Celestia the Dread-Mare

by Dracomagic

Rating: teen
Tags: Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Human, Twilight Sparkle
Length: 3205

Nopony could have guessed it would happen. Nopony could explain it. But when the ruler of the Sun's mind flips upside down, the rest of the world goes with it.

If you woke up in the middle of a wasteland with a history book and no clue about what the buck just happened, what would you do?

Well, this mare sure wants some answers.

Published 2015-05-10 21:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-05-21 21:57:09 UTC

Chapter 1- uh, What?

Blanketed by starlight and cushioned by rolling sands, there lay an untouched equine of the colour green, with a mane of shining white cascading down delicate shoulders. The natural coloured muzzle indicated the pony was indeed a fragile mare, her eyes sunken and ribs popping. Laying innocently below her head was a thick tome, crusty with sand. She was sheltered only by a weathered rock jutting out from the ground. The winds no longer blew, but strong gusts were evidenced by the crescent dunes touching the clouds. In the sky, no birds soared, the only air-born entity a a black plume of viscous mist rising from the figure behind the rock. As it gathered itself up, it turned,and as if with a mind of its own, blew away in a seemingly random direction. It left as suddenly as it had disappeared.

The remaining wisps dissipated and the mare groggily opened her eyes. "Only one more slice of-" the pony snapped her eyes wide open and hastily looked around. "What the buck...," she trailed off, slowly standing up, "I think I ate too much cake."

She now took more tine to view her surroundings and noticed the old fat book by the rock. Taking time to process the words, she couldn't help but get a sense of déjà vu. The stories of the two regal sisters and the six friends compelled her to greedily suck in the old text like a chaotic beast. Eventually, she forced herself to rip her gaze from the stories and choose what to do next. She created a list within her head to consider each choice.
1. Read the book and slowly die of dehydration.
2. Do nothing and slowly die of dehydration.
3. Start walking and either slowly die of dehydration or find someone to help.
Her decision, although a reluctant one, consisted of walking in the direction that the dunes pointed, so as to have the wind behind her. With this in mind, the green pony started her long trek across this arid desert.

Going out at night, or out at all, was dangerous, that much she knew, but the soft pink coated filly did not care. She felt something and had left the house and her mother-but-not-really. She glanced nervously around in the empty dust filled streets, her cheerful coloration and strange features attracted unwanted attention at best. She scanned the dark skies in search for a sign-
There!
A coal black tendril of choking fog was just curling its way over the slums that were her home. She wondered if this was what compelled her to venture out. She blew some strands of Snow White mane from in front of her face as she tried to get a better look at the fog.

"What this little treasure I've found, hm?"

The foal froze and hesitantly turned to look at the source of the speech. A filthy mare with a blinding yellow mane was slowly advancing on the pink pony.
"I get cold at night." The stranger smiled at the filly, "do you know where I could acquire rather nice, pink, blanket?"

After what seemed like an age, the mare crested a hot mound of sand and fixed her dull eyes on a sight which caused her weighted spirits to lift.

Civilisation!

A cracked and worn sign with letters scratched off indicated that a town called po-- -ill- stood just before her. Her mind urged her to plough forward and welcome this saviour, but her very core only grew distressed. Legs trembling she rose above the sands and saw-

The beams of immense heat and light bursting from her glowing horn made the fleeing stallion desperately writhe and scream out in pain. The powerful mare lighted next to the pony and brought her blistering white hoof down upon his face. It caught on the stallion's bottom jaw, and with additional pressure, tore it off, crushing it against his neck. Taking off once more, she left the stallion to gargle his own vital fluids.

