Chapter 1 the beginning

The sun was high in the sky the birds were singing and Harroc had a day off the first time in a long time his friend Turnabout was there with him. Harroc is a dark brown Pegasus pony with a dark blue mane and tale with a thick dark red streak running down the center Turnabout was blue and had a black mane and tale.

“Hey Harroc tell me what happened”

“What do you mean?”

“You and Buck are all ways fighting why”

“I don’t know what his problem is I do my job the way I think is necessary and he thinks I’m unable to lead the squad”

Buck was an orange earth pony with a brown mane and tail he was slightly larger than most ponies the last member of the squad was Meliny she was a light purple unicorn with a long flowing pink mane and tail.

Suddenly the ground shakes Harroc Braces himself and tells Turnabout to get ready but gets no response he looks over to see that he is gone suddenly the ground splits open and Harroc falls in. the crevasse is too narrow for him to us his wings and there is nothing to grab a hold of he falls and falls then bang hits the ground everything is dark Harroc thrashes around hoping he can get out when the cover comes off his head and he can see he is in his room. A nightmare?

“Ha it was all a dream but what a dream I wonder what time it is”

Harroc gets up out of the floor and walks to the window and sees the sun is at high noon.

“OH SHIT I OVER SLEPT”

Harroc grabs his equipment and runs down stars and out the front door before saying good bye to his mom and dad he rushes to the barracks and tries to slip his armor on while he runs once the armor is on he takes to the air he makes it to the barracks but most of the town guards aren’t there.

“Odd I wonder where everyone is there are no special event planned for today and no one really important is coming any time soon”

“HARROC where have you been”

“Sorry sir I over slept”

“OVER SLEPT you are a guard you can’t slack like that”

“It won’t happen again sir”

“Good now to answer your question”

“Um what question”

“Why are all the guards out Because we got word that a group of bandits are planning a raid on the town and instead of waiting for them to come to us we are going to strike at the heart of their camp your squad just left. you might be able to catch them if you hurry the camp lies 30 clicks east of town now go”

“Yes sir”

Harroc exits the barracks and takes off heading east keeping an eye out for his team along the way he sees a big explosion and just knows that the battle isn’t going to well. He makes his way to the bandit’s layer it was more than a camp it was a small village at the bass of a mountain Harroc spots part of his team in the middle of the village and flies down to meet with buck.

“Am I glad to see you buck.”

“Harroc how can you lead a squad if you can’t even be at the barracks for a mission briefing I could do a better job oh wait I did do a better job”

“Well I’m here now. And the rest of the team is?”

“Beats me we got separated in part of the fighting “

“In other words you fought and the moved up leaving everyone ells behind”

Buck turns round and doesn’t look happy about that last comment. He looks uneasy all of a sudden then Harroc notices that they are surrounded.

“Great see what you talking did Because of you I didn’t know they were coming”

“Me your loud mouth attracted them”

“Well if you were a better leader then this never would have happened”

“Can’t you two just get along?”

A female voice comes from above as Harroc looks up he sees Meliny on top of one of the buildings her horn begins to glow and all the bandits surrounding Harroc and Buck tern their focus on her she fires her spell there was a big flash and half the enemies were gone Harroc turns right and sees a Unicorn with a bow aimed at Meliny he charges and draws his sword to take down the archer but was cut off by a close combat earth pony Harroc swings and the enemy blocks then he jumps back and Harroc sees the archer is now letting the bow go but it is aimed straight at Harroc he tries to dodge but the arrow hits him in the side penetrates his armor Harroc could feel the arrow sink into his skin but he doesn’t give up the enemy expected him to drop his weapon if not fall over but instead Harroc lunged and caught the enemy off guard he digs the blade into the earth ponies flesh and runs down his side almost cutting him in half the blood getting all over Harroc left side the archer tries to fire another arrow at Harroc the arrow flies toward him then stops in mid air Meliny used her magic to stop the arrow. then Harroc moves in for the kill he cutes through the bow and into the unicorns chest the blade sinks in extremely deep Harroc pulls the blade out of the unicorn now dripping with blood he sheathes his sword

“Meliny where is Buck”

“Shhhhh don’t move I’m going to remove the arrow and try to treat the wound”

“It’s not that bad”

Not realizing that arrow is in pretty deep Harroc has already lost a lot of blood when Meliny pulse the arrow out Harroc cringes and takes a step back and realizes just how bad the wound was for he almost slipped in a pool of his own blood suddenly an earth ponies body comes flying through the building to Harroc’s left as the body hits the ground and the dust clears from a wall being destroyed they see Buck standing there.

