Fallen (Original)

Arkantos closed his eyes, letting the magma overtake his body. The shell forming around his body. He’d never truly attempted this before, only forming it out of liquid metals.

It felt just the same, only the heat around him was noticeable. For once he felt hot, it was indescribable for him. But the heat soon faded and there was a cool feeling all around him. The shell forming thick black armor around him. He could already tell how he looked, a demon straight from the blackest, darkest pit of the Infernos. But that’s what he needed, fear. If he was to get out of this in the easiest way he needed the thing that tried to kill him, to fear him. He slowly rose to the surface, now standing on top of the rolling molten rock. He felt so cold all of a sudden, and he knew exactly why. Part of himself was missing, and now he had to reclaim it.

“Arkantos are yo-” Vyl’s voice stopped, the changeling standing in front of the terrifying warrior. Now he looked less like a human and more like the very embodiment of death and war. The pure black armor reflected all light off of it, giving him an almost glistening look. The only thing of the man inside that was visible were the two fiery eyes deep within the helmet, the strangely cold orange eyes now locking with Vyl’s.

“I am done.” Arkantos said, slowly walking to the edge of the magma pit. Vyl backed away from the towering human. “Did you get into contact with this Chrysalis?”

“He did.” A female voice hummed from out of the chamber. Soon a large female changeling stepped into view, her eyes darting all over the human. “Quite scary… do you intend to get married looking like that?”

“No, I intend to keep Twilight and our children safe.” Arkantos growled, his eyes narrowing. Chrysalis paused momentarily, her feeling of control slipping as she saw something… primal rising inside the human before her. It frightened her more than anything she’d seen before. This man intended to kill if anything so much as harmed Twilight. Chrysalis may have been worried about her hive after the last royal wedding, but this… this terrified her.

“A-alright, I… I do intend to help you accomplish that…” Chrysalis put her hands up, Ark’s attention shifted to Vyl, the rage slipping back into the depths of Ark’s soul.

“Good, then we can move soon.” He turned back around kneeling down to the magma. “Go get ready… I’ll be out soon.”

The two changelings left him alone.

Several hours later:

Twilight was pacing back and forth in the throne room, awaiting Luna and Celestia. “No… this can’t be happening.” She shook her head. Celestia was the only one to enter.

“What’s wrong?” Celestia inquired.

“I… I don’t know how to explain it!” Twilight said quickly, “All I know is, something bad’s happening and it’s coming down fast!”

“What do you mean?” Celestia asked softly, approaching Twilight and putting a hand on her shoulder.

“I just… It’s Arkantos, I’m really… just…” Twilight stammered out.

Celestia gave her a small smile, her eyes glowing a little. “Oh, it’s just a little pre-wedding nervousness…” Her horn lit up and…

“C-Celestia?” Twilight could barely eep out, fatiuge overcoming her.

“Don’t worry Twilight…” Celestia slowly helped Twilight to the ground. “You’re not going to die… you’re far too important for that… unlike that human.”

Twilight tried to fight, but she realized quickly how outmatched she was as Celestia’s form shifted to that of a large changeling. A grin coming across his face. The changeling king stood there, staring down at her. “You know… this was quite a bit easier than what Chrysalis tried… too bad she didn’t decide to work with us… she could have had all of Equestria to herself. But her ‘hive’ was far more important to her… pathetic really.” He laughed, teleporting both him and Twilight out of the throne room. Now she was in a place she didn’t recognize.

“They won’t find you… not here.” The changeling king chuckled. “We’ve been preparing for this for a long time you know. You’re entire world is about to fall the fuck apart and we’ll be here to clean up the remains… and offer the survivors protection… where you and your ilk failed to provide it.”

Twilight felt a bit more concentration come back to her, though she didn’t show it.

“Oooh, too bad someone else wants you… otherwise I’d take that little mind of yours over, though you could go without the abominations your carrying…” The changeling king scoffed, rolling the downed alicorn over with his foot. “You want to know what I did, don’t you? How I got rid of him…”

Twilight’s eyes widened and her heart seized up.

“I drove a knife…” His horn lit up, a sickening green color, unlike the previous neon green she had seen from changelings, and a knife appeared in his hand, still covered in blood. “Well I drove this knife into his heart… quite stupid for a ‘warrior’ and a ‘prince’ it’s almost laughable that he survived this long… he must truly have needed you.”

“Y-you have no idea what’s going to happen if he thinks I’m dead, do you?” Twilight breathed out.

“I don’t care what a dead man thinks or was capable of.” The changeling king scoffed.

“He’s survived more than a knife in all of his life… I’ve SEEN what he holds as nightmares… and if you think… even for a second he’s not going to fight his way back through any hell, then you’re more gullible and stupid than anyone ever has been…” Twilight spat.

The changeling kicked her, sending her into a wall. She felt his magic protect part of her body, but her face and back were left undefended. “You should feel lucky that someone wants those creatures in you to survive… otherwise those bruises would be the least of your concerns…” He growled, “Now shut the fuck up, whore.” He spat in her face, turning as two changelings entered the room.

“M… My lord… w-we couldn’t find his body…” The first said.

“What.” The changeling king stopped dead in his tracks.

Despite her pain Twilight felt herself smile, her horn slowly lighting up.

“V-vyl’s also missing.”

“That damned fool! I knew I shouldn’t have let him survive! Begin searching for both Vyl and that things body. Bring me BOTH of their heads!” The changeling king growled, only to stop as Twilight’s horn flashed, and she vanished, teleporting as far away as she could manage. “DAMN IT! FIND THE BITCH TOO!” He screamed, causing both the changelings to cower back and run out of the chamber.

“My, my… you’re having quite the day, aren’t you, Egos?” A whimsical voice quipped. Egos seized up, his eyes widening. “Oh, don’t feel so scared… I’m not here to do anything to you. Yet.” Egos never turned around, not wanting to so much as look at the figure. “He expected you to be violent… just be warned, if she suffers any more injuries, what he’ll do will be tenfold anything you’ve ever felt… and do make sure our dear prince. Does die, will you? If he finds out you’ve hurt her, well… I do know we’ll be the least of your worries. I do hear his rage is infernal.”

“I’ll make sure he’s dead. Our plans have been waiting too long to fail now.” Egos responded, clenching his fists.

“Oh, and do leave the others out of it… our Lord has plans for them. And they aren’t to be interrupted…” The figure growled, before everything in the room went dark, leaving Egos in the purest form of black.

“They… they won’t be so much as touched.” He quaked. The lights returned to the room and Egos was truly alone, or so he hoped.

Twilight found herself deep in the Everfree, no, it couldn’t have been the Everfree she couldn’t have even been in Equestria anymore. Not with the giant crystal tree before her. She should have been fearful of being lost so far from home. But the sight of the tree brought about a calmness to her entire being. She recognized the tree, but she couldn’t recall where she saw it before.

“At least… I’m safe now…” Twilight collapsed, gripping her stomach. Using the last bit of her energy she made sure that the foals were alright. She smiled as she felt two foals were alright, almost positively glowing. She rested against the comforting tree, the energy it gave off causing her to relax even more as it pulsed with a magic she could now recognize. “Wait… it couldn’t be…”

The tree seemed to pulse even more, as if calling out.

“The Tree Of Harmony…” Twilight mumbled, staring up at it. She was too busy staring in awe at the myth before her to realize she was no longer alone.

“Twilight?” A familiar voice caused her to snap around, her horn lighting up defensively, fear filling her once again.