The Witch King Rises Again

"The trial will need to be postponed, I require rest. I have overused my magic." Angmar had been following the princess for some time, they were now nearing the castle in the center of the city. Ponies were shying away from the wraith and his guards. As they should.

Celestia had been feeding him facts about the land and how 'Harmony has always been best!' But he didn't care, he simply needed to listen, find a way to make the ponies fear him too much to look for him, but not enough to try and attack him (constantly at least, he didn't mind the odd adventurer). By the looks of things, he could do this by simply existing, judging by how the ponies were acting. Celestia was confused by his question. If what he was saying is true then he shouldn't be walking! He shouldn't even be standing right now! Especially from what Twilight said about his magical capabilities. Celestia took a closer look at Angmar, his shoulders (or what she assumed was his shoulders) were far more relaxed than the description, aswell as his head seemed to hang slightly, and he was putting most of his weight on his large scythe. "That can be arranged, I'm sure Twilight, Cadence and my sister will not mind. Might I inquire as to what caused such a drain?"

"I was interrupted from my slumber when Twilight Sparkle informed me, what happened next is not of your concern, then I made my weapon." Angmar motioned to the scythe with his free right hand. "You will uphold your promise I assume? I would hate to have created this for nothing."

Celestia took another look of confusion. "How could such a weapon be used in a court! Unless..." Realization slowly crept onto her face. "Y-you can't be thinking of being the," She seemed to struggle with the final word. "executioner."

"You are correct I'm not thinking of it" Celestia relaxed a bit. I am going to be it, I am in the best position to perform this role, and I would hate to leave this place without a proper contribution."

Celestia understood now, Angmar was using the ponies fear in his favor, by allowing him a position of power Celestia had guarantied the outcome of the trial. Celestia was using that promise as a way to judge as to what kind of character Angmar was, judge would have told her of a brash, arrogant character. A place in the jury would have meant that Angmar wasn't too serious about him wanting Sombra dead, so she would have a chance to save his life. But executioners haven't been used in thousands of years, yet she knew that this was the best place for him, given his description. Now she knew what kind of 'thing' he was, he was intuitive, crafty, manipulative...many traits he shared with Sombra, although with more patience, the one thing Sombra lacked for victory. Angmar knew that if he chose a deciding role, then he would get pestered for it, if he took this role however he could use fear to change the outcome to his will. This was a commander.

"W-we haven't used nor needed executioners in centuries, is it possible you could pick a different position?" She asked with pleading eyes in her sad expression.

"No, trials require a reason to be feared, and so do I. So I expect a place that matches my own skill set, and needs." And not easily swayed Celestia figured.

She sighed. "If you must. Then I will respect that, even though the practice has been abandoned, I suppose in age-old conflicts, age-old solutions must be considered. Even if they are...distasteful."

Just then, an orange and blue-maned Pegasus pony who she recognized from the crystal empire, but couldn't remember why. He walked right up to Angmar and glared at him. "Hey!" The pony said.

Angmar didn't stop walking, but pushed the pony aside with the end of his scythe. The pony wasn't finished.

"Get back here! You threatened my date!" Ah, now she remembered. This was Twilight's new coltfriend.

Twilight looked around at the cafe she was in. Not very many ponies were there, mostly due to the fact this was a very high-class place and had many high-classed ponies (the stuck-ups, Applejack tended to call them). After her visit to the separate universe where she had met Flash Sentry (bipedal...thing version, she never really asked what they were when she was there), but when she came back and met the pony counterpart, she had some feeling for him. So when Flash asked her out to this date, she accepted without a second thought. Flash was sitting opposite her, going over a training mishap during one of his first sessions, apparently trying to balance another pony on a spear wasn't the best way to pass the obstacle course. Twilight wasn't paying much attention to what he was saying though, her mind was torn between him, and him. Flash and Angmar. From what she knew of Flash, he was protective, bold, but he was clever and resourceful. From what she knew of Angmar, he was powerful, cruel, foreboding, a master of magical control and a commander. In their own ways, they reminded her of her brother, one of them was more of a conversationalist though, and the other a leader, respectively. Twilight shook her head slightly and blinked.

