Chapters A Red Sky
Ever since Twilight returned to Equestria everything had become very peaceful with nothing of concern occurred. Twilight was with Princess Celestia to learn how to undergo her royal duties while the rest of her friends went back to Ponyville.
Applejack went straight back to work with Sweet Apple Acres, Rarity had a large order of dresses to keep her busy, Pinkie Pie partied, and Fluttershy took care of woodland critters.
Everypony had something to do except Rainbow Dash, she was bored, bored of the same routine that she's been doing everyday since their return to Ponyville.
Nothing seemed to thrill her like it used to, there was no challenge for her that she felt she hadn't already overcome and nothing bad has happened in a while.
She even tried to get Applejack to assist her in an attempt to relieve some of her boredom by racing again, but Applejack said that she was too busy working on the farm.
Though she would have never even considered this in the past, she decided to race through the Everfree forest. However right when she was about to start, howls from the timber wolves quickly changed her mind.
So instead she tried to fill out her days with continuous pranks, it wasn't long until all her friends told her to stop.
So in the end she just spent much of her time napping until the end of the day and then...BOOM!
A large flash of red light filled the sky, Rainbow Dash watched in disbelief as something that looked like a red star fell into the middle of the Everfree Forest.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were discussing Twilight's future in the royal chamber. They both looked out the window to watch the sky slowly darken and then they saw the red light flash in the sky.
Luna see's something fall from the sky and believes she knew where it will land and requests her sister's permission to deal with it, being that the night was encrouching.
Celestia was hesitant to agree, she tells her sister that she must be careful for it was unheard of for falling stars to reach the planets surface.
Luna then took flight in the direction of the Everfree forest.
Soon Luna reached her destination and lands in the vicinity of where the red star supposedly fell. She felt uneasy being in the Everfree forest, even if she was the princess of the night.
Mostly because this had been the place where Nightmare Moon began and ended.
“Strange, I know that I am not mistaken but there is no sign of anything that could of fallen here” Luna said as she looked for any sign of the red star.
Luna decided to fly back up into the air before she notice something in the corner of her eye and descends swiftly into a dark ominous clearing.
There before her stood something she has never seen the likes of before.
It stood on two draconic legs, it's body looked to be made up of black feathers and scales.
It had two black dragon like wings spread out, a black tail that looked similar to a snake and scorpion's tail and two black claws at it's side that had a sort of red energy exerting from them.
Despite its body, what was most shocking was it's head, it had the head of one of those creatures that Twilight had described she met during her time in Sunset Shimmer's world.
She assumed that it was male, his facial features were unique. His hair was the color of blood and looked to be stiff as if he had submerged his head into a pool of the vile liquid and then let it dry. His eyes were blue, and his mouth revealed serrated teeth that were not unlike that of a sharks, he grinned.
Luna overcame her hesitation and decided to address this strange creature, “Who art thou? Were thee the one that fell from the sky? Answer Me!”
He turned towards her, his grin seemed to widen to a unnatural size, it made her think of a crescent moon.
“My my, what a beautiful welcoming party. I didn't know that you were aware of my arrival, not that it matters. But how marvelous it is that you thought of me” he said with a snicker.
Luna was puzzled by what he said, sudden realization dawned on her 'How dare he make a mockery of me' she thought. He began to laugh.
When he laughed it seemed to echo creating the illusion of many more laughing along side.
He looks back at her with that grin of his again, “I'll dare to make a mockery of you all I want”.
This caught her off guard, 'Did I say that out loud? No wait, I know that I didn't, he must have somehow read my mind. Impossible!'
Even for the princess of the night to read someones mind was difficult, she could do it when ponies were asleep but never when they were awake.
Luna puts up a barrier over her mind with her magic in hope to block anymore of his attempts to read her thoughts.
He frowns slightly at that but slowly regained his grin, “You can call me Niracria, though this may be a little late but what is your name?”
She was baffled by his sudden introduction, but regained her resolve.
“I am known as Princess Luna, my sister and I rule over this land of Equestria. If thee have come here to cause trouble it would be best that you went on your way.” She made sure that he understood his position.
However he just seemed to grow amused by this fact and laughed... Once again the world echoed with a multitude of laughter, the trees she notice looked as if faces had appeared on them and were laughing along.
After he had calmed down he looks at her, “Not only do I have a welcoming party, it's from ROYALTY! HA! Ooooh, this planet sounds like it will be a lot of fun, I can't wait to get started. How Delicious!” He licked his teeth with his tongue and his eyes looked to be filled with a savage hunger.
