Chapter 76

Dave did not fight the guards dragging him as he stared up at the castle, the movement in his head that Odio was normally responsible for was no longer there. He sighed as he realized how alone he was

The guards gasped and dropped Dave to the floor. “Let him go lads or my friend here will burn your manes!” Strong Shield ordered as he jumped off Adamas’ back. The guards ran to help the evacuation of the rest of the city whilst Adamas helped Dave to his feet

“Come now human” Adamas said reassuringly “The true foe has revealed itself, now we fight”

Dave shook his head “I’m out, if I go back… Odio was right” Dave fell to his knees as he held his head “He showed me a prediction that I would die… soon an in twenty two years time Celestia would stare at my grave”

“Fuck the future” Strong Shield snapped, “Do you love Celestia?” The unicorn glared at the broken human

Dave craned his neck around to look at the castle before finally responding, “Yeah… yeah I do” He smiled slightly before his gaze was brought to the black fog that phased around the walls

“If you even had a drop of decency in that body of yours I suggest that you turn your flank around and follow me” Strong Shield marched past Dave and towards the walls of the city with Adamas close behind

“But I can’t do anything!” Dave protested as he reluctantly followed “I always used Odio’s power, I don’t have any” Dave never felt so weak before, following a dragon and a unicorn and he still felt alone

Strong Shield shook his head “Odio did something to you which allows you to absorb power, if you can get to the bonds holding the princesses and absorb them, the princesses can sort everything else out” He stopped at the wall as Adamas rested a claw on the large stone wall and looked down at Dave

“But Odio will stop me, I can’t get them both and he has already planned in case they get out” Dave groaned, “I wish I could do something but I CAN’T!”

“You can try!” Strong Shield snorted, “Odio managed to beat everypony because he worked with you, but now he is alone” He climbed into Adamas’ outstretched claw “Now are you going to try or not?”

Dave sighed as he looked at the castle “Assaulting a castle being held by an evil spirit that has captured two princesses, a baby dragon, six mares and has the elements of harmony” Dave chuckled as he looked at his two friends “While we have a average human, an old guard and a friendly dragon”

“Basically” Adamas grinned as Dave jumped onto his claw. The human shook his head as Adamas climbed over the wall and glided along the mountain. Grabbing just above a small hole I the side “Here you go” He placed the two passengers inside “I will wait outside until the defences fall”

Dave looked around the gemstone walls “So what is this?” he followed the unicorn as his horn lit the way

“This just happens to be a secret entrance into the castle” Strong Shield held smug grin “Good thing I found out about this when I did” He led Dave along a broken mine cart track and along a few narrow passageways

Meanwhile…

“Ah am so sorry girls” Applejack sighed, “I can’t believe we didn’t see this sooner” she looked at her friends from her restraints

Twilight smiled reassuringly “It’s ok… we all fell for it” The unicorn shook her head “there has to be something we can do” She struggled against her bonds as much as she could before giving up

“We have to get the elements!” Rainbow Dash groaned as she struggled against the bond that held her wings down. The girls all stared at the weapons across the room, they exchanged nervous glances with each other as Odio floated towards Luna

Odio stopped opposite Luna “Hello princess of the night” He said in a cheery mood “So how have you been?” He smirked as Luna looked away from him and towards Celestia

Celestia’s eyes were vacant apart from the tears that stained her face. Luna took a deep breath before talking “Tia… everything will be ok, and we will be happy again” she smiled reassuringly as Celestia’s eyes moved over to her “We will make it through this”

“We can’t” Celestia shuddered “If we make it out it means Dave’s demise” The white alicorn shook her head “I will never let that happen,” she vowed

Odio chuckled “That isn’t your choice Celestia, it is my choice” The spirit of hate paced to the throne “I will miss Equestria but it will be nice knowing that you will be suffering”

Luna shook her head “You came for revenge and you talk about everypony getting what they deserve” The dark alicorn looked at Odio “But what about Dave? Does he deserve to be used in such a way?”

