Original Link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11Uh23M9hSbg2NGs87k-GR7XsyJmHVDZ2OCYX1khYGqc/edit

Since all details were already known to Princess Celestia and the royal guards, the investigation was finished quickly. It wasn’t the first time that Celestia lied to her subjects either when she gave out an explanation. In the official version, Pinkie Pie was pulling a scare prank on Rainbow Dash, but it went out of control. Rainbow became so startled that she died of a heart attack and after Pinkie realized what she had done, she committed suicide in regret afterwards. Only the keepers of harmony knew the truth, but they were not allowed to reveal a state secret like this. Even if they could, they knew such knowledge was not meant to be public. They still knew how incredibly sensitive and naive the equestrian ponies were.

Princess Celestia avoided having much contact with Twilight while Obsidian’s mission was still going. But now that it is over, she had a lot to talk about with her star student. There was no opportunity for them to meet, but by now, Twilight learned to use her arcane magic to create an artificial dragon breath to send letters, just like Celestia does. The discussion between the two of them went on for days and Celestia kept on repeating that she felt incredibly sorry for ordering this and that she had no choice. She claimed to have thought of an alternative for years, but never was able to find one. Ultimately, Twilight started believing her. After all, it is only thanks to Princess Celestia that Equestria still exists, considering the threat through the demons.

Just as Princess Luna foreshadowed, the funeral ceremony of Pinkie and Rainbow was the most tragic so far. The news were a shock to the villagers. Nearly everypony in Ponyville was friends with Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash had a lot of fans. Scootaloo was one of the most traumatized ponies over the sudden passing of her idol. Although she generally tried to be tough, she couldn’t hold back her tears while the coffins were let down into the graves. Next to her was Sweetie Belle, trying hard to comfort her friend, but she as well couldn’t stop crying. Only Applebloom was missing, despite the fact that the rest of her family was present during the funeral. It seemed like she couldn’t take this whole ceremony.

Twilight, Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy were even in much worse shape. Their sudden loss and the horrible conditions that lead to this left them, despite all they had been through and the fact that they all grew much stronger, emotionally wrecked. The whole ceremony was nearly too much for them and the only comfort they could find was in each other.

After Twilight revealed the truth to her three remaining friends, they as well felt deeply betrayed by Obsidian Shards. Especially Fluttershy could hardly believe that her beloved one was capable of doing something this horrible. They all would have liked to talk to the black stallion to finally find out what he was truly thinking and feeling, but that was not possible.

Applebloom was not the only one not participating at the funeral. Obsidian also was nowhere to be found. Ever since he flew away, nopony was able to find the reaper anymore. Or at least see more of him than a brief glimpse. In his compunction, the black stallion fell into a deep depression and began to hide. He didn’t have the strength left to confront any of his friends and the intense feeling of guilt was eating on his mind.

Only Fluttershy was still able to get relatively close to him. This was unavoidable, since he still lived in her cottage. But every intimacy they had was gone now. The reaper could not bear her presence anymore. He could not take her attempts to hug and kiss him. He couldn’t handle her gentle words, trying to comfort him. It hurt him more than the days of constant torturing he had been through just recently.

Nothing was left of the mighty elder reaper Obsidian Shards. Instead, there was a broken stallion, robbed of nearly all his strength.

Even days after the funeral, the sensation of paralyzation could still be felt in Ponyville. The usually very bright and cheerful village, filled with laughing ponies became gloomy and silent. With Pinkie and Rainbow missing, it seemed like every fun and color had left the village. The ponies kept on walking through the streets on a low pace, none of them even smiling anymore.

Obsidian was still broken. With his horn, wings and cutie marks missing and the unforgivable sins he had done, he could only hide under his cloak in shame. He spent nearly all day in his basement room, not even coming up to sleep anymore.

For Fluttershy, the situation was like at the very beginning again, only with the difference that she kept on losing more and more of what she had with each day that came and went. Obsidian didn’t even speak to her anymore and each time he spotted her, he instantly ran away and hid himself in the shadows.

Although Twilight denied to kill him, the yellow mare knew that this was the end. Obsidian was mortal now. He refused to treat his injuries and in combination with his weak mental state, it was just a matter of time until his body would give in.

---

Two weeks passed and Obsidian was still alive. He lived longer now than he should have in his situation. As he even woke up one morning and realized that he had regrown his horn, wings and cutie marks, he knew something was wrong.