She woke up, lying in the foundations of a building, ash long blown away by the unforgiving winds. Lying curled up on the ground whimpering was how she wanted to stay, and how she would stay until she heard faint footsteps to he left. Turning her head around, the mare spotted the crumpled remains of a large circular building-

she grinned as she watched her precious little ponies burn. They could scream, plead and cry however much they liked, but she would still obliterate them. Their little disrespectful faces cowered at her form. She laughed that how blood, gore and even some brain blemished her majestic coat, but still she burned fiercely enough to evaporate the streams of blood and tears in her wake

The pony was only awake long enough to realise that she had started to jerk uncontrollably before blacking out.

Twilight had been quietly examining the corpse of her home. Her two brown sand-guards had heard something and she silently hoped that it was a survivor and not just the wind ruffling up the earth. She should have been better for them in that sorrowful battle. She had let herself be taken away by the remaining guards to Canterlot once one bearer was left, for all hope was lost. She had been told that they couldn't even guess how many had died, partly because there were so many and partly because they had been reduced to nothing more than -

"Princess! Come here. Quickly, your highness!"

She no longer winced at her title, having gotten used to it when one of her former rulers was missing and the other...
She shook her head, clearing her mind of the memories, the screams, and hurried over to her guards. In front of them was a soft green mare who looked to be having a fit. Putting a hoof to his lips, one of the guards indicated to be quiet while whispering, "she could be a threat"

Twilight was about to protest, but that was before she realised why. The green mare with the fragile form and white mane was no ordinary pony.

She was an alicorn.

The pink pony let out a small eep and lowered her body to the ground, terrified and shaking. A scary sense of foreboding came over her and her chest felt like it would burst, so she opened her mouth to release it. She stole an upwards glance and saw the black cloud descending upon her, while the yellow maned mare gasped in terror. The filly followed her line of sight and her eyes widened at the sight of oily tendrils gushing out of her mouth and rising up to meet their fellows. The fog swelled to twice its size and moved along in its original direction once again. The filthy attacker then promptly fainted, leaving the innocent filly to attempt to follow the mist.

The blue mare was shivering despite the blistering heat. It was coming. She could feel it, sense it, she knew it. She wanted to run away, so desperately to move, but a voice inside her head commanded her to stay, so she was frozen in place.

Sssstaaayyy.... I'm nearly there... Don't you worry...

Her tears had all but dried up, but as she saw the advancing, rolling cloud of ash, she screamed and struggled at her mental chains, cowering against the sand beneath her. As the mist lifted from her body, the bloated fog began to take shape into a short two legged form wearing flexible black armour that covered everything but the head and neck, which were bare. Flapping behind the figure was a dark red cape, the colour of half-dried blood. At its hip was a small gray pouch connected to a strap which hung over its right shoulder. Stretching out a talon towards the blue mare it asked,

"So... How's your day been?"

Author's Note

I know the chapter is short, but hopefully it's sweet!
Plz leave your opinions and any constructive criticism in the comments!
Hope you enjoy my fic! all of the the ponies have White hair. All I'll say is look at Celestia then look at the colour schemes of the three ponies. :trollestia::twilightsheepish: :pinkiehappy:

Chapter 2- the darkeness is rising

"Who would have thought it, ponies are incredibly rude."
The bipedal creature crossed its arms with a mock angry expression and an exaggerated huff. All the mare did was cower on the ground.
"Not even a hello?"
The creature moved towards her while the pony squeezed her eyes shut, covered her face with her sand-blasted mane and made herself seem as small as possible. When the armoured monster continued towards her, the mare whimpered and pleaded through her tears,
"please! Please don't hurt me..." Her crying wet the sand, splotches of moisture spreading through the grains and sticking to her coat.
The monster let out a small chuckle at her terror. "Hurt you? If I wanted to kill you, you'd be screaming and pleading for mercy." Shaking his head, he stopped in front of the equine and bent down to stroke her mane, the mare flinching at the contact. Shivering, she tried to shuffle away, but he just moved forwards every time she moved. After a scratch behind the ears, the monster smiled and stood up, gesturing for the pony to do the same. When she stayed where she was after a few attempts from the creature, he sighed and started to walk away from the mare. "Don't blame me if you die of dehydration. I'm going to the nearest city. Someone's got to inform them of the new arrivals!" As he said the last part he pointed to himself with his thumbs. "Bye!" Not even turning to look at her, he walked off.

