Many thoughts raced through Devan's mind as he lay there in Fluttershy's bed. While she herself was able to drift quickly off to sleep after their coupling; he found it very hard to join her in slumber. So many things had changed in just a short amount of time for the Human. No more than a month ago he was enjoying a life full of excitement in a world unknown to many. Rich extravagant parties, untold riches of both monetary, and of the flesh. Using his superior training to end the very lives of any person that he deemed unworthy of life, or if was given a very large amount of money to eradicate some of the most high priority targets. The very mention of his name brought malicious men to cower in high tech panic rooms, while the very sight of him could bring a heart to stop beating from the fear of what actions he would do. All of that however, was nothing compared to the sight that laid out before him now.

   There, right by his side was the little alien creature that he had just made love to. Still even now as the whole event replayed itself over, and over again in his head, he still thought it to be nothing more than fantasy. Yet there she was, as real as anything he had known before, pushing her winged back up to his chest, and stomach while she let out the smallest, almost unheard snores through her little dainty nose. He should have been more concerned with his situation at hand, he should have been out there right now trying to track down Shannon so they could bring this whole ordeal to an end. It was hard to concentrate on anything other than the little mare though, as she was doing one of the cutest things he had ever seen. For as he laid there and thought, his arm was wrapped over her, and tucked under her front leg to where his hand was resting on her chest. There, he was slowly scratching his fingers through the coat of her breast, and in doing so was making her make small paddling motions with her front hooves; as if she were swimming in a river.

   He took in a long breath, then ever so slowly pulled his arm that she had been using to lay on out from underneath her. Even slower still, he slid, and maneuvered his body off the bed, before grabbing up his boxer briefs; slipping them on as he walked to the window of the room. The sight of the Everfree forest that spread out before him made him chuckle to himself. A place completely untainted by the encroachment of progress, or technology. Those that dwelled in it were brave pioneers that risked life, and limb to do so. Just this one forest was a small part of this new world he had been living in, and it made him wonder how much more great unexplored dangers were out there. All of the sudden, Earth didn't seem all that dangerous anymore to him, and the thought of returning there slipped away from his mind.

   Fluttershy's hooves patted around as she hunted for Devan's hands to latch onto while her eyes remained closed. A wild panic began to rush over her as she could not feel him wrapped around her, the heat of his body was gone. She even slowly stretched out her wings to see if he had rolled over in his sleep on the bed. She began to wonder to herself if he had gone again, if he had returned to the forest, or left completely. This made her large eyes pop open with a snap as she raised up in the bed, looking franticly around the darkened room for any sign of her new mate.

   "Couldn't sleep?" Devan said as he saw the yellow Pegasus rise quickly from her slumber. Giving her a quick, and warm smile.

   Seeing him standing there by the window made Fluttershy hang her head down, and give out a sigh of relief as she laid back down, then rolled over to her side. "Umm, well, I just kinda felt that you weren't in bed anymore. I just thought you might have left again."

   "No," the human said as he let a small laugh out. "I don't plan on leaving, not anytime soon at least." Once again he shot her a toothy, and charm oozing smile, getting a kick out of how it looked like it almost embarrassed her to see it. "If that's okay with you?"

   "Yes!" she shouted, then bringing her hoof up to her snout to silently excuse herself for the sudden outburst. "I mean, umm yes, that would be fine with me. If you really wanted to stay."

   "I didn't think I would, you know," Devan said as he crossed his arms over his bare chest, continuing to look out the window. "When I first arrived, I thought it would be a pretty basic task finding Shannon. You know, him being the only other Human here. I would do what needed to be done, then get back to my world in time to catch my favorite shows."

   "What happened?" the mare asked as he suddenly stopped talking.

   "Hmm? Oh!" This made him laugh again as he was caught up in both the thoughts of his mind, and the actual conversation that was happening between the two. "Well, you happened of course."

   "Oh I-I am very sorry. I r-really didn't mean to stop you from doing anything. Honest!" Her sudden state of panic made Devan give out a full blown laugh as he stepped away from the window. He crawled back into the bed, then while on his knees, pulled her up to him so that her front legs draped over his shoulders.

   "Hmm. Perhaps you did," he said with a sly smile on his face as he leaned in, and gave her a small loving kiss. He then pulled away, and gently stroked his hand through her long, and thick mane. "You bewitched me. Using your dastardly Pony magic to capture me, and make me feel the way I do about you now."

   Surprisingly to Devan, this made Fluttershy get a coy smile, as she rolled her eyes at him. "Devan don't be silly. I am a Pegasus. See?" After speaking, she extended her wings to their fullest, while at the same time giving them a couple of flaps, before pulling them into their tucked positions on her back. "Ponies like me can't use magic. Only Unicorns can do that. So umm yeah. There's no way I could have made you have feelings for me."

   "I see, I see," he responded, getting a pseudo serious look on his face as he reached up, and stroked his angular chin. "So Pegasus Ponies like you can't make others fall in love with them?"

   "No, of course not," she answered back while giving another eye roll, and even lowering her head a little.

   "Hmm. Well that's to bad I guess. It just means that I fell for you all by myself then." This made him smile once more as he could almost feel the heat from her blush race over her, and how a new gloss came to her eyes as she realized what he was saying to her.

   "D-do you really mean it Devan?" she asked while at the same time trying to contain the train wreck of emotions she was feeling at this very moment. He didn't answer her however, he just simply lowered himself, and placed his lips to hers in a long, and passionate kiss, that she was all to willing to return. Their loving embrace continued for well over a minute, as the pair decided in unison to let their feelings for one another be shown through the intense physical contact.

   "Yeah I guess I am done for," Devan said as he broke away from her, turning around, and sitting on the edge of the bed, slumped over. "Oh well. Guess it is just something I will have to contend with." As he said this, the little mare knew all to well that he was playing some game with her. However, as she was about to say something in return, she looked down at his back, and saw the most odd of images. Another human looking creature was some how branded onto his back, right at the base of his neck, and in between his shoulder blades. It was a strange Human to be sure, as it had at least three faces that she could see, and not one, but two sets of arms.

   "A cutie mark!" she shouted as the logic of such things came into her mind.

   "What? Where?" Devan yelled in a panicked voice as he stood up quickly from his prone position, and started looking all over himself for one of the overly happy looking symbols. His mind filled with fear as he thought that the repercussions of sleeping with a Pony mare was to gain some kind of flowery, or smiley face mark somewhere on your person.

   "No, there, on your back. You have a cutie mark on your back," she stated as she raised her hoof to point at the brand in question. When Devan heard what she was talking about, he stopped dead in his tracks, and hung his head down low while letting out a long breath through his nose.

   "Ah man. Please don't scare me like that woman! I thought I was going to have a heart attack!" As he said this, he resumed his original place on the bed's edge. Save for this time, he leaned back to use her as a rest, while placing his hand over his chest to feel how fast his heart was beating. "And it's not a cutie mark. It's a tattoo, and lots of Humans have them."

   This made Fluttershy cock her mouth to one side of her face, as she bent her head down to look at the thing called a tattoo once more. She even ran her hoof gently over it, trying to feel if it was indeed a part of his skin as it appeared to be. "Well it sure looks like a cutie mark. How did you get this 'tattoo?' "

   "Ah well," Devan began as he settled even more into her frame, loving how she even adjusted herself, and placed one leg over his shoulder, while she rested her chin on the top of his head. "You need to find a really good artist, but more than that, you need to find a good tattoo artist. Then he takes this tool called a tattoo gun, and it has like a bunch of little needles on it."

   "N-n-needles?" Fluttershy interrupted while forcing a long gulp down her throat, as for some reason she did not like where this was heading.

   "Yeah needles," Devan confirmed before continuing. "Then he takes the tattoo gun, he dips it in some ink. Then he stabs you with it literally thousands of times while the ink is pushed into your skin." He suddenly had to stop talking as he was instantly dropped to the bed onto his back. As he looked up, he saw that Fluttershy had her hooves brought up to her mouth, while her eyes quivered in a dilated dread.

   "T-t-that's quite possibly the most t-t-terrible thing I have ever heard of!" With that, she reached down, and jerked Devan back up to a sitting position. Which was surprising for him, as she was using strength that he was completely unaware that she had. Once she had him back in the full slouched over sitting position, she put her face as close to his back as possible; thoroughly examining the piece of art work. "Who would want to do such a horrible thing to themselves? Who would let anypony do that to them? I mean, it must feel just awful."

   "Meh. It's not so bad really. You get drunk enough, you barely feel anything at all." As he finished talking, he was once again yanked by the mare's great unknown strength; pulling him back into her chest.

   "You poor thing. It must have been just absolutely horrible for you!" she said as she wrapped her front legs over his shoulders, and placed her chin back on the top of his head.

   "Nah, it was fine," Devan reassured her, trying not to laugh as her took one of her hooves into his hand, and gave it a tight squeeze.

   "Does it mean anything? If umm, you don't mind me asking that is."

   This made Devan think hard for a moment, as he got the piece when he just entered the Marines; so very long ago now it seemed. "Well it is a God, kinda part of my heritage," Devan began, looking up at his mare lover as she in turn looked down at him, remaining quiet for the time, as she was expecting a story. "My mother, she is from a place called India." He stopped there for a moment, and tried to think of a way to summarize the story so it wouldn't bore her, or take all day. "It seems this God here, he was trying to convince a young prince to go to war. So he turned into his great God form. The prince stood in awe of what he saw before him, and he wanted to know more of the divine creature that had appeared. The God simply told him: 'Now I am become Death. The destroyer of worlds.' " After saying this, he gave her hoof another gentle squeeze. "Doing what I did, back on Earth. I guess I always for some reason, found a kind of comfort in those words."

   A long silence fell over the room after Devan had finished his story. Fluttershy couldn't imagine why a God would want to use his powers to destroy worlds. Princess Celestia only used her powers for good; to help Ponies everywhere. Even Princess Luna when she was Nightmare Moon just wanted to take over the world, and cast it into eternal night, but not completely destroy it. For a moment, it brought a sharp wave of sadness over her to think that Humans worshiped such things, and worse still, Devan had it branded onto his very body. She tried to say something, but had to swallow a hard lump in her throat before doing so. Devan however, beat her to the punch.

   "You alright?" he asked while looking up at her, seeing that she had a look of dismay, and concern about her.

   "Devan," Fluttershy started while returning Devan's gaze, looking deep into his eyes with hers. "Umm, you, you don't want to destroy the world, right?"

   After hearing this, Devan had to hide a smile, as he could see she was being dead serious with her question. Though he did simply shake his head, while at the same time reaching up; using his hand to gently stroke the side of her face. "No love. Not anymore."

   The yellow Pegasus's body let all the tension go, and she let out a deep sigh while at the same time pushing her head as hard as she could into his hand. "Good," she whispered out while leaning down to give him a soft kiss. "That's good."

      "Umm," Fluttershy said in a tone that meant that she wanted to ask yet another question, but stopped herself before letting the words fall from her mouth.

   "Yes?" Devan responded while rolling onto his back on the bed.

   "Oh, it's nothing really," The little Pegasus said as she just sat there at his side, and turned her head down. Devan stifled a quick laugh, something he had noticed he was doing a lot of here lately around her, though he was absolutely in love with her stand offish nature. It really only made him think of just how effective an assassin she could have been. Never the less, he smiled up at her, and made a rolling motion with his wrist, and hand.

   "Out with it woman. Time is money," he said with a chuckle while reaching up with the same hand he made the motion with, to start scratching at the base of her neck.

   "Well I was just wondering. Why, umm, why did you wear that mask. I mean if you don't want to tell me, it's fine." A deep sense of worry came over her after she asked him the question at hand, as his face removed the smile it once bore, and was replace with a stern distant look.

   "The mask huh?" he said as he removed his hand from her coat, and nervously scratched his nose. "Well. I guess the best way to answer that, is to say, spite." He thought about the word he just used, then nodded in agreement with himself. "Yeah, spite seems to fit," he said to confirm his answer.

   "Sorry, I don't understand," Fluttershy said as she placed her front hooves up to his chest, then laid herself down to where her head was resting on the tops of her hooves, and she was looking him in the eyes.

   Devan wasn't exactly sure if she meant that she didn't understand why he used the word 'spite' as an answer. Or if she meant that she didn't understand the concept of spite itself. He really didn't think she was so naive that she didn't know what spite meant, so he decided to go with the former. "I was part of a military on Earth, the Marines they were called." As he started to tell his next story, he placed one hand behind his head while looking up towards the ceiling, while the other hand found it's way into Fluttershy's mane, and began a slow stroking up, and down process. This in turn caused the yellow Pony to settle deeper into his chest, while enjoying the petting.

   "So things were going fine. I did a couple of over seas tours, got some medals, shot some people." This made Fluttershy's eyes widen quickly, as the phrase 'shot people' didn't sound very nice at all. "So this guy walks up to me. He says I am a great soldier, and he knows a way for me to become a hundred times better. I would get training that some only dreamed of, and make more money than I would be able to spend in a thousand lifetimes." Devan stopped for a moment to laugh to himself. "Eh, I was a stupid kid at the time. The only thing I heard was 'training,' and 'money.' In hind sight, I should have run as far away as I could from that guy."

   "Why didn't you?" Fluttershy asked with a tone of concern as she kept getting the sinking feeling that this wasn't going to be a happy story.

   "Cause, I was a total badass Marine! I didn't think for one second that some random douche in a suit could hurt me, let alone put me in a situation where I would be harmed." Another pause came as Devan reached up quickly and scratched the days old now stubble on his face before returning to the petting. "So anyway, I was whisked away to some top secret training facility. This place was nice too, all the best gear, and equipment. Even some totally new stuff that we hadn't even seen, or heard of before."

   "We?" Fluttershy interjected as she had come to understand there was only him. "There were more soldiers there?"

   "Yeah," Devan answered in a new sad tone. "Five hundred to be exact, not just Marines either. They had brought in soldiers from all over the world, from almost every type of military. That's when they told us, they were going to make super soldiers."

   "Umm, a super soldier?" Fluttershy cut in once again.