The reaper opened his book of death. What he saw there filled him with shock and disbelief. As a punishment for disobeying her and nearly ruining the most important mission of the decade, Mistress Celestia added one more name to his book of death. The name was very familiar to the black stallion. He instantly understood the motive behind this kill: Celestia didn’t want any loose ends.

“My mistress... you can be colder than the most ruthless reaper at times...” Obsidian spoke to himself.

---

Nine days later at sundown, Twilight Sparkle was on her way back from a shopping trip. Ponyville was still like a ghost town. The ponies weren’t even talk to each other anymore. Everypony just went through their daily routine, sunken in thoughts.

Twilight was no different. She still had to swallow the recent events. Her mind was constantly occupied with memories of Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, while she kept hearing the story Obsidian told her. The purple mare had seen many horrors in just one year, but this still was the most shocking event she had witnessed yet. It just wouldn’t get through to her. How could this happen? How could it have ended like this? Was there really no alternative?

As the purple mare approached her library, she noticed a cloaked pony waiting in front of it. Twilight hadn’t seen Obsidian for weeks. She still had very mixed feelings about him, but since he was still a friend, she was happy to see him.

“Hi, Obsidian,” she greeted.

“Salvē,” the reaper greeted back.

“Ah. I hear your voice has recovered. How are you?” Twilight asked.

“I am not of importance right now. I came to warn you and ask for your assistance,” Obsidian replied.

“Oh no... don’t tell me there is still more...” the purple mare worried.

“Unfortunately, there is. But before I can give you further information, I have to ask... do you still trust my word?” Obsidian wondered.

"I don't know Obsidian... A big part of me still can't get over what you did. But you did everything you could, so I'll forgive you. I'll believe you,” Twilight answered.

“Grātiās... I spent the last week going through Pinkamena’s life and made a very unsettling discovery,” the black stallion stated.

“W... what discovery?” Twilight wondered.

“Pinkamena succeeded in corrupting another pony into a cannibal,” he answered.

“What?! There is another on the loose?!” Twilight shouted out.

The purple mare covered her mouth as she realized she just yelled that out. Luckily, nopony was nearby to hear this.

“Who is it?” Twilight asked again, this time whispering.

“I do not know. The last time they worked together seems to have been over a year ago. I never got to meet her trainee or even knew she had one until I scanned through Pinkamena’s personal belongings. She had a complete spare set of torturing instruments, which she didn’t need. The only explanation that comes to my mind is that she kept them ready to teach her trainee. Of course, this is not enough evidence to be certain. This is why I need your help. We need to find out more without letting this suspicion spread too much,” Obsidian explained.

“What do you suggest we should do?” Twilight wondered.

“Your friends need to be informed. I recommend you go to Applejack first. She and her family live the farthest away from Ponyville, making them much easier prey. Meanwhile, I will tell the others,” the reaper spoke.

“Alright. I will meet you back here in half an hour. Oh my gosh... things just keep getting worse, don’t they?” Twilight stated before leaving.

The purple mare quickly levitated her shopping bags inside the library, then she turned around and started running. Obsidian, too, turned around, but he kept walking slowly. He still couldn’t believe what he was forced into doing again.

---

Twilight ran towards Sweet Apple Acres as fast as she could, teleporting herself frequently to shorten the path. Finally, she arrived at the farm. The first pony that came to Twilight’s sight was Applebloom, picking up some last rotten apples and throwing them away.

“Applebloom! Where is Applejack? I need to talk to her!” Twilight stated.

“Mah sister and brother are out on the orchard somewhere. Don’t know where they’d gone to. What’s so important, Twilight? Ya look like ya’ve seen a ghost,” Applebloom wonedered.

“Sorry, but I can’t tell you. I just need to find AJ as fast as possible. You better go inside! It’s dangerous to be outside alone for a teenage filly!” the purple mare explained.

“Ahaha! Don’t be silly, Twilight. What’s the worst that could happen? Yer afraid an apple could fall on mah head? Ah already had that several times and as ya see, I’m fine!” the teenage filly replied.

“No really, Applebloom. Go inside! Something is going around!” Twilight insisted.

“Ah, fine. Just lemme finish up here then I’ll go,” Applebloom stated.

Twilight nodded, then ran inside the orchard. By now, it was already dark. The purple mare could hardly see where she was going, hoping in vain to find her friend. After several minutes, she suddenly felt a hard strike on the back of her head and fell unconscious.

---

“Creep!”

“Friend”

“Murderer!”

“My love”

“Cannibal!”

“Our loyal dark guardian”

“Monster!”