“Harroc you don’t look so good maybe you should give up and let me command the squad”

“I’m fine it’s just a flesh wound”

“How can you two continue to argue in a time like this we have to regroup with Turnabout.”

“Meliny you know where Turnabout is?”

“Unlike some of us I keep track of what everyone is doing Turnabout was helping another squad clear the entrance to the caves in the back of the village”

“Well let’s hope our leader doesn’t collapse from that wound before we get there”

“Then our cores is clear we move to the cave and regroup with Turnabout”

As the team makes their way to the cave they notice that the village is basically empty now have the battle been going on long enough for them to clear out the village or are most of the bandits in the cave Harroc doesn’t think about it to much. Before too long they find themselves at the entrance of the cave. The three of them enter the cave and find that a lot of the guard ponies are dead just at the entrance they move in a little further and manage to fined Turnabout.

“Turnabout there you are Meliny said you were at the entrance”

“I was but the squad captain decided to move in a little and agreed to help as we move in the team began to fall apart there was fighting amongst ourselves it started as simple bickering but it soon lead to swords being drown it wasn’t too long until half the squad was dead the captain blamed me said I something to do with it and he drew his sword on me so I ran back hear”

“Meliny can you tell if the enemy are using kind of magic to cause this kind of behavior“

Meliny begins to scan the aria for any kind of foul magic.

“There is defiantly something not right but whatever it is, its no magic that I know of”

“In other words were dealing with something new. Great any way we should probably move in and see if there is any way for us to stop this”

As the squad moves deeper into the cave they see more and more dead team mates Harroc begins to wonder if this is the right cores of action if it was truly wise to go into a place that so many season guards could not survive in. Harroc gets lost in his own thoughts until he feels an uneasy presence he stops abruptly and looks around franticly.

“Look guys our fearless leader is scared”

“Buck really do you have to do this when wear all on edge”

“I’m just pointing out the fact that Harroc can’t handle the team if he’s too worried about the sound of water dripping in the distance”

“Meliny buck knock it off Buck you need to calm yourself Meliny it’s ok just don’t edge him on ok besides there is something hear something watching our every move we should tread very carefully no telling what lurks in the bowls of this cave”

“…”

“Turnabout you have been very quit is there something on your mind”

“Well, all these ponies killed in cold blood who, or maybe a better question is what could do such a thing and is it even hear any more or has it gotten out. What if it’s heading for the village and we don’t know it. It could destroy everything and then what, we would have nowhere to go and we would have failed in our duty as guards”

“your right we have no way of knowing this so it could be true but if the thing is still in hear we have to stop it no matter what“

“I’m just worried about my son “

“Turnabout I’m worried about him to but if we turn back now we may be dooming every one including our son”

“Meliny what do you mean”

“There is definitely something of great power still in hear but I can’t tell what it is”

“If we turn back now we might as well not even have come”

“Well, you almost didn’t come”

“Oh this again if you don’t stop pointing out the smallest mistake I just might have to make you”

“BOLTH OF YOU STOP”

“Sorry Meliny but Harroc started it”

“We would be arguing if Buck would just stay quit for once”

“We need to keep moving Harroc you felt a presence watching us and Meliny you know there is a strong being in this cave the longer we dilly dally the more like it will get out then wear all doomed”

“Your right my friend we need to keep moving and stop this thing once and for all”

So the team moves on deeper into the cave and as they head there the uneasy feeling gets worse Harroc notices that thoughts that aren’t his own keep slipping into his mind thoughts of hearting the others or leaving them to their fate but he just pushes these thoughts out of his mind and moves on leading the group they end up in front of a giant stone door with markings that Harroc doesn’t recognize.

“Meliny do you know what these markings are”

“Harroc I hate to say it but no I’ve never seen marking like these in any of my books maybe they mean nothing or maybe they are older than recorded history and are very important but what I am certain of is that the strong presence is on the other side of this door”

“Then what are we waiting for lets go”

“Buck stand down we don’t know what it is you can’t just charge in head first and hope to defeat something you’ve never faced”

“Harroc you’re just a coward you’re afraid of what is on the other side of this door”

“I’m not afraid of what is on the other side of this door but rather what this thing can do to us and everypony ells it encounters Buck I know we’ve never seen eye to eye but I don’t think I could have held the team together without your help”

“Did you hit your head or something?”

