We've been soaring through the cloud riddled air for quite some time by now, I'm guessing for a couple of hours. Celestia's sun began to shine through the holes in the clouds, casting off a bright glow that cast off through the distance. Still in it's early time of the day, the sun displayed an angry red.

Holding onto Vendium's neck, I began to feel drowsy, eyes starting to become heavy and dreary. We weren't going at such a rapid pace, so it gave me admission to close my eyes. Soon, I fell asleep. It was a lovely feeling, being able to put my mind at rest while gliding through the air at calming speeds, having the sun cast off heart over my coat. My hooves and neck had still ached from last night, but it didn't worry me much any more. My mind had time to rest, but instead, it still pondered about the events of last night. Who was that colt I killed? Who were those young mares that tried to stop me? Who was she, the one who stood over the red colt? My time for rest turned into a prison, where the walls were regrets and the bars are the flames of which I started. It was hard not to think about it, but yet I did.

“Lathyrus, wake up. We're here,” Vendium stated, but anything coming from him just sounds like a roar.

I slowly lifted up my heard, gazing around. We're back home, or rather, what we can call a home; a cave. It was in a remote area, far from unwanted guests, in the middle of a damned wasteland. We needed a place big enough so that Vendium could enter and stay, and we found this place long ago. There is a lake, but it's usually dried up, only on rare occasions of rain does it fill. Thistles and dead bushes scattered around, surrounded by dying trees. Without having some sort of guide or knowledge of this place, it would be quite difficult to find. It's usually dark here, unlike today, due to gray clouds that pass through, but rarely ever spare a drop of rain.

I couldn't feel Vendium land, even though he is a large dragon. I soon jumped off his back and hit the ground. I forgot that I was still injured. I fell onto my side, feeling the shock of the ground go through my hoof. I let out a small grunt of pain, only to pick myself back up and keep walking.

Vendium made his way to his side of the cavern, which still to my surprise, isn't littered with gemstones. I would always hear of how dragons would hoard shiny objects, mostly jewels, but he had none. I would ask him why, but he would only answer with a simple grunt, followed by a small puff of smoke from his nostrils.

My side, which was quite a distance from Vendium, was a large crevice in the wall within the wall of the cave, which had all my belongings. A poor makeshift bedding, consisting of abandoned cloth, a beat up crate with my stuff, and of course, a protruding rock from the wall where I usually hang my saddlebags and scarf.

I searched around the crate for another piece of cloth. Finding one, I ripped it into a long but thin piece and began to wrap it around my front left hoof over the already last-minute cast. It worked, a bit, I suppose. I sat against the wall, leaning my head against it. I pulled off my scarf, dragging if along my mane, then tossed it aside. I didn't feel like hanging it up at the moment. I left on my saddlebags, however.

I had a couple of small twigs and bundles of tinder beside me. Might as well make a fire. I gathered them from around me, and bundled them together before me. I pushed them a bit further; don't want to be to close to the fire than I already have before. I sat back and reached into my crate. I dug around, rummaging through the various objects I kept for myself. Deep at the bottom, I found what I had been searching for. A small flint. An oddly shaped stone, jagged edges, and a distinct red coloring.

I leaned forward, edging closer to the pile of tinder. Without much effort, I struck the flint across the rocky ground on the edge of the pile. Sparks jumped and scattered. One by one, they flew left and right, with a few hitting the dried wood. Eventually, after continuous trial and error, a small ember glow began to proceed from the sparks and lit the tinder ablaze.

I put my flint into my saddlebag, so I won't forget it again, and leaned my head back against the wall, and began to shut my eyes. I listened to the pops and snaps from the fire. Behind the sounds of the fire, however, was an echo. An echo of a chuckle. I opened my eyes, searching from where it came from. From the distance, I notice Vendium also heard it as well. It was a rather snide chuckle, one of sadism and borderline insanity.

The fire I had laid before began to grow at an exponential rate, licking the air as it grew. I reached into the crate beside me, hoping to find something to eat and get my mind off it. I would sometimes take along food from our travels,and store it here, since the only place that has some sort of edible vegetation wasn't for another two to three hours away. Any sort of fruit, any sort of vegetable, grain, oat, sweet, even hey would suffice in keeping down my hunger. Sifting my hoof around, I eventually came across something. Something round, and plump. I pulled it out, wondering what it could be. To my surprise, an apple. A shining red and brightly colored apple. Without hesitation, I took a large bite from it, almost right down the middle, biting off an entire half of it. My mouth became bitter. I spat out the apple, looking at the remaining half in my hoof. Completely rotten from the inside. I tossed the remainder near the place I spat to, near the fire. Something caught my eye, however. I leaned in closer to the piece I spat out, coming closer to the fire. I looked over the rancid black coloring of the mashed insides of the apple. A dark crimson red leaked through. Blood. I put my hoof over my mouth and wiped my lips. Droplets of blood puddled on my fur. I searched the insides of my mouth with my tongue to see if I could find any cuts. None to be found.

I coughed, terribly hard. It almost felt as if my lungs were being contracted. Of course, more blood flew from my throat and onto the cave floor. The maniacal laugh made it's self present once more. Vendium woke back up, peeking around with his slit eyes.

The fire before me grew larger. I hopped out from the crevice I was in and to the middle of the cave's area. An ominous green aura shone from the blazes of the fire, dancing wildly.

“Not him again,” I thought to my self. The fire changed from the ominous green to a dreadful blue. The from the blue to a searing red, then to a variety of colors. Vendium got up, then crawled closer to where I was, examining the flame like I was.

