Brothers' Past

"Naalnish, it's nice to see you again." A stallion greeted a mare as she entered the room.

"Likewise." She replied as she took her seat.

"Good evening Temporis-" a mare greeted him as she entered the room.

"Discord, if you wish to fool me you'll have to think of a better disguise."

"How'd you know it was me?!" The mare shouted with a deep, male voice.

"Your wings. You see, one of them belongs to a bat." The mare looked back and noticed her wings didn't match.

"Huh…look at that." Discord stomped his hoof and changed back to his normal form, he then approached the table and sat down next to Naalnish. Shortly after, the remaining Principles of Creation entered the room and sat down around the table.

"Good evening to you all, it’s nice to see you all made it to this year’s gathering-" the stallion paused as he saw Discord raise his cloven hoof. "What is it Discord?"

"When can I leave?"

"Not for another hour, now sit down." Temporis growled at him, he sighed loudly and sat back down.

"What a cruel land you live in…what kind of place would not allow a stallion to act as himself?" a deep, gravelly voice echoed through the room. As soon as it faded a black flame appeared on the table and floated around, leaving a trail of ash in its wake that formed a pentagram, following the light's path. The shape burst into flames and from it rose a colossal serpent; eyes red as blood and horns that curved to the corners of his mouth its mouth. The claws resembled jagged glass. "Ah, I know. You. All of you. You are all pathetic. Look what you have done to your 'sacred' land. You forbid a stallion from being who he truly is, morphing him to a being unlike him due to your own selfish wants." The creature growled. The echoes died along with the flames shrouding the beast.

"Nexus Black, how dare you show your face in our land-!"

"Silence…I have returned to see the family I have raised…"

"What is the true reason of this interruption, beast!?" Temporis yelled at him. Pitch Black looked at him, staring down with his glowing red eyes.

"…Redemption…and revenge." He wheezed before fading into black smoke and disappearing.
Later as the day began to wind down, he arrived back at the cave where he was banished. As he entered the worn caverns he used to call home, he began to hear sounds of suffering.

"Move faster wench!" a stallion yelled followed by a whipping sound.

"You shall suffer for this you wretched swine-" a mare yelled back before her voice was cut off by her strangled scream of pain.

"Silence! Keep digging you worthless wench!" The stallion yelled at her again, before whipping her. Pitch Black continued into the cavern, approaching the two ponies. When he was close enough he saw that the mare was indeed the one he had once loved. June. She fell to the ground in exhaustion.

"What did I just say wench!?" The stallion yelled at her, he raised his whip to hit again, but before he could strike her again it was removed from his magical grip, he turned around to scold the unicorn he took it from him but instead of seeing one, he saw a stallion that stood several sizes above him. He attempted to run but Pitch Black took the whip and tied it around his neck; he then begin lifting him up by it.

"Nexus? Is that you?" June asked as she stood up.

"My love…it has been too long since I last saw the darkness in your eyes." Pitch Black calmly answered her. She began to smile weakly, tears dripping down her muzzle.

"You, release the stallion!" one of other guards yelled as he and several others drew their swords.

"Or what?" Pitch Black taunted them, a sly smile crossing his lips. He quickly jerked the whip downwards, cracking the stallions spine in two before then slammed the corpse on the ground leaving a bloody smear. "You are all to stand down…or you shall face the darkness."

"Do your worst fiend!" the stallion called out.

"Very well." Pitch Black opened his wings as a wave of shadows flew out of them coating the guards; their armor to rusting and becoming stained with blood. The shadows turned their horns to dust and stained them black. When their screams died down, deep laughter started.
"You mortals are pathetic… you are unable to live through the slightest of pain…nor are you able to inflict any." Pitch Black walked over to one of his newly created Living Shadows, it looked up at him and laughed sinisterly. "At least now…you can serve a true purpose." He looked back at the other guard who’s body laid lifeless on the ground and approached it; he moved his wing over it and the body started twitching as if life was returning to it. As the guard stood up he turned and saw Pitch Black behind him, he attempted to run but Pitch Black used his magic to coat him with shadows.

"My lord?" June asked as she approached him, he turned around and looked at her with, his eyes full of scolding anger. "Nexus, did you bring that stallion back to life?"

"It appears so… please finish off what is left of the guards and gather the others."

