Chains and Ladders

Discord sat next to Luna’s prone form as Twilight tried to revive her. He really hadn’t meant to hit her. He wasn’t a warrior, he was a manipulator. Just like Daemon.

Discord stood up, fire in his eyes. He grinned sadistically, remembering his trump card. Daemon thought himself so powerful that none of Mainyu could touch him. But some darkness can swallow even a child born of light.

“You think you are the best plotter, Daemon?” Discord muttered under his breath. “You have no idea what I am capable of.” Twilight didn’t look up, but continued to try and help Luna.

Discord felt his new ally’s power before the others, and cackled madly while Celestia and Daemon froze in fear. Celestia had suffered several bad wounds from which golden blood streamed, while Daemon sat untouched atop Halos’ scarred form. Bringing Melek here had paid off after all. Discord felt a twinge of regret as some part of him realized what he'd done, but it was banished as he got a good look at the horror on Daemon's face.

“Discord, are you doing that?” Twilight paused in her ministrations to gaze at the draconequus. Discord only shook his head. The energy certainly felt like Discord’s to her, but wrong somehow. Discord pointed to the ridge where Melek stood, causing Twilight to follow his arm to see Melek. Only it was no longer Melek who stood there.

The physical form hadn’t changed much, but he had sprouted a set of scaled draconic wings while his horn lengthened and was encompassed by a black energy that seemed to consume any light that approached. Twilight was forced to avert her gaze as the figure jumped into the air to hover opposite Celestia and Halos.

“Discord, what is that!” Twilight cried as Discord began to shake. He had released something far worse than Daemon.

“That is…” Discord began, before a massive explosion silenced his continuation.

“Do you fancy yourself darkness, Mazdana?” Melek’s new form smiled wickedly at Daemon, who had begun hyperventilating. Celestia, her pupils wide, gazed in disbelief at the power before her. “Because you are nought but a shadow of light on the wall. Gaze upon true darkness, and tremble!” Melek released a massive amount of energy that caused a massive explosion. Sand was thrown into the air, obscuring his view. Melek smiled all the same. His vessel had now accepted the contract, and darkness returned to the world.

Melek Kul watched in horror as the voice continued to charge magical energy. He wanted the power to help, but now found himself only a spectator.

"Is there a problem, vessel?" a voice floated through Melek's head. With an odd sensation, he found himself in a world of darkness, with only a small torch illuminating the scenery. Melek carefully moved forward, but froze as he heard the scraping of scales on stone.

Turning around, Melek came face to face with a massive serpent. The serpent boasted an impressive set of scaled wings and vicious yellow eyes. Its scales were a dull black, with the exception of the belly scales that bore an slightly metallic tinge.

"Are you not satisfied, kul?" the serpent's voice sounded as if he had gargled gravel. Melek faced the serpent, hiding his fear.

"I wanted to help, not destroy." Melek shot back, stamping a hoof. The serpent laughed at his pitiful attempt to intimidate him.

"We are helping, kul." the voice lightened somewhat. "Or perhaps we should call you Mainyua." The serpent seemed to smile, sending a chill down Melek's spine.

"Who are you?" Melek demanded.

When the dust settled, Celestia had been knocked to the ground alongside her sister, Twilight, and the shaking form of Discord. Daemon, who had hidden within Halos, emerged to glare balefully at his new opponent. Halos also stared at Melek, but rather than the hatred that emanated from Daemon, it found its emotions in turmoil. The cortex, taken from the Sultana, recognized the being in front of her as Melek Kul. The Sultana’s consciousness, deep within the madstone, struggled to comprehend what had occurred. She didn’t really want to attack Melek, did she?

The Sultana didn't have friends, she had only subjects. So why was she so hesitant to attack?

“How could you be here?” Daemon snarled, unaware of the struggle in Halos' mind.

“You act as if you are not happy to see me, Mazdana.” Melek sneered back at Daemon, who screamed in fury.

“Halos! Crush this insolent fool!” Daemon shrieked. The metal construct lumbered forward as if to attack, but suddenly halted. Melek tilted his head slightly as he regarded the machine. Halos tried to bring a hoof up, but the Sultana’s voice kept pestering it to leave Melek alone. Melek smiled as he felt the conflict within the machine. The armor had been badly damaged by Taus’ explosion and his own attack. It stood no chance against his full power now.

