The Palace of Minos
Elron’s Pov

Calming my nerves, I took my seat at the gathering and just as King Earth-breaker had said very few had answered the call. There were only six, six Avalonian leaders saw it fit to speak with us for the coming war, including me and the minotaur king. Bushtail the lord of Catiao; Metyha the Queen of the Changeling clan Argyll; Jules the King of the Changeling clan Vulgaris and of course my half brother Melos One-paw the king of the diamond dogs. I had hoped that more would come, I had hope for all of the changeling clans even the dragons to lend their lot behind the coming war, however I should had expected as much. The were only five native nations left in the world Awan; The Gryphon Kingdom; The Grand Demonic Empire; Minos and Catiao… Cervides never even counted due to their abandonment of us as well the traitorous Buffalo tribes. The Changelings were an fractured people, each clan only seeing to their own grain instead of uniting, a tribal race on the brink of extinction. A true tale of caution if there was ever one. The future of all true Avalons should if we fail. “So, we are all that is left of us?” I said to my counterparts.

“Ah, High King Elron..” spoke my more doglike half brother Melos, “It makes my heart soar to know that you have came to us unspoiled.. Theses are trying times indeed, dear half brother.”

“However the mighty sea breaks itself on the mountain, the mountain will not falter. We maybe few yes but with our being here today speaks about our strength.” said Metyha, her gray cat like eyes leered about predatory. “It is in times like theses where the strong lions is separated from the weak lambs thus culling the weakness in our resolve in the coming fight against the Alicorns and their Pony slaves.”

“You are false to worry about our scarcity, my race, the Catji had always been scarce even when the gods were still among us. Yet we are still here while other races who were many falter and were sundered by the false ones.” purred Bushtail, the horse sized big cat had many smaller versions of him weaving in and out from his paws. “And just like us, the rest of Avalon will remain. This is known.”

“While the north is largely lost to us, the Alicorns had never trespassed in the true heart of the
Avalonian peoples, the deep south. And I intend to keep that as is” said King Jules, he was a vast concast to his feminine counterpart Metyha. Unlike her, he had thick orange fur due his dwelling in the north instead of the dryness of the badlands. However he bore the markings of battle, he seemed to had lost one of his wings and seemed to be much more tired. “Sylvania and her allies will bare our full fury and bitterness for now and forevermore.”

“Just as it should be,” added Earth-breaker, the old minotaur king slowing easing himself in his chair “However I share in King Elron’s worries, one of the reason why we lost the Titan war was because we were always outnumbered.. In every battle, we’re outnumbered by forty to one and that was in the height of our power.”, “If we are to win this war then we must even the odds somehow.”

“But the question is how.” I said agreeing with the minotaur king, we have to even the odds somehow or we will like the others, fade from this world as ghosts. I had often wondered how and still I couldn’t find the answer nor did the legendary Merlin when he lived. “Time has taken is toll on the ponies and Alicorns as well it did with us but unlike us who remained in our unity, they had not. Many of the pony nations are on the brink of war with each other or civil war is on the breeze however we can’t just simply attack them.. That would unite them when we needed them to shatter. Yet the question of how remains unanswered.”

“What we need is to cut off the head of the snake,” said Metyha, “we must send assassins deep within the pony nations to felled their leaders and framed another of their number.”, “ My Changelings-”

“That wouldn’t work, many of the ponies nations are lead by their gods, the Alicorns. It is not worth the time or coin to send assassins which are only of use to us in the free states or Transylmania. What we need is for our gods to return more now than ever, without them we lack the power to slay the Alicorns.” said Melos with an dismissive wave of his paw. “I’m sure that all of you had heard by now of the on goings in Equestria lately.”

“Alkeyore Blood raven and Kren Canard.” I said with my eyes closed, it was though my mother that I learned of Alkeyore and his taking of the Alicorn of the night just hours after dropping off Kern at the Great Port in Awan. Nara… I was forced to tell the others of my time with Kren long before the meeting could take place. They understood why I did it or at least the reason I gave them, the Alicorn’s spies would surely know if I attempted to bring him here, so I let him go allowing him hind in the wilds for his safety. I didn’t mention that Nara was with him. “The two new human gods of Avalon..”