"Yes Nexus." Later as the day ended the brotherhood members gathered in the large chamber and waited for Pitch Black, hours passed until he finally arrived. He entered the room wearing a black cloak that covered his entire body, making him look like an oversized shadow as the cloak gently billowed with his every step. He stood tall above them.

"My children…the gods have forsaken us…look at what they have done to your king." Pitch Black announced as he threw his cloak to the ground, revealing his blackened and scarred body. Cries of outrage and despair rung throughout the cavern. "We must have our revenge against them for their cruelty…and I know what to do…" He took a deep breath and began to speak. "Two years ago they banished me to a land where fire covered the earth… Upon arriving there I met it’s leader…and I slayed him." His children began to cheer. "He demanded I bowed to him but I refused… Because of his insolence, I ended his reign and used his flesh and bone to forge a blade… Using that blade forged from my enemies mere being, I shall bring down the gods that threaten to extinguish us. My children, our shadows will continue to flourish and grow. With every minute, and every second; we grow."
He paused for a moment and turned around to open the sarcophagus. He removed the scythe from it, and swung the magical instrument downwards opening a rift in the cavern floor. The rift opened wider allowing the screams of pain and agony to flood the room, and as the screams echoed, something started crawling out allowing with them. The beast stuck it’s claw through the large tear and as it crawled through all the members of the group started moving back towards the wall to avoid being near it. "My children…say hello to the being that crawled within the pits of Tartarus…at least, until I released it." When the beast made it through the rift it looked up at everypony and revealed to them it’s face; eyeless and earless.

"My lord, what is that thing?" June asked in fear as she inched closer to him.

"It is the stalker... One of the many types of demons that crept within the flames I was sentenced to. It is also one of the new soldiers that will aid us in war."

"Does that mean there are more?"

"Of course there are but why bother with them when all I need is the one." Pitch Black replied to her, he approached the beast and using his magic he summoned a black chain and wrapped it around its neck.

"My lord, are you sure it’s safe to treat that thing as a common animal?"

"I own it now, which means if it dares attack me…I skin it alive." When he finished speaking the beast started thrashing about, attempting to free itself from the chain. When Pitch Black let go, it ran off into the tunnels roaring and screeching; trying to make it's way to the entrance.

"…My lord-"

"Wait here." Pitch Black demanded as he slowly followed the beast.
When he made it to the cave’s exit, he heard the beast snarling and roaring. A familiar voice, pleading for help, was barely distingushable among the broken and harsh sounds the animal made. He put his cloak back on and stepped into the sunlight, coming across Discord being attacked by the demon that was now his pet. "You again?"

"Oh, hey buddy, long time no see-Ah!" Discord tried to speak sarcastically before pained screaming erupted from his throat as the beast lunged, trying to rip off his head.

"I was hoping I'd finally seen the last of you."

"Well funny story, you see, the Principles sent me here to give you a message-Yike!"

"What is it?"

"Well, after the Principles saw you return, and as that thing, they decided that they didn’t want to take any chances this time. So, they decided it would be best if we finished this once and for all." Pitch Black took the chain that was on the beast and used it to pull it back away from the Alicorn.

"What did you and the other 'Gods' have in mind?" Discord stood up and wiped the dirt off of himself.

"War, one last battle between us and what is left of that organization of yours. If we win, you will forever be banished to the abyss-"

"And if I succeed in this battle…you and the others must forfeit your souls to me."

"Pfft, yeah like that’ll ever happen." Discord taunted. With that one quick line Pitch Black grew enraged. He released the demon and it leaped into the air to pounce on Discord who screamed, teleporting away just before the beast could slashed at him. When it got up it sniffed the ground to try and pick up Discord’s magic scent, when it failed it merely lay down and began to whine.

"Do not feel sad my pet…you will have a second chance to claim his head." Pitch Black patted its head and walked back into the caves which were filled with the sound of clanging metal. He stopped at a small passageway leading down to the dungeons where he released the demon. It rushed down to the cells where it waited patiently for his next command, eternally grateful to be freed from it's fiery prison. Once he was sure that it was there he continued heading towards his chamber. Before he could enter the room he was stopped by June.

"My lord-"

"What is it June?"

"Well, we never had a chance to talk since you got back-"

"Out with it before I grow impatient!" Pitch Black growled at her.