   Devan just chuckled while increasing the strokes his hand was doing to her mane. "Don't sweat it. They didn't inject us with some top secret radioactive serum or anything like that. Though, I think that would have been the better option to try. No, it was a set of courses that taught military tactics, war games and theory, advanced ranged and melee combat, espionage, you know, all the cool stuff." After that, Devan made a gesture with his lips as if he was silently cursing at something. "I should have seen it sooner, I should have known what was going on."

   "W-what happened?" Fluttershy asked as a quiver of fear raced through her.

   "They just started going away, you know. Sometimes ten, sometimes twenty, just vanished without out a trace. The guys in the suits, they said the people that were gone just didn't make the cut. Yeah well I found out all to soon what had happened to them." Neither Pony or Human said anything for a few moments, then Devan started speaking again. "One night I was yanked from my bunk. A group of guys tossed me in some elevator, one of them threw a faceless mask at me, he said to put it on, and if I took it off before I was told, I would be killed instantly." This made Fluttershy let out a terrified gasp as her eyes widened, making Devan just pet her harder. "I thought it was a prank at first, so I went along, not really thinking much about it. Fifteen other people were put into that tiny little elevator eventually, all with the same instructions." He stopped to look at his new lovely alien lover as she looked at him with an unblinking, dread filled stare. That's when he decided to not tell her of what happened to the four members of his group that decided to take off the masks as soon as they had a chance.

   "This was the final stage of the training. Advanced situational awareness, and detail recognition training they called it. What it was, was a massive obstacle course of the most diabolical design. It was dark, pitch black in most places, and that damn mask made it even worse as they pushed us through that God forsaken slaughter house."

   "H-how many, umm, you know, made it?" Fluttershy asked, she herself not letting the threatening tears glossing her eyes start to fall, as she could see all to well the new sheen that covered Devan's eyes as he was looking blankly up into the ceiling.

   All Devan could do was let out a sigh of relief at the fact that she understood what had happened to those that went into that place. "Two," he said with a quick sniff of his nose. "Only two. Myself," he paused, not only speaking, but petting his fingers through her long thick, pink mane. "And Shannon Nyx." A few moments passed, and he once again began to stroke her mane. "Well needless to say we passed. We were brought into an unofficial organization called Floor Thirteen. We were treated like royalty, anything we wanted, we got, and I mean anything. Just as long as we did exactly what they said. But you know, after all that, I found myself really hating those people, even after what they gave me after the fact, the cars, the money." He had to stop himself there, as he almost said 'the women' as well, and he still didn't want his new little Pony girlfriend to actually know the number of the amount of women he had in his lifetime.

   "So I quit, which of course meant that they spent a lot of time trying to kill me. Well that's when I decided to try and kill them back, but not as Devan Crey. No when I went after them, I put on that mask. I put it on so they could see it wasn't a man that was coming after them, it was that thing they had created down in that midnight black house of horrors. After a time though, I started putting on the mask whenever I did something that I thought I wouldn't normally do. It was a kind of escape I guess. As long as I was wearing that mask it wasn't me doing the things I did. Just a faceless monster, with no expression, no eyes to look into, no emotions to show." He was going to continue with his story, even as a single tear rolled down his cheek. However, Fluttershy quickly, but gently placed her hoof up to his lips.

   "Shh," she cooed softly as she removed her hoof from his mouth, and placed it on his cheek to catch the falling drop of sadness. She then gave him one of the biggest heart warming smiles she could possibly muster, as she leaned up towards him, and placed her soft, caressing lips to his.

   After a short while, Devan broke away from her, and stared deeply into the pale blue globes that were her eyes, a sight that he would be willing to get lost forever in, if he had the chance to do so. "I have a secret," he said in a semi whisper, as if he was trying to hide the fact of what he was about to say from prying unseen ears. "It is about the man I am here to find. Would you like to know it?" All Fluttershy did was let her ears perk up, and turn forward, then she just simply nodded her head in anticipation of what mystery her new Human lover was about to give to her.

*****

      The castle was still a bustle as Princess Luna trotted quickly down the wide hallways. Staff members, guardsmen of all factions, and even normal civilians flew up and down the corridors to their respective destinations. Every Pony was on edge due to the events that had just transpired. It was more rumor control than anything, the Moon Goddess had made sure to tell her own Dark Guard, and Celestia's Royal Guard to make sure everypony knew that the city was not under siege, and that all those involved in the transgression in the throne room had been dealt with accordingly. Though she knew that was only a half truth. Shadow Vein was still out there somewhere, and Shannon was now looking for him, imbued with both the power of her magic, and the sinister gifts of the Abyssal that dwelt with in them both. This was something she was sure she was going to hear a lot about when she arrived at the castle's hospital, where her sister lay in wait.

   Luna could see the doctor that had treated her before standing outside her sister's private room; speaking to a nurse. The two members of the medical staff saw her approach, and gave a quick head nod towards her, before the doctor quickly gave his nurse orders, causing her to leave in a fast step. "How is my sister Doctor?" Luna asked as she came to the door way, looking inside to see if Celestia was awake. She couldn't make out if Celestia was conscious or not, due to her laying on her side, and with her back to the door.

   "She will be fine of course," the doctor responded with a pencil in his mouth as he made a few notes on his royal patients chart. "Much like with you however. If she had been any other Pony besides an Alicorn. I am afraid there would be nothing I could have done for her."

   This made Luna sigh at the thought of what had happened. If Shadow Vein was able to do this much damage to an Alicorn, to place her in intensive care. Other Ponies of less fortitude would have absolutely no chance to survive an encounter with him. Or even worse, survived an encounter. "May I speak to her?" Luna asked as she took a cautious step into the room.

   "If she is awake, I see no trouble in it. Do try to keep it brief, she needs her rest." With that, the doctor placed Celestia's chart in the small holder on her door. "Oh and Princess," he said before turning down the hall to move to other rooms that needed his assistance. "This is the second time in a very short amount of time that I have had an Alicorn in my care. Medical Ponies through out history have never been able to make such claims. Perhaps you should try to take things a little easier from now on eh?"

   Luna wasn't sure if that was supposed to be actual sound advice, or an attempt at humor, her mind just wasn't able to process it at that particular moment. All she did was nod her head, then continue to step into her sister's room. "I will try Doctor. Thank you for your concern." Once again the doctor nodded his head, then quickly turned, and left to attend to other affairs.

      Into the large private room Luna stepped, making every effort to be as quiet as possible as she gently took hold of the door with her magic; pushing it closed. "Tia?" she whispered as she stepped lightly towards the bed, looking at her sister's back. "Sister? Are you awake?" she asked again, now moving around to the other side to where she could see if Celestia was able to respond. The Moon Goddess thought for a moment that perhaps the doctor had given her the same pain medication as she was given, and it was having the same ill effects on Celestia as it did to her. A minor look of wonder came to her muzzle however, as she reached a point to where she could see her sister's face, and notice that her eyes were wide open; sporting a bitter glare at her. "Sister?" was all Luna could mumble as she noticed the stare of her elder sibling becoming more cross.

   "An Abyssal, Luna?" Celestia hissed out in a tone that more than let the dark Alicorn know the anger her sister was feeling. "We had one of those, those, murderous creatures here with us in Equestria? In our very home? And you did not feel it was needed to inform me of it?"