“Correct dear half brother.” said Melos, “While it was perhaps wise of you to let Kren go, we must recover him lest the Alicorns seal him away as well. However this Alkeyore is the one we must be most concerned with.”

“Concerned? How so?” asked Metyha, “He had spat in the face of both Sleipnir and Celestia themselves and lived. He had the audacity to take from what was the pantheon’s Luna herself, he has done more damage to the ponies then we had in a thousand years! There even a Equestrian calling for the naming of him as an Equestrian god in their own pantheon of gods both Human and Alicorns.” The other leaders and myself raised a brow at Metyha’s words, we had heard of the pony duke that ushered in the ponies’ greatest nightmare… Calling to make human worship legal. We had yet to hear of what became of the duke yet we all knew that he was most likely be put to death by the very fools he called out on for their idiocy to gather a host for war just weeks before winter.

“Yes, but still he is a concern, we don’t know what his domain of power is. The Equestrian Guard claimed him to be an black wizard and to be feared, not celebrated.” said my half brother using the words of others as a counterpoint to Metyha’s point. “We shouldn’t rely on the words of ponies but our own yet we had yet to see Alkeyore or his power.”

“When will the coming war will begin?” said Jules changing the subject lest the meeting loses it true purpose. “My clan grow restless with battlelust to free our kin from the slavers and regain our lost lands.”

“We all are restless Jules.” said Bushtail, his paw caressing one of the smaller cats at his legs. The said small cat mewled in kind causing for Bushtail to smile slightly. “Be patient, it takes time to gather a host and even more for an invasion force. Especially during the waning of the year.”

“They would be expecting us to invade Saddle Arabia.” said the Minotaur king placing a finger on the map of Avalon carved into the table itself, specify Terra’s Teeth, the great fortress of the Arabians “Pongaea and his ponies re on our very doorstep and are able to stop us long before our march however thanks to my kin of old, we know exactly where their troops are stationed and of course the strength of the various garrisons. Yet as I said they would be expecting that, I say we travel through Awan and strike western Equestria.”

“Equestria.. Yes that could work, the southern and the northern ponies would be expecting us since we had attacked them most often.” said Jules.

My half brother offer his support in this course of action as well both Jules and Bushtail. Yet I didn’t and so did Metyha… “I object to this,” said Metyha with an hard face. “If we going though with this plan then we’ll be funneling our troops into Equestria proper outnumbered with little support from our domain of control. It would be easy for them to cut off our troops from supplies and then surround them, slowly tightening the noose till we are crushed in the middle by our own benthen.”

“Metyha is right, we would be fools to go through with this. Equestria is the second largest nation of all of Avalon only bested by The Grand Draconic Empire and the most powerful of all pony nations. And given the events of late, many of them would be expecting us to attack… So let’s give them what they want.” I said with a smirk on my beak.

“What you mean high king Elron?” asked the sole queen among us. Her predatory gray cat-like eyes solely on me, watching the slightest movement in my wings as the muscles twitch.

“An pincer formation, we’ll attack from three directions. You Metyha and Earth-breaker attack from the south, Bushtail and Melos attack from the west and Jules and myself from the north.”, “This way we’ll won’t fall victim to the trap of funneling and overstretched supply lines.”

“Hmm I agree with you High king Elron.” said Metyha,“However I think it is paramount for us to discuss of one more thing.”

“And what pray tell is that?” asked Melos

“The reunionation of the Changeling clans of course and the restoration of Eraidor. Should if we are successful in the invasion, all of western Equestria is to be succeeded to The Argyll for the restoration of the old queendom of Eraidor. I’ll use the time we have till the attack to gather as many queens and their clans under clan Argyll’s banner I can.. Even the old high clan Meridius if need be.” said the queen revealing her hand.

“What?”, “Metyha now is not the time, it is arrogant of you to demand such from this council. We had not even agreed on when the invasion will take place! Yet you have to audacity to stake a claim now? Before blood of our kin is repaid, there are many others who have claims throughout Equestria and the other pony nations such as Jules’s claim to Roama and my own half brother’s to northern Equestria or mine to the Wolf’s den which are a part of Western Equestria!” growled Melos “It always been the charge of the kings of Awan to restore the ancient Diamond dog empire just it is the Meridius’s to restore Eraidor and the last time I checked Chrysalis not Metyha was the high queen of the changelings!”