"What happened to you? Ever since you arrived, you have not been yourself... and your skin, why is it charred like that?"

"I act this way because I have been cursed by the 'gods' that we fight against. As for the flesh that has charred, as you so eloquently put it, they banished me with cursed flames. They destroyed my body... inside and out." He entered his room and locked the door behind him, refusing to leave till the dawn of the next day. He did not answer to the knocks from his lost love, merely threw a knife at the door in an attempt to silence her. As the sun rose the members started putting on their armor and sharpening their blades.

"Obelisk, where’s your brother? Why isn’t he fighting with us?"

"I don’t know, he wasn’t in the barracks when I woke up." The stallion replied as he put his helm on. June sighed loudly at this news.

"Great, we’re missing our best sniper, our iron supply is low, we don’t have a chance in He-" Just then, as she turned to walk away she bumped into someone. She looked up to see Pitch Black towering above her, dressed in dark armor. "Sir, lord, Nexus, what, why…uh…" June stuttered as she look up at the colossal stallion that towered above her.

"June…I am leaving the sanctuary to find new soldiers that will aid us in this war…stay here with the other soldiers and aid them."

"Yes my lord…wait, you want me to fight with the others?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No sir, I was just thinking that you’d want me to stay here out of harm’s way-?"

"Why would I have you do that? It is a waste of a soldier-"

"But my lord-"

"Do not question me whelp! You shall do as I say... regardless of anything in the past." Pitch Black scolded her. As he walked away June looked to the ground as she tightened her armor. She ignored the tears dripping onto the metal of her weapon and looked forward, putting her loyalty before her heart.

"All of you, head towards the spire and wait there until my command. If anyone is to disobey me…there shall be consequences." With that, Pitch Black faded away into the darkness of the cave amidst everypony continued getting ready. He walked unseen by anypony for hours until he reappeared, although instead of the small life-filled forest he was accustomed to, he appeared in a large, dead desert.

As he walked deeper into the lifeless land the ground beneath him started burning; turning into hot glass as he placed his hooves, each section hardening with his touch and melting again as he moved forward. As he was walking toward a town he saw vaguely in the distance, he was approached by two ponies. They began to yell towards him in a foreign language. Instead of stopping, he used his magic to toss them aside, as though they were dolls. He continued toward the town, pleased to find it was not a mirage.
When he arrived he was met by a stallion dressed in strange, exotic garb. A sword hung at his side and a feathery plume stuck from his hat.
"You." Pitch Black growled at him. The stallion turned and looked at him, unfazed. "I demand your army…I require them to fight for me in a war against 'gods'. You wil give me them." As soon as the words left his lips, the stallion began to yell at him in anger, but because he couldn’t understand him, Pitch Black stomped his hoof and his eyes flashed green as he set a spell upon the words of the foolish stallion who defied him. "I shall ask thee once more…give to me your army-"

"Never! My army shall remain here to serve me until death!" The stallion drew his sword and the guards around him followed suit.

"What a shame, I was hoping you’d give them willingly. Pity." Pitch Black opened his wings and a black cloud of dust came released from the leathery muscles. It coated the guards as they screamed in pain. The cloud of dust blocked out the sun as it set upon the army. When the sky cleared, the stallion saw that the heavens above were now completely black; no longer the beautiful blue it had once been. "You forced me to do this…so goodbye to all you care about, for they now serve me." He looked around and saw everypony around him, everypony he had loved, everypony in his care was now faceless, bloody beast.

"What have you done to them?!"

"I showed them the power in the shadows." Pitch Black growled to him. The empty faces of the Living Shadows stared the stallion down until his world grew dark with pain and loss. He fell to the ground and Pitch Black began to herd his new minions towards him, smiling with his own efforts.
Months later, Pitch Black returned to the members of the Brotherhood. They greeted him with joy and honor.

"My lord, it is an honor to see you again."

"Have we lost anyone during our defense?" Pitch Black demanded to know as he walked passed him towards the sanctuary.

"Uh, no sir, everyone is still here-"

"What are you hiding from your lord?"

"…We…do not know where June is." Pitch Black turned around, and as he stared at the soldier, the stallion saw the red eyes hidden in the deep shadows of his black hood. "Please, forgive me my lord, I swear she was with us when we left." Pitch Black sighed. "My lord, may I ask where you’ve been?"