The fog stopped for a brief moment before turning with a smile that unnerved everypony “Don’t worry… Dave will get what he deserves too” Odio’s smile disappeared before he even turned around “If he gets his ass up here he might,” he mumbled to himself

Meanwhile…

Dave followed Strong Shield up the vertical tunnel “So this was originally an escape route?” Dave asked as he searched for another place to put his hand. He had climbed up so high the tunnel below him was pitch black

Strong Shield was slowly levitating himself up, he had used two bits of wood to stand on while his magic lifted them “Yes years ago but the information was lost” the unicorn avoided the sharp walls “We should almost be at the entrance

Dave’s foot slipped and the gems that made the wall cut into his hands “Argh but how are we supposed to free Celestia and Luna?” Dave groaned as he pulled himself up again, his hands grazed and cut “I can’t be in two places at once”

“Would you just focus on not falling to your death?” Strong Shield rolled his eye “We can figure something out when we get into the castle, until then will you shut your…”

Strong Shield paused as his horn hit something metallic, the clanking noise echoed down the tunnel the pair had escalated. Strong Shield looked up to see a metallic grating, he smiled as he levitated it open at squeezed through

Dave poked his head through and looked around “Where are we?” He asked the unicorn as he climbed up after him. The room was actually the guard’s barracks, the pair climbed out of the empty fireplace and rested for a moment

“Alright, good to see nopony noticed the hole under the fireplace” Strong Shield grinned as he got to his hooves “We shouldn’t be too far from the throne room” he helped Dave to his feet before peeking out of the door “It’s clear”

Dave and Strong Shield darted from cover to cover, checking for signs of fog everywhere they went “Hey dad” Dave sighed as he rubbed his eyes “I have been so stupid”

“Yes you have” Strong Shield crept into an empty store room with Dave while they talked “But we can wait until later, you have to save everypony, including that child of yours”

Dave’s eyes fell shut as he banged his head against the wall “The grey alicorn” Dave sighed “The grey alicorn is my son”

“What are you on about now?” Strong Shield frowned as he kept his voice quiet, his face encouraged Dave to do the same

“In the vision Odio showed me” Dave held his head “Celestia was with a grey alicorn… my son” Dave groaned loudly “I should have seen it sooner” Dave pounded his knee with his fist in anger

Strong Shield tackled Dave to the floor and growled as he stood over him “Will you put that attitude somewhere else” Strong Shield glared at Dave “You messed up, we get it” the unicorn paced to the door “But you are the only chance we have of fixing this and I am not letting you lose to Odio”

Strong Shield left the room while Dave rubbed his face. He pushed himself to his feet and followed the ex-guard “Listen I want to ask you something before we get there” Dave followed the guard as they silently jogged along the quiet castle corridors “Can you look after my son after I’m gone?”

Strong Shield groaned, “That vision was probably nothing” He looked over his shoulder briefly at the human “Don’t you dare think that you are going to die, you hear me?”

Dave rolled his eyes “yeah to be honest I am more concerned with trying to be in two places at once” the human eventually matched his pace to Strong Shield’s as they stopped outside the throne room

“Alright Adamas should be attacking any moment now” Strong Shield stretched his limbs “When he does you run for Celestia, get her free and then get Luna” Strong Shield watched as Dave shook himself down as well “Celestia and Luna together should be able to break the bonds around the elements and keep Odio still long enough for the elements to work”

“Sounds like a plan” Dave nodded to the unicorn “You ready?” he smirked as Strong Shield nodded with determination. As they braced their smiles wavered as a loud roar was drowned by a loud cracking noise

Odio laughed loudly “Alright you can come in now!” He called out as Dave sighed. The human and unicorn walked in calmly as they saw Adamas’ head by the end windows, a large bond held him against the side of the castle “He almost made it, until he opened his mouth” Odio chirped

Dave smiled weakly to Celestia who only replied with a scared expression. “Ok Odio, what do you want?” Dave walked past all the ponies and stood in front of the large fog

“I want everypony to get what they deserve” Odio smiled down at Dave “Even I will get what I deserve, so don’t worry if you think I will miss out on all the fun” Odio’s smile turned to a snarl as his tentacle picked Dave up and slammed him into the ground “You can’t stop me Dave, I have absorbed more than enough energy to accomplish my plan”

Celestia wrestled against her bonds and the ring around her horn shocked her body. She opened her mouth to scream but the ring shocked her again.

