"Damn it Dash I said I was sorry! You can stop hitting me now!" Charles rang out as he kept trying to block the hoof punches he was receiving from the rainbow maned pegasus that had just been released from the dungeons cell.

"You expect me to believe that it was your evil half that put me in here when I could tell it was you?! Oh yer gonna get it now!" She growled out as she raised another hoof, bringing it down only for it to stop in a magical aura of gold just an inch from his face.

"Mrs. Dash, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from striking my husband." Celestia sighed as she released her hold on her hoof. The pegasus moving back a few steps and giving an annoyed snort.

"This bozo put me in a cell, locked my wings in place, and was a complete jerk to me, and you expect me not to beat the crap out of him?!" Dash exclaimed incredulously as she glared toward the human. After a moment to collect herself, she let out a breath to steady herself once more. "Fine, I can wait a while before I beat him." She growled.

"If you want to beat the snot out of me, then let it be the evil half, geez Dash." Charles sighed loudly. "I mean, he was the one to blame for why my anger got so out of control. If it had really been me, then I would have just grounded you in a different way *swat* OW!"

Dash pulled her hoof quickly backwards giving the human a sideways swat in the shoulder from the comment, knowing perfectly well what he was getting at with the comment. The two sharing a glare to one another before the sun Goddess interjected.

"You two quit fighting, we have far more serious problems to attend to than your bickering amongst each other." She spoke out sternly causing them both to seize up. "We need to locate Flame and hold him so that Charles can reclaim his rightful body. Until such time, you two will stop with this nonsense."

"Yes ma'am." They both groaned slightly, looking away from one another as they crossed their arms like two children that had just been lectured to about fighting one another.

As the three made their way from the dungeons below the castle into the war room, Dash would excuse herself after giving the human one more good sucker punch in the arm, then bolting out a near-by window. Charles giving a growl as he rubbed his bruised arm as he continued to follow the sun Goddess.

Once inside the war room, Celestia quickly closed the door as she began to speak to the other patrons within the strategic sanctum.

"Have you devised any new strategies?"

"Nothing that wouldn't fall under lethal action as of yet ma'am." Blizzard stated as he began to unfurl a scroll onto the table. "The only plan so far that has yet to be confirmed lethal would be to...." He cleared his throat, looking nervously toward the sun Goddess and the human king. "Would be to have the elements of Harmony place Flame within stone until such time as we can devise a better plan."

*smack*

All attention was quickly turned to the human as his hand found his face, and remained there as he let out an annoyed sigh.

"Blizzard..." Charles began as he pulled his hand from his face, giving a threatening stare toward the white pegasus. "How is this considered to possibly be lethal?"

"Well sir.." Forge began. "It isn't so much as a prison sentence as much as it is to be considered ah death sentence. You see, placing him in stone means that time'll blink by if and or when he manages teh ever get outta there. That could be soon'er beyond our lifetime. Then again, he could be in there for all of time."

Charles stood there giving a thoughtful expression as he rubbed his chin in thought before speaking. "I wonder if putting him in stone would cause me to dragged back into the afterlife though. If that happens, I won't be able to contact you guys and devise any other plans to try and get my body back." He sighed as he mulled over the repercussions of following through with such a plan.

"This would be so much easier if we could just find out without having to go into the afterlife..." He trailed off, raising his voice a bit as he looked toward the ceiling of the room, trying his best to hint to eh powers above that they needed help, but nothing came, only to cause to groan out in further annoyance.

"Maybe we could as a certain Draconequus. to lend a helping hoof?" Celestia stated with a slight smile toward her husband.

"It's worth a shot, I mean, he is good friend after all." Charles chuckled. "Hey Discord, I know you're lingering around. Get your fuzzy butt out here, I need a favor."

In a small flash of light the Draconequus appeared, his arms crossed, and a look of anger plastered across his face that screamed SMITE SMITE SMITE!

"Discord?" Celestia began, only to pause as he raised his taloned paw to halt her.

"Whatever it is, no." He spouted, causing them all to look to one another in slight surprise. "If it involves Charlie boy here, then no."

"Care to explain why?" Charles asked, cocking a brow in question.

Discord glared death toward the human as he spoke only two words, causing the human to literally seize up and making his eyes almost bug out of his head.

"Afghanistan, 2006."

A silence filled the room as Charles' eye continued to stare unblinking toward the Draconequus, his lips finally parting as he began.

"Everyone, I need a moment with Discord please." His tone was flat as he slowly took a seat and placed his hands together in front of him. Resting his elbows onto the table as he rested his chin onto his clenched hands.

"Sir?" Forge began, but was quickly silenced by the most intense stare he had ever seen the king give to anypony. "U-understood." He hesitated as he quickly began to leave the room, nudging the others along with him.

"My dear? Do you wish that I leave as well?" Celestia asked as she gave him a quick nuzzle.

