Rise of the Angel of Death

In the governing building of Prance the lord general was looking through everything, coming upon a trade agreement from the Crystal Empire. Both Prance and the empire had control over their trade. Prance more so than the Crystal Empire, both powers being both sovereign and apart. He signed over the agreement with changes to it. He knew the Crystal Empire was more dependent on Equestria than Prance. He sent it out. After a while a messenger came in. "Lord General, news from the Prance expeditions, they says scouts have found outpost in the Earthern’s lands destroyed and the fort in the goblin’s territory has fallen." The Lord General was starting to get angry. "Sir the nobles in Equestria we have under our dominion and the scribe have confirmed it to be an upright being, we have little to work on but he seems to be helping them destroy our forces."

"Thank you, I must consider this news. Leave me now." The general told the messenger barely containing his anger. The messenger bowed and quickly left the room. Once the messenger was gone the general cast a spell that sound proofed his room. He didn't want anypony to hear what was about to be said in the room. Damn it all to Tartarus!" he roared throwing the lamp on his desk across the room shattering it. "This was supposed to be a simple matter of going in and taking those savages' land! How in Equestria could lesser beings wipe out my elite forces?!" The Lord General continued to rant and destroy his office. When everything was in shambles he regained some level of decorum. "No, it does nothing to get worked up over a minor setback."

He smiled darkly and pulled out the cord of a necklace. Attached to the cord was a small bit of red horn. "I have everything I need right here." The general could still remember when he had found it. It had been during a diplomatic excursion to the Crystal Empire. It had almost seemed to call out to him. Otherwise he never would've found it beneath all the snow, and ever since he had everything had fallen into place. He had always believed that ponies were superior, but with his new charm he had the courage to act on those feelings. With it he felt powerful, like everything should conform to his vision of perfection. His eyes flashed green for a moment before returning to normal. "This being will be dealt with in time. As will Celestia and those other pathetic princesses."

In the isles a group moved with a new container. This object was forwarded form Prance. In it was an important object. Prance's noble house managed to get it from a questionable deal over 750 years ago. The Lord General got it as a gift from them for his 'special missions' the ones moving it where taking it to the second isle. They hoped to find this being and unleash the hidden power of the object on him. Malthael walked out. It was only last night when they made it to the isle. At the closet they had to island hop on the smaller islands, finding goblins and even Earthern villages on there, even an island where both shared the island and had some form of union. Finally they came to this island. They walked a bit through the marshes of the nearby coast. He soon spotted the caravan of ponies. He flew there and jumped out at them. "Well what do we have here?" he asked. The leader of the group eyed him.

"So you’re the being who attacked the fort I presume?" The leader asked.

"Well I was the leader of it." Malthael said. The earth ponies dropped the chest.

"Good saves us the trouble." The Pegasus shattered it reviling a glowing blue stone. The commander cast a spell, letting it float freely. In a flash a powerful magic was felt. The stone soon morphed back into a flash, slowly forming the shape of a unicorn body. Eventually, the light died down, and standing there was what looked like the Merlin of ponies.

Malthael recognized the gem instantly despite having only seen it for a moment. That was a soul gem, a dangerous magical artifact. In the wrong hands (or hooves in this case) one could perform all forms of dark magic with the gem. He gritted his teeth and drew his sickles at the floating, bearded unicorn in front of him. "Who the hell are you, and how did you get a hold of that gem?" Malthael growled.

"I am Star Swirl the Bearded, and I was, or should I say am the greatest mage in Equestrian history! And I will protect all of pony-kind from an abomination like you." The unicorn proclaimed confidently.

Malthael laughed at the unicorn before him. "Seriously, you were such a great mage and the only title you could manage to get was ‘Bearded’? What, was ‘Douchebag With Stupid Clothes’ taken?" He finished pointing at the unicorn’s bell riddled clothes.

"How dare you disrespect me?!" Starswirl screamed, his face flushed.

“The same way you called me an abomination even though you know nothing about me.” Malthael growled. "Now stand down, there's no way you could take on someone like me."

"There is no way that I'll surrender. You are a threat to ponies everywhere!"

"You know, a part of me was kind of hoping you'd say that." Malthael said with a manic grin on his face.

The guards moved back at this, as the two titans readied for battle. The Unicorn commander did a scan of powers. They were both in the Alicorn leagues of powers. the maximum a unicorn could sense. Malthael spread his wings out to help him fly, their unflagging nature helping him. "I must say I encounter a lot of monsters and beasts before in my time who and what are you?" The merlin like pony asked.

