The History of Crimson Shadow and the Origins of the Past

Once the light settled and the smoke cleared where Nightmare Moon was...She was gone. The only thing left was Luna's crown that fell to the ground with a loud clanging noise. To me, the realization of the events played out in slow motion. Celestia stood there, tears running down her face repeatedly saying 'I am sorry'. Something even happened to her hair. It was not that bright pink hue it was before. It was now a bright prism of colors. It seemed that this is what happens when one gets the full power of the Elements.

I shouted at Celestia out of blind rage. Celestia only stood there, crying, saying there was no other option. I screamed back at her and told her about the research that Blacktail uncovered. She said it was too late, that she used the Elements to imprison Nightmare Moon in the moon itself for all eternity. Starswirl taught me a valuable lesson: 'Mercy is a pony luxury and responsibility.' I guess Celestia forgot it.

Hearing that was the straw that broke the pony's back. I lost it. I was just so angry that I remember blacking out and once that happened, Emperor Shadowbane, my own dark spirit, seized his moment and took over my body, latching onto my very soul. I was just along for the ride. Once he took me over, I felt so groggy for a short time. When I came to I was only able to watch events play out like a moving picture that I could not control.

I remember hearing in my head, 'The winds are getting stronger, the sky is falling through and you do not have much longer till your rage rips apart the barrier to your soul. I am a tornado and I'm coming after you. You're stepping closer to the cloud of Darkness. Inch by mile-long inch. Each breath you take brings you closer to that sea of black. There's a faint glow, do not be fooled; 'Tis not a candle but the glow of my ivory skull swallowing your soul. Be warned and wary, for my darkness consumes all.'

Emperor Shadowbane. Even the name sounds evil, right? Well he was. He was named for being the bane of all things light and good. His laugh would frighten even the most battle hardened general. He is evil. Pure and simple. He wants to destroy the land using the powers of darkness and remake it in his image. I remember very little after he first took us over but what I remember is him testing out my joints to see if he had full control, which he did. He then cracks my neck and takes a deep breath before opening my eyes and looking directly at Celestia.

The fear I saw in her eyes as she gazed upon him... It was like staring at a child who was looking strait into the eyes of the most horrible monster that only the most terrible nightmares could produce. I do not know exactly what she saw but all I remember was that I was looking down upon her. Shadowbane must have been massive to look down upon Celestia, the tallest pony I knew. I remember hearing him mention something like it was good to see her again. What exactly did that mean? Did Celestia and Shadowbane know each other? It was confusing to me.

With a maniacal laugh, Shadowbane jumps out the window and flies us off towards the old castle where Blacktail was. I could not have even dreamed the horrors this sick and twisted stallion had in store for my friend, nor could I stop it. Flying through the air at a quicker pace than I thought any pegasus could ever fly. Reaching the castle in record flight time, Shadowbane went right to where the hidden bookcase was like he knew it was there all along. He then walked inside and snuck up behind Blacktail and...and...(softly cries) He ATE Blacktail. Just....Just give me a minute. (Short Pause)

After he was done eating my closest friend whole, Shadowbane began to twitch and writhe on the floor. I caught the shadow on the wall as my wings went from feathery and those of a pegasus to leathery and those of a dragon's. I watched as my fur melted away, getting replaced with dragon scales of the same color. Next my vision changed. I was able to see in more detailed view and shiny things seemed more prominent. Then soon my front hooves became clawed and grew long black claws. Finally when it was all over Shadowbane stood up and let out a roar, loud as can be, shooting fire into the sky like a tornado. Dragon scales? Dragon wings? Dragon eyes? Dragon fire? What has he....Have I become?

What was it? A fusion of dragon and alicorn. A monster is what he made me become. All because I was stupid and became enraged at Celestia. Now there was no going back. I have lost everything. I guess now there is nothing I can do except just watch the events unfurl. Now here is the part that I hate the most. With this new found power, Shadowbane started to travel around the land and finding ponies and other creatures of evil that want to see this world covered in darkness.

Many species followed him. From manticore and dragons, to cockatrice, and many others. But the worst of all. He partnered up with the Queen of the Changelings, Queen Larva. A wicked being she was. How distasteful that species is. They have the natural ability to transform into any pony they wanted. Then, to gain power, they fall in love with a pony and feed off that love. The more powerful the love connection the more powerful the changeling becomes.

Once he gathered enough allies, which took him almost a year, He marched on Canterlot. He was going to take over the realms and make evil, instead of good, the dominant powers in the land. He reached Canterlot and came across a barrier. This barrier was cast by Celestia with the help of the Elements, so that only those with the purest hearts may enter.

For days he bombarded this barrier but it held strong. Once 'defeated', Shadowbane retreated back into the forrest and there he planned and plotted. This was where he began a war that lasted almost one hundred years. Slowly taking over Equestria one village and city at a time. It was a massacre and all I could do was watch as Shadowbane...in MY body...tarnished MY name and wreaked havoc upon the land that I loved so much. I knew I would no longer be
accepted back in the world after his doing.

Finally after taking over half the land, Shadowbane set his sights, once again, on Canterlot. Walking up to the barrier, he simply turns around and kicks it, shattering the shield like glass tissue paper. I was scared. This...I do not even know what to call him...other than monster. This monster had enough strength to kick down a barrier that was created by the Elements; the most powerful power known to all ponydom. Screams of terror and sounds of hooves running away were heard as he stormed the city.

To this day I am unable to get those screams out or my head. Filly. Colt. Stallion. Mare. It did not matter. He...he killed all those in his way. As the changelings stormed the city they started trapping all the ponies in their homes as if an army declaring martial law. Walking and admiring his work, Shadowbane walks to the main part of the castle and kicks in the door