Obsidian lied when he said he would inform the others and just went back into his basement room. He tried to meditate and prepare himself for his very last strike, but his mind and remorse just wouldn’t leave him alone. He kept on hearing all the things anypony ever called him. All his life long, the ponies only confronted him with despise and disgust. Only the keepers of harmony faced him with friendship and love and now, he betrayed them as well.

Due to Obsidian drowning in his emotions and conscience now, the hundreds of years finally came down on him. He had torn apart families and lovers. He destroyed dreams and hopes. Over three centuries, he had become a symbol of terror and suffering. He never paid much attention to the consequences of his actions, but now he saw them everywhere.

He heard the children crying whose parents he had murdered. He saw the ponies commit suicide over the loss of their partner. He saw whole families growing insane. He even used innocent ponies as a bait for demons and insane ponies. Countless faces were stuck in his mind, all having expressions of unspeakable desperation, hate and suffering. He was responsible for every last of them.

In the center of all was the face of Rainbow Dash and the expression she made just before he killed her. This one was burnt in his mind. One moment, she begged him to free her from the rack she was tied to. The next, she remembered her nightmares and understood what would happen next. Just before Obsidian sunk his scythe into her, she understood that the reaper had been tricking her and lying to her the whole time.

Guilt was a sensation he never felt in his life before this year. Now that he was capable of experiencing it, it was all too much for him. Obsidian couldn’t think anymore, couldn’t fight anymore. How was he supposed to reap this last name when just the thought of it nearly killed him?

The black stallion turned around and slowly walked over to his shrine, staring at his parents’ skulls. They were his very first victims and tonight, everything was supposed to end. The three centuries of horror he caused would end tonight, no matter what. But how could he go even one step further when the thousands of voices and faces kept haunting him? How was he supposed to hit his target when tears of regret were constantly blurring his sight?

Barely anything was still working in the reapers mind while he gently picked up the skull of his mother, closed his eyes, leaned his forehead against hers and cried while he kept whispered how sorry he was for all the suffering he spread throughout his life. The guilt weighted so heavily on him, he even played with the idea to commit suicide. But he couldn’t do that. The idea of forcing an innocent foal to walk the path of a reaper was unbearable for him.

Even much more importantly, he couldn’t disappoint his mistress again. He just couldn’t. Obsidian’s life and loyalty belonged to her. He still would do everything she demanded of him, no matter how much it would break him. He had no choice. He somehow had to find a way to pull himself together enough to kill this last pony.

The black stallion slowly opened his eyes again, staring into the empty sockets of the skull before him while thinking of all the things he gained. The relationship with Fluttershy changed him the most. She became his greatest strength, but also his greatest weakness. By gaining emotions, he was happy like never before in his life while he was around her, but at the same time, the same emotions destroyed him.

Obsidian understood that in the way things currently where, he would fail on his last reap. Now that he was facing death himself, nothing mattered anymore. The past, present and future had no meaning for him anymore and all his life achievements would soon be void. As the black stallion realized this, he understood. If he wanted to serve Mistress Celestia one last time, he had to leave everything behind. He had to abandon everything.

Suddenly, the reaper crushed the skull in his front hooves. Moments later, he picked up his father’s skull and destroyed it as well. This was the start of an act of destruction this basement room had never seen before. Obsidian burned all his notes and letters, lifted the curses he had created, destroyed the ingredients he had collected, cleaned up the recovery rune he had drawn on the floor, quickly devoured the last bits of pony flesh he had in his chest and erased every last evidence he had ever been living in this room. After that, he went upstairs and lifted the curse from the door.

---

Fluttershy was sitting on the sofa, having a cup of tea when the basement door suddenly opened and Obsidian stepped outside. The reaper hadn’t been this close to her for weeks and she instantly placed down the cup and got up. She was about to run over to him when she realized Obsidian was lifting the curse he placed on the basement door. As soon as he was done, the reaper turned over to her, looking at the yellow mare with an empty expression she hadn’t seen on his face for months.

“It is time, Fluttershy,” Obsidian spoke.

She knew precisely what he meant. Shock rushed through her body and she ran over to the black stallion, trying to embrace him one more time, but Obsidian just pushed her away and went over to the front door.

The push was hard enough to knock the yellow mare over. She was speechless. The way he acted was as if nothing ever happened between them. He was going to leave without even giving her the chance to say farewell.

“Obsidian!” the yellow mare shouted with a desperate tone in her voice.

The door was already open and Obsidian half outside when he stopped. His glance turned back inside the cottage, seeing Fluttershy sitting on the floor and sniffling. Obsidian couldn’t leave her like this. They had been through too much together to let it all end so abrupt. He already hurt her too much by avoiding her for weeks, leaving her constantly uncertain of what was happening to him and if she would be able to see him again the next day. A few final words were the least he had to give in return.