   "It's not what you think Sister," Luna responded as a sad state washed over her face as she thought of both Chaosia, and Chaotica. The sadness only grew as she let the thought enter her mind of how she would never see her Guardsmen again, and one in fact was still laying dead in her throne room, waiting for the investigators to finish their jobs, then the undertaker to come, and do his duty. "It isn't like I knew they were an Abyssal. At least, not the whole time."

   "But you did know!" The Sun Goddess snapped as she raised her head from it's prone position on her hooves. "Have you forgotten how many Ponies those, things placed in their graves far before their times? Have you forgotten how many great Alicorns had to sacrifice themselves to rend that race from our lands?"

   "Of course not!" It was now Luna's turn to become angry, as she would not suffer being talked down to, nor would she be insulted by having to remember those horrible losses, so very long ago. "I was going to deal with it, I was. Things just got so out of control. Shannon left, Shadow Vein."

   "Oh please do not remind me of what I saw unfold before me today!" Celestia howled, cutting her sister off from her explanation.

   "Tia please!" Luna tried to beg as she knew what was coming, and very much wanted to avoid it.

   "Do not 'please' me Luna! We had a very real threat in our midst. Something that could actually bring our great world to ashes, and all you were concerned about was that vile Human!" Luna was about to interject on the attack made towards her mate's person, though Celestia was quick to continue before her sister could get a word in edge wise. "Now, not only has young Shadow Vein gone completely mad; which I am sure Shannon had something to do with. He now holds one half of that monster. Then for whatever reason I cannot explain, Chaotica gifted her half to Shannon." She had to stop for a moment to try to calm her nerves a small amount, as the whole conversation was irritating her wounds, and giving her a headache. "And then, then to make matters even worse, you gave that Abyssal that dwells with in Shannon, a blessed weapon. I really must ask Sister, is this revenge for any wrong doings I have committed on you in the past?"

   The last comment made Luna's eyes become shiny with forming tears. She knew the words being spoken to her now were ones said out of pain, and anger; it still hurt to hear them however, but she decided to let it go. "Shannon will defeat Shadow Vein, Tia. His power is stronger, his will is greater. He will not fail."

   "Oh?" Celestia said with a mocking chuckle. "And what would happen if the two were to join hmm? What happens when Shadow Vein's magic is brought together with Shannon's sinister nature; his hateful ways. The Abyssal will be complete, it will share in the madness of both, fueled by it's own evil magic, and wielding this, Dream Reaver you bestowed upon Shannon."

   "That will never happen!" the younger of the two cried out. She fought desperately to try and keep the images away of what would happen if Celestia's scenario came true; the actions that would have to be done to remedy it.

   "Why?" Celestia asked in a contorted scowl.

   "Because, I told him to!" Luna bellowed back, now unable to keep several tears from falling from her eyes. "And because." She could not finish as Celestia tried once again to take control of the conversation.

   "Because what? You love him, he loves you?" After saying this, Celestia couldn't help but let out a scoff as she whipped her head to the side at the thought.

   "Yes!" Luna cried. "I love him! I love him more than anything, and I know he feels the same for me. He would never do anything to harm me. He would never take actions that I did not command." The two sisters just looked at one another for a few moments, and Luna decided to drive her point home even more. "You just don't understand Tia. No Pony, not now, not ever has looked, or spoken to me the way he does. He knows me, he is the only creature ever that has been able to treat me as both an Alicorn Princess." She had to pause right there, as she didn't want to infuriate Celestia to the point of no return with misplaced words. "And, as a mare."

   "Very well," the Sun Goddess said in a tone now more recognizable as her own. "You trust him? You think he will do exactly as you say, even with the temptation of the power he could obtain, that's fine." She then narrowed her gaze, and spoke through a semi clenched jaw. "But as soon as he returns. I want him out of this castle, I want him out of my lands."

   "You wouldn't dare!" Luna shouted in a voice closer to her royal Equestrian; loud enough it was now for sure Ponies outside could hear.

   "I fear for the safety of my subjects Luna!" Celestia answered back, trying in a way to get her sister to see reason. "And more than that." She paused, and got an actual look of concern over her face. "I fear for my own safety. The things he has said to me, the words he used to describe such horrible visions." Just for a small second, Celestia thought back to her meeting with Shannon days ago, the mortifying things he told her. She had to physically shake her head to remove the whole ordeal from her mind. "So, when, and if he returns. He is no longer welcome in this home. If I have to remove him, then so be it." Something happened then that caught Celestia much off guard. Luna, who's eyes were still full of tears of sadness, and frustration, started to let out a slow laugh.

   "Oh well that's just your solution to everything isn't it big Sister?" After hearing this, Celestia could not help but get a look of odd confusion on her muzzle, giving Luna a dead stare before she continued. "Some problem that you can't immediately solve with your magic, you just wish away, and hope it resolves itself."

   "That is completely unfair!" Celestia said in a slack jawed defense.

   "No it isn't!" Luna came back. "Discord? You couldn't immediately make him see things your way, he caused trouble, and he was cursed to stone imprisonment. Then." Once more the Moon Princess paused to try to find the right words, and try to make her point, without further extending the air of rage in the room. "Then there's me. I became Nightmare Moon, and I was wrong because of it. But didn't you ever once try as hard as you could to try to see there was a greater problem there?"

   Once more Celestia found herself on the defensive, save for this time, she knew there was a real threat of losing. "Luna I tried, you know I did. I just."

   "You just got frustrated. You didn't see an absolute, and clear path to victory. So you took the next easiest one you could find, forsaking me to one thousand years of pure, and utter loneliness." Luna did everything she could to stop the smile that was trying to creep it's way onto her muzzle. She saw Celestia's face shift dramatically to one of angry defense, to one of saddened shame. Luna let out a sigh as she got as close to the bed as possible. She placed both front hooves up to the mattress, then reached over, and took her Sister's hoof into her own. "Please Tia. Don't try to take him away from me by taking that easy path again. Let me have him, let me guide him as his Princess; his Goddess." For one last final time, Luna gave a pause, not to try to find more suitable words, but to let the next ones sink in to her Sister's head. "And his mate."

   Celestia looked down woefully at the dark coated hoof of her beloved little sister that grasped her own, and squeezed it tight. The argument was done, there were no more words to say; she had lost. "Let me rest a while Luna. It has been just a very hectic, and dreadful past few days." She then took in a deep breath, and looked up slowly to where the two mare's eyes met. "Just please keep your faith in him. For as of now, it is the only thing allowing me to keep my faith in you."

   All Luna did was give her elder sister a small nod of her head, then returned to all fours on the floor. "As you say big Sister. rest well, I will see to matters while you are absent." With that, the Alicorn of the Moon turned, and opened the door with her magic, while at the same time, dimming the lights to give her sister a proper mood for sleeping. She then stepped out into the hallway, and finally allowed the grin that had been slamming it self against her lips for the longest time; to win the battle against her will, and stretch itself across her muzzle, as she slowly closed the door.