"Tia, I'm not ready to share with you, or anyone else, what Discord and I am about to discuss. In time, maybe. But not now." He stated with a sigh as she lowered her head slightly, knowing that something dark was about to be discussed. Some of the demons from the humans past that he had been withholding for far too long. She could tell it from his body language and tone of voice. He would never act in such a manner, not even when he had temporarily lost himself to his rage when Marina had been taken from them. No, this was something far more dire in nature. Something that troubled the human to his very core.

As the group left the room, and the door was closed behind them, Charles looked around the room to verify that they were, indeed, alone. Giving a sigh as he looked back to the Draconequus standing on the other side of the large table within the center of the room.

"Discord, I don't know how you know about that incident, but I am going to take a guess that you've been speaking to my other half." Charles sighed as his hand moved up to the bridge of his nose, giving it a gentle squeeze as he leaned back in his chair.

"You know, right now, at this very moment, I could kill you. I want to, so badly, that I am literally willing to give up all of my power and become mortal in order to have just that satisfaction." He snarled slightly as he whipped around the table, wrapping his body like a coiled snake around the human sitting in the chair, his face coming within inches of Charles' as he glared death unto him.

"But you won't. Not without letting me explain my actions first, I hope." Charles sighed again as he looked away from the Draconequus, his shame making him unable to look Discord directly in the eyes.

"I'll give you that much before I make my decision.... Human." Discord hissed as he slowly uncoiled from around him and moved back to the other side of the table.

"Discord.... I want you to know that what I did, was due to the orders I was given. I had no choice in the matter." He stated softly as his vision rose to meet the Draconequus'. "But had I known that those bombs had a satellite link up at the time, I would have never placed them in that school."

Watching Discords eyes narrow, the human knew that he wasn't going to buy anything that the human was talking about. The only thing he could do was bring the Draconequus into his mind to show him the memories once more.

"Discord, I know that right now you want nothing more than to end my existence. But if you are, at least let me show you those memories..." He stopped as Discord quickly growled out.

"I've already seen them! There, isn't any point in you showing me them once more just to further anger me!" He snapped.

"But there is..." Charles sighed. "I want to take another guess, and say that Flame showed you only the gory aftermath and me calling in the strike, am I correct?" He asked, seeing the surprised look on Discords face.

"But how did you know?"

"Because that is what I would do to sway the enemies decision, and break up a friendship or alliance between them. However, I'm not evil." Charles stated quickly.

"You say that, but your actions have proven otherwise.... Fine, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and let you show me once more. Be aware though, If you fail to appease my anger and give me the perfect explanation, I will end you." Discord hissed as a bright flash erupted from around them.

Within an instant, the two were within Charles' mind, standing in a long hallway that had countless doors lining each side. Taking a moment to gather himself, the human spoke up.

"Memories."

The right side of the hallway let out a loud click as the doors began to slide by them, picking up speed before slowing down and coming to a halt with the door that he had just requested, sitting in front of them. As his shaking hand moved toward the door, he began to speak once more.

"All memories from the war relating to Afghanistan in which I was a part of." He stated in a monotone and watching as the light above the door blinked red for several seconds, then turning green. "Discord..." Charles spoke out in a shuddering breath. "These memories haunted me for years. I never got over what happened that day, so I want you to know something. Even after you see this, know that, even if you do end my existence, I'll still consider you a friend." He smiled meekly toward Discord just as his shaking hand gripped the door knob and began to turn it.

"Let's hope that it won't have to end that way." Discord sighed as he reach his hand and gripped the knob around Charles' hand as well. Both pulling open the door at the same time.

"I've got the charges in place." Charles stated quickly over the radio as he ran from the large building he was currently in and don't an ally way, continuing his trek through debre and falling ruble from another building that had recently been hit with mortars.

"Affirmative, we have you of SAT. Continue to move from the target one click west and take position on the tower residing by the mosque. Targets may be arriving within the next hour, so keep your head down." Came a voice from his earpiece.

Taking some time to arrive at his designated location, the young man climbed the narrow stairwell into the top most part of the tower. Arriving at the top, he was welcomed with the sight of a dead sniped that had recently been shot, and lay dead in a pile of his own blood and filth. Checking to make sure the body wasn't booby trapped, Charles moved the body to the side and began to crawl over to a large hole that had been shot through the stone balcony that resided at the top of the tower.

As he pulled a pair of goggles up to his eyes, he quickly adjusted them to bring into focus the school, in which, he had just placed a large amount of experimental bombs within. Earlier, he had been briefed that a small terrorist group was in the process of moving some highly volatile material into the school building so that they could start production of some dirty bombs. These small devices would irradiate a massive area of land and make it impossible to inhabit for thousands of years due to the radiation that would be released into the environment.

However, there would be a problem with the information as several days had passed by without any movement. On the third day however, Charles saw movement in the building. But it was a very unwelcome sight as he gazed upon the people within. It wasn't terrorists, but children. The city had called school back into session due to the lack of movement from the terrorist parties.

"I have movement here, but it isn't the target. The city must have called school back into session. Permission to abort" He stated quickly into the radio.

"Negative, keep eyes on target." The radio blurted out.