The black stallion turned back around and slowly went over to the yellow mare.

“I wanted to keep this a short farewell. One that was over quickly, because you do not deserve this suffering I cause you. But... before I leave for good, I want you to know one thing,” he started, lowering his head and closing his eyes. “All my life long, I never had a choice. I existed as a soulless puppet from my early childhood on. I lost everything I had and never was granted anything in return... until I met you.”

“My love...” Fluttershy spoke lowly.

“Through you, I found the strength to go these last steps. You showed me so many things I had forgotten... Kindness... Trust... Love...” the reaper continued.

“Obsidian... please...” the yellow mare begged, not sure if she really wanted to hear this.

“Through you, I learned what it means to be alive. This last year of my existence had been the happiest I ever had and if I could... If I had the chance to live through this year and be with you once more... I would endure everything, only for that,” Obsidian continued.

He opened his eyes again and saw that tears started flowing down Fluttershy’s face.

“Please... don’t go. Don’t leave me...” she begged.

“I have to, mea amāta. My destiny is decided and should I not leave now, others will have to pay the price for my refusal,” Obsidian explained.

At this moment, Fluttershy didn’t know what to say anymore. She just embraced the reaper and began to cry even heavier. Obsidian returned the embrace. Holding the most important pony in his life once more was pleasant and comforting, but also extremely painful. After a while, the reaper loosened himself from her and placed his front hooves on the yellow mare’s shoulders, looking her deep into the eyes.

“There will be other stallions in your life. You will live on and you will have many happy moments... Maybe, one day, you will even find somepony you will start a family with,” the reaper stated.

“The only pony I ever considered as the father of my foal was you, Obsidian...”Fluttershy responded.

“That would have never worked out. The corruption inside me is too strong. It would not only put you into very high risk to grow insane, but also the foal. Everything that was between us never was meant to happen. I am a monster, Fluttershy... I am so sorry for doing this to you...” Obsidian apologized.

“No... you are not a monster. You are... the best that ever happened to me... I owe you so much...” Fluttershy countered.

Obsidian did not respond to this statement. Instead, he looked down on his cloak and began to undo the heart pin.

“My heart belongs to you, mea amāta. To you and only you forever. So please, keep it dear, for it is the greatest treasure I can give to you,” he explained.

Then, he gently placed the pin back into her front hooves, causing her to cry again.

“Thank you... for everything... Please forgive me... Maybe, we will meet again one day, in a world far away from this,” the reaper spoke.

Obsidian’s lips met Fluttershy’s for the very last time. Then, he stood up again.

“Valētō,” was the last thing he said to the yellow mare.

The black stallion turned around and ran outside the cottage, closing the door behind him by magic.

Fluttershy didn’t even stand up to watch him fly away. She just sat there, sobbing heavily while she stared at the heart pin.

---

When Twilight regained consciousness, she found herself at a place too dark to see anything. Instantly, she tried to cast a light spell, but for some reason was unable to do so. As she tried to move then, she realized something was holding her immobilized. After a short struggle, the purple mare heard hoof clattering, approaching in her direction.

“Ah! Good mornin’, Twilight!” a young female voice spoke.

“Applebloom? What’s going on? Where am I?” the purple mare wondered.

“Ya’re in my very personal playroom! Wasn’t so easy getting ya here unseen,” Applebloom replied.

“Your playroom? What are you talking about? Let me go!” Twilight insisted.

The hoof clattering now started to circle around Twilight. It seemed like Applebloom was walking around her.

“Yer are a dull one, arn’t ya, Twi? Ya have been in a playroom before and that word still doesn’t sound yer alarm?” Applebloom wondered.

An intense bolt of shock rushed through Twilight as she realized what the teenage filly was playing on.

“No... oh no... Applebloom... You?! You are Pinkamena’s trainee?!” the purple mare spoke out in disbelief.

The clattering suddenly stopped.

“Ah! Not so dull after all!” Applebloom responded and turned on the light.

After a short moment of adjusting her eyes to the brightness, Twilight’s mouth fell open as she saw where she was. The room was entirely made out of blood coated wood. All around her was macabre decor similar to that of Pinkamena’s torture room, just a lot less in quantity. Only few pony skulls were hanging on the walls, but instead they were decorated with bloodstained tools and torture instruments hanging from nails.

