A Dark Soul

Luna led the train of injured ponies away from the Everfree forest. Zecora looked back at the cloud of smoke that was rising up from the forest. Her home was gone. Rainbow Dash thought back to Celestia’s nine dead royal guards. They had been so brave. Applejack thought back as tears rolled down her cheeks. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy. The undead minions of Tamerlane had captured them, and Twilight was still nowhere to be found.

As they left the boundary of the Everfree forest they saw Shining Armor, and Princess Cadence along with a host of eighty royal guards.

“Guards, fly all the wounded to the hospital in Canterlot.” Shining Armor ordered his men. “Luna, any word of my sister?”
“She ran off into the forest. We may not be able to save her. However we have bigger issues. Tamerlane has declared war on us by trying to kill my sister. Guards, summon Discord, let him know that Fluttershy has been injured. Shining Armor, assemble all your men. Rainbow Dash, see if any of the pegasi nearby would be willing to help fight, we need the air support. Cadence, does the Crystal Empire have an army? Or at least a royal guard?”
“Yes we do Princess Luna.”
“Then go quickly and summon them. Once the royal guard has been assembled we will attack.”

All the guards carried out their orders. Sixty-five of them remained. Luna and her small army headed into town.

“Applejack, Zecora. Head into Ponyville and prepare them to evacuate the town. I think a battle might take place here.” Luna ordered them.

Luna and her small host of guards headed into Ponyville. She was ready to take down Tamerlane, and end the necromancer’s life. She hoped that Twilight would come around and see the evil of Tamerlane. If not, then it was the end.

***

Tamerlane ordered all his undead minions to assemble by the charred remains of Zecora’s house. He grinned. With Celestia defeated it was only a matter of time before Luna and all of Equestria fell under his power. He also sent out a summons to all the dark magicians he knew of, only one loose end.

“Twilight Sparkle, where are you?” He asked himself.

He knew that she was the only one with the power to stop him. He turned and saw the three ponies he had captured being led towards him.

“What do you want from us?” Rarity said weakly, still recovering from her wounds.
“Well when I saw you three lovely ponies I knew that I could find many… purposes for you.” He grinned. “Take care of them, I do not want my trophies spoiled.”

He turned away from the three female ponies. Once he took Ponyville, nothing would stand in between him and the throne. Finally he would get the power he had always wanted. A lesser dark wizard got his attention.

“My lord Tamerlane, he have assembled 500 soldiers so far and thirty wizards.”
“Wonderful. We will start with an assault on Ponyville with this force, and then once my main army joins us, we will besiege Canterlot.”

The lesser wizard walked away.

“Finally, my victory is at hand.” He said, laughing evilly.

***

Twilight ran through the forest with no thought to where she was heading. She could not think about her friends.

“They had betrayed her! They forced her to leave! This was all their fault!” She said angrily
“But they are my friends, they want me back.” Said a little voice in the back of her mind.
“NO! They are the ones to blame! I did nothing wrong, so they drove me out! Then they hunted me down and tried to kill the only one who befriended me!” she screamed into the forest, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Didn’t you hear what Applejack said? Tamerlane attacked them. They are your friends.” Her little voice of kindness spoke softly.
“Thy are lying to me! They want to throw me in prison and let me rot!” She said, more in defeat than anger.
“Applejack would never lie. Rainbow Dash would never abandon you.”
“Well they did lie and abandon me!” she told herself.

Realizing this thought Twilight collapsed and started sobbing. Had her friends really abandoned her? Was she that terrible in their eyes? She continued to cry until tears would not come out. Then she sat in solitude for hours after that. Thinking. Brooding, her resentment began to grow again.

“Friendship is magic? Of all the lies I heard that has to be the biggest one!” she told herself. “If they where real friends they would forgive her, but they haven’t, and they never will! I don’t need them! With my magic I am better than them! They are below me!! For all their faults I forgave them, time and time again! Then they go and do this? Ha! It’s a bad joke. I can prove that I am better than them! I will show them! They should be the ones begging for my forgiveness. The Princess herself should get on her knees and beg my forgiveness!”

An undead minion of Tamerlane approached her from the forest. She turned on it furiously. Not even Tamerlane was above her. He had been manipulating her into his servitude just like Celestia.

“Twilight Sparkle I bri-“

Before he could finish he sentence Twilight focused one the servant and obliterated him with very powerful magic.

At this display of power the little voice in the back of her head spoke up again.

“Don’t do this. Now is the time for kindness and forgiveness, if ever these things are important it is now.”

Twilight just shut this voice out of her head and started heading towards Ponyville.

