A Dark Soul

Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack approached Luna and her small group of soldiers. They all looked wore down and defeated.

“Princess Luna.” Twilight bowed to her. “I realize I have cause a lot of trouble, but I am here to help fight Tamerlane.”
“It took you long enough, much damaged has been done during your time of indecision.”
“I am truly sorry Princess, but now that I am here is there anything we can do to help?”
“Yes. We are planning an attack on a camp nearby. They are keeping many ponies prisoners there, and we are planning an attack to free them. You can help.”
“How many of them are going to be guarding this camp?” Dash asked
“We will be outnumbered two to one.”
“Um… don’t that seem a bit much for us to take?” Applejack asked the Princess
“Yes. That is why we have to be very careful. We will systematically make our way through the camp assassinating all the guards. Once they notice we will group together and fight our way through the rest of them.”

After final preparations the group made their way to the camp. They spread out encircling the camp. They would all get to the center killing any guards on the way and meet in the middle of the camp. In silence they waited until the signal was given. As the group went through the camp they cut down a small handful of guards but not nearly as many as they expected. When they arrived in the middle of the camp Luna spoke.

“Were any of you noticed?”

No one was. In fact only five guards had been killed. Suddenly a flash of light blinded them. When they could see again undead soldiers surrounded them. With a terrible yell the guards charged in. Twilight focused on the energy that kept the undead animated, using what she learned from Tamerlane, Twilight severed the flow of energy and ten undead collapsed lifeless. Encouraged by this, Luna and her soldiers charged in. With the help of Twilight the battle only lasted a minute and none of Luna’s soldiers died. After the undead had been defeated Luna turned to Twilight.

“When did you learn to kill the undead like that?”
“It is something Tamerlane taught me. Every undead has a life energy put into it by its creator, if you can learn to sense that and stop it, then you can kill them with ease.”
“You have to teach me how. That will help our cause very much.”

As Twilight began teaching Luna the spell, all the other ponies with them began gathering up the prisoners. After a few minutes Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie interrupted Twilight and Luna by running and giving Twilight a big group hug.

“Oh Twilight, we have missed you so much.” Said Fluttershy
“Oh my gosh we were soooooo worried about you!” Pinkie Pie said laughing
“Indeed, we were all very worried for you dear.” Rarity said kindly
“I missed you guess too, I left you all because I was scared to face you guess and I thought you wouldn’t take me back.”
“Oh Twilight, we are your friends, we will always forgive you and want you back.” Said Rarity
“I hate to cut the lesson on friendship short, but we have more important things to attend to. We have to go to Canterlot and help fight Tamerlane’s army.” Luna said with impatience.
“Now that the six of us are together we shouldn’t we just be able to use the elements of harmony to stop Tamerlane?” Asked Applejack
“No. Tamerlane planned for that and took the Elements. We have to defeat him to get them back.” Said Luna

The group of them headed towards Canterlot with anypony who was willing to fight. The rest went back to their towns to rebuild.

***

“Lord Tamerlane! The crystal ponies are overwhelming us, they are behind us and we are out of position. The city has become a death trap for us!”
“I don’t care!! Get them into position now!”

Tamerlane looked out onto the battle, taking place at the wall of the ruined city. The crystal army had completely caught him unprepared and had destroyed his reserves. Taking the opportunity, Celestia had rallied her soldiers into the inner city and were fortifying and regrouping.

“Damn it!!” Cursed Tamerlane.

He took back into smoke form and changed his face to that of King Sombra. He flew over the battle and in a loud voice boomed

“Crystal ponies! Bow before your rightful king!”

The ponies stopped fighting terrified. Some bowed to him in fear, while others ran.

“Give up your fight and surrender to your fate! I have come back to enslave you all!”

The morale of the crystal ponies shattered and they began to run. Tamerlane grinned a wicked grin. He began laughing, but was distracted by a bright pink light. He turned and saw Princess Cadence fire a powerful spell directly into him. He screamed in agonizing pain. The cloud disappeared and he fell to the ground, writhing in pain. The fleeing ponies stopped and reformed into an army, but the distraction lasted long enough for the hoard of undead to reform into a fighting force. The two armies charged and met head on.

Tamerlane stood up, weak and shaking. What magic was that? Never before had he felt so much pain. Still shaking he climbed onto the walls of Canterlot to look over the battle. His distraction had bought his army time and given them a chance, but it was still unclear who was winning. Another minion approached him.

“Lord Tamerlane, a band of warriors under Princess Luna has freed the main prison camp. Small groups of ponies are going all over the countryside stopping you forces.”

“WHAT!?” In his rage he turned and slaughtered the bringer of bad news. “This means Luna is on her way. I may not be able to handle the power of Luna and her sister.”

He thought to himself and realized he still did not know the whereabouts of Twilight Sparkle. If she were with them then his doom would be sealed.

***

Princess Celestia looked out upon the battle seeing more and more soldiers leave the city to fight on the plains. She looked back to her men who were resting and gathering their strength. She knew she needed to attack Tamerlane while his army was distracted.

“Brave ponies!” Celestia addressed her soldiers “I know you are all tired, but the time for one last attack.”

Celestia paused and glanced out onto the battle before giving the order.

“Attack! For Equestria!”