"I’ve been across the world."

"Doing what?"

"…Building an army." Pitch Black smiled.
When Obelisk turned around he immediately noticed he was face to face with one of the new Living Shadows Pitch Black 'recruited'. But there was not just one; Thousands-upon-thousands of other Living Shadows started appearing from the darkness of the night. "Advance to the Spire…and do not fail me." Pitch Black commanded.

Later that night, as he arrived back at the Sanctuary, he entered the caves and heard the familiar sound of crying echoing off the stone walls. "June, you are to show yourself at once." A moment later June stepped out into the main tunnel, but her appearance was different. Her eyes looked like Pitch Blacks’, her mane was black and her coat was grey. "June…what have you done to yourself?"

"I desired to be like you, but unfortunately…the spell failed and I turned into this."

"Is that why you are not out at war?"

"I’m afraid so…I’m sorry my lord." Pitch Black began growling at her, causing her to back away in fear. "My lord, please, I’m so sorry."

"I know you are." Pitch Black growled, he opened his wings and everything went black.

"Ugh, this is so boring!" Discord groaned as he slumped off the side of the sarcophagus.

"Focus Discord, we’re here for a reason-"

"And what might that reason be?" Pitch Black asked as he entered the chamber.

"Nexus Black we order you to call off your army." Temporis demanded.

"And why would I do such a thing? ...I plan on winning this war."

"This is the only chance you’ll get Nexus-"

"Good, I was thinking you’d waste your breath more… But if you truly wish for this war to end…I shall give thee an ultimatum. Either give me your souls…or perish in battle."

"Ha! Like we’d lose to you-"

"Discord hush!"

"Very well…have it your way…the war begins at night fall…I shall be waiting at your spire, so do not be late." After that, he teleported away leaving them there contemplating their next move.

"…Well, I hope you're all happy, thanks to you I have to fight That thing-"

"Shut up Discord"” Temporis sighed as he headed out of the cave.
As night fell, Pitch Black returned to the camp site to regroup with all the other members.

"Obelisk, ready the soldiers, this wretched war is about to begin."

"Yes my lord." Obelisk saluted. He pulled a canister out of his vest. He pulled the pin off of it and threw it into the air. As it's height peaked, it exploded into an awesome mass of blue flame, signaling the other members. "All of you, spread out and cover the area, if you locate the false gods use your flares, do not attack them on your own. You shall not succeed and our ranks are too thin to lose any of you and still hope for a victory." All the soldiers saluted to him; pairing up with several Living Shadows, they entered the dark forest. "My lord, I was wondering, did you find June?"

"I did…but….not in the condition I was expecting.”

"What do you mean?"

"When I arrived at the caverns I found her body in a poor condition…the flesh was torn from her bone and her skull was removed."

"Yikes, I didn't know that they were such monsters."

"They are more brutal things on this earth than that…which is why we must kill them." Pitch Black glared at him. He ran off into the forest and met up with his team.

"Obelisk, what took you so long we were starting to think he killed you?"

"For a second I thought he would."
As they stumbled around in the dark canopy of the forest they reached a path that went down a hill, and in a split decision Obelisk took two of the living shadows with him as he ventured down the path. "You take the route, I’ll check down here."

"Ok just try not to get killed by anything."

"I'll try." Obelisk laughed as he continued onward. A while later the mare in his group approached the end of the path, as she gazed through the trees she saw one of the Alicorns. She didn't attempt to attack him, but pulled a canister from her vest and threw it into the air.

"Hey!" The Alicorn yelled at her, but before he could even get close the flare exploded and the air went silent. Moments later there were screeching sounds coming from all around as the Living Shadows approached.

"You might want to run." The mare smiled at him, then out of nowhere the beasts jumped out of the shadows of the tree, as they got closer to him he teleported away. "Oh that ain't good." The mare told herself.

"Why did you allow him to get away?" Pitch Black asked, the mare turned around as soon as he heard his voice.

"My lord, I swear I didn’t mean to-"

"Move."

"…What?"

"Move…now?"

"Why-?" Just then a colossal ball of fire crashed down atop the Living Shadows, killing them instantly.

