Deep in the forest around the Academy, Ephialtes walked alone.

“What does he think he’s doing?” he asked himself. “I know he’s sticking his neck out for me, but does that mean that he has to fucking stalk me!? Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”

“You’d think so…” Nexus said right behind him.

Ephialtes growled and turned to face him. “Why don’t you just leave me alone! I never asked for your help!”

Nexus looked to taken back by him saying that. “Believe it or not Ephi, I am sticking my neck out for you; literally. If I’m wrong, and you aren’t what you say you are, I have a one way ticket to the gallows.”

“Yeah, like Princess Luna would allow that.”

“She doesn’t have a say. You might not believe it, but I was accused of being a changeling once as well. It took an invasion of Canterlot for me prove my innocence and I want to make sure you don’t have to go through that kind of thing.”

“And it still matters to me how exactly?”

“It matters because I had no pony that believed me when I said I wasn’t what they thought I was. Ironically enough I believe you. You show no signs of being a traitor.”

“Then why do you stay on my fucking case!?”

“Because that is how training goes. I can’t give anypony special treatment. Not even you.”

“Yeah, I’m sure your parents are very proud.” Ephialtes said rolling his eyes.

“Ephialtes, there is a reason I didn’t let them hang you. I knew you needed a second chance at life, something I got almost too late.”

“Yes, the rich General didn’t get what he wanted on time. Should have happened sooner.”

“I would have died had it not come. Two years ago I was more like you then you think, I had untapped skills I almost never got to unleash. And when I thought I was getting the chance to use them, I was nearly killed. I had reigned to dying and just letting the great pain end, in fact, most everypony though I was dead. That’s how I got my legs. I made them and tried to get home. At first my family was overjoyed, then they saw what I had become. Not even they wanted to accept what I was now, so I ran. At one point I finally gave in and let my time on this earth slowly slip away. When I did that, something came over me, something that needed me to give up on everything I believed in.”

“What would that be?”

“I still don’t know. All I know is that my parents didn’t accept me until after I proved I wasn’t what they thought I was. It took me becoming what I had feared most to realize it.”

“What did you fear?”

“I feared losing who I really was. An honest, brave and loyal soldier to Luna, and a friend to so many. I became emotionless, ruthless and unwavering in my thirst for power. It felt great, but I would have come at the cost of everything I loved.”

“Still wondering what this has to do with me.”

“I’m giving you that second chance, hoping you find the things that make life worthwhile. Your friends seem to have helped you with that. And I’m sure your parents would be proud to see you reaching your potential.”

“Well they’re dead, doesn’t matter.”

“I suspect you haven’t talked about it with anypony since it happened?”

“Like it matters.”

“Your mother was the zebra, right?”

Ephialtes looked stunned and glared back at Nexus. “You’ve been invading my mind?”

“Your dreams. Most of them are flash backs. I tried to keep you in a dreamless sleep as I searched them. She was a wonderful woman.”

“You keep my family and personal life out of this you bastard.”

“I couldn’t find anything about your father though. From what your mother told you, he was a great pony, a soldier.”

“You don’t know anything!”

“I know you’re a lot like me. Not very many ponies liked you as a child. They teased you and when you did something about it the teachers blamed your father. I know the feeling.”

“No, you don’t! You’ll never know! Your father wasn’t a changeling!”

The caused Nexus to jump back a little.

“Yeah, he was a converted changeling! You happy now? I wish I had never been captured. And I wish you would just drop dead!”

“Ephialtes, I’m sorry, but-”

With zero warning, a bolt a black lightning shot towards him from Ephialtes. With almost no time to put up his shield, the bolt slammed into Nexus and launching him into a nearby tree. His cap was singed and smoldering as it slid across the ground.

“And I’m going to be the one to drop you!” Ephialtes shouted.

Nexus stood on his metal hoofs and looked over Ephialtes in the full moon light. His eye color had changed to poison green and light purple aura aluminates from the sides of his eyes.

“You are under arrest Ephialtes! Stop now I can keep you from the death penalty.” Nexus said feeling his lightning spell ready to fire.

“If Celestia won’t kill you, then I will!” Ephialtes shouted as he charged Nexus.

Nexus was faster then Ephialtes and was able to block his first strike. Not wanting to harm him, he turned Ephialtes’ momentum against him and threw him into the three Ephialtes had thrown him into. He howled in pain and shot another black bolt at Nexus. Thankfully, Nexus didn’t have to consciously use his lightning spell, the bolt left his horn and collided with Ephialtes’. The shockwave from the blast shot Nexus and Ephialtes back and bent the trees back around them. Looking down at himself, Nexus saw his left rear leg was heavily damaged from being dragged across the ground. He stood on his now unsteady hoofs as Ephialtes charged him again with rage in his eyes.

Nexus ducked beneath him as he attempted to tackle him, but that was what Ephialtes was hoping for. As he sailed over Nexus he did a full front flip and planted his right fore hoof into Nexus’ damaged leg. The force of his kick bent the metal plating and caused the piston inside to explode. The blast propelled Ephialtes up and Nexus forward. Nexus slid to a stop next a stone sitting up out of the ground. He saw his leg was useless, but not wanting to kill Ephialtes or cause any unnecessary damage, he didn’t detach his now useless leg. With all the strength he could muster, he took flight for a brief moment before Ephialtes telekinetically ripped them from his body. An electric shock raced up his spine and to the rest of his limbs.

He fell hard next to the stone with a grunt of pain. Before he could stand, Ephialtes was already on top of him. Nexus was pinned. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw the stone shake then morph into a razor sharp spike.

“This is the last time you interfere, Lunarus!” Ephialtes said picking Nexus’ head up.

As hard as he could, he tired to impale Nexus’ head through the stone stalagmite. Nexus fought furiously to keep from becoming a pony shish kabob. But he wasn’t quite strong enough. His left eye inched closer to the stalagmite until it started piercing his retina. He shouted in protest and pain as his eyes was slowly impaled on the stone spike. Nexus cringed as he summoned a wave of fire. The heat singed his mane and pushed Ephialtes back. Nexus slowly pulled himself free from the death trap without dragging his eye out of its socket. Blood ran down his left cheek and stained his coat as he stood on unsteady hoofs. As best he could, he held his head high and prepared for another attack.

“Firebrand was right. You really don’t die do you?” Ephialtes asked.

“What’d you just say?” Nexus asked.

“You heard me Lunarus. You didn’t think I would forget after only a few months, did you?”

“I don’t understand.”

“I sense your fear, and I have to say, it’s delicious.” Ephialtes said with a sadistic grin on his face.

Nexus was starting to feel light headed. The pain was starting to numb and so was the rest of his body.

“You’re weak. Why I ever thought you were a worthy host I’ll never know.” Ephialtes said, walking closer to Nexus.

“I don’t care what you are anymore, there’s no way I’m letting you win!”

Nexus launched another bolt at Ephialtes and it bounced harmlessly off a shield he hadn’t sensed before.

“It matters not Lunarus, you will die here, and I’m glad that it is at the hoofs of somepony you thought you could trust.”

Nexus fell to his knees. The pain was gone and his mind was starting to waver.

“You’re very stubborn aren’t you? Brain damage, blood loss and a useless eye; it’s impressive that you are even still conscious.”

Nexus launched another bolt, this one barely cracking as it left his horn.

“And you still have enough strength to use your strongest spell? That’s quite impressive.”

Now Nexus had nothing left. He fell to his left side and watched the blurry image of Ephialtes-no this wasn’t Ephialtes. This thing wasn’t the same pony that he had been or could ever become. This thing approached Nexus and placed its hoof on his neck.