“No I just realize that your insults and attacks were what made be the leader I am now and I wanted to tell you this before we went in there after all there is no granites any of us will walk out alive”

The team opens the door and what they see both stuns and surprises them for what was in hear was the shaman leader of the bandits a dark brown unicorn with a dark green cape levitating a staff at first he seemed like a normal unicorn but then they noticed the black aura surrounding him and the uneasy ness and worry returns he begins by speaking his mind

“about time somepony made it hear I was beginning to think there was no one worthy to face me aww you seem heart why don’t you sit down and rest after all you deserve it”

Harroc begins to close his eye when Buck smacks him to keep him awake

“HEY WHAT WAS THAT FOR”

“This cretin was boring you to sleep”

“He wasn’t boring him Buck It’s a spell one I know all too well”
The shaman looked a bit shocked one that knew his spell that was insane he learned this from a source that no one dares to converse with something that was in the darkest shadows of the world how did she know it.

“Ok so you aren’t as fool hearty as I thought but you are still no match for me my power is near limitless plus I have something that has been lost for eons”

“Lost for eons I don’t like the sound of that”

“Neither do I”

The shaman poses for a moment to think about his next move “well I could zap them with some electricity or maybe unleash the beast I’m sure he would like some fun but are these fools worthy to encounter him we shall see” the team gets worried for the shaman is smiling.

“All right now brace your selves for THIS”

The shaman castes a spell that shoots a pony sized fire ball at the team Meliny jumps to the front and makes a barrier and stops the blast.

“What oh you are a good one well we need to do something about that now don’t we how about your love maybe he doesn’t really love you “

“Turnabout is as pure and sweat as sugar Kane he will never”

“Meliny, I, don’t, love, yo “

“Meliny don’t listen to him, Turnabout pull yourself together remember who you are and why your hear”

“I’m, here, tom, kill no I’m here to protect my son and all the residence of Honburg”

“Your’ trickery may work on those weak but they will never work on me”

“Really how about this”

Buck starts to wobble just a little and looking around franticly

“Wha what’s going on why am I, no it can’t be no no NOOOO”

Harroc goes over to Buck and gives him a swift kick to the face.

“Harroc what was that for”

“Just returning the favor, you were screaming and obviously under his influence”

The shaman is impressed that they were able to stop all the situations thrown at them so far.

“Ok play time is over we need to get thing rolling so let’s start with this”

The shaman waves the staff and a bolt of lightning fires from its tip at all of the members of the team Meliny puts up a barrier to stop it.

“You may be able to block my power at such a low level let’s see if you can stop it when I increase the intensity of my lightning staff”

The bolts of lightning start to hit the barrier more fiercely and more precise and the barrio falls all of the team gets hit but Buck is the only one not knocked over.

“Ha is that it you’re going down”

Buck charges and tries to kick the shaman in the face but the shaman moves with an ungodly speed and form he gets behind Buck fires a bolt of lightning point blank and throws him across the room the rest of the team is now on their feet.

“Buck you ass hole I told you charging in head first won’t work unless it’s part of a plan”

“Harroc I do have a plan I’m on the other side of him now we can catch him in a cross fire a flurry of attacks from multiple directions will very hard for him to dodge”

“Meliny what do you think”

“I think Buck may be right this is a good idea and the one that might work”

Turnabout, Harroc, and buck charge while Meliny starts casting some easy spells but to their surprise the shaman is dodging everything with ease.

“Maybe it is time for that”

Suddenly there is a big blast that knocks all of them back and Meliny over.

“Now which one of you will I hit with this how about the unicorn”

“NO I WONT LET YOU TUTCH HER”

“Well now that one has a fire about him doesn’t he what do you think”

Suddenly the aura around the shaman starts to jump around and pulls.

“You want the Pegasus well hear you go”

The shaman fires a ball of solid black energy at Turnabout but Harroc Jumps between turnabout and the attack Harroc is hit and he falls

“Well that wasn’t the one I was aiming at but ok”

Meliny runes over to Harroc and Turnabout gets in front of theme Meliny tries to heal Harroc but can’t see and wounds or sense and pain.