“Discord, present yourself,” Vendium bellowed, followed by his trademark smokey nostrils.

“Now Vendium no need to be so hasty.” His figure appeared, waling form the flames. His demented way of thought always put me on edge, but Vendium showed almost no fear what so ever. Wisteria, however, never wanted to be anywhere near him.

After walking a few feet from the blazes of the fire, he slithered into the air over and behind like a snake diving through water. Me and Vendium didn't turn around to see him, but we were well sure of his presence.

“Now... where is Wisteria?” Discord questioned. Neither I nor Vendium said anything, nor did we want to say anything. I slowly turned back to see him, twisting my head slightly but still keeping my body facing forward. He wasn't there. I was certain I heard his voice behind me, as if he had place his mouth inches away from my neck, even as so much to feel his breath. I turned my whole body around, trying to search for him.

“Lathyrus, don't,” Vendium said. Before I could react to his words, I felt a swift claw swipe against my side. I was a mix of blunt force and sharp speed from his clawed hand. I fell to my side, only to have his monstrous eyes peering over me.

“We can do this very easily, Lathyrus. Let's not let the get out of hand. His grin showed his aged teeth. Rotting, yet just as sharp and carnivorous as ever.

“He disobeyed orders and left the group without warning, Discord,” Vendium responded. Discord forgot me and appeared in front of Vendium. Discord was enraged, yet Vendium showed no sort of nervousness. Discord walked in closer to Vendium, with is head facing Vendium but his eyes toward me.

“And you didn't stop him because...?” Discord pondered. I began to pick myself up, facing Discord with as great of any sort of intimidating stare that I could muster up; I couldn't let Discord think he had complete control over me., although by the looks of it that was probably the case.

Vendium was ready to respond. Before he could give up a reply, someone make their way to the entrance of the cave. Wisteria.

“Ah, Wisteria, how nice of you to join.” Discord said without even looking at Wisteria, putting on the most sinister smile on his face.

Wisteria was covered in scuffs and scrapes, adding a few additional scars to the one across his beak. Bruises were surprisingly visible through his dirty white feathers, while blood trickled from wounds on the side of his head. His scarf was in worse condition than it was before, shredded and riddled with holes.

Wisteria's stance of anger turned into a stance of fear. Before he could get a good wing speed to get off the ground, Discord had already appeared behind him, slithering over him and blocking the cave entrance. Discoreds clawed arm, the same one he used to strike me with, wrapped around Wisteria's head. Effortlessly, Wisteria was picked up off the ground by Discord almost as if a filly were playing a with a ragdoll. He brought him closer to his face, still with that smile on his face. Wisteria grabbed for Discords fingers, but he only crushed his skull harder.

“Now then,” Discord stated, “do mind telling us what happened to you?”

Wisteria squirmed, nudging and shaking while in the grasp of Discord. “Th- there were r- royal guards waiting there!” Wisteria pleaded and screamed, letting out a small shriek of agony afterwards.

“And do you care to explain why you were captured by the royal guards and had to fight your way through them?” Discord asked, with his eyes fixed on Wisteria.

“I-I-I left the group! P- Please let go Discord!”

That was enough to send Discord into a fit of rage. With an almost effortless throw, Wisteria crashed into the cavern wall just like the ragdoll he was, sliding down, unconscious, bleeding.

Vendium didn't even bother to look. He still had his eyes set on Discord. I, on the other hand, could care less for what happened to Wisteria, bit it was a sight to behold.

“As for you, Lathyrus.”

I turned around to see Discord, but he was inches away from my eyes. His eyes glowed with the fire beside us. Both his hands wrapped around me. Before any sort of thought could process it's way through my mind, he slithered with me in his arms to and out the entrance of the cave. With a sharp turn, we soared high above the cave, reaching toward the dark clouds that now blocked all sunlight from coming through.

We were surrounded by clouds, dark gray in shade, little light coming through. He held me out by the neck with one claw. I held my hooves over his wrist to grab for some leverage.

“I watched what happened yesterday, Lathyrus, and to say the least, I'm not pleased. Not one bit. You didn't finish burning off the area. You are going to finish the job, and you're not coming back until you do. Not until every square acre of Ponyville is in flames, understand?”

I couldn't catch a breath. My head started too feel light, and my vision began to blur, leaving Discord's face into a silhouette. I began to choke and heave, spitting blood trough my teeth and onto his hand. Discord looked at it, turning his ferocious look into a sadistic smile, then a laugh.

“And by the looks of it, Lathyrus, you don't have much time left! Haha, priceless!” His grip began to loosen. Though it was great that it would allow be a breath of air, but worse in which we were hundreds of feet from the ground.

“Have fun.”

His fingers let go, along with a final laugh from him. Blood began to flow back into my head, and my vision began to clear up. Wind rushed over my body as I began to fall. My ears were popping due to the altitude and the speed, my mane was blowing as air swirled around me, and my hooves dangled upward as I faced the ground. Sure, this was the perfect time to yell a final word or something, but no one would hear, no one to care to hear, no one to care that I was falling to my death.

The ground came in closer, along with the surrounding rocks and cave. As I drew closer to the ground, everything began to grow darker than it already was. I looked at myself, however, and I was the same shade of color when I began my free fall. A dark foggy aura surrounded me, huddling in closer like being trapped in a burning room. I couldn't see the ground anymore, nor the sky, nor Discord. I closed my eyes, not knowing what my fate was, but awaiting it anyway.