“You fancied yourself the puppetmaster, no?” Melek licked his lips menacingly. “But in truth, you were only the puppet.” Raising a hoof, Melek pointed at Halos. The construct suddenly emitted the noises of metal bending, as it started to collapse inward. Daemon watched in horror as Halos crumpled into a ball of bronze trash, its crystal brain crushed. Baphomet’s Horns, warped from pressure, fell to the sand, while the Panoptes madstone cracked before floating over to Melek.

“Little viper,” Melek laughed at the stone, savoring the feelings of fear emitting from the crack “you have lost your fangs.” Opening his mouth wide, Melek’s serpentine tongue emerged to engulf the stone as he swallowed it. Licking his lips again, Melek flew slowly toward Daemon. Daemon failed to respond.

“Feeling scared, Mazdana?” Melek circled Daemon, who was frozen in disbelief. “Perhaps you should try to conquer my mind, as you do to others?” Melek laughed. “I was right beside you the entire time, yet you never felt me.” Daemon launched a mental probe but was horrified to feel it sink past the walls of Melek’s mind. Inside, Daemon found only darknesses that he could not comprehend. Crying in pain, Daemon sank to the ground as Melek followed.

“How?” Daemon whispered as Melek approached. Melek favored him with a slight smile. “How did you come back?!” Daemon shrieked as he was picked up by Melek’s magic.

“I never really left.” Melek sank his teeth into Daemon’s neck and ripped out his throat. Swallowing, Melek sighed contentedly as he savored the taste of Light’s flesh. Daemon fell wordlessly to the ground, his powers stolen. Melek wiped his muzzle with a hoof, but only spread the golden blood across it. They thought they had condemned him to the Void, but a little of him had escaped and festered in the ruins for decades. When Discord found him and gave him enough life to find a new host, he greedily took the opportunity. Now, a thousand years later, in his fifth host, he had finally won.

Melek turned to where the others had stood, but was surprised to find that they had vanished. Except for Discord, who was kneeling as Melek approached. Melek wasn’t sure what to do with his younger… relative. He hadn’t wanted to release him. That was Mainyu’s decision.

“Little Mainyua.” Melek smiled gently at Discord. “I must thank you for my rebirth.”Discord didn’t answer as Melek circled him, gently brushing against his body. “After all,” Melek whispered “if not for your imprisonments and deception, I would not have found a path back from shadow to true darkness.” Discord flinched as he felt Melek’s breath on his neck.

“I helped you.” Discord shook as Melek tilted his head. “Leave me and my friends alone.”

Melek pondered Discord’s words for several moments. While Discord’s revival of his shadowy form a thousand years ago had been most helpful, the being cowering before him seemed far weaker than expected. “Your friends, Mainyua? We don’t have friends, only subjects.” Melek reminded him. Discord shook his head, causing Melek snorted in irritation.

“You forget yourself!” Melek’s voice reverberated across the desert. “Mainyua must rule, while Mazdana fall!” Discord stood up, his fists clenched.

“You will not harm my friends.” Discord glared at Melek, who tossed his head back and laughed. Bringing his head back, Discord noted the hatred in his eyes.

“This is chaos, then?” Melek mocked him. “You are nothing, then. You are no Mainyua.” Before Discord could reply, he was knocked backwards. Melek took to the sky, shaking his head. “For your help, no-kin, I will spare you for now. But remember that you are now prey, fit only to fall or to serve.” Melek sped off, as Discord wondered at what he had released.

“Ahriman.” the serpent replied, moving its massive head forward. Melek fell backwards as he tried to scramble away from the head, flinching when the forked tongue slithered out toward him.

"A-Ahriman. Let me and my friends go." Melek tried to reply forcefully, but his tone faltered halfway through. Ahriman merely hissed in laughter.

"You have no friends, Mainyua. We are one and the same now." Ahriman's massive mouth opened as he swallowed Melek.

Melek's screams echoed around their shared mind for several minutes before dying down.