'No, no more thought about that. I'm on a date! Focus!'

"So, what have you been doing with your new 'duties' lately?" Flash asked the slightly distracted princess.

"Hmm? Oh, well, Sombra came up to that castle doorstep yesterday." She replied nonchalantly.

Flash dropped the glass in his hooves, spilling ice tea. "S-Sombra? THE Sombra? Crystal King Sombra? Tyrannical Slaver Sombra?!" A few patrons in the cafe turned to the couple. "What is he doing here?"

"At the moment, awaiting trial within the dungeons. When he got here he had all of his legs broken, internal bleeding, and severe exhaustion. That's another thing I had to do recently, I had to convince the being that did that to him to come here as well, AND Celestia decided to give him any place in the trial he wants! He could just be judge and say ' Off with his head!' and be done with it! Sometimes I wonder what Celestia is really thinking to have some brilliant plans, and others...not so much." Twilight replied angrily.

"..." Flash couldn't find words for this. "... What is this 'thing' that did this to Sombra? And what do you mean, it's coming here for the trial?" Flash was nervous for the answer to the second question.

"He called himself 'Lord of the Nazgul' but his name is Angmar. And I was asked to deliver the message that we had Sombra in custody. Sombra had entered Angmar's keep and was demanding something from Angmar, knowing him probably wanted Angmar as a servant or general, so Angmar picked him up with his magic and threw him through a solid layer of magically strengthened iron! That caused his injuries. My friends and I tried to peacefully take him away to face a trial, but he escaped. Angmar was furious, saying if we didn't agree to finding him we would never leave. So we agreed to look, and Sombra came right to us. So now he is coming here and is likely going to just condemn Sombra to death, because Celestia gave him the choice of any place, including the big ones." Twilight rested her chin on the table. A frown gracing her face at the prospect of her teacher and long-time-idol being scared into doing something so brash.

Flash however was almost fuming. Angmar had threatened his date! She had nothing to do with it! She was only doing the right thing! That is no reason to keep her there and be subjected to whatever horror reside in his mind! (Oh and her friends to, they're... important.) Just then, Flash's eyes were graced with the image of a tall figure, clad in dark armour and robes. A large scythe at it's side, swords visible on it's back along with a scepter. On it's head was a menacing headdress that left it's face to be just a dark shadow. Beside it was Celestia, looking around at various things while talking to the creature. The thing didn't seem to interested in whatever Celestia was saying. There were ten other things like the black wraith, but they looked like guards. Flash looked in the places where flash should have been showing on them, his knowledge of armour from being a guard helping, but he only found more metal. Flash took this moment to get up and give that thing a piece of his mind 'Don't mess with Twilight, or you mess with me!' he thought he would say, it seemed to be intimidating in his head. Twilight lifted her chin up when she saw Flash get up and begin walking for the door.

"Where are you going?" She asked following his eyes she saw Angmar. "WAIT! You can't talk to him! And trust me, I know what you're thinking, you're going to get angry about me being threatened! Just please let it go, for your own sake!" Her words fell on deaf ears however, as Flash walked out the door and right in front of Angmar.

"Hey!" He called, only to be pushed out of the way. Celestia glanced over to Twilight and gave an expression of panic. Twilight understood perfectly. "Get back here! You threatened my date!" Celestia took a few steps away from the raging colt and the ancient king, and closer to Twilight.

Angmar turned his head towards his challenger. "Your emotions are none of my concern. Nor are your relationships.Now leave you pathetic alai!" Angmar said turning his head back forward and slowly walking onward.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!?" Flash said getting low to the ground and flaring his wings. "Well how do you like this!" Flash took off like a bullet towards Angmar. The Nazgul saw it coming though.