“I am may be the queen of the Argyll clan not Meridius but my clan is the last great power of all the changeling clans, I am the one who is the closet to reunionation of the Changeling peoples and while I may not be high queen yet-”

“Yet? Metyha, what in Aronnos name you mean by that?” Jules and I interrupted.

“I-”

The doors of the chamber slammed open with the bloody body of Prince Steel-fist skidding to a halt just before the table before us, his blood oozing into the cravings of Avalon. Earth-breaker shrieked the name of his youngest and with trembling hands he began cradled him.. Steel-fist did not stirred in his father’s arms, leaving us with the knowledge that he was dead. The sound of of hooves met our ears and caused us to rip our gaze from the grieving father and back to the doors, there stood the crown prince Onyx with blood on his sword and that of the pony pirate king Guilty Hopes. They weren’t alone, fifty of Onyx’s elite guard stood with them, armed with heavy crossbows or the heavy two-handed weaponry that the minotaurs were known for. At their hooves were our slain guards. What few guards that we allowed to linger during the meeting drawn their weapons yet all of us knew that they weren’t enough to hold them for any amount of time, the crown prince then sneered at us. “For good of Minos and my regime, the pass must be erased. Kill them, but the leave the Changelings.. They’ll make good slaves.”

“Onyx!” cried Earth-breaker sorrow laden, “H-

An arrow ripped into the old Minotaur king’s throat, both silently him and slaying him, he slumped over his youngest son as if shielding the dead prince in death. With the fear of the gods, I and the other true Avalonian monarchs leaped from our seat as our few guards charged at the Minosians as did Bushtail’s cats. Drawing our own weapons, we raced for the other exit, only to find another battalion of Minosians waiting for us, Bushtail felled to the ground rocked with crossbow bolts. We attempted to turn again for the other exit, a window, we found that we were surrounded by a smirking Onyx and his battalions. “The past must be erased..” he repeats as he placed an bolt on his crossbow and aimed it at me. “I will save Avalon as the past burns away.”

Seeing that there was no other choice the two Changeling monarchs attempted to use their magic and a flash of greenfire blinded us. Once we could see, we found ourselves just outside of the keep’s gates, both Jules and Metyha were visibly drained, the magic sapped most of their strength. Teleportation spells were both costly and extremely dangerous spells to use, often only kept as a last resort unless it was one of the gods casting it. Extremely few mortals could use such magics. Yet our foe gave us no respite as the gates opened with Minosians at our backs and the citizenry began throwing rocks at us. It seemed that even they were in on the trap.

“Everyone to my ship! It’s our only chance!” I called grabbing Melos in my talons and took to the skies, the Changelings followed suite. We flew over the city, struggling to dodge and weave through the rocks and bolts, I felt a few graze against me and I sure that my half brother also felt them yet I nor the others dared to stop lest the minotaurs struck us true. Once my was in sight I felt my heart both sink and rise, my crew and Steel-fist’s Seekers fought together to keep the way open and to kept Onyx’s soldiers from burning the airship… Quickly as our wings could take us, we landed on the Stormrider. “Get those heretics off me ship!!” I called out to my crew, “ We’re getting out of here!”

The crew heeded my call and retreated back into the ship but not before cutting us free from the docks while knocking over some of Onyx’s minotaurs into the waters. Where they sunk to their deaths thanks to their heavy armor. Ballista bolts flew passed the Stormrider as we gained altitude, fortunately none hit and soon we were too high in the sky to be targeted by the earthbound anti-air ballistas. I and the other surviving monarchs all shared a look before sharing a small chuckle of disbelief with each other yet the moment of laughter didn’t last, we lost another Avalonian nation. Onyx had betrayed us, he had betrayed the gods. He was an kinslayer. “All hands to your stations! No rest till we reach the safety of the sea!” yelled one of the crew to his fellows, “Seekers! Go down below, you’ll be free to grieve properly till we can find some work for ya.