Luna did not like the sound of this and was about to question him. The creature however, blasted off into the sky with incredible speed, she was too shocked by the sudden action to give chase.
Rainbow Dash eagerness had got the better of her, she really wanted to see what it was that fell from the sky and decided that if she can't fly through the forest she'll fly over it. This was a good plan and all, but she couldn't find the expected crater, or anything that showed signs of something that had crashed.
“Aaaarrgh! I come all the way out here hoping for some sort of adventure and I can't find anything?” She says to herself irritably.
“How is it that I can't find IT!” she yelled out before she heared a mighty blast and what sounded like a large gust of wind being shredded from some unknown force.
Something then wisped past her about ten feet away, going at a speed that Rainbow Dash can only reach when she preformed the Sonic Rainboom.
She didn't get a good look at it and tried to go after it, but something that Rainbow Dash did not expect happened.
Luna was in a daze, she didn't understand what had just occurred, it's not that she didn't want to it's that she couldn't.
After she had given him her named as well as the name of the land he was in, he just smiled and then said “How delicious” and took off.
She knew that she had to report this to her sister right away but was afraid of what would happen if she left Niracria alone. “What a foal I am, everything about him gave off a warning that he was trouble and I let him get away!” she cursed to herself before she took flight.
Her sister needed to know, all of Equstria needed to know.
Rainbow Dash stared into space with her mouth gaped open, she was unable to catch up with whatever it was that flew past her. She could understand it slowly left her behind but when it suddenly went from a dark blur to one that radiated red.
It hit a speed that looked like it thore a hole into the sky, followed by an intense wind that seemed to want to drag everything into it.
It took so much effort not to be pulled in that Rainbow Dash was exhausted and covered in sweat. “What the hay was that?” The shock still vivid in her brain.
After a brief moment Rainbow Dash flies up with a shout “Woo hoo! I so, got to tell my friends about this! Especially Twilight, she would be practically shaking with eagerness to do her egghead stuff. Ah, this is so sweet!” Rainbow Dash said as she excitedly flew back towards Ponyville.
The Red Town
Rainbow Dash understood fully what the princess had said, but it still troubled her to think that the princess was concerned about her. She represented the element of Loyalty and she knew for certain that Celestia knew that, does that mean that he will make her desire to race uncontrollable.
“Oh what the hay?” she said aloud to herself and started to rub her head in frustration.
Smack... Rainbow lost in her thoughts flew right into the door to the chamber that contained the elements.
“You alright there sugar cube?” Applejack looked at her friend with concern, Rainbow just nodded grumpily.
Celestia started to break out in a cold sweat, both from the report from the guard to what Twilight had said to her.
'How could this... Monster! Be the cause of this much pain and suffering!?' she thought to herself.
A flare of emotion came across her as which she had not felt in a long time... Pure Hatred! She hated him for causing destruction to Equestria... but more important, for causing harm and death to her ponies.
She could not let this stand for much longer and even though she had Twilight and her friends head out to stop him, she felt she needed to face him herself.
'I do not know what the outcome of this will be, but at least it should delay him long enough for the Elements of Harmony to be ready.' With that she flew off in the direction that the strange creature was thought to be.
Niracria sat on a cloud, he looked down at his most recent activity with a somewhat bored expression.
“Well these turn of events have been most fruitful and yet... There is something missing... and I can't quite put my mind on it.”
“Oooohhhh! That's Right! How could I? A superior God such as myself have not practice my most divine right.... oooouuuu hooohuuuuu HaaaaHaaahaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Ah yes that's right I'm Mad and I am suppose to represent madness... and as well as blood, pain, torture and genocide... But I don't entirely like this concept of me being known as a God. I think I should find whoever is responsible for such lies and scream into his face, then maybe he will stop.”
He heard rustling of behind him and turn around, he then shouted out to whatever it was that made those noises “I am a God!!!”
When he saw that it was nothing more then the leaves in the trees nearby he settled down again, “You know, I think I know who it is spreading these ridiculous rumors. Oh really who? You!!!”
He raised one of his claws and it formed it into a head, more importantly, it was his head.
Anyone or anypony who watched this would seriously believe that they have had eaten something that they shouldn't have.
Niracria looked at his second head that seemed to smile back at him.
He cleared his throat as if he was prepared to announce to the audience, and over exaggerate a voice scale warm up.
He looked back at his still smiling face and let loose a powerful blast of sound. It sounded like a sonic, metallic,bat-like noise that split apart the sky of all clouds caught in its path. The creature now looked at his now destroyed second head.
Satisfied that he punished the supposed liar, even though it was himself, he stretched himself out and laid back on the cloud with hope that it will drift him to someplace new.