"Wait!" The mare had finally stood up and was standing with her hoof outstretched, a sad look in her eyes.

With a raised eyebrow, the creature turned around on one foot. "Looks like somepony found their vocal chords then." He muttered under his breath. Still giving her a quizzical look, he started to grow impatient. "Well?"
"I... I want to c-come with you!" She let out.
"I thought you'd never ask!" Grinning at her, he started walking in her direction, stopping to pat her on the back. "Good choice, my friend!" He strolled jovially across the desert, the mare walking alongside him.
The biped glanced down, noticing the pony trying to hide the fact that she was staring at him, eyes burning with curiosity. "Anything the matter?" He asked. She shuffled uncomfortably "No.. Nothing much.... I.. I was just wondering... What.. What are you?" The creature chuckled as she stumbled over her words.
"I don't actually remember what I am. I'm not exactly young you know." At this, the mare bowed her head and mumbled some words in acceptance. "Hold back the sulking for a second, I'm not done." The mare looked back up and brightened slightly. "I know that my race got wiped out by the elements of harmony after we waged war on the weak-looking multi coloured equines that had come to our slippery people to seek happines and friendship. We decided that we didn't like them, so we tried to kill them all." He smiled at the happy memory. "Unfortunately , the unicorn warriors completely decimated us and those few with enough sense to spot defeat rearing its ugly head, ran for the hills. Then those two pony monarchs came and were like 'Taste the rainbow Mothabucka!' On the few scraps left of our race. At least they were decent enough to leave those twenty or so in hiding to die of their own accord, and that they did." He looked down at the mare, grinning. "After I killed them of course."
The pony spoke up, "That sounds.... Traumatising. How did you cope? Also, can all your race turn into smoke at will?"
"Ha! I wish! No, I was given these powers... And others... by a chaotic god after I used my diplomatic ways to convince him to make me his accomplice, spreading chaos through the world together! Good times, good times. As for your first question, do I sound particularly sane to you?"
After a time, the monster turned to the mare. "Oh, by the way, you can just call me Steven."

She was tired and scared and sad and lost and thirsty and hungry and lonely and- is that a castle?
She galloped as fast as her tiny pink legs could carry her and stopped short of the gates. They were tall and imposing, but looked like they had been worn and battered by wind and sand alike for too long. They had matching guards.
"Halt!" They stuck out their spears to form a protective cross. "Where is your guardian, foal?"
"I.. I don't have one. Please! I am lost and I am very thirsty." She pleaded with the guards. They looked torn between letting her in and sending her away. On one hoof, they could take her in, but that would breach regulations. On the other hoof, they could send her away and leave her to die in the desert. Finally they reached a desicion.
"I'm sorry foal, but we cannot let you in. To do so would go against the will of her majesty Princess Twilight Sparkle." The filly was about to turn away, tears in her eyes as she went out to die.

"What's this about going against my will?" A certain purple horse walked up to the gates of the castle, three guards in tow. Two of which seemed to be carrying another pony mare. "Oh look, another alicorn. We're not going to run out of those anytime soon" Twilight examined the filly closely, but then stood straight and addressed the guards. "You were going to turn this innocent filly away to die, yes?"
"Yes, but.."
"You did not check to see to whom exactly you were speaking to?"
"Yes, well you see... It would have breached regulations!"
"She is an alicorn. From now on regulations do not apply to her." After a pause she looked down at the smaller pony and added, "within reason, of course." The guards eyes widened at the revelation that she was, in fact, an alicorn. They hastily moved their long spears to their sides and stepped away. The princess sighed and smiled at the foal. "What is your name, little one?" She said as they began to walk towards the palace.
"My name? I mean, uh... I... I don't know..."