*****

   It was quiet in the old abandoned warehouse; dark, and sealed away. No Pony had been in this place for many a year, and the only thing that moved amongst the few forgotten items; were the dust encrusted, and derelict spider webs that would shake, and wisp about with the slightest hint of wind. It was here upon a wall that one of the shadows started to expand, and stretch out. The silence was then broken by the sound of a horrible rasp, forced breathing as Shadow Vein came lumbering out of his Void. He couldn't feel most of his body anymore, and what he could feel was racked with a kind of pain that he had never known in his life. He strained to see the environment around him as well. He didn't know if his right eye was either gone, or just destroyed. All he knew was that they only way he could see was through the now dimly glowing red eye. It was through this eye that he saw an old tarnished mirror leaning up against the wall, and what he saw, would have driven a lesser Pony mad from the sight.

   The long white braids that made up his mane, and tail were all but gone now. The only thing remaining were just a few blackened strands of hair that threatened to be whisked away, and turn to ash with the slightest of winds. The sleek black coat that once covered his body was gone as well. Now, all that covered him was just the burnt, singed and charred flesh that still had wisps of smoke coming from the twisted, and wrinkled hide that pained him to even barely twitch. He took quick notice that his right eye was just a shriveled white mass that hung loosely in it's socket. The only way he could see at all was the from the still glowing red left eye that flickered from bright to dim. His breathing was taxed, and became more so as he saw that among the damage on his face, his lips, and a small portion of his nose had been taken by Moon Burn's flames.

   "So," he rasped out as he let the fatigue of his injuries take hold of him, and he fell to his stomach on the dirt covered floor. "I have been pulled asunder." His voice was even unrecognizable now, even to himself. The lack of lips turned his words into nothing more than incoherent gurgles that poorly brought his thoughts to light. Unable to think of what to do, Shadow Vein just simply lay his head down, and closed his eye as he chose to just wait for death to come to him.

   A quaint whisper came to him then; starting low at first, then gaining strength to gain his attention. The one voice was quickly joined by many; then hundreds more, all of them calling out his name. This made him open his one good eye only slightly, to see that his Lovelies had crept out from the many shadows of the old building, and started to surround him on all sides.

   "Let me be," he moaned out in a quiet, and somber tone. "I am nothing now. Just a husk of failure where once great ambition laid rest." The voices from the ever growing shadows grew louder to him, as the creeping tendrils drew closer. "Together?" he said as the voices of his Void entered his mind, showing him a vision of what could be. If he were capable, he would have let a grin come to his burnt face. However, a small chuckle was all he could manage. "Yes my loves. Do what you will with me. I am all but a phantom here, a ghost of pain, and misery. Take me to Nothingness!"

   As soon as his words left the teeth baring absence of his mouth, all the black, thin vines lashed out with great speed, and took hold of him. A great cry of pain bellowed from his lipless face as the first set of tendrils took hold of his torso. They lifted him high up into the air as more, and more rushed towards him. Hundreds of the thin oil like vines grabbed hold of him, some taking an even greater hold on his main body, others began to wrap themselves around each of his legs. Dozens more took hold of his neck, constricting, entangling themselves over, and over again as they moved up to his face. From where his mane once was, an uncountable multitude of his void born shadows sprouted, and grew long as they fell down the side of his neck, forming a new mane of living shadow. His tail followed suit as the tendrils sprang forth from where the braided locks once were, flowing down to an impossible length; almost hitting the floor, even from his height.

   The tendrils that held him aloft then let go, joining their sisters, and adding themselves to the mass of unknowable amount of wrappings that now encompassed the whole of his body. His hooves hit the floor, kicking up clouds of dust, and dirt that had remained dormant. Yet he did not fall to the ground, a new found strength had entered him, and he just stood there for a moment, as he felt the entirety of his Void now coursing through his veins. Then, with a mighty whinny, he reared up onto his back legs, his new long flowing black mane, and tail springing to life as his left eye flared with new life. "At last!" he cried out in a new voice, one that echoed many times upon itself as he spoke. "I am complete!"

   This new found joy, and celebration was short lived however. For as soon as Shadow Vein came down onto all his hooves again, a cold chill of something new filled the air. He could feel it, the other half of his great Abyssal power, it was drawing near. Though something was off, it was not the faint, and calm presence he had felt when he knew Chaotica had the power within her. This new feeling; it was harsh, hateful, filled with a vicious malice that became greater as every second passed. That's when the reborn Dark Pony looked up through the sky light of the roof, and saw all to clear a lightning filled black cloud, one that was streaking down from the sky with comet like speed, aiming directly towards him.

      With a thunderous crash the roof came down as the streaking black cloud hurled itself through it as if there was nothing there at all. Shadow Vein had to use all his new found agility to dodge the storm of debris as it came smashing to the floor by leaping as far backwards as he could. Even still, he had to avert his eye from the scene as the lightning pulsing smoke made contact with the ground, destroying the floor, and kicking up thick mounds of dirt, and unknown amounts of dust that had covered the countless junk relics; stored here to be forgotten. From with in the settling dust cloud came a low growl, something of the like that Shadow Vein had never heard before, and soon a tall, slender form began to take shape from behind the curtain of floating dirt.

   "So," Shadow Vein said as he realized all to well what had come to try and end his life. "Have you come to be my bane Shannon? Has your precious Moon sent you to be just an assassin?" The shadow covered Pony let out a simple laugh as he finished speaking these words. "How truly pathetic. You were destined to be so much more than just an Alicorn's exotic work horse. It is just so very sad you will never come to know it."

   "Of all the things I was." A voice came from the still flowing dust clouds of his entry. Then, Shannon emerged from the crater of his arrival, his face covered with the faceless black mask; his left eye glowing a coal hot red as he looked to his target, and his once long flowing raven black hair, now a wisping torrent of black, and grey smoke, as streaks of electrical energy flowed to and fro. "Of all the things I will become," he continued as he stepped slowly into Shadow Vein's clear view. "I will always be that. A bane, a killer, an assassin. A tool to be used by my Worship as she seems fit. It is something that I came to grips with long ago. It is why you failed to succeed in your goals of power, and conquest. You were never worthy of her." As soon as Shannon finished speaking, he snapped his arm to his side, and outwards. Then a long trail of smoke weaved itself down his outstretch arm, twisting, and taking shape as the long heavy looking scythe axe that his Goddess had given him; called Dream Reaver, came to his side, to perform the duty of it's making.

   Shadow Vein couldn't help but take notice of the massive weapon that his adversary wielded before him. it looked impossible to hold as Shannon was grasping it; it's size betraying the nonexistent weight that it bestowed upon it's holder. Shannon looked menacing enough as it was to him, now as he gripped this new killing blade, the Dark Stallion had to put everything he could into not recoiling from the vision before him. This made him grind his teeth together, and let the anger building inside his body to prosper. He would not allow this Human to intimidate him in such a way. He would not allow Shannon's need to force his will, and presence onto him as he had done so many others. "Worthy of her!" the Pony shouted as he let his fury come to focus. "I am more than her! I am greater than any Alicorn! I am greater than you!"