The remainder of her soldiers charged out into the battle, attacking the undead from behind. Her soldiers began pushing the undead towards the outer streets of the city. She made her way out onto a balcony to see the battle.

“Luna, where ever you are, I need you.”

A low growl caught her attention and she spun around to see Tamerlane.

“Have you come to finish me off?” The Princess asked, anger rising in her voice.
“Yes, you have caused far to much trouble. Your time is finally up, and this time I will not let unexpected interruptions to stop me.

He lunged forward casting a spell at Celestia. The Princess dodged and charged in with her horn angled low at Tamerlane. The necromancer was not expecting for such a brutish and simple attack and barely had time to jump away. Celestia’s horn drove straight into his leg, piercing through bone and flesh. The necromancer screamed in pain and blinked away in a small flash of light. Blood dripping from her horn Celestia turned to Tamerlane.

“It is unwise to attack the ruler of Equestria alone”
The dark wizard snarled, “I can still defeat you”

He morphed back into smoke, though he still felt pain from his encounter with Cadence. He surrounded the Princess and began to suffocate her. Celestia collapsed, unable to breath. A voice boomed all around her

“I am truly deserving of the crown. Think about it Princess, all the people you have let down. You failed, and you deserve to die! You cannot even protect yourself, let alone your own people.”

Tears came to the Princess’ eyes and she stopped struggling. Maybe he was right maybe she should die.

“Hahaha, your time has finally come Celestia.”

With a brilliant flash of light all the cloud dissipated and Tamerlane was cast onto the ground.

“What!?” he gasped in pain

Luna stood over him, with Twilight Sparkle at her side.

“No, Twilight. Why are you listening to these peoples lies?”

Twilight merely approached Tamerlane and spit in his face. The black pony knew he had to escape. With a flash the unicorn disappeared.

“What! Were is he?” Luna screamed in frustration.
“He understands he has lost this battle. He is probably retreating back to his home. Twilight said “Once this is all over I can lead you to his home in the woods.

“T-Twilight…” Celestia’s weak voice interrupted Luna and Twilight.
“Yes Princess?”
“You came back to us, I am so glad.”
“I realized I was wrong to leave and that true friends wouldn’t abandon me like I thought they would.”

A smile came to Celestia’s face.

“It is good you understand that, but we have for important things to do” Celestia spoke, regaining some of her color.

Twilight turned to the other ponies that came with her.

“Take care of the Princess. Luna, would you like to go finish up this battle?”
The dark blue alicorn grinned. “Let us slaughter them all.”

With the disappearance of their leader many of the invading armies wizards began to flee. Twilight and Luna systematically worked their way through the streets of Canterlot killing all the undead. Out on the main battlefield Cadence and her army overwhelmed the undead army as its leadership fell apart.

The battle was won, Tamerlane’s advance had been stopped, and his army destroyed, but the wizard himself had still escaped.

***

Tamerlane limped into his home, his head spinning from blood loss. He quickly called over two servants to tend to his wounds. His army was gone. His wizards had abandoned him. Twilight Sparkle was on Celestia’s side. It had all fallen apart. He ordered his servants to start packing all his necessities.

“How had my magic failed me?” he asked himself “I am the greatest dark wizard in the whole world.”

A tear rolled down his cheek.

“I had a vision to build the land to untold heights. Was I wrong?”

He limped over to a mirror and stared at his tired and dirty face. He thought back to the three young ponies he had found dead in a tree house.

“No, I was right. For all great change sacrifices must be made. The world would be better with me in charge. Ponies would live better lives; the land would have been richer. I am not wrong.”

No matter what he did he kept thinking back to those three dead ponies, so much life ahead of them. So many good ponies had died. So much death.

“I am a necromancer, death is what I do. They are wrong to hate me so. I had so much good planned for them. A greater world for them…” He sighed

He thought back to all the innocent people who died. They did not want to be involved. They didn’t deserve death. So why had he given it to them? He did not understand why death bothered him so much now, when it had never bothered him before. He looked back into the mirror and understood

“I did not kill people before, I simply brought them back.”

In a fit of self-hate he disintegrated all his undead servants.

“No more death will be around me. Well, only one more.”

He turned and grabbed a sword he had always kept on his mantle and positioned it on the ground point up.

“The final words of Lord Tamerlane, the Necromancer: I wronged those least deserving of it, and for that I will pay the price.”

He remembered his parents, then the three dead ponies. He closed his eyes and threw himself on his sword.

***

Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, Discord, and Twilight Sparkle walked through the Everfree forest. When they arrived at Tamerlane’s house they paused. A shiver went down Twilights back.

“Shouldn’t he have guards?” Asked Cadence.
“I would think so.” Luna said worriedly

The party continued on into the necromancer’s home. Upon entering they found twenty lifeless corpses. They continued onwards until reaching the final chamber. Tamerlane lay lifeless on the ground.

“It looks as if he killed himself.” Shining Armor commented confusedly
“Strange, I would not have thought he would do that.” Said Luna
“Everyone leave.” Celestia spoke solemnly.
“What? Sister-“
“Leave now.”

The group departed, leaving Celestia in the house alone with the body of Tamerlane. They waited for several minutes before hearing the sound of burning books. Twilght spun around.

“Wha-“
“It is alright.” Celestia interrupted. “I burned his books. Dark magic should never again become part of Equestria.”

The group headed away from the town, but Twilight was still unsure.