The nightmares... Voices in her head... It was coming!
The green alicorn jolted awake and looked about the room. Frozen in the alert position, she heard whimpering coming from under the blankets. The mass underneath was shaking and moving about as if restless. Moving over, she carefully removed the blankets and underneath was a small pink filly with a white mane, not dissimilar to her own, moving about and obviously in some amount of pain. Soon after, the pink pony started to groan loudly. "Auuuuuurggh! The pain! Whatever foul creature is possessing my leg... Out! " the filly was clearly experiencing the same horrors as the older mare had been.
"It will be alright young one! Clear your mind. I know your pain, don't let the beast enter your body and control you!" She exclaimed righteously. The young pony stopped her pained cries to look at the mare.
"You don't know what it feels like!"
"I do, child. I encountered these horrors this very same night! Do not fret!"
"You have them too? But I thought grown mares didn't get them anymore?"
"What does being a grown mare have to do with our conver-" she was cut off by a sharp rap on their wooden door. Not even giving the ponies time to answer, a panting guard burst in and explained the situation. "The princess has requested for you to be escorted immediately down to a secure safety bunker underneath the palace. Follow me." The two ponies left the room to follow the guard, his chunky iron armour slowing him down somewhat. Many groups of guards passed and the sound of battle cries and death rattles could faintly be heard outside the thick-walled building. A great resounding boom echoed throughout the halls.
Their escort stopped and turned to face them.
"Prepare yourselves. We're under attack."

Author's Note

Finally done! I know it's short, but I didn't realise just how much time writing takes up :twilightoops:
Anyway, next chapter will be a mix of action and the sort of reuniting of ponies (ish) :derpyderp1:

Hope u leik! :pinkiehappy:

Prologue

“3000 years ago…

In the peaceful land once known as Equestria, ruled two regal sisters. One brought forth the night, while the eldest created day. Everything was at peace for one thousand years.

One fateful night, the younger princess became resentful of her sister’s bright day, for the ponies played through it, but ignored her gorgeous night.

The dread-thing saw this and succeeded in turning her into a wicked mare of jealousy and greed: Nightmare Moon.
The eldest saw that there was no hope for her sister and banished her to the moon using the Elements of Harmony

One thousand years later the stars aided in the Nightmare’s escape and sent her to the town of Ponyville. She saw the new Element bearers and fled to the castle of the two sisters in the Everfree Forest.

The six Element bearers then defeated the evil mare and banished the dread-thing from her body. The two sisters reunited and ruled in peace for 1000 years.

Or so they thought. Unbeknownst to them, the dread-thing was withdrawing its terrible talons from the hearts of the ponies and gathering itself up in a cloud of choking ash and fire. It had sensed the weakness in Celestia, who began to fear people who would threaten her rule.

This weakness and fear was a shining gateway for the dread-thing, who twisted her petty fears into anxiety and eventually utmost Terror. Celestia fled to the corners of the Earth so that nopony could hurt her. Her dreams were filled with the dread-thing’s visions of things that nopony living, dead, good or evil should see. She was the dread-thing’s puppet. She was the Dread-Mare.

Her newfound anger and hatred led her to grind her once rich land to Dust. The other Princesses made the sacrifice of removing the Elements from the Tree of Harmony to do to the Dread-Mare what they did to Nightmare Moon. The six Element bearers confronted the Dread-mare. The pony-once-known-as-Celestia knew the deadly rainbow beam well and managed to avoid doom by rainbows. The magical beam of Friendship curved into the blackened soil and glistening pools of fresh water and gleaming white sand spread forth.
When the sands of Happiness touched the Dread-Mare’s corrupted hooves, her twisted self dissipated into oily black smoke, leaving a lonely hole amidst the Holy sands.”

“The dread-thing… I know I’ve heard of it somewhere before, but where…?”

Author's Note

So this is my first fic! Criticism welcome :twilightsheepish: