saw was Luna standing not far from me. The pommel of one of her khopeshes had some strange black ichor dripping from it. She then frowned and said "I am sorry for my actions Blood Moon. If that is still indeed you in there," before I blacked out.

And so I drifted into darkness. My body remained unfeeling and my mind was empty. Well empty until the most horrid throbbing headache overtook me. My eyes slowly opened in a response as a low groan left my lips. Then as I attempted to put a forehoof to side of my head I realized something was amiss. All of my legs felt heavier than usual and a rattling of chains sounded when I moved.

I blinked a few times as my vision cleared and then promptly realized there were two spears mere centimeters from my face. A worried swallow followed as my eyes scanned what little of the room I could see. It seems that I was in the decent size hospital room along with Celestia, Luna, and Twilight and her friends. Even discord was lazily leaning up against one of the far walls. From what I could tell is that it was sometime around dusk from the view of the window five meters in front of me. I continued my nervous scanning until I heard Celestia state, "Everypony he's awake."

She then walked a few steps closer and said "Who are you?"

I raised an eyebrow at her statement. "It is me, Blood Moon," I replied thoroughly confused.

Celestia's eyes narrowed before she sternly said, "Don't try my patience creature. Now who are you?"

I tilted my head and said "What? It is me Blood Moon, Princess. Do you not recognize me?"

She then pursed her lips and her horn began to glow. The spears by my face pulled away and a mirror hovered in front of me. I sat up to look at its surface only to find a stranger looking back at me. All of my fur was jet black. As I opened my mouth from surprise I realized that other than my teeth everything inside my mouth was all black, including my tongue. And while my irises remained their crimson red the whites of my eyes were black as well. I in turn blinked several times in absolute disbelief at my current visage.

"What...what has happened to me?" I said mainly to myself only to get an unintended response.

"You are my Advocate remember?" I heard Death's multi-toned voice in my mind. "Your body has been altered because of this," he added.

My memory was still foggy, but I remembered some of the details. "Oh yes...that. That explains a lot," I said out loud.

Celestia tilted her head in confusion and said "Who are you talking to?"

I heard Death chuckle in my mind before he said "I have an interesting favor to ask you. Being as I am currently busy cleaning up over two months' worth of wandering souls from when I was trapped. And as me becoming material is harmful to anything currently living, may I speak through your body?"

I was taken back for a second, "What? You wish to speak through me? I am not sure I enjoy the sound of that. It sounds to be both unnerving and unpleasant," I said out loud confusing Celestia and everypony in the room even more except Discord.

"This is important. Please let me in," Death grumbled.

My eyes narrowed as I said out loud "No! It sounds too creepy and disturbing. I am not some mouth piece to be utilized."

"Fine have it your way! I will just do this, until you agree!" He said as he snickered.

Before I could even respond an absolutely horrible multi-toned constantly shifting wail screeched in my head. The word "unpleasant" would have been a woefully inadequate description of it. My forehooves soon slammed to my ears in a futile attempt at block out said nightmarish experience. Needless to say it took only a grand total of three seconds before I mentally fell over myself to make it stop. To which Death just laughed some more and said a snarky, "Thank you."

My vision faded to black, but I could still hear and feel my surroundings. However it soon became unnerving when my body began to move without me doing so. Then my body began to speak, but it was not my own voice, but Death's. "Well well, not only do you bash him on the skull, you proceed to chain him up and place pointy objects near his face, he said before I felt some strange energy surge in my body. Then after a second or two I felt the chains that held me crumble to dust before he added "Ah there we are. Much better."

"Who are you and what have you done with Blood Moon?!" I heard Celestia yell.

Before Death could respond I heard Discord laugh and state, "Hello Death. I was wondering when you were going to show. You always did make things more interesting."

I felt my head shake as Death said "Interesting is hardly the correct word. More like trying to clean up the awful mess you and the others have done to this world. Harmony should have never raised the vote to remove you from the council and banish you to the material realm."

Discord just laughed some more and stated "What did you expect from that stuffy old spoil sport? No sense of humor I swear. She just never enjoyed me having fun with some of her little 'grand designs'."

"You left out the part on how you managed to irritate both Creation and Void...and Chronos...and pretty much every other member of said council..." Death deadpanned.

Discord snorted in reply. "Oh yes...I forgot about them. How are they doing anyway?" he said truly layering it on.

"Still aggravated with you of course. I once, in a moment of desperation, fell to my ethereal knees begging them to reinstate you only to receive a unified 'NO!'" Death grumbled.

