Darkness, an Eternity

I had awoken to food on my desk and more papers in the main stack at the early hours of the morning. I stared down at the food, knowing a servant had definitely brought it and the papers. Just simple scrambled eggs, sausage and a small pancake. I would never have much time to really settle down and enjoy my food, even if it was cooked and seasoned perfectly. I began to eat quickly, finishing in the next minute or two before going back to the many papers, finishing a lot as the day went on, hours passing as the morning became the afternoon and I thankfully finished soon after.

I stood and walked out of my study, walking to my room to find that Cadence was there and the servants were waiting outside in a line, ready to pick up from where they left off yesterday. I had only heard Cadence's voice, but she was yelling, as if it was at someone. I had more power than I did yesterday, so I could surely fight or do what was needed to end an argument. I opened the door and walked in, seeing the princesses there with their pet Twilight. They all turned to me.

"If you plan to stop me or take her away, the repercussions will be dire and you know it, Celestia." I spoke in a harsh tone.

"Equestria will be-." She began.

"No, it won't be ready for any attacks, it never will from me. I can crush your entire kingdom, all of your race in a single day." I walked to her, "Must I remind you what happened to your legs? Even I see they are still in casts and you are using magic to support yourself."

"He's doing this because he's dedicated and she really is being controlled. She isn't herself because of what she holds." Cadence spoke.

"Lies. I am myself, he only opened my eyes." Violet turned around to face all of us, the damned holy blade in her right hand.

"The minute I can destroy that thing, is the minute I can finally begin to get you back." I retorted in a desperate voice.

I grabbed Celestia by her tail and dragged her out of the room roughly before turning to Twilight and Luna, "Follow her out unless you want to be thrown out too." Luna had stared off with me, but eventually came to realization that she was outmatched and left the room.

"I'm sorry, Princess, but Cadence babysitted me and she's the Princess of Love. This is stuff that she knows better than you. How do I know that you aren't just trying to serve holy forces like Lucius suggests?"

"Because he's serving Darkness, and Darkness is wrong, it's made Luna turn against us." Celestia spoke and got an evil glare from her sister.

"We're just trying to live more normal lives in a perfect place. Luna would have most likely lead your people to a more fair ruling, even if a few bones had to be broken in your hierarchy." i spoke back, attempting to plant the seeds of chaos.

The room had become silent until Twilight finally spoke after a long while of deep thought.

"I'm supporting him, Princess. He's the one who's right here. You are only trying to serve the holy." She spoke and stood her ground.

"Luna, it's either join your sister or leave." I stated simply,

She hesitantly walked out of the room and began to walk out of the castle with Celestia soon after once I gave her a bit of enthusiasm to leave. I walked back into the room, catching the glare of my wife. It was here that I noticed she must have tossed away her wedding ring. I walked to the bed and she quickly put her sword up to stop me, and it was effective at halting me. I grabbed the blade, despite the pain and tore it from her hand, flinging it into the wall, my hand burnt black. I gently gripped her hand and took my own ring off, sliding it onto her fourth finger.

"It contains the fondest of memories, the main reason why I haven't gone off the deep end." I spoke.

"It doesn't-."

"It does matter now...listen to the servants without the sword, I urge you." I began, " I urge you to just listen to their stories and their lives and what they wish for. Look at all the memorabilia from from out times together. Let your eyes see and your heart speak, don't listen to him." I pointed at the sword in the wall and sent a lot of dark energy at it, continually doing so, expending a lot of my regained energy to put it into a docile form.

"We'll keep an eye on her, don't worry, Lucius." Cadence spoke.

"I do have a lot to do. I trust in you, don't break it." I spoke and left the room, feeling a bit better but no where close to where I should feel.

I walked down to the courtyard, viewing the guards training and I began the simple routine of drilling them and setting up matches in between their harsher training that ensured they underwent a lot of stamina training and punishment. I watched them battle, constantly giving them pointers on stance and what they could do to better themselves.

"Hold your ground, I know as a sneak with those daggers that you love to zip around and doge everything, but blocking with one and striking with the other is an extremely useful tactic for swift killing." I spoke as I circled the arena, arms crossed, deeply entranced by them.

"Lucius."