Twilight’s focus fell on Applebloom. The teenage filly was grinning insanely and wearing a dress made of pink and gray pony hide, showing off the cutie marks of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. She sat in front of the purple mare, sharpening a knife while staring at her with huge, bloodshot eyes and tiny pupils.

The purple mare began to panic. She struggled heavily to free herself, but the braces held her still. She tried to cast another spell, but as she failed, Twilight looked up to her forehead. Her horn was still there, but Applebloom somehow managed to get her hooves on a magic shackle she put around Twilight’s horn.

“It’s no use, Twi. Nopony that ever ended up here got out alive again,” Applebloom commented.

Still panicking, Twilight struggled more. Again without any success. Finally, she calmed down a bit and refocused the teenage filly.

“I don’t get this! How? How can you be a cannibal?” she wondered.

“Well, that’s easy enough. Nopony ever was a lot of help when it came to gettin’ mah cutie mark. At some point, ah just started hatin’ everypony. These two here most of all,” Applebloom started explaining and pointed on her dress. “They had nothin’ better to do but to tease me all the time. And then came mommy Pinkamena.”

“Mommy?!” Twilight asked in disbelief. “Pinkamena was not your mommy! She was a monster and now, she turned you into one as well!”

Applebloom swung the blade past her face, cutting her as soon as she was done speaking.

“Don’t ya dare to talk about mommy that way! She was more of a mommy to me than mah darn sister has ever been! She just kept bossin’ me around all my life! Nopony ever cared for what ah was truly feelin’, besides mommy Pinkamena! She showed me how ah can take things into mah own hooves and make everypony pay for treatin’ me so badly! Ah tell ya, Twilight. When Tiara’s and Spoon’s numbers came up and I had those two snotty fillies finally in mah hooves, that was the best feelin’ I ever had in mah life! Ah finally could pay them back all the things they’ve done to me! Ah will never forget how much they cried about the smallest things. Such babies!” Applebloom said, then started laughing.

Twilight had a mild grimace of pain while she looked at the cut she received as far as she was able to. After a moment, she looked back at Applebloom, still not believing what was happening.

“No, Applebloom! That’s not you! You are not a cannibal! You are a crafting pony! Just look at your cutie mark!” she tried to reason.

“Oh, Twi. Don’t be so silly. Do ya really think that saw and hammer stand for constructin’? Ah got mah cutie mark while I was torturing my first victim all by mahself! Mommy Pinkamena was so proud of me! She said I did very good and was a natural in keepin’ them alive for as long as possible! This cutie mark sealed it! Ah am a full-blooded cannibal! Since I realized that, I’ve been livin’ so happily! Nopony will ever get away in bein’ mean to me ever again! Sooner or later, I’ll get ‘em all!” Applebloom cheered while bouncing around Twilight in a just too typical Pinkie Pie manner.

Twilight’s pupils shrunk more and more the more she started seeing Pinkie’s influence in her. She must have been meeting her secretly for years!

“B-but what about your friends? What about Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo? Don’t you think they will never be able to trust you again if they find this out about you?” Twilight wondered, panicking again.

“They? Don’t ya worry, Twilight. They already know! In fact, they are right behind ya!” Applebloom replied, grabbing the rack and giving it a spin.

As Twilight halted again, she saw two gutted teenage fillies hanging from the ceiling on hooks. They were dead for a while now, since a strong smell of decay came from them and maggots were feasting on their rotting flesh.

The purple mare became nauseous and started shaking and breathing heavily. Seeing how Applebloom even went so far as to murder her two best friends filled her with deep shock.

“How could you do this, Applebloom?! They were your friends! They trusted you!” Twilight wondered in shock.

“Ah am just doin’ what mommy Pinkamena would’ve done aswell! She killed Rainbow Dash, remember? Mommy would be proud of me if she could see what I’ve done!” Applebloom replied, laughing again.

“I can’t believe it... I can’t believe all this! What has Pinkamena done to you, Applebloom?! What have you turned into?!” Twilight spoke, half shouting in panic.

“Ya already know the answer, Twilight. Ah regret nothin’! Well, besides one thing: lettin’ you kill mah mommy,” the teenage filly replied, incredible hatred growing in her voice.

“W-what?!” was all Twilight could say at this moment.

“Ah know it all, Twilight! You busted mah mommy! You wanted to safe yer stupid Rainbow Dash and killed mommy while tryin’ ta do so!” Applebloom spoke, growling in hate with each word.

“That’s not true! Who the heck told you that?!” Twilight shouted.

“Mommy’s best friend, of course! Yar good pal Obsidian!” Applebloom replied.

