“You have lost Horror.” The alabaster alicorn whispers in my. “And it was your own daughter who betrayed you to me.”
“She is no daughter of mine.” I growl out. I can not give this celestial bitch the satisfaction of knowing just how much those words hurt me.
She chuckles before lifting her head and speaking loud enough for all the warriors, including her sister and my ex-daughter, a teen age dragoness to hear,” Any last words, Horror?”
“As long as fear thrives, Celestia, I will never lose.” I declare defiantly.
“Then face the might of harmony, demon. The world will be purged of you.” And with that a rainbow of doom falls upon me, destroying my body and sealing my soul. And as the light dies down I hear my daughter cry in her chains, even as the crowds around her cheer.
---lb---
Two thousand years. That is how long I have been here, trapped within my own artifact. Perhaps that is the wrong word. My soul has been sealed within, unable to pass on, forced to watch as the world changes around me. I am unsure if anyone knows I am here, they treat my artifact, my hand, as though it were merely a trinket. An extremely dangerous one, but a trinket none the less.
They currently have me in a glass case, put on display for all to see, centered in the middle of ‘The Hall of Victory’. They are carful though, they have enchanted the glass to keep my energy within, bounce it back at me. Though they do not know I am here, they are still weary of my hands latent magical properties. They are fools to think I can be restrained like this. My power cannot be contained. Without a body, my power is weak enough for the glass to damper down to nearly nothing, yes, but I can still install a small amount of fear on those I focus on. I enjoy seeing the fear, the dread on the face of the guards who watch over me. Especially on the new ones who have less experience.
It was not always this way. Once they openly showed fear of me, these ponies. Once the mere mention of my name would cause the bravest to cower in fear. Not now. Now I am the bogeycolt, the monster under the bed, that which goes bump in the night. I’m the one who taught Nightmare Moon how to scare children. They have a thousand tales about me, but none believe.
There was a time before all this. Before my fall. Before I became living fear. Back when I was weak. I love weakness in others, it makes there fear taste so sweet. I can barely remember that time, barely remember my old name. Not that I care for it. Though I wouldn’t mind having the body back, going without one for so long, it is a hell all in itself.
Oh look, its closing time. I guess nova thighs is putting her precious night light down for the day. Pity, I was so enjoying the warmth. Sarcasm, you are a wonderful thing. The two security guards that are on watch are new. Brother and sister if I recall from the brief talk they had had with the previous guards.
“Damn this thing is creepy, Stone.” One of the guards said as she walked around my case. “I mean, I can’t even look at it without a shiver running down my spine. I mean, it even has an eye in the middle! I feel like its starring into my soul.”
“Well it is the Hand of Horror, Star. Who knows, maybe some of his evil magic is still in the thing, waiting to force some poor pony to face their worst fears.” He says with a laugh.
“Ha ha, Stone. Everypony knows the Lord of Horror is an old mare’s tale. Besides, if he was real, any magic in that thing would be long gone.” I mentally growl at that. I hate being called a story. The white mare shivers slightly, her legs lightly tremble as I focus solely on her. A small amount of my power able to slink through the glass. The dark grey unicorn stallion is too busy looking at me to notice the distress his partner is in and continues on.
“If he wore just a myth, then why do they have his” The idiot had to pause to check the plaque on my display for the appropriate name of my appendage. “‘Hand’ on display?” I loosen my focus on the pegasus, it only having been a few seconds and I didn’t want her too freaked out. I like to play with my toys before I break them. I’ve had ten guards quit on the first day because ‘the weird freaky wooden thing just freaks me out to much’. Pussies. I can barely squeeze an ounce of power out to mess with them.
She flips a lock of orange hair out of her face, brushing off the fear she had felt easily, which actually impressed me. “It’s for the kids.” She says in a matter-of-fact voice. “They got to put up something for the kids to look forward to when they come by. And what’s a better attraction than the hand of the bogeycolt?” I inwardly groan at the pun.
“So you’re positive that it’s just a fake?” Stone said, a smirk growing on his muzzle as she nodded. “Then why don’t you touch it? I mean, if you’re not afraid of it.”