Odio kicked Dave against the wall and smirked at the curled human “Oh this is amazing” Odio chuckled as he smirked at Celestia whilst his claw aimed at Dave “The mighty princess Celestia cares about a simple mortal”

Dave pushed himself to his knee and glared at Odio “Listen here you foggy fuck” Dave growled, “You leave her alone or you will regret it” his snarl only made Odio chuckle

“Oh, Dave… you were so much fun” Odio sighed, as his claw glowed. Dave braced himself as the spike left Odio’s claw, Dave did not have a chance to avoid but he didn’t have to as a black blur intercepted the spike

Strong Shield groaned loudly as the spike pierced his side and sent him out the window. The ponies gasped and Dave rushed to the window. He saw Strong Shield land on the training ground a few floors below, the spike had faded but left a wound in his side as he rolled across the ground

Dave dropped his head “I have put up with you Odio,” Dave growled as he looked at his hands, the palms cut on the broken glass. He walked over to Luna and stroked her horn “I’m sorry I hurt you Luna” He sighed as he headed to Celestia “And I am so sorry I put you in this” He held Celestia’s horn as he kissed her cheek

Odio chuckled at Dave’s torture “Well Dave you are all alone and were used as a tool from the very beginning” The fog stood at the top step by the throne “What could you possibly do now?”

Celestia looked from Odio to Dave and finally to Luna who was staring at her horn. Celestia looked at her own white horn and saw a few drops of blood travelling down towards the bond that restrained her power. She stared at Dave in a panic that stopped at the bottom of the stairs, next to the elements

“I am not going to do a thing anymore” Dave sighed “You win Odio, all I ask is that you send me home” He looked over his shoulder at Celestia “I can’t protect her… I am no use here”

Odio chuckled “Well Dave I wouldn’t say that” Odio smiled sympathetically at the human “You managed to free one of the most guarded hearts in the universe” Odio looked out the window “I just hope you don’t let me down” he muttered to himself

The drops of blood finally reached the bonds and the energy supporting them fluctuated, giving the princesses enough time to force their magic through the gap. Luna’s magic instantly blasted her bonds apart and she began firing magic at the bonds holding the ponies and the dragon. Celestia roared as she fired a large beam at Odio, the light filled the room to an extent where Dave sheltered his eyes

Dave dropped the floor, sweeping his leg so he kicked the elements towards their users. As Twilight was freed, she used her magic to grab the attire and give them to her friends. Odio snarled as he lashed out with his tendril, it cut Dave’s side and he drew out some blood before throwing him away

The elements of harmony were already in the air as Celestia stopped firing her sunbeam, the walls were burned and the metal on the throne glowed with heat. Odio looked up to see a rainbow wrap around his arms and body. He growled and squirmed as the rainbow began to cover his entire body and squash him

Celestia rushed to Dave’s side and turned him over. His face smiled at first before his gaze moved to the shrinking ball made of rainbow. The rainbow faded and left a large blood red gem floating in place, it fell to the floor and bounced down the steps before coming to a rest at the bottom

Dave pushed himself to his feet, nursing the wound in his side, he wandered over to the gem that held Odio. He smiled as Odio roared in rage, his eyes shook violently as he scowled at Dave

“We did it,” Dave said happily but his face turned to horror “Dad!” He tried to run but he collapsed to his knees “You have to help him!” He pleaded to the six mares. They nodded as Spike climbed onto Twilight’s back and rushed for the training ground. Adamas nodded as he glided down to the training ground to lend his assistance

Luna and Celestia dragged Dave past the gem containing the spirit of hate and sat him down on the steps. Celestia held Dave’s head as she rocked gently back in forth “It’s ok Dave, Strong Shield has survived much worse”

Dave managed to chuckle weakly “Yeah well…” Dave mumbled before pulling his head away from Celestia “I’m sorry I put you through this… both of you”

Luna managed a weak smile at Celestia before a cough made them all turn their head to the gem. Odio’s eyes were unnerving as they stared with a strange calmness

“Well I wouldn’t say you out of the woods yet” His growl turned to a chuckle as the gem shook and small shocks bounced across the surface “Too much energy in such a small space” His smile managed to appear below his eyes “Everypony WILL get what they deserve”