Shade wakes up floating in darkness.

Death appears out of a red vortex in her natural form. Her shadowy body begins to swirl and condense into her favorite form, with her six giant phantom wings unfurling slowly like a rising fog.

"Am I dead?" Shade cuts Death's dramatic entrance short.

"No!" Death pouts as she straightens out her black lace, frilly dress.

"Where are we?"

"Home. My home, to be precise. And this," she spins around while a ghostly wing passes through Shade, "is called the 'Extraction Room.' First, I will extract your soul, and you will be dead."

"So why haven't you done it already? What's the holdup?"

"I can pull out your soul; not the power within your soul. It would be like me ripping your body in half, so I need you awake to grab hold of the power while I extract your soul," Death explains, "If I had only pulled out your soul, the power would have taken over "

"I. Don't. Care." Shade interrupts, rolling her head in annoyance. "I am awake. I am ready. Go."

Death rubs her chin in thought and stares at the silver bracelet Shade wears. "That might be a problem."

Shade lifts up her arm and looks at the bracelet, "How come? I thought it was linked to my soul?"

"Only one way to find out!" Death exclaims and throws her hand out in front of her where a massive scythe conjures in her hand. The ten-foot-long weapon dwarfs the wielder and the blade is six-foot-long.

"Is that necessary?" Shade voices.

"Not entirely!" Death chimes and swings the blade up into Shade's human abdomen. Shade gasps as the blade stabs into her body and Death starts to pull on the scythe with both hands.

Shade can feel her limbs growing cold and her lungs giving out. Her chest begins to burn and she clutches her chest. A red glow emits between her fingers. As her soul separates from her body, the silver bracelet moves with her soul. Death yanks one last time and Shade's soul is completely free of a body.

The orb in Shade's chest flares and flashes brightly.

Death has a sour expression.

Shade's white spectral body starts to fill with red, demonic energy. She screams in pain.

"Fight her, Shade!" Death encourages her as Shade combusts and a fiery portal appears which pulls Shade in with black chains. "Remeber who you are!"

Shade's vision turns blank then to a blood red. Intense heat burns her body and suffocates her lungs while metal bites into the flesh of her arms and legs. The fact that she is able to feel can only mean one thing: she is a demon.

"So, you come to return to me what is rightfully mine," Valkyrie purrs into Shade's ear, "my daughter?"

"You have no right to call me that," Shade labors.

Shade hears Valkyrie circling around her slowly with heavy steps echoing off stone.

"Fine by me," Valkyrie counters nonchalantly. Valkyrie thrusts her hand into Shade stomach, puncturing her daughter's flesh. Shade unleashes a wretching cry. Valkyrie shoves her arm up into Shade to reach the orb in Shade's chest. Her slender fingers grab hold of the cue ball size orb and a victorious smile splits her dark face. She yanks on the orb and Shade exclaims in agony.

Shade's mind goes blank and a memory starts to play in her eyes.

She is staring down the shaft of an arrow and holding tightly to the drawn bow. Giant hands engulf her childlike hands and warmth surrounds her. She looks up and sees Grey beaming down at her with a toothy grin.

"Now, bend your right fist out, otherwise, the string will slap you and it will hurt," Grey explains in his warm, baritone voice.

"Yes, sir," Shade strains. Drawing the bow requires her full strength; holding out her arms and gravity are also contending against her.

"Release."

Shade opens her left hand and watches the arrow fly to the skull. Snow falls off the top of the bull skull as the arrow strikes the wooden post supporting it. Pride swells within her small chest.

"Bullseye!" she shouts with glee.

"That a girl!" Grey cheers. He picks up his daughter and spins her around. Shade giggles and wraps her arms around his neck. "I'm proud of you, pup! I knew you could do it!"

"You are a great teacher, Papa!"

Grey settles Shade in his arm and boops her nose with his free hand. "C'mon, let's get out of the cold before the blizzard hits."

Seering pain in her chest snaps her back to her current situation. Her eyes open and lock with the burning eyes of Valkyrie.

"I will have my power back!" Valkyrie states.

A bright light flashes and flings Valkyrie to the wall behind her. She quickly gets to her feet and sees Shade in gold trimmed, black armor and no longer naked. She scowls. "Who do you think you are?"

"I am Kūæd Nìzī Kūàmírà Whulphe!" Shade shouts, breaking the chains binding her. She rolls herself into a ball while levitating in the air, turning into a black ball of energy. The black ball explodes and Shade carefully steps down to the ground with her new wings unfurling behind her. Shade examines her new two black left wings, two right white wings, and can feel a power surging through her bones she has never felt before. "I made a promise to a friend and I keep my promises."

"Great," Valkyrie grimaces. She lunges as Shade with her daggers to catch her by surprise.

Shade dodges the thrusting and slashing daggers but the small room gives her little maneuverability so she jumps up through the stone ceiling. Once in the air, she grins smugly down at a seething Valkyrie.

"Get back down here and fight me, you little cunt!" Valkyrie shouts.

"I don't have to fight you. I already won," Shade replies.

Valkyrie throws a dagger at Shade in anger.

Shade deftly dodges the dagger. "Before I go, there is something I have to tell you: thank you."

Valkyrie glowers at Shade. No amount of curses can explain the hatred she feels towards Shade.

A black vortex appears behind Shade and Death steps out of the portal. "You did good, Shade."

Shade turns away from Death and surveys the Hell around her with a frown, "I'm still color blind."

"Nothing much to see here anyway, Shade," Death says and places a hand on Shade's back between her wings to usher her into the portal.

Valkyrie sneers at Death, "You."

"See you around!" Death winks at Valkyrie and blows a kiss before leaving. The last thing she hears is Valkyrie swearing.

"So, I'm dead, why can't I see colors?" Shade confronts Death.

"I said 'first' so now you need a vessel. But I have a very important question for you. Do you want to return to Equestria or go back home?"

Shade mulls the idea for a moment. "Surprise me," she shrugs.

"You do know who you are talking to, right?" Death grins mischievously.

"Yes. I trust you. . . mum. . ." Shade says as she plays with her bangs.

Death's heart melts seeing Shade's bashful side. Death smiles sadly, "There is something. . . unfortunate that has happened because I brought you to this universe. I think you could learn much by fixing it."

"What happened?" Shade asks with deep interest.

Death sighs, "Bad things happen to good people sometimes. Looking at the big picture from so far away, I often do not see the tiny details and impurities. Would you mind helping me out, Shade?"

Shade throws her hands to her sides and huffs, "I've got nothing better to do."

Author's Notes:

Any guesses on what Shade's name means?