His idea was short lived when he noticed the presence of something approach him at a quick rate.
Celestia had a harder time then she expected as she searched for the creature Niracria, and while she searched for him she saw the extent of the damage that he had caused.
It was driving her MAD!
Everywhere she went there was more and more bodies of either her little ponies or other creatures, even Dragons! It looked like he did not discriminate race, gender or age, in the end everything was sport to this demon. What frustrated her the most was that the trail he left was random, he could be in the eastern most section of the country or far to the west.
It looked like he really enjoyed himself as well, as if this were all just a big game that didn't have any consequences. Well she would definitely change his mind about that and if she couldn't then the elements will, they have never failed before.
A sudden agonizing, metallic screech snapped Celestia out of her train of thought, she suddenly felt of dread wash over her, mixed in with a small sense of hope. 'Am I scared of this Monster? Or is it that I am scared for my ponies? I have not felt fear for many millennia, I must just be nervous, I haven't been in a serious fight in a long time... Yes that's it I can't possibly be scared of this young upstart!'
From what she had heard from her sister, she can only guess that he is young or is he? And why would he want to kill everypony... and everything?
Celestia followed the split in the sky caused by that blast of sound, 'He has to be there, there is nothing else that can do that.' But as she got closer the feeling of dread began to grow stronger and it was being mixed in with nausea, there was a dark red haze in the distance and everything smelled like fresh blood.
As she got closer she couldn't help but vomit, the taste of bile was over powered by the mere smell of blood, it was so strong that she tasted it with each breath. She started to cough and choke, she thought it be best to turn back before she saw up in the sky a dark figure rest on a cloud. His blood red hair visible from where she stood, she hesitated only for a moment she took off towards him.
"NIRACRIA!!!!"
Niracria flipped into an upright position, grinning as she was approached. She noticed his teeth and felt a shiver run through her spine, all the while she glared at him, her anger came to a boiling point.
"How dare yo-" she was cut off before she had the chance to speak by his shrill laughter.
"HAAAAHAAAhaaaa... HEEEhaaarrghhhHaaaaaa! What in the Forsaken Aba-Theist!" he hollered, mirth and absence in his blue eyes.
'The Aba-What? What is he laughing at?!' her anger being replaced with confusion.
"You have a... a...A SUN, on your butt!! HAAHaaa! A SUN! A Forsaken SUN! What a laugh, what they call you sunny butt, Haaaaaaaaaaaaahaa!"
'He...is Mad! Complete and utterly insane!' the shiver went through her spine again, but her anger began to resurface. Once more she tried to say something, anything to this creature to try and see if there was really no other choice but to fight, but then she saw the most peculiar scene ever. Before her eyes his body blazed red and rapidly took on a form of monkey with symbols in it's hands smashing them together, 'I have never met another creature other then a changeling that can change itself into something else, just what is he?' the symbols came together once more and then stopped.
He returned to his other form, laid on his back with his arms crossed, in a sort of Ferris Bueller's Day Off look. "Now Celestia, I am going to be some what sportsman like. I'll answer those pesky question that are running rampant through that mind of yours, and yes I know who you are. I as well know everything that you have been thinking up to this point, from when that guard that I let live report to you up until the present."
She just stared at him in shock, while his tail slithered through the air right around her, it seemed like it had a mind of it's own and waited for the moment it was allowed to attack.
"Then IF you know just so much about me then why don't tell me what you are?" she inquired.
"Do not judge me for what I am, judge me for who I am, I am Niracria Demon-God of blood, pain, torture, genocide and of course madness."
"Well then, it appears that I have no choice but to fight you." Celestia took an offensive stance, 'At least I'll hold him off until the elements get here.'
Rainbow Dash and her friends aboard a train to Ponyville, there were apparent rumors that the creature known as Niracria flew in that direction for reasons unknown. Nopony other then those present when the injured guard had reported knew the extent of what had happened around the country.
And even with that information they were not entirely sure of what was going on, the main six all had their elements and even Discord of all beings has decided that he will try to help. The others were oblivious to this but Rainbow could tell that Discord seemed both nervous and frightened, this did not bode well, if the very spirit of chaos itself was scared then what are there chances of defeating this guy?
Rainbow sighed and looked out the window of the train, the dark clouds that had formed in the distance seemed to be grow closer and closer as each moment passed. But it was something else that ate at her, the princess believed that she would somehow be disloyal to her friends just because this creature knew how to fly and yet she knew that the princess was trying to get at something entirely else.
"Hu-bu-bu-bu-bu hu-bu-bu-bu!" Pinkie didn't stop shuddering, her hair was down and lifeless, her eyes looked like they were ready to cry. But nopony did anything about it because it was like this the whole train ride.