“Turnabout something’s not right Harroc has no wounds”

“What but he took the blast directly how can he be unscathed”

“I don’t know”

Harroc stands back up he is looking at the ground and his shaking and wobbling Turnabout, Meliny, and Buck all look in shock.

“Harroc Thank you for saving me back there”

“You’re not safe yet that was not an attack it was something else and I’m still fighting it as we speak there is something inside me trying to get out and take over I don’t know if I can beat it or not”
In side Harrocs’ mind he is not alone there is a solid black pony with red eyes and horns on top of its head.

“Who are you what is going on?”

“I’m called Denthanos and now you will be my vessel as I kill and destroy the world as I was supposed to all those many years ago”

“No I won’t let you use me like that be gone demon”

“so I’m a demon now and what makes a demon is it there viciousness or their blood lust if so then yes I’m a demon but you are not so different you fight to protect those that can’t protect themselves but you still kill in the name of others and take pride in that”

Harroc draws his sword and charges the demon he swings and the demon moves away from the attack he looks at Harroc and blinks when he opines his eyes they are glowing crimson suddenly Harrocs’ sword disappears.

“This is my mind now not yours you can’t defeat me now”

Denthanos blinks yet again and now Harroc is strung up and can’t move.

Back in reality the team watch as these little black balls or pure energy appear in the air there had to be thousands they were moving towards Harrocs’ body and attaching themselves to him they eventually cover his entire left side it is now a solid black Harroc looks up and his left eye is glowing red.

“Run I can’t control myself”

Harroc draws his sword and swings at Turnabout. Buck looks at Harroc in disgust.

“And I thought maybe you were strong ha it seems your just as weak as I thought”

Buck charges and goes to attack. Harroc moves with the same ferocity as the shaman and ducks under Bucks kick and slices him in two now covered in Bucks’ blood the others look upon his in fear.

“It’s not me it’s the demon you have to leave now”

“Harroc we can’t let you out of here like this you would destroy everything and everypony we have to stop you”

“Turnabout’s right we can’t let you leave”

“I, understand I will try to help you the best I can”

Turnabout moves in close to fight using his own sword While Meliny keeps casting spells at him Harroc tries to offset the demons balance but to no real effect Harroc digs his blade into Turnabouts side and twists it to cause the blood to splatter in his face then he rips the blade out and moves toward Meliny who is still casting spells but to no effect Harroc slides in and digs the blade into Melinys’ rib cage and yanks it out her chest causing the blood go everywhere now covered in the blood of his friends he turns toward the shaman and kills him cutes off his head and as the body fell to the ground Harroc lost the fight with Denthanos he loses conciseness in his mind he is still at the mercy of Denthanos.

“Why don’t you kill me and get it over with”

“Because I need you alive if I kill you this body will simply drop and then I can’t us it so you have to stay alive”

Harroc is powerless against this type of enemy He was not trained to handle such a situation after a while Harroc has a sensation that he has never felt and he notices that Denthanos is acting odd Harroc remembers this feeling though his father sward was inscribed with runes and Harroc always had a calmed warm protected feeling while around it and this was that feeling Harroc also knows that he is in his own mind so Harroc brakes free and with Denthanos in this weekend state Harroc draws his father’s sword and attacks Denthanos he can’t react in time and the blade hits him directly Denthanos just disappears but as he leaves Denthanos left a message.

“You may have won hear but I will be back stronger than ever and there is nothing you or anypony can do about it ha ha ha ha ha”

As Harroc opens his eyes’ he can’t believe what he sees his blade in his moms’ chest.

“No what have I done”

The thing he doesn’t realize is that his mom is still alive and she spoke but a few words before she passes.

“Harroc don’t blame yourself toke my necklace and your fathers sword along with my journal learn of their purpose so you might prevent this from happening again”

Harroc seeing that he is now a menace to society he gathers the sword, the necklace, and the journal he grabs what he thought was needed and steps outside to leave and he sees he did more damage than he thought the whole town was in ruins now everypony was dead. Harroc decides that he is way too dangerous to live in a town or village he must go to a place where dangerous being like him live.

“I must leave and never return there is no place for me hear in civilization I have to go somewhere that I can’t hurt anypony anymore … I guess the only place left for me is the Everfree forest”

Harroc left what was left of his home town to travel to the ever free forest that was 2 years ago and he has adapted to the forest and learned the truth behind his father’s sword. The fact that it is a power full ancient artifact and so is its mate the necklace his mother’s journal explains it all.