I then felt my body sigh. "However, that is not the reason for this meeting," Death said, sighed again and added, "No, I am here yet again to continue to try and correct the disaster that you three have created," before I felt him point in three different directions.

"Created? You mean free this world from chaos? No offence to Discord, but we had little choice," I heard Celestia snap back.

"I have no desire to hear your excuses 'Sun Goddess'! In well over a millenia of your mortal time you three have been at each other's throats! Now the very forces that you had commanded had split from your control! So here again I am forced to step in!" Death yelled at her in reply.

"Step in?! You mean corrupt another poor soul to your own ends! How dare you force Blood Moon into your schemes you heartless monster!" Celestia yelled and I heard her stomp closer.

I figured Death going to get into a shouting match with Celestia, but he did no such thing. I just felt my head tip back for a moment as roaring laughter came out. Afterward I felt my body lean closer to Celestia's general direction before a grin crawled up my face. "Oooooo heartless hmm? Now this truly has become interesting heh heh heh. For you see this 'Heartless Monster' was responsible for clearing out your precious city. After you helped trap me in a box for over two months of course. This 'Heartless Monster' also allowed your 'friend' Blood Moon here to see his mother and family one last time. Ooooh no it is not I who is the 'Heartless Monster' here, but you," Death stated in slick knowing tone.

"What are you talking about?" Celestia growled back.

"You knew..." Death replied with his voice still as slick at before. When Celestia choked on her words I heard somepony else walk closer. They were about to speak before Death cut them off, "And you knew too 'Moon Goddess'."

After a few seconds of both of them sputtering for words Death spoke again. "You two knew his mother stood not but five paces from him for decades and you both stayed mute," Death said grinning.

"WHAT?!" I screeched in my mind.

Discord on the other hoof broke into hysterical laughter as he said "Haaahaha ho ho ho. This. Is. Rich. Wow Tia and Lulu, bravo. And here I thought it was my job to cause strife and treachery. Good show indeed hahahaha."

The room became silent other than Discord's obvious enjoyment. I however was so enraged that I could not even think straight. My mind burned with fury at the news. It became so intense that it seemed to have forced Death to continue speaking through my gritted teeth.

"There is not much that hides from Death. Not even your dirty little secrets. For you see you two have indirectly caused more damage to him than any other being. You destroyed his birth family, his foster family, his friends, and almost killed both of his lovers," Death growled and seemed to grow angry as well. After a few seconds of heavy breathing he added, "And you used him too. Say, does any being happen to know what happened to his first suit of enchanted armor? I hear that it was not he who had destroyed-"

"ENOUGH!" I heard Luna shout.

Death chuckled in reply and said "Ha hardly, but I have spent too much time already. I need to continue my task. Have fun with the aftermath of your little betrayal."

Then just as fast as it had come, Death's influence disappeared from my body thus returning my sight. I sat there shaking with sorrow and fury as my gums bled from gritting my teeth together. Black tears soon flowed from my eyes as my gaze had become focused forward and unblinking. I remained so until Celestia and Luna stepped closer to me.

"Blood Moon...we-" Celestia began to speak until I gave both her and Luna a rage filled leer.

"DO NOT DARE COME NEAR ME!" I hissed before black and red lightning crackled across my bed and then the floor. I then found my armor ring on a table next to me and held it up as I yelled "IS THIS WHAT MY LOYALTY MEANS TO YOU?! AM I JUST SOME PAWN IN YOUR DESIGNS?! GRAAAAAHH!" before I threw it through the window in front of me with a thunderous crash.

Everypony dove away from the spray of glass that followed, but I still sat there shaking with fury. Every fiber of my being screamed out for an escape. Somewhere, anywhere was better than where I currently was. In my fevered moments I noticed a small mountain through the broken window in front of me. Without even a second thought my mind reached towards it right before a black portal opened at the front of my bed. Then again without thinking I located my scythe in the room and willed it towards me. The very second my scythe was in my possession I leapt through the swirling portal.

The last words I heard was "BLOOD MOON WAIT!" from somepony before the black portal slammed shut behind me. I then crashed into the icy ground and rolled several times to a stop. Black ichor soon dripped from my mouth when I had sunk my fangs into my bottom lip from fear. My black tears, again, were soon to follow.

And so I remained there, unmoving, until my muscles had begun to stiffen from the icy cold. Then with what hollow will I had left in myself I dragged my body into a small cave I located. And there I sat, at the back of the cave, with my forelegs wrapped around me, mourning for the life that I had once known.

Next Chapter: Chapter 35: Rediscovering Oneself: Part 1 Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 19 Minutes