"Nexus Black I know you’re here, show yourself!" the stallion demanded.

"Stay here."

"Yes my lord." Pitch Black opened his wings and flew up past the trees.

"Nexus Black it’s time we ended this silly feud."

"I couldn’t agree more." Pitch Black teleported and reappeared above him, the stallion flew downward; Pitch Black grabbed the stallion and slammed him into the ground. "It shall take more effort than that to defeat me."

"I know." The stallion replied. Pitch Black turned and saw him standing there in perfect condition.

"You appear more skilled then I thought."

"I must be, otherwise I would fall to someone like you."

"I take it that your challenging me." Pitch Black growled.

"Stand down Nexus!" a mare announced, he looked up and saw her along with the rest of The Principles of Creation. "You cannot defeat all of us Nexus."

"I’m afraid that is where you are wrong." Pitch Black stomped his hoof summoning the Living Shadows. They crept along the ground and rose up as they grew nearer to him, slinking like foxes. "Pray to your god, while you still have a chance." He stomped the ground again, his magic turning the living shadows into normal ponies who then burst into black flames shooting into the air; black rockets full of hatred. The principles stepped away from the pillar as they heard their screams of pain and suffering. As the pillar burned, the plant life surrounding it died off and the air grew a chill to it. When the flames died down they saw Pitch Black had transformed into a dragon whose heads stretched past the clouds and whose body went on for miles.

"What is that thing?" Temporis asked himself. The heads of the beast loomed from the skies and sneered upon them standing there, transfixed. It let loose a mighty roar, heard for miles around, striking fear into their hearts. It lifted it's clawed foot and slammed it down. It's power shook the very earth it stood upon. It began moving from the forest, toward the ocean.

"Temporis where is it going?!"

"I don’t know but we need to stop it!" Temporis called back as he flew upwards. As he approached the beast he heard voices radiating from it as they whispered to one another, he was even able to make out a few of the voices considering they were that of guards who used to serve him. He readied his horn and jetted downwards striking the beast's back. It let loose another roar causing him to think that it was hurt, but when he turned around he saw one of the heads ready to bite him in two. He rushed out of the way as it bit at him.

"Temporis what happened?"

"I don’t know, my attack didn’t do anything." Temporis replied as he joined the others. Naalnish separated from the group and flew in front of the beast, she charged her magic and shot at it using a powerful beam. But as the magic struck it, annoyance was the only effect. As a retaliation one of the heads opened its mouth, showing a spark of crackling electricity. It began to grow with every second. When it bit down the electricity shot at her, she flew out of harm's way and it struck the earth shocking the ground.

"Naalnish get back!" Temporis yelled, she flew back to them as the beast stepped into the water of the ocean.

"Temporis, we can’t stop it, it’s too powerful."

"It has to have some sort of weakness."
The beast roared as it dunked one of it's heads into the sea. A growl resonated, reaching The Principles who were watching helplessly. A moment later the water was alight with electric sparks. The bodies of dead sea creatures floated to the surface, their golden souls rising from the depths of the water to fuse with the dragon.

"Temporis what do we do!?" One of the Principles screamed, but Temporis did not answer. Seconds later the beast made it to land and headed towards a village that rested upon the horizon. "Temporis!?" The mare yelled again.

"Pitch Black!" A mare's voice rang out as suddenly the skies were filled with a golden light that glinted off the ruined world. When the lights began to fade a mare revealed herself, an alicorn with a white coat and a flaming red mane. "This ends now Pitch Black."

"Faust…it is has been a long time since we last saw one another."

"Yes. I was hoping that time would have changed you for the better, but it clearly didn’t."

"Why is it that you are here?"

"You have thrown off the balance of this world Pitch Black."

"Is that so? I did not think I would succeed this early."

"This is your last chance, stop what you are doing or suffer the consequences."

"Why should I do as you say? I am the more powerful one…so you should be doing as I say."

"Do not patronize me."

"Very well… I shall kill you then!" The center head loomed downward to bite her, but before it even got close, Faust lifted her horn and shot a powerful beam of light at him. It tore the flesh from his blones like a starving child would rip a turkey; quickly and messily.

"You had your chance Pitch Black, now you must suffer."