   Shadow Vein lowered his stance, bringing his chest towards the ground, while his flanks rose high into the air. Then with a echoing roar he sent an assaulting wave of his tendril made mane, and tail soaring through the distance between him, and Shannon. Straight, and true the vicious vines of darkness aimed at their target; who stood as still as a cave found pond. Then, Shannon made one simple gesture with his arm, making an upward slashing motion with the great axe he held. Shadow Vein could not see the energy produced by the Human's counter attack, but the effects were all to clear. Just as the tendrils were about to strike their target, it seemed as if a million invisible blades accompanied Shannon's one move. The shadows were brought to a dead halt, and all of them were severed multiple times in quick succession. The act of having his Lovelies torn apart by an unseen force actually caused Shadow Vein to grimace with a slight tinge of pain as the whipping vines retreated back to his neck, and flank.

   Lowering his arm back down to a resting position, Shannon let out the smallest of single chuckles, partnered with a ill fated grin hidden under his mask. "Oh you will have to do better than that little Pony. I am the harbinger of the Moon herself. I command the very powers of Night, and Darkness. Your little shadow toys dwell under my reign." As he finished speaking, the masked slayer raised up his arm, then brought the Dream Reaver down with a graveled yell. The resulting impact of the large black blade to the ground caused an unseen energy wave to slice through the floor like a red hot knife through open water. It tore  a path of destruction in a deadly straight line towards the unsuspecting Pony, leaving a crevasse of ripped earth, and broken junk in it's wake.

   With a powerful lunge from his shadow wrapped legs, Shadow Vein leaped to the side, tossing himself into a pile of old discarded trinkets that offered no support as the stallion smashed through them. It gave him an opportunity to view in full the shredding magic of Shannon's weapon as it blazed past him, and made all to short work of the thin wall that gave little stability to the structure they fought in. The power that propelled the attack was all to clear to Shadow Vein as he corrected himself, and prepared for the next move. Though it wasn't just the force of Shannon's attack, it was the feeling of absolute malice that he felt as it passed him by. It made him realize that this weapon was a creation of will; Princess Luna's will, and it was the physical embodiment of her hate, and desire to see him fall.

   The stallion leapt forth from his retreat of broken knick knacks, making it appear as if he was going to try to take on Shannon with a frontal assault. However, just as he saw Shannon start to react to his movements, he dove into a wide shadow that had been created in the now large ditch in the ground. He felt a over whelming sense of comfort rush over him as he sank into his Void. Here he was in control, in this place nothing could happen unless he allowed it to. In just a quick few moments, Shadow Vein could see all the windows that gave passage back into the world of light. He could also see that Shannon had his head on a swivel as he tried to deduce where the Dark Pony had gone to. He knew that Shannon could track him; that is how he had found him so easily. He couldn't pinpoint him though, and that would be his undoing.

   The Dark Stallion flowed himself up to a window that in the outside world would have been a shadow covered wall. It was this wall where Shannon was backing up to, using his common knowledge of how one must keep their back to a wall to avoid an attack from behind. It made Shadow Vein laugh out loud as his quarry came closer to it's end. "Closer. Just a bit closer now," Shadow Vein chuckled out. He wanted to make sure Shannon was a near as possible before he unleashed his attack. He did not want to give one second for the Human to react to the onslaught of tendrils he was about to unleash.

  The time had come, and Shadow Vein was about to deliver his death blow. That was until Shannon thrust the twisted black handle of his weapon at the wall. With a gasp of pain filled disbelief, the steel like blunt bottom of the Dream Reaver penetrated the very shadow the Dark Pony was hiding in. It made hard contact with the base of his neck, causing his head to move forward, as the club of the weapon pushed him back. While the pain was more subtle than debilitating, it was the shock of seeing Shannon spin on his heels, then reach in with his own hand into the same shadow, and take a vice like grip around Shadow vein's throat. With a strength that Shadow Vein must have only guessed was given to him by either the Abyssal, or the Alicorn made weapon, Shannon ripped the gagging stallion out from his hiding place. "You didn't listen, did you?" Shannon growled in a low tone as he placed his face, right up to the Pony's.

   Still dealing with what had happened, Shadow Vein felt himself hurled high into the air as Shannon tossed him like a single feather. He had enough time to see that as soon as Shannon had released him, the Human took hold of the gargantuan axe with both hands, and began a mighty swing that was destined to cleave the Pony in two. Shadow Vein let out a desperate scream as every slick black vine on his body leaped out underneath him. There, his Lovelies weaved, and tangled themselves into a thick casing that encompassed all of Shadow Vein's body. The defense was barely enough to hold back what would have been his end, the razor edge of Shannon's weapon made short work of the shield that the tendrils had formed, but it killed the momentum of the strike, stopping it from turning the Dark Pony into halves. It did not however, stop the blunt force of the attack as it turned the cocooned Pony into a missile that crashed through the wall behind him, sending him to the ground, where he bounced, and skidded to a halt.

   With a frustrated leap to his hooves, Shadow Vein had just enough time to see Shannon springing out of the same hole in the roof he had made earlier when he first arrived. His great axe was brandished high over his head, his now smoke, and energy filled hair flowing in a trail behind him. Only able to evade by mere inches as Shannon hit the ground axe blade first with a primal scream that caused an explosion of earth to erupt like an over pressured geyser. The Dark Pony was tossed like a rag doll, despite his efforts to avoid harm. He landed hard on his back before rolling over, only to see Shannon in a mad dash towards him. He knew this was were he did not want to be; the open space. Here he knew Shannon had full range to unleash the immeasurable fury of his weapon. He would attack relentlessly, without fatigue or falter. Then to make matters worse, there were no Shadows to retreat to, no where to run, as the Sun still shined high in the sky.

   It was just as Shadow Vein predicted. Shannon became a vision of constant perpetual motion. Swing, after swing; one swiping arch after another. He, and his Goddess born cleaver became a whirling incursion that tested every feat of agility, dexterity, strength and pure luck Shadow Vein had to stop from being turned into Shannon's next gore filled victim. It was when Shannon brought his axe's blade to the ground that Shadow Vein decided to advance. By unleashing once more the vines of his mane, Shannon's arm that held the weapon became entangled, covered in the black constrictions, tightening to the point to where Shannon could not bend his elbow. For a single moment Shadow Vein allowed some glimpse of hope to return to him for being able to halt the juggernaut's advance. This hope however became as fragile as the shoddy building they battled next to though, as Shannon simply reached over with his other hand, taking hold of the very tendrils themselves.

   With a yelp of shock, Shadow Vein found himself being yanked in a wide arch over Shannon's head. He had no choice but to let go of Shannon's arm, and did so just before he was slammed to the ground with such power, that he was bounced back up into the ground along with a minor cloud of dirt, and grass. A bone breaking pain came to him suddenly, as he felt the blunt force trauma of Shannon's foot being kicked into his back while he was still mid air, sending him tumbling through the air, and sliding to a stinging halt on the ground. Through his one glowing red eye, he saw Shannon reach over and pull the gleaming black axe blade from the deep wound it had carved into the Earth, while performing a twirling flourish with the weapon before making a downward slash that brought the piercing scythe to a rested halt, while making a long smoking gash in the ground in front of him.