“Obs-” Twilight started, but stopped in shock as it all came together.

Obsidian lured her into a trap! He wanted her to run to Sweet Apple Acres first because Applebloom was waiting for her!

“I can’t believe it...” the purple mare stated speechlessly.

“There ya have it, Twi! Us cannibals stick together and now it’s yer time to pay!” Applebloom announced.

“No! It’s a lie! I didn’t kill her! It was Obsidian!” Twilight shouted in panic.

“Keep yer lies for yaself. Ah saw ya guidin’ Obsidian inside Sugarcube Corner! Ya proudly showed him what ya have done to mommy!” Applebloom stated while finishing sharpening the knife and placing it to the others.

“It’s not true! It’s not true! Please, you have to believe me!” the purple mare shouted.

“Shut up already, Twilight. Ah believe him more than ya. Even if ya were innocent, ah still wouldn’t let you go now that ya have seen all this. Enough of the talkin’! It’s time ta get to business!” Applebloom finished.

The teenage filly turned the rack back around and went over to her tool wall, picking up a saw.

“Let’s make sure ya can’t possibly fight back first,” she commented with a devilish grin.

Twilight knew what was about to happen. Everypony in Ponyville knew how powerful she was. Before doing anything else, Applebloom would remove her horn to make her defenceless.

The purple mare struggled desperately while Applebloom approached her with the saw in her mouth. Suddenly, the door on Twilight’s left side opened.

“Ah! Howdy, Obsidian! Ya’re a bit early. Ah haven’t started on her yet,” Applebloom greeted.

Twilight’s focus shot over to the black stallion. His face showed no expression and he stared right back at the purple mare.

“Obsidian! You! Get me out here!” Twilight shouted angrily.

The reaper remained silent. He simply turned his face over to the teenager.

“Is everything ready, Applebloom?” he asked.

“How many times do I have to tell ya to call me Appanella Justine Pie? Mommy Pinkamena adopted me!” she insisted.

“Me paenitet, Appanella. Anyway, I am early for a reason,” the reaper stated.

“Huh? What’s the matter?” Applebloom wondered.

For a moment, Twilight gained the hope he would safe her. But then, the reaper removed the hood from his head to reveal his regrown horn. Twilight’s mouth fell open as she saw this.

“Mistress Celestia added one last name to my book of death,” Obsidian explained.

“Oh c’mon! Her of all? Ah wanted to play with her!” the teenage filly protested.

“You’re... you’re joking... right, Obsidian? This is all just a bad joke, right?” Twilight stated in disbelief.

“I am sorry, Twilight,” was all the reaper said in response.

The purple mare began to hyperventilate as the reaper approached her.

“No! This can’t be! Why would Celestia want me dead? What are you planning, Obsidian? What the hay have you thought up this time? Let me go! Let me go, let me go, let me go!” Twilight shouted, bothering to break out in tears.

The reaper looked back to Applebloom. The sheer panic Twilight was in already was a lot of joy for her.

“Ya know... ah still owe ya a favor. If killin’ this one means so much to ya, you can have her,” she offered.

“Grātiās tibi agō,” the reaper thanked and summoned his scythe.

Twilight started struggling again. She somehow had to find a way out of this. Her mind rushed through all the possibilities available to her, which weren’t very much. Desperately, she tried to use her authority on the reaper.

“Obsidian Shards, I order you to let me go!” Twilight commanded.

“By the authority given through Mistress Celestia, I declare this order for void,” Obsidian countered calmly as soon as she was done speaking.

“Wha- No! Let me go! You can’t do this, Obsidian! I trusted you!” the purple mare begged, tears filling her eyes.

“I am sorry, Twilight. But this is my destiny. This is what I have to do for as long as I exist, which luckily will not be very long anymore after this,” the black stallion explained.

“No! No! Help me! Somepony! Anypony! Help!” Twilight shouted while crying in fear and panic.

“I am a monster. I am a traitor. I have been killing and eating ponies long before you were even born,” Obsidian continued.

“Please... please let me go... please!” Twilight begged.

“After this last kill, it will all be over. Only one name stands between me and my salvation. I will do everything Mistress Celestia asks of me, no matter which sacrifices have to be made,” the reaper kept on speaking.

“No... please, no... I beg you... Let me go...” the purple mare continued begging, desperation overwhelming her.

“I am sorry for doing this to you, Twilight. But it will be over soon. It will all be over...”