"Keep your sword in a constant flow of attacks without being too costly on energy. I only swing fast and hard if I know that it will do damage or disarm my opponent. Do some sidesteps or sway out of the way of his counter attacks and then try to get the upper hand." I once again advised.

"Lucius." I heard the voice in the crowds.

"You will address me as your majesty or with the title of-." I looked over and saw who was speaking.

"I was wondering if there was any way I could help." A peppy Twilight spoke to me. The combat in the small wooden fenced arena was getting louder and more heated due to the tips I gave them.

"No, not really unless you could help organize things for me...that doesn't mean I'm giving you permission to look at any of the papers I go through. Not even a building form." I spoke firmly.

"And what would I organize?" She asked, with a curiosity in her eyes.

"Talk to any of the royal guards, they'll point you in the right direction. Bardiche is probably best for things going on in the Underworld, if you can contact him. I am busy now though." I finished, looking back to the fight and seeing both guards had a lot of battle marks on them from the spout and they were exhausted, but still fighting hard.

I continued to watch, not noticing Twilight's absence. They kept at it, heaving and somehow still moving quickly and with precision. I eventually stopped them.

"You are now a warrior second class." I pointed the one holding the sword," And you are a first class sneak. Both of you keep training, but relax for now." I finished, my hand lowering from the dual dagger wielder.

I continued watching more matches but not man more stuck out to me and I eventually head up to see the progress. I hurried up the stairs, walking with a fast pace and I still spotted Cadence in the room, and she immediately handed me a letter upon entry using her magic. Violet looked perplexed to continue hearing the stories of the servants. I immediately ripped open the letter as it was signed by Princess Celestia on it.

It explained of what we were doing was wrong and how everything was doomed to fail. She really thought she could keep my hopes down so it would be harder to bring her back. It's already begun to work some. She also went on to tell of how she was doing this because she thought it was right and not for holy forces. I knew this was a blatant lie and I had enough of what she was doing. She had even gotten Luna to put some words into it. She would be a fool to think she could stop me. I was calling a three letter word on her that I hadn't done in a while.

"Cadence, I'm sending a huge detachment of my forces to your Crystal Empire to strengthen it and have it become a place of rest for my soldiers." I spoke and pulled a servant out of the line," Send for a courier the best we have. Make sure Twilight stays busy in the Underworld with Bardiche." I spoke and they nodded, quickly getting another servant to help them.

I sent out my first mental message to Maximillian, who I told to take thousands of the guards from the underworld and himself and set up at the Crystal Empire in the Frozen North. He quickly began to do so, organizing rapidly.

I walked out of the room and began to send a mental message to my number one, my general, Vincent. I told him to gather at least ten thousand of my forces and make sure they are the battle thirsty type. I entered my study and grabbed a piece of parchment, the courier coming into the room.

Dear Celestia,

War

~King Lucius~

I packaged it into a simple thick envelope, sealed it and sent it off with the Courier, telling him exact directions. I would not stand for her any longer. Cadence has seen what was written on the paper and the anger on my face.

"Before you even begin...nobody is going to stop me from getting my real wife back to me...nobody. You're with me and Celestia just needs to be taught a lesson, and an overwhelming presence of power will see to that." I spoke and the immense hate in my voice had silenced her.

I went back into the room, calling Sophia there to me. I quickly had her make a smaller cage, sort of like the one that was keeping Violet from leaving early. It was powered by another dark core. This time, I grabbed the sword, my hand burning from holding the heavenly blade. I effortlessly pulled it out of my wall and shoved it into the cage, permanently leaving it docile until I had the power to destroy it once and for all. Only my rage drove that, my little dark energy I still had healed me up some. I quickly resolved to lay down next to Violet, who was sitting on the bed, listening to servants still.

Cadence made sure they would keep coming until she knew all of their stories, and I couldn't thank her enough for that. I resolved to sleep, knowing it was a bit dangerous. My wife had given me a hateful glare, but it wasn't as bad as before. She was slowly, very slowly coming back because I had gotten the blade away from her. I looked to Cadence.

"Make sure I also stay safe while I rest and gather my energy." I spoke, going off to sleep.

I knew I would win this war if I was smart about it, crushing one small town and leaving citizens alive should scare Celestia enough and if it doesn't stop her, we march even further. She was no doubt trying to bolster security in her towns. I knew my plans already and Vincent would be ready to march tonight, when I awaken to once again cause terror.