      At this rate, Shadow Vein knew he was going to lose. He could feel the unbridled energies of death, and hate lashing out from Shannon towards him. Coupled with the recent injuries, the wavering Dark Stallion could feel his end coming by the means of that insidious black blade that he knew hungered to taste his blood. He shook off the thought of his defeat as Shannon once more took to the air, raising his blade high with intentions of cutting the Pony in twain. He could not accept this; he would not. He had come to far, achieved to much to just be cut down by some exile's killer that was fortunate enough to stumble into their world. That is when he felt it, it wasn't anger, it wasn't a fear of death. Something else was there, he hadn't heard it before, but now there was just a whisper of something there telling him to stop fighting, to accept Shannon's power, as the Human would have to accept his. This new feeling made an unstoppable grin slide it's way onto his hidden, and disfigured face.

   "Enough!" Shadow Vein screamed just as Shannon was about to make final contact with his axe blade. The word itself echoed several times onto itself, as a powerful blast of power erupted from the Dark Pony. Shannon was tossed many yards backwards, and while strong enough to repel his attack, it was not enough to knock down the Human, who landed squarely on his foot, and knee, while sliding to a halt. "I have grown weary of this little game you are playing Shannon!" Shadow Vein shouted as his Abyssal eye flared with a new resolve. "It is time we both became what we were destined to be. To finally surrender ourselves to the power blessed to us." A single step forward Shadow vein took towards Shannon, as his once tendril made mane, and tail exploded into a firey cloud of dark smoke, and electrical energies. "To finally become, one."

   Shannon wanted to laugh at the small stallion's display of power. Something was wrong however, something would not let him emit his laugh. Something had him, for as soon as Shadow Vein took a step in his direction, he unwillingly took one towards him in kind. It was as if a great unfelt wind was pushing him towards the Dark Pony. He couldn't stop from taking small forced steps closer to the creature he had spent all this time trying to kill. There was also something in his head, a voice not his own, and while he couldn't make out the constant pounding of the distant voice in his mind, one word rang out clear as day. "Ataxia." Shannon whispered, not having a single clue where the word came from. All he knew, it was a name.

   "Ah yes," Shadow Vein said with a new found tone of joy. "You hear it as well, don't you Human?" Shadow Vein's steps were more frequent now, as he knew that Shannon was falling heavy under the Abyssal's power. "Chaosia, and Chaotica had it. Ponies reaching back to the very beginning wielded it. And now, it is ours to command. So don't fight it Shannon. It will be so much better if you don't fight."

   "Never!" Shannon screamed as he tossed himself to his knees in hopes of stopping his closing towards the gloating Dark Pony. "I will never succumb to you, you wretched little filth!" Even still as Shannon protested, he could feel himself starting to be dragged across the ground, as Shadow Vein willingly stepped closer, and closer. "I am a disciple of the Moon herself! I am a slave to her will, and desires." He leaned down further, grasping at the very dirt of the ground as if he was trying to prevent himself from falling into a bottomless pit. "I will find all that blaspheme against her. I will rend them apart with my bare hands. I will pull them asunder with just the thought of her wrath, else I would cast myself to Darkness!"

   Shadow Vein burst out into a loud bellowing laughter as he finally stood just a few feet from Shannon. He did so enjoy seeing this creature in a kind of torment that gave him power over him. He knew all to well that there were probably dozens of Ponies just in Canterlot alone that would give their very souls to stand where he stood now. Towering over Luna's great monster, her all to feared shadow killer. He looked so small now, hunched over himself, grasping at the dirt. It almost made the Dark Pony second guess joining with the now rage drooling Human. Though that thought quickly dissipated as he imagined the Godlike power that would be his afterwards.

   "Times up Shannon," Shadow Vein said in a calm sigh. "There is nothing you can do, no way to resist it any more." As the stallion spoke to his soon to be partner, both his mane, tail, and Shannon's flowing ethereal cloud started to reach out towards one another. "We are going to become something truly grand, you and I." Both of their dark clouds had began to intertwine, and mingle now, forming a thick encompassing curtain of wisping black smoke, and discharges of small electrical bolts. "Then as the great Abyssal Ataxia. We are going to turn Equestria, and all the lands of this world into a ever expanding desert of ash, and death." He then reached out with his hoof, and placed it under Shannon's chin, pushing upwards so that he could look into the masked eyes of the Human. "And the first victim of our power. Is going to be your precious little Moon Goddess."

   A new image birthed itself into Shannon's mind, something that he could not bare. The image of his Worship, tears streaming from her eyes as she called out his name for mercy, only to receive none as he, and Shadow Vein joined brought her to a violent, pain filled, and cruel end. Suddenly, it stopped, the voice was gone, the unknown force was no longer crushing him to join with the towering Pony before him as he felt something just snap in his very being. All that was there now was a rage that he could not label, an unquenchable desire to strike with everything he had. That's when he gripped the long handle of his weapon as tightly as he could, and with a desperate lunge forward, brought it in an almost unseen swipe at Shadow Vein's head.

   The blade of the Dream Reaver; sharpened by the very desire to kill this Dark Pony, came into hard contact not with Shadow Vein's neck, but clashing hard against his horn. The resulting explosion sounding as if a thousand mirrors had all be struck by a hammer the size of the world itself as the blade cleaved cleaning through the Dark Unicorn's anatomy. Seemingly thousands of wild magics burst out in all directions, as Shadow Vein let out an ear piercing screech of absolute, and unfathomable pain. Torn away from each other, both Shadow Vein, and Shannon were blown dozens of yards back as the resulting shockwave of a unicorn's horn being severed created a brilliant, and blinding light show of true magical chaos.

      A head thumping ringing was all that was present in Shannon's ears as he ever so slowly rolled onto his back. An intense pain waved, and throbbed through out the entirety of his body, as everything in the waking world seemed to be running in a dull slow motion. Everything came rushing back to him now however, as he realized that he no longer was holding his blessed weapon. Summoning as much will as he could, the Human raised up at his waist, causing a massive migraine to swell in his temples, and behind his eyes. Reaching up to his own face, he felt a sharp burn as he found that over half of his mask on the right side had been blown off in the explosion, though the still glowing side that held the Abyssal's eye was clinging to his face by singed threads. He could only hear the sound of his own heavy breathing as he scanned the area with blurred vision, causing his jaw to clench as he saw Shadow Vein across the field of battle, trying as hard as he could to crawl away.

   The pain in his body, and head only intensified as he clambered up to his feet, having to take a long moment to steady himself. With a stumble in his step, Shannon started to limp his way towards the retreating Dark Stallion, his intentions beyond cruel of what was going to happen when he reached his destination. A smile couldn't be helped to crawl it's way across his lips now however, as the closer he got to the fleeing Pony, he saw the unmistakable shape of his Goddess imbued axe laying there on the ground. It called to him in an unheard voice, wanting him to pick it up, to wield it once again as so they could finally crush this thing that tried to escape it's fate. He tried to snatch up the axe as he walked past it, only to fall to his knees as he clenched the long twisted handle in his grip.

   Shadow Vein fought off the constant urge to pass out from the absolute torture that was now racking his body with every motion that he made. Everything in his being was screaming from what had just happened to him, as he had never known such complete torment akin to having his horn cut from his head, and a great number of magics all go off at once at point blank range. He was trying desperately to use whatever magic he could muster, to try and bring his Void to him, he had to escape, flee this place to recover. Nothing was working however, and much to his dismay, the once tight wrappings of his shadow born tendrils began to loosen, and fall away from his body, exposing the charred, and wrinkled skin. "No my Lovelies. Don't leave me, I beg of you," he whimpered as he pleaded with the black vines that continued to fall from him. He then heard a sound of movement behind him, and he whipped his head to see. With a fear filled gasp, he saw Shannon taking hold of his axe, then rising to his feet in a slow chase towards the now powerless, and crippled Pony.

   With bared teeth, and a slow step, Shannon made his way towards his enemy, dragging the massive scythe like axe behind him, making a cold ringing sound as it scraped across the dirt covered ground. It seemed to take forever to reach his target, as Shadow Vein had now doubled his efforts to get away from the pending slicing edge of the giant blade. With a heavy sigh, and a sharp inhale, Shannon raised the axe high over his head, only pausing for a moment as he heard the desperate whimpers of Shadow Vein as his crawling became more, and more violent. Then with a powerful yell, Shannon drove the long pointed scythe blade deep into Shadow Vein's back, causing him to come to a dead halt as the weapon tore through him with enough force to impale itself into the ground under him.

   A scream most foul echoed through out the area as Shadow Vein felt the long thick blade enter his body. His cries became strained, and gurgled as the blood that did not spew from his new gaping wound, replaced the air in his lungs, and rushed up his throat, where it poured from his mouth. His cries only became worse as he felt Shannon start to twist the blade in the now wide hole that freely released the Dark Pony's life essence in pulsing gushes. The act of letting out his screams seemed to leech away any remaining strength, or resolve the Stallion once had as he collapsed completely to the ground, coming to rest in a pool of his own blood, and bile. "H-how?" he choked out in short, strained gasps.

   Shannon relished in the screams of pain that came from this thing that had offended him so. It felt as if the more of Shadow Vein's blood left his body, the more invigorated the Human became. That's when he heard the single word question come from the Pony's lipless mouth, and Shannon could not stop the grin as he yanked the Dream Reaver from it's resting place, causing Shadow Vein to once more let out a torment filled cry of agony. "Do you really want to know, worm?" he said as he bent down, wrapping his arm around Shadow Vein's neck. He then pulled as hard as he could, standing the Pony up on his back legs, that was accompanied by more cries, of pain. "I will tell you," he continued as he slung the axe blade up to Shadow Vein's blood drenched throat. Shannon then leaned his head down, and whispered something into the charred, and dried ear of his former troop mate. A small set of words that as soon as he was finished speaking, he pulled the razor sharp edge of his blade across the Pony's neck, causing a deluge of blood to spill out, cascading like a waterfall over his defeated body. Shannon quickly tossed the weapon to the ground, then reached up and took hold of Shadow Vein's head, and with all the power he could muster, easily snapped his spine in two with a great twist.

      With a forceful toss, Shannon threw Shadow Vein's now limp corpse to the ground. He stared down at the Dark Pony for several seconds, taking in what Moon Burn's magic had done to him, and watched with a vicious glee as the final bits of his shadow tendrils dissolved off of his body, and vanished into the ground. "Now," he said as he placed his foot on the side of Shadow Vein's head. "For your sins against our Worship, our Goddess, our very Redemption. May you rot in whatever Hell will take you." With that, Shannon brought his foot up high, chambering his knee deep into his chest, then he brought done his leg with all the force his body would allow, crushing Shadow Vein's head like a ripe mellon under the weight of the blow.

   The Human turned slowly, and began to start his walk back towards the home of his Goddess. He had to stop however, as he heard a quiet whisper begin to start behind him. With a fast spin, Shannon turned to witness Shadow Vein's body begin to twitch, and flail about on the ground. Then from the cavity on his neck where his head used to be, a fountain of pure black smoke rushed out, and became a dancing vortex there in front of him. A deep glowing light of red shined brightly from the middle of the cloud, as it danced in random ways, and violent lightning strikes came out in all directions. Soon sounds of distant screams could be heard coming from the wisp as it flew high into the air, only to descend once more to the ground to flatten itself like a dense rolling fog.

   Shannon felt his own power deep with in his body start to react in a way he had not anticipated, that is when he remembered what his Goddess had told him before he left to hunt Shadow Vein there in the throne room of the castle: to make sure no other Ponies where in the area when the death blow was struck. This caused Shannon to smile wide as he watched the whipping cloud start to lose strength. "Ah I see now. Chaosia, Chaotica; even me and Shadow Vein. You need two hosts to live, don't you?" Upon speaking these words, the now bodiless Abyssal just ceased to move, and quickly vanished into a fine mist being taken away by a gentle breeze. A sharp stab of pain grabbed a hold of Shannon at that point, making him fall to his knees, and clench his stomach. He felt every muscle in his body contract, as his head snapped back, while his arms stretched outwards. With a powerful exhale, and a great cry, Shannon began to spew out a great cloud of black smoke, that rushed from his body, his mouth, nose and eyes.

   Falling forward, and stopping himself from hitting the ground by putting his hands down quickly, Shannon looked up to see yet another floating dark cloud before him. This one was softer though, the glow of red coming from it's center did not have the sheer force of malice as it hovered there in front of him. Slowly, a billow of smoke reached out from the main mass, and ever so gently, and only for a moment, brushed itself over the exposed side of Shannon's cheek. The cloud stayed for only a few moments more, before retracting the long arm like appendage. Then, like the one before it, turned into a thin mist, and vanished. Shannon contemplated what he had seen just now, and a small sense of regret came to him as he did not say something that had been on his mind for a while. He felt a scratching sensation on his face, and as he reached up to touch it, he knocked the other half of his mask to the ground. He looked down at the broken covering he had worn so many times before, taking notice of the still ever so faint blood stain in the shape of a crescent moon. He was about to reach down and pick it up once more, until the sight of the Dream Reaver caught his eye, and laying not far from it, was the severed horn of the unicorn he had just slain.

   Leaving the tattered mask where it lay, Shannon stood to his feet, and walked over to where his magical weapon rested. Bending over he took the massive axe into his hands, and smiled as he felt a kind of joyous hum echoing through the handle. "Hmm, yes," He said as he performed a small victory flourish with the over sized axe. "I enjoyed it very much as well my friend. Perhaps we shall defend our Goddess again together, here in the near future." He looked down to the ground to look at the still smoldering half of Shadow Vein's horn. With a hard suck through his teeth, he bent down again, and picked it up, examining the cut marks the Dream Reaver had made. A long lopsided grin came to him as he started to twirl the piece of bone between his fingers. "A gift I believe. I will present this to my Worship. A small undeserving trinket to show my appreciation for her, and all that she has done for me."

   Something new caught his eye now. He looked up to the sky, and saw at least five Dark Pegasi soaring high in the clouds, moving closer to his location. He knew why they were coming, a blast such as what had occurred just minutes earlier would have no doubt have gotten the attention of most every living thing in all of Equestria. However, it was the large chariot that emerged from the clouds that made him smile even wider than before as he saw the unmistakable visage of Princess Luna standing proudly on her escort. "Ask, and you shall receive. Say her name, and she appears," he said as he tossed the Dream Reaver over his shoulder, and started walking in a slow step towards where the Dark Guard were heading. "What have I done to become so blessed?"

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Clash

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