“No.” Came her immediate response. Well, at least she has some common sense.
“Why not? Afraid?”
“Of getting fired? Yeah, and so should you. I mean, we have only had this job for a week, and we really need the money.”
“Oh come on, Sis. You know you wanta touch the hand.” He pauses. “Or are you chicken?” The mare struggles inwardly for a moment. I watch in amusement as her face shows various emotions, chief among them is a snarling and hate, and her wings flare.
“What did you call me?” her voice is dangerous, obviously giving her brother an out. He would be wise to take it, being called a chicken is one of the gravest insults one may use against a pegasus. Most likely because griffons say they taste similar to the flightless avians.
“You heard me, chicken.” He smirks as his sister semi-yells in anger.
“Fine! I’ll touch the stupid thing, but your taking the fall for this if we get caught, got that?” She points her hoof at his chest in a way that promised pain. If I could I would have smirked, these fools had just given me a rare opportunity.
Utilizing his magic, Stone lifted the glass case off my display. Carefully he placed the piece of glass next to the pedestal I was on. “Go on,” he said, “do it.”
Taking a breath Star reached out and touched me.
And began screaming in pain as my magic began to strip the flesh from her bones making it swirl around in the air around my hand. She tried to move, to run away, but my magic held her in place.
“Stone, help!” She begged of her brother as her entire left for hoof was stripped of its flesh.
“I’m sorry, Star. But Lord Horror needs your body. But don’t worry, I’m sure he will reward you in the afterlife for your service to him.” Stone calmly told his pleading sister.
‘Ah, so my cult lives on even after all this time. I am surprised Celestia didn’t destroy them after my fall.’ I idly thought.’ Though perhaps she did, it would explain why none of them came for me sooner.’
Within moments Star was nothing but a skeleton and a small glowing orange soul. I focused on the skeleton and willed it to begin breaking down into a fine dust, only to star circling me as well. Slowly the dust and flesh began to come together to start forming an arm, and from there a body slowly began to form from the flying gore, stopping at a waist.
My new body was, hideous, for lack of a better word. Pale skin stretched over thin muscle and bone. Not to mention it was only the upper half. There were no real distinguishing features on it either, just the basics. Two grey eyes, a nose and a mouth. No hair or birth marks, I wasn’t exactly looking to win a beauty contest, but I am low on power and I need to escape. It will take a while to regain my full power after being so weak for so long. I could always improve it latter anyway.
I popped my new neck, simply enjoying the feeling of having a neck to pop. I flexed my new arms and clenched my hand. The body wasn’t perfect, as evident by the fact it stopped at the waist and it was also stiff, but after going so long without a body it felt like heaven. Or maybe that’s just the pure terror I can feel rolling off Star’s sole.
“Lord Horror, it is an honor to see you revived once more. And I . . .”The unicorn formerly known as Stone never got to finish as I pointed my left hand, Horrors Hand, at him and repeated the same process I had just used on his sister to construct a pair of legs. His soul was a slimy black.
Standing up was another experience I found extremely enjoyable, and so was walking. I plucked the small black soul out of the air from where it was floating. ‘I wonder where the other guards are? All that yelling and screaming should have attracted the other guards.’ I bring the soul up to my face, the tiny object quivering in fear.
“May you rest in eternal fear, betrayer of kin.” My voice was smooth and slick, nothing like the deep rumbling sound I had in my original body. I popped the former unicorn’s soul into my mouth, and swallowed. I instantly felt my magic slightly increase, the effects of swallowing a unicorns soul. It was a perk of having Horrors Hand, whenever I devour a soul I gain a slight perk. From unicorns I gain boosted magic, pegasi give me increased agility and earth ponies give me increased endurance.
At one point I had over a thousand souls, now I have the one. I lift Stars small orange soul and examine it. I felt a twinge of pity for the soul, it having been tricked into sacrificing itself to me by its own sibling. If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is a kin traitor.
And so at that moment when I was weaker than I had ever been since I first arrived in Equestria, I decided to show this one soul an act of mercy.
I crushed it, allowing her to pass on to the after life.