With these words, the reaper lifted his scythe into the air. Twilight stared at it, her ears dropping and her pupils shrinking to tiny dots. She just couldn’t understand why, after all this, Celestia would have wanted her to die.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion again while the whole scene came to her focus. She saw Obsidian’s expressionless face while he was about to strike. She saw Applebloom standing behind him, grinning crazily while rubbing her front hooves. Then, the scythe slowly began to lower in her direction. Twilight saw her whole life passing by in front of her eyes while the sharp blade came closer and closer. Ultimately, the purple mare couldn’t handle the stress anymore. She just shut her eyes and waited for the pain and her end soon after.

Twilight could hear a cutting sound, but felt no pain. Not even a second later, she heard Applebloom scream and a metallic clashing sound. Nearly at the same time, the purple mare felt how the gravity pulled her down and she realized she just fell to the floor.

She opened her eyes again and saw that the reaper cut her binding and threw his scythe at Applebloom in just one skilled swing. But he missed his target. Applebloom was fast enough to draw a knife and block the scythe off before it could chop off her head.

“...after I killed the last cannibal of Ponyville,” the reaper finished as he realized he missed.

“What the- What the heck?! You traitor!” Applebloom shouted in shock and disbelief.

Twilight was still so full of fear that she shook all over and had problems getting back on her legs. Applebloom tried to take advantage of that moment and threw a knife at her. Obsidian, though, just reached out his left front leg and took the knife instead.

“Applebloom. Earth Pony. Scheduled to die on the 17th Sebtember 1628 at 22:53. Cause of death: Reaped by Obsidian Shards... Twilight. Run outside and lock the door. Do not open it again until you hear me knocking at it,” Obsidian ordered.

“Oh my gosh! She was right! It was you, wasn’t it? You killed mommy! I’ll make ya pay for this!” Applebloom shouted.

Twilight did not reply. She just used her chance and ran back outside as fast as she could and locked the door behind her.

---

As she arrived back outside and removed the magic shackle from her head, the purple mare realized she was just below the former cutie mark crusader clubhouse. Applebloom somehow managed to hide a whole torture chamber below the roots of the tree.

After this near death experience and extreme amount of stress, she just collapsed next to the tree and took some time to breathe. In her mind, she tried to go through everything that had just happened. It was now that Twilight realized Obsidian just freed her and let her run away.

“Damnit, Obsidian... whose side are you on?” Twilight spoke to herself while recovering.

The torture chamber was very well built. Nothing that happened inside could be heard. Twilight could just imagine the battle going on in there right now.

Five minutes passed until she heard a knocking sound. She still had no idea what to expect of Obsidian, so she hesitated. But finally, she decided to open the heavy metal door.

The reaper stepped outside with several minor cuts. While they at first healed up quickly, the recovering abilities of the reaper reduced more and more until he stopped healing up entirely. This now truly was Obsidian’s last kill and his ability to recover from any injury was gone for good.

Obsidian didn’t look at Twilight. He just walked past her with a sad expression and stopped after several steps.

“Is she...?” Twilight wondered.

“Yes... I killed her...” Obsidian replied.

The purple mare didn’t really know what she should feel over this knowledge. A part of her was relieved, while another part of her was sad over her death. But finally, Twilight’s mind jumped back to the present.

“Now what the hay was that whole action about?” she shouted.

“Forgive me... I used you as a bait for Applebloom. I knew for a couple of months by now that Pinkamena was training her, so I was well aware of her combat skills. Just like Pinkamena, I had to catch her off guard. She was far not as dangerous as her ‘mother’, but still required a lot of caution when trying to assassinate her,” the reaper explained.

“Oh my gosh... you scared me to death, Obsidian! For a moment, I really thought you wanted to kill me!” Twilight kept on blaming.

“Te quaesō ut dīmittās mihi... Once more, I betrayed you... once more, I have blood on my hooves...” Obsidian stated, his voice sliding back into depression again.

The reaper put all his strength into controlling himself until he was done. But now, he couldn’t hold up the facade anymore. The reaper sat down on the ground and began to cry again.

“She was still so young... my last kill was a filly...” he spoke in unspeakable regret.

“Applebloom... had to die. You know that... Ponyville is finally safe again,” Twilight spoke, trying to comfort the broken reaper.

“Nothing is safe as long as I still live,” Obsidian replied, trying to get a hold of himself again.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Twilight wondered.

“‘The third star, old hundreds of years, will turn into what his soul truly most fears’... It is me, Twilight. I am the third corrupted star,” the reaper explained.

A moment of silence passed after Obsidian revealed his suspicion. Tonight, Twilight was confronted with a lot of shocking information. But this just topped it all.

“You are the third? How? Why do you think it’s you?” Twilight wondered, trying to make sure.

“I had the suspicion from the first moment when we heard the prophecy. Now that I am at the end of my strength, it is absolutely clear it has to be me,” Obsidian replied.

“Come on now, Obsidian. How does that description fit to you? You are not afraid of anything! You are Obsidian Shards, the elder reaper!” the purple mare tried to reason.

“There is one thing I fear, Twilight. One thing I fear more than losing everything that is dear to me: becoming a red reaper. I am no fool, Twilight Sparkle. I noticed how much this mission had broken me. Now, I can not handle the consequences. I hear the demons I consumed shouting at me. I see all the innocent ponies I have killed. My mind is about to give in... I must be eliminated while I am still in control,” the reaper explained.

“Obsidian...” Twilight spoke.

The reaper summoned his scythe again and handed it to Twilight. Then he turned around again. She eyed it up, very unsure if this was really the right thing to do. Then, she realized it.

“Wait... if you are the third corrupted star... then... I am...” she began.

“Yes... the fourth... demons are incredibly intelligent beings. They calculated us both into their plan to resurrect Nightmare Moon... You are the pony that had a destiny bound to all other corrupted stars. You faced Discord, defeated Despair and became friends with me... but even though the last two corrupted stars have revealed themselves now, not all is lost quite yet. The solution lies in your very hooves, Twilight Sparkle. So please, prevent the prophecy from coming true. Make the right decision and kill me,” Obsidian explained.

“I... I can’t,” Twilight spoke.

“You have to, Twilight. If you do not want to do it for me, considering all the horrible things I have done, then do it for your friends and for all of Equestria. Do it for the foal that would otherwise be forced into a life it had no chance to find happiness in. Kill me while you still have the chance,” the black stallion tried to motivate.

Twilight became silent. She stared at Obsidian, sitting on the ground facing away from her. He planned this all, even down to this very position. He turned away from her so she could not see his face to make it easier.

The purple mare stepped behind him and slowly lifted the scythe into the air again. But already while doing so, countless memories with the black stallion rushed through her mind in combination to with the fear of what she would become.

Obsidian started trembling below her again. His mind was so eaten by guilt that he failed to hold himself together for any longer and began to cry black tears and blood again.

This was the worst possible timing for him to start crying again. Twilight dropped the scythe and began to cry herself. Everything came as the demons predicted.

“I can’t do it! I’m sorry! I can’t do it!” she shouted while crying.

“In that case... I suppose there is no way to go around the foal sacrifice...” Obsidian stated weakly.

He swiftly turned around and picked up the scythe, turning the blade to aim for his stomach, while his tears kept flowing uncontrollably.

The reaper took a deep breath and was ready to commit suicide. But with shock, he realized something was stopping him.

His front legs began to shake, loosening the grip on the scythe more and more. Finally, it fell to the ground.

“T-Twilight... I... it is happening!” Obsidian stated with fear in his voice.

“What?” the purple mare wondered.

“The demons... they... they will not let me... I... am losing control over my body!” he explained and started to shake all over.

“Oh no... Hold it together, Obsidian! Don’t let them win! You can do it!” Twilight commanded.

The reaper fought the voices with all his strength, placing his front hooves on his head.

“I can not... think clearly anymore... they are too strong... too many... Twilight... please... help me! Kill me! Please!” Obsidian begged.

Twilight stared at the scythe in front of Obsidian, but it was hopeless. No matter what, she couldn’t do it. No matter how much was at stake, there was no way she could kill a friend who had been through so much.

Her eyes jumped back on Obsidian. He slowly collapsed to the ground, his face showing high stress while he fought the demons in his mind.

Time was running short. Twilight had to think of something. There had to be a way to save him, and not only him, but everypony and all of Equestria. There had to be a way.

Half a minute passed and three ideas shot through the purple mare’s head. She could either try to inform Princess Celestia about what was happening and try to buy as much time as possible, alarm all of Ponyville and evacuate the village or fight Obsidian all by herself, trying to defeat the demons taking over his mind. But which decision should she make? Which would save Obsidian and which would doom them all?

---

This is where you have to decide. You are now Twilight’s decision. Make your choice wisely, for not only Obsidian’s life is at stake, but also the future of Equestria.

If you think Twilight should inform Princess Celestia, read the conclusion ‘Letter of Destiny’.

If you believe Twilight should evacuate Ponyville first, read the conclusion ‘Ringing Bells’.

And if you think Twilight should fight Obsidian all by herself, read the conclusion ‘The Duel’.