"Dammit...." Charles cursed as he continued to watch the school building, hoping that an adult would find one of the bombs and signal everyone to leave the building. As time passed by however, the school children would finally go to lunch and then move to the playground to have some fun.

Several hours passed by as the humans adrenaline continued to flow, his unease growing as he began to think about moving back to the building to remove the bombs. But luck would not be on his side as he watched several large vans begin to pull up to the school and quickly begin to unload materials to inside.

"No! This can't happen! Not while those kids are still inside!" Charles growled out as he began to pack his materials up to move out.

"Satellite imagery has picked up movement in the area, do you copy?" Came the voice over the radio once more.

The few seconds that the human stayed there, letting his answer get caught in his breath as he contemplated the answer, felt like an eternity. He knew that the terrorists were planning a large scale massacre with stolen weapons. But never did he consider that they would stoop so low as to move into a school building filled with children in order to accomplish their goals. But his next answer would possibly stave the bombing for just enough time for him to move in and start taking out the terrorists one by one. He knew that some of the children would probably die in the process, but it was a necessary sacrifice he would have to endure in order to save the rest of them, or at the very least, die trying.

"Negative, it isn't the target. I will continue surveillance...." He was quickly cut off as several gun shots rang out from within the school. "Shit!" He shouted out through the radio without thinking.

"CONTACT CONTACT!" He shouted out again through the radio as he finished pulling his pack onto his back, and readied his M-9, bolting down the stairs of the tower as fast as he could.

"Tango 3, satellite is detecting your decent from the tower, Remain on target and ready the charges.

"Confirmation on target within designated building." Came another voice over the radio, causing Charles to seize up. His heart almost stopping as he heard the phrase that he dreaded the most. "Tango 3, commence attack."

"NO! There are kids in that building, and I will not kill them just to take out a hand full of idiots with weapons! Moving to designated area to remove targets.... or die trying." He snapped into the radio, quickly pulling the headset from his ear as he bolted straight down the main street toward the school, praying to God that he would make it in.....

*BOOM*

All time stopped as Charles looked upon the school as several walls exploded outwards, sending stone flying in every direction. Then white smoke lifting up from within the school as it quickly began to disappear into the dry air surrounding the small town. Taking no more time, the human bolted down the street, shedding his pack to disperse the extra weight so that he could cover more ground faster.

As he made it to the school, he could hear the screams of children and men alike as he pressed himself to the outer wall, holding his rifle at the ready as he quickly glanced around the corner to see where his enemies and the innocent were locate. Pulling back, he took in a deep breath as he popped around the corner and began to take out several individuals who had rifles or lacked the proper attire that a teacher would wear during sessions.

"Two down.... three..... five......ten....." He spoke inwardly as he continued killing off the suspected terrorists. After a couple of minutes had passed, the screaming increased in volume as the bodies of the dead terrorists lay dead within the halls of the school. But the children weren't screaming from seeing the dead, no. They were screaming in agony from the chemicals that they had inhaled from the prototype explosives that had just went off a short time ago.

"Oh God...." Charles spoke to himself as he watched the children writhe in agony. Many of them clawing at their skin and eyes to try and stop the burning torment they were feeling. Their skin began to puff outward, revealing many blisters caused by the allergic reaction to the bomb. Many vomiting and falling over to choke to death on their bile as they attempted to breathe once more.

It took several minutes, but the screaming began to soften as the lives of those that had inhaled the chemical weapon began to pass on. No longer would they feel pain as they let the light take them.

On the floor sat the young man whom had placed the bombs within the school. Slowly reaching down to his pocket, he pulled out the detonator that resided within, looking it over carefully as he noticed one little green light blinking.

"Satellite over-ride engaged." He spoke in shock. "Those bastards!" He continued to growl out as he slowly got to his feet and began the long trek back to his pack, and then to the extraction point.

After what seemed like an eternity, the memory ended, releasing Charles and Discord from its cold hands. The hall all around them felt so cold now, like the fire that burned within the human had been extinguished only to leave the shell of its former self to lay paralyzed with sorrow on the floor.

Discord, though, was standing there in complete shock, unable to believe in what he had just witnessed.

"Discord.... Get me out of here.... now." Charles growled out in a controlled rage.

Snapping back to reality, Discord gave a nod as the two vanished in a bright light, reappearing within the war room in the castle. The human still sitting in his spot as he leaned on the table, but with a large puddle having form on the table below his face.

Taking only a moment to wipe it away, Charles gave a shuddering breath as he began.

"Discord, I don't know what Flame showed you, and I honestly don't want to know. But you have your answer now, and I want you to promise me one thing... Never tell anyone about what you saw. That was the darkest point in my life, and I do not want anyone else to have to know about it."

"I... understand, and I want you to know something." Discord began softly. "I'm not going to kill you.... But I may end up killing your evil half for manipulating me like he did." He growled.

"I'm feeling the same as you brother." Charles growled as the purple mist began to form around his eyes once more. "But I think I'll let his death linger first.... before I reclaim my body."