Malthael wanted to go usual route but decided against it. This time, he decided to make this a real spectacle. "Who am I? I am the reaper of souls, the being who broke out of Tartarus and killed it as well, I am the one who faced the Princesses parents and killed them!" Malthael said. Star Swirl moved back a bit. "Is that fear I see?" Star swirl strengthened his resolve.

"Of Course not! I am not intimidated by the likes of you! I have saved my pony brethren before and I will do so now!"
Malthael chuckled at the unicorn's bravado.

"Nice show of backbone, too bad it won't help you here." Malthael said before rocketing towards Star Swirl. Star Swirl didn't have a chance to react as Malthael placed one of his sickles on the unicorn's chest. The sickle glowed its normal blue, but Malthael was having a hard time removing the soul of Star Swirl. Star Swirl himself screamed like all the others Malthael had done this to, but he wasn't making any progress.

Finally, the impossible had happened Star Swirl’s soul was returning to him. Malthael was shocked especially when he was forced back and the wound healed on the pony’s chest. 'This is the first time that ever happened.' Malthael was surprised Star Swirl himself finally saw how much of a threat he was.

"You attempted to take my soul!" Star swirl screamed at him. Magic channeled through the Unicorn. "All bets are off you monster!" Star Swirl unleashed a powerful light blast form his horn into Malthael’s chest. Malthael used his blades to block it but the energy moved into his body. Star Swirl’s eyes glowed as the spell had another beam added to it. The beams crossed until they slammed into Malthael's chest and stomach sending him into a boulder. Smoke came off him a bit. He grabbed his sickles and stood up.

'Looks like I can't remove his soul that way time for another try." As the unicorn raced at him The death fog was unleashed hitting star swirl right in the face. Suddenly Star Swirl’s horn glowed with dark magic. The cloud didn't affect him. Malthael sent another such attack. It too failed to affect him. 'You have got to be kidding me.'

"It looks like your powers are failing you, beast!" Star Swirl gloated, wisps of dark energy still coming off his eyes.

"Looks like it." Malthael said nonchalantly. Star Swirl was confused by how calm Malthael seemed.

"You don't seem too bothered by this." He said to the angel.

"That's because those were the nice ways I had of ending your life. Now," Malthael said, running the blades of his sickles together. "Now, I'm going to cut you into so many pieces that there won't be enough of you left to fit into a match box."

Malthael charged as Star Swirl put up a barrier. It was the same as the princess one that Malthael encountered back then. He charged both blades with magic and swung them together using his wings to add some extra force he slammed them on the shield cracked and with another forceful push shattered it, sending the backlash to Star Swirl who was launched back a bit. The mage summoned a magic wall as Malthael slammed once again his blades.

"Is that all you got Star Swirl! These barriers are pathetic!" Malthael boomed before destroying the wall. Star Swirl didn't say anything, instead he launched another beam of magic at Malthael. Malthael dodged the beam and Star Swirl kept firing beam after beam at the angel. Malthael noted that the beams were getting dangerously close to hitting him. He felt the heat of one pass by his face and came up with an idea. Mal flew up higher and placed himself in front of the sun. Just as he had thought. Star Swirl was paying attention to Malthael himself, not where he was. Malthael's move temporarily blinded him.

Malthael cast a fire ball using the sun to help mask it, Star Swirl was hit by the fire ball his outfit burning. He quickly dispelled the fire only to get drop kicked by Malthael racing down from the sky. He tumbled down as the Angel of Death readied another attack to cut off his head. In a flash, Star Swirl was away from the attack. 'Great.' Malthael turned as Star Swirl got up as he readied three spells a binding spell a light and a shield spell at once. The bindings shot out and wrapped around Malthael, who made no move to avoid them.

Star Swirl glared down at Malthael, still smoldering, and tightened the binds on Malthael. Malthael grunted softly from the constriction but still shot Star Swirl a cocky grin. Star Swirl's eye twitched and his anger rose at the angel. "Stop looking at me like that! I am going to make sure you give me the respect I deserve!"

"Go choke on your own beard ya prick." Malthael told the unicorn. His wings disappeared then reappeared, free form the bonds he shot up taking Star Swirl with him before diving down he turned again, hoping to smash the mage against the huge rock. Star Swirl was forced to let the bindings go, only for Malthael to kick him in the air sending him into the nearby marsh water. The mage crashed. He was starting to get mad.