"I shall not go down without a fight!" Pitch Black yelled as he charged at her, and as got close she readied her magic and shot at him using a more powerful beam of light that began to turn his flesh to ash and his bones to glass.

"Pitch Black I hereby banish your soul to the depths of Tartarus where it shall rot till the end of time!" Faust yelled, and as her words echoed his body started fading to ash.

"Be warned Faust, I shall return and I shall take the souls of all those you care about!" Pitch Black yelled before the ashy pile of his body fell to the earth in a ragged pile.

"Mother Faust!" Temporis yelled out as he and the others landed and bowed to her.

"Temporis, is there a reason that you couldn’t defeat him?"

"I’m sorry, he was too powerful, our... our magic did nothing to him." Faust smiled and rolled her eyes. She walked over to the ashes that remained on the ground, she shifted them and as she did, souls flew from them.

"No!" A young filly yelled out. They all looked up and saw her running towards the remains of what used to be the mighty creature known as Pitch Black. "What did you do to him!? What did you do to my love!?" She cried out as she hugged the black glass bones.

"Little filly, what are you doing here?" Temporis asked as he approached her.

"You killed my king! You monster!" She yelled, she ran towards him and started hitting him.

"What are you talking about, he was the monster-!"

"You're the monster! He was my king! He wanted to show the world power but you killed him! You wanted him silent!” She yelled at him, as he tried to pick her up she beat him.

"You little-"

"Temporis leave her alone; she’s just a little girl." Faust told him.

"This little brat bit me!"

"Temporis stand down." Temporis sighed as he walked back towards the others.

"My king will reborn! And when he is he'll be welcomed back with love and honor! He'll be welcomed back by-by the Brotherhood-" She paused as she looked down and noticed she was stepping in his ashes. "He'll be welcomed back by the Brotherhood of the Black Hoof!" She continued yelling as she lifted her hoof and pointed it at them. "And when he’s back he’ll have an army to serve him! A loyal army! One that will obey him and only him, and never obey you false gods!" After that she ran off crying into the forest.

"And since that day, that little filly has been going around the world, recruiting every pony for the new Brotherhood. She told them about the true king, the one that would return and give them the gift of power and courage."

"Aunt Summer? Whatever happened to that pony?" A young filly asked as she raised her hoof.

"Well, last I heard, she was looking over one of the many Brotherhood dens."

"Is it true that the false gods died?" Another young pony asked as he raised his hoof.

"Sadly no, only some are gone, the others live on." She answered. She stood up and walked over to the door and opened it. "Alright, that's it for story time." She told them and them all sighed. As they got up and headed out the door a stallion with a black coat, bat like wings, and red eyes walked in.

"Nepheus!" A young filly called at as she ran over to him and hugged his leg.

"Get off me." He grunted as he started shaking his leg. The filly clung tighter and began to cheer at what seemed like a game. He placed his hoof on her head and pushed her off him.

"See you later Nephy!" She laughed as she ran off.

"Looks like someone has an admirer." The old mare chuckled.

"Mother I wish you would stop telling them these stories."

"Why? They like it-"

"Yes but every time you tell one I get another brat clinging to my leg."

"Oh cheer up, in the future you might get married to one of them."

"That shall never happen-"

"Nepheus what happened to your horn?"

"I had it removed, after hearing of my father I refused to be anything like him-"

"Yet you still carry the same dark black coat and scars as him." The stallion growled quietly. "And don’t growl at me, I might be old but my magic still works." The mare snapped at him as she used her magic to pull on his ear.

"Fine, just release me." The stallion snapped back at her.

"Commander June, we’re waiting for you so we may start the conference." A stallion told her as he looked in through the doorway.

"Alright. I’ll be there in a minute.” The guard nodded his head and walked off. "Will you be joining me this time or will you lock yourself in your room again?”

"I suppose I’ll join this once, but the second it is over I shall be going back to my research."

"Alright, at least I got you out of your room." The mare smiled as he walked out of the room. When he was gone she picked up a picture she had next to her bed. A stallion smirked from the frame, his spiky dark blue main sticking out from his pale turquoise muzzle. He smiled next to a beautiful pale blue mare next to him, her eyes widened in adoration at the site of him as her purple mane draped over one eye.

"Mother!"

"Alright I’m coming.” She called back.
June put down the picture and left the room, trying to focus on her future instead of her past.