***

Spike looked out the window of Twilights old home. So much chaos, ponies fleeing from their homes, an army gathering in the street, what was happening to this town? He then thought to Twilight. What had happened to her? Why was this all happening? He knew he had to find her as quickly as possible. He gathered up something and left his house.

“Hey Spike! Where are you going?” Rainbow Dash asked when she spotted him.
“I’m going to find Twilight.”
“Spike, its dangerous, and she…” Rainbow Dash paused. “She might be to far gone.”
“I don’t care. I have to find her. She needs my help. Now more than ever, if she doesn’t get help that will prove to her that we gave up on her. And you might have, but I never will give up on Twilight.”
“I’m not going to let you go alone Spike. It’s just to dangerous for a baby dragon.”
“If you wont let me go alone, then come with me. But don’t try and stop me.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and they two of them headed out into the Everfree forest.

Only after a short time Rainbow Dash spotted the army of the undead approaching.

“Spike run!” She yelled to him. The undead noticed the two.
‘Rainbow, run back and let Luna know about them. I still have to find Twilight.”
“But-“
“Go! Now!”

Spike sprinted of into the forest. After only a moments pause she raced pack to Ponyville to warn Luna.

Spike ran as fast as he could, but he was still slower than the three rotting corpses that chased him. Spike looked back and saw them closing in. he turned his head and ran faster. He suddenly felt a terrible pain in his back and he screamed in pain. He lay on the ground bleeding, and a pool of blood began to collect as he lay there. The three undead left him to die.

***

Rainbow Dash got back to Ponyvlle panting and out of breath. She quickly began to look around for Princess Luna and finally found her in the town hall.

“Princess Luna! Several hundred undead are marching upon Ponyville. They should be here any minute!” She informed Luna
“What? We are not prepared! We have only gotten a few reinforcements.”

As she spoke those words she heard screams outside.

“Quickly! Charge out with me!” Luna yelled.

Her, Rainbow Dash and twenty royal guards charged out of the building. They had barely left the building and they were hit by a wave of undead ponies swarming them from all sides.

“RALLY AT THE TOWN HALL!!!” Luna’s voice boomed across the sky.

Luna’s guard started to push back the hoard of skeletal ponies. They heard Tamerlane’s voice boom across the sky giving orders to his soldiers

“PUSH THEM BACK!! OVERWELL THEM!!”

The undead minions of Tamerlane charged forward with unmatched zeal. Luna’s forces began to crumble around her as dark wizards spread death and mayhem across the scene of the battle. The coherency of her forces began to thin. Finally it disappeared. Out numbered and defeated the royal guards of Canterlot and the pegasi of Ponyville gave up and fled.

The battle was over. The slaughter began.

Luna and all of the pegasi flew away, many falling dead before the feet of the wizards in Tamerlane’s army. Luna looked back on the scene of defeat. She saw her guards being chased down and slaughter. Everypony in the now burning town was being slaughtered as they cowered in fear.

Rainbow Dashes attention was caught by the screams that came from the direction of the apple farm.

“No… “ She whispered in horror

A large column of smoke was coming from the farm.

“Luna, all the townspeople are at the farm. We have to go back.” Rainbow Dash said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“I’m afraid it is too late for them.” Luna said quietly. “We can only mourn for the dead now.”
“No! We have to help them!” Dash screamed in desperation
“There is nothing I can do…”
“NO!!” Dash screamed flying towards the farm before anyone could stop her.

***

Tamerlane walked over the ruins of this town feeling some remorse. This had been a beautiful place. He had to glance away every time he saw the innocent dead. This had been a perfect victory, but a tragic one. He looked around at the scene of his victory once again. He sighed and walked towards the apple farm where he would overview the raising of the dead.

On his was he found a small tree house, it was labeled The Cutie Mark Crusaders. He smiled he had always loved small forts. When he stepped in his smile vanished. He saw a pool of blood collecting around the bodies of three young ponies, still without their cutie marks, huddled in fear. His smile vanished and a single tear rolled down his cheek. He remembered the time we walked in his home as a child to see his parents and sister dead at his feet. Brutally murdered by some drunken soldiers. He left the fort with a sigh and headed towards the farm with a heavy heart.

***
Twilight Sparkle marched towards Ponyville, ready to prove to the world her power, and to make everypony beg for mercy. He stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Spike’s lifeless body. In horror she stared at it, all hints of anger vanished. She just sat down in shock, staring at the lifeless remains of her baby dragon.

***

Luna and the survivors of the Ponyville slaughtering gathered around several miles outside of the town. She turned and saw a messenger pony running towards her.

“Princess Luna, Canterlot is under siege. A massive army of the undead is assaulting the city”

Luna froze. This was the end.