Malthael rushed at the mage again and cast another fire spell at Star Swirl. The flames crashed against Star Swirl's shield, followed closely by the angel himself. The shield shattered, and Malthael swung his sickle in a vicious arc aiming for the mage's neck. Again, Star Swirl teleported away, leaving Malthael swinging at empty air. Malthael was starting to get annoyed at the unicorn, but he wasn't going to let it show. "Is this all you can do? Throw up shields and teleport away?" Malthael asked, turning towards Star Swirl's new position.

"Do you ever stop talking?!"

"Nope," Malthael replied making sure to get in the last word.

Star Swirl’s eyes narrowed and his horn glowed and became covered in flames, his eyes crackling with magical energy. With that multiple Star Swirls appeared in a teleport they were all scattered. One ran up to Malthael he swung a sickle toward it only to attack air the others soon after charged him from the all sides he swung at them, those he did where fake. In a scream of pain a gash was opened on his side. It wasn't fatal given his nature as an angel but it burned a bit. Star swirl did the same thing over again with his multiples and doubles.

Malthael continued to grin cracking a few of his joints. He brought up his two sickles. They started to be surrounded by a large, blue glow, and blue orbs started to fill the area. "Perhaps I hit you a little too hard. If this little light show is how retaliate." Star Swirl said his cockiness returning. Star Swirl approached one of the orbs and touched it with a hoof.

The orb moved against him as his body started to hurt from the cold it unleashed. Star Swirl realized being wet did not help him at all in this situation. Malthael walked up. "Have enough?" Malthael asked. Star swirl horn glowed and a blast of ice slammed into Malthael. Malthael was sent back, his legs frozen and Star Swirl was better but still not completely healed.

Malthael used the handle of one of his sickles to shatter the ice on his legs, and chuckled. "Seriously, you thought that would work? What's next, are ya gonna tickle me with your tail?"

Star Swirl felt his whole body tremble, "Shut up! For the love of Celestia just shut up!"

"Do you give up then?" Star Swirl screamed in inarticulate rage and fired another beam of ice at Malthael.

Star swirl snapped, he was through low balling it. Massive amounts of magic were being channeled through him. Malthael stepped back a bit things were going to go down soon. The ponies ran as the land exploded above them the two forces face off Star Swirl and Malthael in the air. Star Swirl landed and waited. A spell attacked Malthael's mind. It was a sleep spell. 'No...' Malthael started to fall asleep. Star Swirl then casted a mind reading spell. Inside his slowly drifting mind Malthael could feel his mind being read. He started to feel the chains on him. "No..." He realized Star Swirl was now attempting to cast a forbidden magic. The bearded himself had enough it was time to put an end to his enemy. The chains finally wrapped around Malthael. Star Swirl himself appeared.

"So you really are the Angel of Death? Malthael?" His memories came up. "I'm going to banish you back to Tartarus and end these abominations lives soon." The images of Moon, Trixie, chrysalis, and Sunset flashed before him..... Star Swirl moved away however at that moment the chains started to whine under maximum stress. Malthael’s hood slowly reforming. Star Swirl turned around as the clouds of death gathered and his wings spread.

"No one can stop...." With that the chains broke. "DEATH!"

Star Swirl was suddenly reeling from a mental backlash. He didn't have much time as he was slammed right into the rocks. He coughed as all the air left him and a few ribs broken. Suddenly he coughed up blood as Malthael’s blades wedged themselves in his chest. "Your soul is mine!" The familiar blue glow of Star Swirl’s soul was seen as was Malthael’s Death Fog, slowly the blades moved away as Star Swirl found his eyes and mouth glowing at the final moment. Malthael removed his blades the soul of Star Swirl coming out attached to the blades. The body turned to decaying ruins. Star swirls soul slowly was gone inside. The hooded figure emerged looking at the guards. The winds started to pick up.

Ten minutes later Sunset found Malthael. Her eyes widened. The very ground he was on had died the remains of all the ponies were now dust.
"Mal! What happened?" She asked rushing over to the hooded angel. Malthael turned to her his gaze cold for a moment. "Mal, please say something to me!" She begged. Malthael reached out towards Sunset, and wrapped his arms around her, still remaining silent. "Mal, what happened here?" Sunset repeated.

"It was those Prench bastards. They had a soul gem that contained someone called Star Swirl. That prick tried to put me back to sleep, then he threatened you and the others."

"So all this dust is?" Sunset asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, I lost control again... I almost..."

"What you did was protect us, like you always do." Sunset told him, preventing him from finishing his thought. Mal actually managed to smile at the woman in his arms.

"What did I do to deserve you?" He asked her.

Sunset smiled back at him. "A lot of things." She said before the two shared a passionate kiss. The scenery around them wasn't necessarily romantic, but the two didn't care.