Suddenly there was a bright red flash and the whole world seemed to shake, 'What the hay can possibly cause that?' Rainbow, along with the rest of the group shivered.
<< 5 minutes prior to the big flash>>
Niracria's tail took hold of Celestia before she could do anything and with great speed managed to smash her all the way down into the ground. Despite the agonizing blow he already gave her she was not about to give up and shot up towards him. She dodged the tail only to find seven more sprout from the original and launch towards her.
Yet for some unexplainable reason the original tail kept it's descent towards the ground below, but once it reached the ground there was a bright red flash.
Celestia was too distracted to see four of the tails behind her, each tail got a hold of all of her limbs and she was raised into the air. Niracria just laid there like nothing had happened, he was on his side,his head rested on his claw with his eyes closed.
"Oh? Back so soon? You fell in love with me or something?" Oh he started to really laugh when he said that, the sky went red and giant demonic faces filled the sky. They all seemed to laugh along with him..."Wait, no..." she saw the energy gather around him as he stood with his head back in a maniacal laughter. The air around him was so thick with power and energy that it was a visible red that seemed to circle him.
That uncertainty that she felt before, of whether or not she was scared of him had been answered, she was not scared of him, she was terrified of him. Still the elements were not ready yet, she would have to hold him off just a little while longer. She fired a beam of solar energy directly at him with hope to catch him off guard, it hit, "Have I done it!? There is no way anything could possibly survive a direct hit from the pure raw power of the sun!" the cloud before her was gone. "Yes I did it! I really did! We may not need the elements after all!" Despite herself she was giddy at the prospect... However, she then noticed that she was still held by his tails.
"You know, it's not really nice to shine your stupid flashlight into someones face... Augh... How I Hate the light! Listen up princess, I'll only say this once! You think you are all powerful because you've got then sun on your butt, your elements of harmony are worthless to me! So please, you can't beat me, just fire away!" He was atop of her back and yet she did not feel him there, she started to hyperventilate, her fear became unbearable.
"Well it has been fun Sunny Butt, however I'm afraid that this relationship was never meant to be so... ya. I'm dumping your ass... Literally!" With that said his tail completely enveloped her before it hurdeled her at impossible speeds towards a sharp point on the ground...
"Ha, finally! Time to play some more with her dear little ponies or should I say former dear little ponies!"
With that said he built energy on one of his claws and launch what have appeared to be an orb of condensed red energy. It hit the body of Celestia, and caused an tremendous blast that left a mushroom cloud in its wake.
"Hoo-wee! What a BANG!" he snickered before he reached up to his face and vertically pulls his mouth open, from an outside perspective it would probably force anyone to take a crap. Several heads of different predators all came roaring out before being drawn back in.
He laughs hysterically before he shot of towards the destination of the elements, "I can't wait to greet them, oh what fun."
The Elements of Harmony and Discord finally arrived at Ponyville... But what greeted them was a blazing red town...
The Red Fight
They all just stared, none moved nor make a sound. They just stared, how could they have predicted this... this to have happened to the home that they all knew and loved. Even Discord seemed to have all his words and jokes caught in his mouth, sure he had done his fair share to this town already... but nothing to this extent.
What broke the silence in the end was the sound of Fluttershy whimpers.
Rainbow Dash was the first to walk forward, towards the blazing town. Bodies of the ponies that she had known scattered the floor, all twisted in ways a pony should not be. She felt the need to vomit and ran off to do so in private.
It was when she looked up from where she had just lost what food she had in her, she saw him for the first time.
He seemed to laugh about something and talked in a strange language she has never heard of before.
Perched on top one of the few remaining buildings, a signal claw before him with the head of Mayor Mare clenched in it. She slowly approached him and heard him humming a tune and then... POP! That awful sound sent shivers down Rainbow's spine, she did not dare look to see what had become of the former Mayor's head.
"So the Rainbowed one is the first to approach me... not surprising... No, not surprising at all." He said to her without so much as a glance towards her nor did he make any effort to do so.
"Ho..w...How could you do such a thing?" Rainbow despite asked a question she was pretty sure she would not like the answer.
"Oh this?" He gestured to the town, he still did not turn to face her. He had a lazy air about him at the present moment.
"Sorry about that, you see I just got so bored waiting for you all to arrive that I just couldn't help myself... You should have seen this little orange one, she was all like -Rainbow Dash and her friends will stop you! They'll defeat you with the Elements of Harmony!-" He said with a very accurate voice of Scootaloo. This hit Rainbow more then sight of the town destroyed, she felt what spirit she had completely torn from her soul.
Twilight and the others arrived at this moment to see their friend looked worst then ever and the demonic creature above, lay on his back without a care in the world.
The sight of her friends was just enough for her to face him, but before she could another member of their party had decided to intervene.
Discord had appeared just behind Niracria with a giant tennis racket and slammed it straight down onto his face. "I'm all for having some fun and ruining things for others but even for me there is a limit!" Discord seemed to be beyond jokes now and had a very serious expression on his face.
However Niracria's body suddenly bursts, blood splashed over the six ponies. "Oooooouuuu, so you must be the one that they call Discord! So glad to finally meet you in person, though I must say you are not as much fun as I was hoping you would be. From what your mind was telling me up until this point, you have a very..very delicious mind, one filled with so much need for mischief." He hovered right behind Discord, his black wings flapped lazily, his tail seemed to be eager to take a bite out of Discord, if that was even possible.
Discord tried to act but the tail quickly lunged and dug into his shoulder. A sharp point that had not been seen on the tail now clearly visible seemed to start to change into something a little more wicked. It became barbed while it was lodged in Discords shoulder, the pain caused him to scream, a sound that no living thing should be capable of making.
"Aaaaww, Immm sawy di dat hurt?" Niracria said in a babyish voice. "Here, Niracria make you all better now."
With that said one of Niracria's claws started to pulse with energy, until there was a form of electricity radiated red. Niracria slowly moved his deadly claw towards Discord's wounded area, but Discord is the Spirit of Chaos and there is no way he will be taken down this easily.
Discord quickly turned and managed to smack Niracria's head, which soared through the air and hit the ground with a sicking crack.
"HA! I did it! Yesssss! I had thought for sure he would have been a bigger challenge but boy was I ever wrong..." Discord did a little victory dance.
"Ya you are right, what a weakling!"
"Ha yes! Weakling!" Discord turned to the other's who all had looks of horror on their faces. "Well it had to be done, I had no choice" but they shook their heads to this, Rainbow Dash slowly lifted a hoof and pointed right above Discord.
And their stood on his head was the red haired demon, as unscathed as can be. Before Discord could do anything, a red electric shock went through his body.
But he did not scream, not this time Discord was a little more prepared. With a snap of his fingers he disappeared, Niracria did not seem disappointed though. In fact his smile started to grow even larger, Discord appeared right behind him with a glass of chocolate milk and threw it directly at his head.
Niracria's wings flair out and wrap around his body, forming a sort of cocoon, upon being hit be the glass there was a massive explosion. The entire area that the red haired demon had been in was nothing more then a giant black crater. Smoke still rose from the center most section so you couldn't be quite sure if there was anything left still standing.
When the smoke fully cleared out, there he stood upright in all his unholy glory, that smile of his still incredibly large.
"My... You certainly know how to play. But the question is... do you know how to win?" Niracria tilted his head and swiped his claw in gesture saying that he wanted more.
Discord did not know what to do, so far a head on approach got him nowhere but nearer to his own grave. So maybe if he can't beat the creature with brute force, he'll try to outwit him, certainly the creature can't be so flawless as to have a brain to go with his power.
Niracria merely smiled when Discord slowly approached him, "You do realize that everything that you thought I both read and saw. But if you want to play a game of intelligence then be my guess... I'll be even so kind as to stop reading your mind while we play this little game".
Discord had the opportunity he needed, he may not be able to destroy him, but maybe he can convince him. With a snap of Niracria's claws a table and two chairs at opposite ends appear, on the table was a deck of cards and what looked to be colorful chips.
"Joker's the Name, Poker is the Game." he says with an uncontrollable laugh, "Ooooooh I looooove this wooorrlld, Heeeheeehaaaaahahahee".
Discord feels a chill run through his spine, something which doesn't happen commonly with the Spirit of Chaos. Taking a seat at the table, he waits patiently for the game to commence, though he has never played poker before he hopes that it wont be to hard. 'Seriously Discord my friend get it together we can't beat him if we are even nervous just to sit at a table with him'.
"Twilight my dear, would you be so kind as to shuffle the deck a serve each of us five cards?" Niracria asks in a false kindness sort of way.
Twilight slowly approached the table and with her magic shuffled the deck, as she does this she takes the opportunity to observe Niracria up close. He frightened her greatly and as every second passed she felt as if her very mind was on the brink of madness. It took almost everything in her to not go insane.
When Twilight served the final card she backed away and went right by Discord's side, she saw that his wound had a sickly green look to it. She turned her head away from that awful image and tried to pay attention to what was taking place at the table.
Niracria had had three aces and a king. Discord was running for a straight, he had the queen, the knave, nine and ten of spades, all he needed was the eight...
Discord called for one more card and drew the diamond eight, and Niracria said to the Spirit of Chaos, "I believe you've got it straight, so deal me one for the time has come to see who'll be the king of this place." but as Niracria spoke he slipped another ace.
Discord did not see what Niracria did and raised the stakes.
Discord placed down his hand revealing that Niracria's suspicions were correct, Niracria then let a mighty shout, "My hand WINS"!!!!
Discord just stared in shock, he had lost, the creature was both intelligent and powerful. could such a creature even exist?
He then noticed Niracria's face became serious, "You have no idea! This semi-perfect world of yours has never even seen the likes of, I must say that I am pretty terrible," he smiled, almost as if it were a complement, "but my Lord has got me beat when it comes to ruining lives, in fact he was ruining all of your puny lives to begin with. Yet none of you would have known it, because he ruining the lives of others became so common it's considered to be a normal part of life."
Discord was going to say something, but then he saw red, and then black...
Rainbow saw Discord's body suddenly burst, all his blood and intestines rushing out of him. It was almost like they wanted to get out of his body, she turns her head to look up at the red sky. Was it the day? Was it the night? These questions did not seem to matter and yet matter all the same.
She's had enough, they've tried talk, force and wit, yet all seemed to fail. So maybe she could beat him at a race? Convince him to go as an agreement of who wins or loses. But she thought back to the forest where she indirectly met the demon called Niracria.
"Where does everyone, or should I say everypony, get off by calling me a demon now? Or thinking it in most cases... Well sorry to disappoint everypony but sad truth is in the Immortal world I am what you would call a Deva-God."
"A what?" Twilight asked.
"It means the stupid creatures within one dimension but on multiple planets have taken up my name and worship as a god. Where a regular god only has worshipers on one planet I have them on many. Yes yes I know what you are thinking. How in the blaze is this guy worshiped? As for the answer to your question, I still ponder over it. I was merely carrying out my Lords wishes and being that I cannot die, that planets that I visited to fulfill my missions have started a little cult... which grew into a religion."
Niracria actually seemed irritated by this prospect, and started to radiate energy.
Rainbow decided to use this opportunity to try to see just really how fast he is, "How about we make a deal? I'll race you on any terms you want and if I win you leave, got that?" she try to keep up her tough attitude to try to help raise moral, she knew that the others weren't doing to good.
"Hmmm, I must say the offer sounds seriously tempting, but whose to say that I will willing accept those terms if I were to lose?" He inquired with a gleam in his eye showing that this seemed to really excite him.
"You were talking about some lord that you serve and by that sounds of it you are loyal to him, right?"
"Of course! I'll never betray my Lord...never!" His attitude seemed to sharply change from sadistically playful to bitter anger.
"Then I am trusting you be loyal enough on his name that you will agree to these terms." Rainbow smiled despite the situation, this creature lacked every sort of empathy or any of the Elements of Harmony, except loyalty.
"You're On! So this is what the race will be... five laps around the planet, if I win then all of you must start running so that it may be fun to chase you down and kill you, but if, if I lose, I will leave without much more of a fight."
"That sounds good... Wait What? Five laps around the PLANET? You're not serious right?" she just looked at him with hope that he was joking.
"Ah right, you mortals, never managing to break their worlds own limits, how sad. But Huzzah! I'll make it fair, you only have to fly to that mountain region and back five times. GOT IT!?" he seemed to be in a real sour mood now.
Rainbow nodded in acceptance, even with the burn of been told that she was too slow to race him on equal terms. She got into a race stance and Niracria joined her on her side, she saw him dig his two front claws into the earth. His wings extended to his sides, one hovered just above her but not in a way that it will hinder her flight, strange red marks started to appear on his wings while he built up energy to take off. Twilight stepped in front of them acting as the starter, using her wings as the signal of when to take off.
Everything seemed wrong in that moment, ponies everywhere had died, her home was in ruin and her friends were going through trauma. Yet she felt amazing, this was what was missing, the blood pumping, the threat of failure and more. She loved it!
And Twilight's wings come down... Rainbow Dash speeds ahead not a moment later.
Twilight just looks at the spot where Rainbow was before she turned her attention towards Niracria who has yet to take off. "What are you doing? Why aren't you flying off?" He just smiles at her before saying, "Until you and your friends move I will not be allowed to without breaking that deal with the rainbowed one." Twilight just stared at him, not understanding what he meant.
"You see when you break through the time and space barrier it causes an almost... warp hole like effect... and a massive vacuum that will pull everything in, so I think it's best that you move out of my forsaken way! Understand? Mortal!" He seemed to be very irritated and likely to lash out at her.
"For your information, I happen to be immortal as well." she says before she walked towards the rest of her friends.
"HA! The little pony thinks she's immortal, just like that white one with the wings that I had killed prior to our little social hour." Horror visibly showed both on Twilight's face and the way she slowly walked to her friends, she then puts up a barrier and nods her head at him.
With that, Niracria takes off...
Rainbow Dash was already half way there when the whole worlds visible image bends and warps. It was quickly followed by that same feeling of being dragged but this time it was a lot stronger. Like a LOT stronger!
She couldn't help but be pulled in and blown almost all the way back to where the race began, she also noticed that where Ponyville had originally been was nothing more then a gaping hole.
She turned back realizing that this was no longer a game and that though she had been ahead, it took him less then a second to shoot pass her.
The sonic rainboom may be her only chance at winning had she done it to begin with, but she was foolish and now her chances to win the race are slim. With a final push she blasts forward as a colorful trail looms behind her, now everything was at stake and she was to blame for she took it easy.
A Red Day
A small town lay below, the creature waited and watched patiently.
The sun began to rise to a new day and the ponies in the village started to stir below, unaware of their horrible fate.
The creature licked it's lips in anticipation, it waited for the perfect moment to descend.
'It's time!' With a crazed and sadistic laugh the creature rockets straight towards the ground...
Morning came and Rainbow Dash had already taken flight around town in order to gather all her nearby friends, being that Twilight was still in Canterlot with the Princess.
She couldn't wait to tell her friends about her experience from the previous night, but managed to hold in her excitement for when she could say it to all of them.
Thankfully her friends were no longer that busy with their previous activities and were all willing to accompany Rainbow Dash to Canterlot.
When the train came Rainbow Dash zoomed in and was followed swiftly by the others.
“Whoa there girl, ya acting as crazy as Pinkie Pie.” Applejack said to Rainbow Dash who was practically jumped out of her seat.
“I know but I just can't help it, you girls are going to be so shocked to hear about what I saw... It was Awesome!” Rainbow Dash really jumped up into the air this time.
“That sounds like so much fun! I want to see something awesome too.” said Pinkie Pie.
“Now darling, you are sure this is as amazing as you say it is? It's not like I don't mind going to Canterlot, it's just I still have an awful lot to do.” said Rarity.
“Amazing!? Try like Super-Ultra-Extreme-Awesomazing!” Rainbow Dash responded to Rarity with great energy.
Rainbow Dash than saw Fluttershy nervously play with her hair and was going to ask whats up when Pinkie Pie started seriously shaking.
“Pinkie Pie what's wrong? Is it your Pinkie sense? What's going to happen?”
All of Pinkies friends look at her with concern.
“I don't know this is the first time I ever felt like this.” Pinkie said as she stared down at her hooves.
“But didn't ya shake like this when that doozy thing happened with Twilight?” Applejack asked, but Pinkie shook her head.
“No silly, I was shaking up and down for that doozy, but this time... This time it's different.” Pinkie's normal excited atmosphere was all but gone.
Rainbow Dash stared uneasily at Pinkie, she felt guilty for reasons she cannot understand, that she was somehow to blame for Pinkie's sudden lack in laughter.
“What was so different about it this time?” Rainbow Dash managed to ask, Pinkie looks towards her then frowns.
“Well first of all, my body was shaking where as before I was just shaking up and down. It was the feeling that came with it that makes it really different, it's like there was a sinking feeling in my stomach.” Pinkie tried to explain but her friends were unable to understand.
“What I am saying is... That I think something really bad has happened.” Pinkie shouted.
For the rest of the train ride none of the friends spoke to one another, too concerned for what ever it was that Pinkie said had happened. Thankfully Canterlot came into view and a wave of relief wash over them and they all seemed eager to get off the train.
When they entered the large and impressive city they all noticed something strange, the royal guards rushed about in all different directions.
“Humph, that's odd, never seen the royal guards act so urgently before? Not even during the whole thing with the wedding.” Applejack said a loud what was on everponies' mind.
“How about we ask Twilight? She has to know.” Rainbow Dash said, trying to bring the group back to what they had originally came here for.
The group headed off towards the castle, they noticed the increasingly strange behavior of the guards. When they arrived at the castle two guards approached them immediately, “If you're here to ask about what's being done to solve the current issue then please...”
The guard wasn't able to finish his sentence when he was cut off by a familiar voice. “Oh thank Celestia that you girls are here!” They all saw a familiar pony head towards them.
“TWILIGHT!” the group of friends call out.
Twilight was smiling as she walked towards them, Spike was with her as usual, “It's okay officers they are friends of mine.” Twilight told the Guards who saluted in response.
While they talked about Ponyville, Twilight lead the group to the throne room in order to meet up with Celestia.
“Oh hey, I almost forgot!” Rainbow Dash said suddenly. “I need to tell all you girls about that awesome thing I saw.”
The group's full attention was on Rainbow now as she was explaining her adventure looking for the falling red star. She even went into detail about her strange encounter, “I couldn't get a good look at it because it was going so fast. I was hoping to catch up with it to find out when... KABOOM!! It went so crazy fast that it create a weird vacuum thing in the middle of the sky that it dragged everything around into it before blasting it all off!” with that she finished her story.
“But, but that's impossible!” Twilight exclaimed. “That means it went so fast it broke through the light barrier creating a flux in the image around you as well as a vacuum.”
“Are you calling me a liar?” Rainbow Dash replied somewhat irritated by Twilight's response.
“No, I'm saying it means that... That he is a bigger threat then what we originally thought.”
“He?” All her friends asked not sure if they heard her right, but Twilight simply looked at them before she rushed off towards the throne room.
“Glorious, glorious, GLORIOUS!!! Ha haa haaaaaaaaaaaaa ha ha ha!” Niracria shrieked with excitement and pleasure, around him was a burning town littered with bodies of ponies.
“What a fantastic world this is, so much better then the last world I've been to. This planet at least the natives try to resist!” Suddenly a unicorn guard came forth from one of the destroyed buildings. With his horn aglow and aimed right at Niracria, whose face became a savage grin.
“Oh what fun there is still one left?” Niracria said before one of his wings sliced the pony in half. He walked over to the died pony, then pulled the two halves away from each other.
Niracria looks down at his work with pride and amusement, viewed from the sky across the former town you could read 'Niracria was HERE'. It was made up of the dead ponies intestines...
Celestia was looking out the window towards the direction the strange creature had supposedly attacked. Her face showed signs of worry and concern, from what her sister had told she couldn't help but fear for her citizens.
The grand chamber doors opened up and Celestia felt a little better seeing her former pupil Twilight and her friends.
“Princess! I... I have some terrible news!” Twilight said before her, she looked somewhat shaken by the prospect of putting more stress on Celestia's conscious.
Before Twilight could say anything a royal guard smashed though one of the windows, he looked wounded. The Pegasi tried to get up and give a bow but collapsed from the effort, Celestia walks over to the stallion with a sadden look.
“Pr,pri... Princess!” the injured stallion finally managed to say before continuing, “W-e, we arrived in the re-reported village of Hoofington, t-to find the small town to be completely destroyed! W-what we saw there... I-it's best not to mention, my c-comrades and I decided it was best t-to head to T-all Tail.”
The Royal guard quivered from the memory and looked to be sick. He coughed and his body shuddered, but when he tried to continue Celestia put her hoof on him and shook her head.
“You have said enough.” She motioned to the two royal guards stationed nearby, who immediately secured the injured stallion and left the chambers.
Celestia turn her gaze towards Twilight and her friends, who looked like they were all about to break.
The idea that something in Equestria were capable of doing such things was probably too much for them to handle. Twilight had managed to shake out of her shock and horror, she looked to the princess with a suddenly determined expression.
“Princess, I swear that my friends and I will be able to stop him!” Twilight said that part out loud but then move over to Celestia and whispered something into her ear. She nodded to Twilight before she focused on the rest of the ponies in the room.
“I am sure you are by now all aware of these resent horrific events that have now taken place and I do hope that you're all prepared to aide in Equestria's darkest hour. The creature who has arrived here known as Niracria is by far Equestria's greatest enemy, unlike the other tasks I've all set you on...None of them have ever been as dangerous as this!”
That last part the princess had seemed to somewhat unnerved them, but they managed to pull themselves together.
“For Equestria we shall!” they all said in union.
Twilight went to lead all of her friends towards the exit of the hall, but Celestia made sure to have Rainbow Dash stay a little while longer.
“Is there something you need princess?”
“This creature may be mad, but he is capable of being cunning and I believe out of everypony he will try his hardest to manipulate you.” The princess said in a calm steady voice.
“Me? Why?”
“Because your brief interaction with him will allow him to know what it is you most want, and he has what you want.”
“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash was unable to understand what the princess was trying to tell here.
“He has speed.” She answered calmly seeing the realization hit Rainbow's face, who then nodded and went to catch up with here friends.