Time seemed to slow down for Twilight as she saw her coltfriend fly towards Angmar at a speed that would make Rainbow impressed. When Angmar turned faster, using the scythe as a pivot and punching his armoured fist into Flash's face with a metalic clang. Sending the pegasus straight into the ground with a thud. Angmar chuckled as Flash pulled himself out. Flash could feel the blood running down his face from his likely broken nose and glared at the wraith.

"I liked that very much you bagronk! Most entertaining." When Angmar was a few meters away from the angry stallion he turned back. "Now I give you one chance and one chance only, walk away." Angmar's guards were mentally sending messages to one another, choosing tactics for taking down the pegasus. The ten of them were surrounding the two. Leaving a space behind the pony to let him through if he decided to leave like Angmar had suggested.

"And let you get away with a cheap shot and insults! Not likely!" Flash said defiantly, readying himself for another jump. Angmar readying himself to beat the idiot to a pulp, literally.

Flash charged again. Angmar once again smahed him into the ground, but followed up with a kick to the ribs, flipping the convulsing pony onto his back. Angmar studied the groaning stallion and remembered what he did to the rainbow one who kicked him back in the village. An excellent idea suddenly made it's presence known to him as he eyed the wings that were splayed out on the ground. Planting the scythe in the ground with his left hand, he rose his right foot in the air above the left wing of the pegasus. He could see his eyes pleading for him to not, but his fate was decided. He brought his armoured foot down onto the wing joint, severing it from the main body, along with a delightful scream of pain coming from the not-quite-a-pegasus-anymore. Angmar walked over to the other side of the stallion and repeated the process, replicating the result.

Angmar made his way away from the crying not-so-pegasus, his guards following suit. Twilight gasped as she saw her date crying in a ball on the ground, cradling his lost wings. She rushed over to him and pulled him into a bloody hug, sending fearful yet hateful glares at Angmar. Twilight began going through Flash's injuries with her magic, broken ribs, broken muzzle, severed wings. He'll live, but will never fly again. She looked to Celestia with pleading eyes only to see she wasn't there anymore. Celestia was walking beside Angmar again.

"That was a bit excessive, don't you think? I can see why you fought back, it was in self defense, but I'm sure he would've stayed down after you kicked him." Celestia said, trying to bend Angmar into an apology with her puppy dog eyes.

"No, he would have gotten back up and charged again. As you said, it was self defense. In self defense you must always make sure your opponent stays down, lest the return and manage to land a hit and harm you. I have already been taken off guard by one of those winged ones, I do not plan on having it happen again." Angmar stated, not even turning his head.

As much as she hated to admit it, Celestia couldn't argue with his logic. There have been many cases of ponies being attacked by creature and fighting back, but going a bit too far. Crippling the beast or killing it by accident. Self defense was understandable and expected when it came to threats. Celestia could only draw blanks as she led Angmar through the rest of the city, through the castle grounds and up to the room she had set up for him. She only noticed where she was when she got to the hallway with her room, Luna's room, and Angmar's room in it. She went up to the door marked with the symbol of a dragon in a diamond like configuration. Using her magic she opened the door and walked in, looking back to see Angmar looking around the room.

"This will be your room for the duration of your stay here. I chose this one so you will be close to my and my sister, should you request anything. Perhaps after you get some rest you could join me and her for some tea and conversation. It would help smooth out some...discrepancies, with our characters. Maybe you would even share some of your experiences, we would be delighted to hear some tales, we could even share ours along with it." Celestia said with hope.

Angmar considered the proposal. On one hand, they would ask questions about his past, and he wasn't a fan of talking about that. On the other, he would have a chance at making allies friends with the rulers of the land. "I will consider it further, but for now, I bid you good night." Angmar said, setting down his scyte against a wall near a finely carved dresser.

Celestia's posture suddenly perked up. "Excellent! I hope you do come, if you do, please go to my chambers. It is just down the hall with the yellow doors and the sun carved above it." With that Celestia left the room with a skip in her step.

'I knew he had something inside him, something he's burying. But it's comeing back out again, and the only way to make sure it does is to get him to talk about it. Now, I must ask Luna for a small favor while he sleeps.' Celestia thought as she walked to her sister's room.