“So, what now Elron?” asked Metyha leaning against Jules for support and the northern Changeling did the same.

“Rest and prepare.” I said to the two Changelings before taking the helm from one of the crew, the crew mate nodded to me and went down to the deck. Helping the Minosian Seekers down below. “That’s all we can do now, rest and regain our strength.”

“Should we prepare for war with the minotaurs?” said Jules with great emotion is his voice, trying to regain his strength enough that he could walk unaided.

“Y-”

“Elron behind you!” Melos suddenly called before raising his curved blade and sliced into the belly of one of Anorr’s soldiers, bathing the wooden deck in blood and gore. With a swift swing of my own sword I chopped off the disemboweled minotaur’s head and the headless body felled to the ground twitching.

“CREW! WE GOT STOWAWAYS! LET’S SHOW THEM WHAT WE DO TO STOWAWAYS!!!”

Slave Market
Luna’s PoV

I stared at the city of tents with fury and sorrow roaring in my heart, there was a slave market in Equestria. The one sole legacy I had was undone, the banned on slavery. Sparks of magic licked at my horn under it’s hood, none approached us as we stood a ways from the crossing, staring at the market. The sister-captain Lightning Dust shared an heated look with her war maidens at the market while Moonlit and Nightmare’s hooves bumped into me, trying to get my attentions yet my eyes remained solely on the market and the enslaved changelings. “Captain.. Methinks that I spy a slave market, do my eyes lies?” I hoped that they truly did, how was there an slave market in Equestria? Why I am just learning this now… Was this another that Celestia kept from me? We were to have equal authority..

“No. No my princess, I saw them as well. What is your command?” said the sister-captain with a dark look about her. The other warmaidens held the same look. “Do you wish to see this stain undone?”

Closing my eyes for a moment, I slowly let out a breath. These Slavers had broken my and Celestia’s laws, yet it was clear this Equestria wasn’t the nation I ruled so long ago, it was so clear to me now. My legacy is gone. However the war maidens were too few to punish the slavers for their treachery and the guards were out there seeking for me and Changeling raiders. I could though, I am Luna one of chief goddesses in the Anari Pantheon yet I was raised on the ways of harmony and peace. Celestia’s ways. It was time to remind these ponies who the Alicorns were. “Daughter of mine and Moonlit. Stay here with the war maidens.”

“Mother what are going to do?” asked Nightmare, unsure. Moonlit also voices her momentarily confusion before she realized what was I planning to do yet she doesn’t share her discovery with the others.

“What must be done.” I said lowering my hood allowing for the light of the sun to mix with that of my magic, holy rages burning deeply into my eyes. At the words the image of Alkeyore entered my mind.. What must be done.. Those were his words. He always did what he thought that had to be done. It was thanks to my domain that I knew he or at least his magic had visited the fillies gifting them with dreams of him teaching them magic, yet what he taught them I didn’t know the dreams fade as soon I touched them.. He was still live that I did know. Entering the the slave market both pony and buffalo roze at the sight of me walking among them with my horn arching with magics, they didn’t spoke to me as I calmly walked towards the heart of the city of tents. I passed tents where Changeling mares and their daughters were being sold as slave wives, another held screaming changeling menfolk being castrated with rusty dull blades and the bits of flesh sold as charms for the Buffalo while the Changeling stallions themselves were dragged to wooden pins to dual with Land sharks.. Those that survive were then drugged with mind altering substances and sold as slave soldiers. One shop was an brothel that held both pony and Changeling slaves, many visibly beaten or some cases visibly being starved to ensure the failure of unwanted childbearing. The pony slaves were all batponies.. My people. The one pony herd that stayed loyal to me all these year… I was their patron goddess. The further I walked the darker my thoughts and emotions became, my eyes focused on the city's’ heart, where a large stage sat with dozens of enslaved Changelings waiting to be sold off. A light breeze relieved me of my cloak revealing my armor to the slavers and the enslaved as I passed I began to hear the whispers, the whispers of the ponies and the buffalo, they told me many things yet none of it was what I wanted to hear. Some were actively reprising me, they wanted to buy me. Disgusting. My displeasure reflected itself onto my face causing the more cowardly ponies to slink away amongst their Slaver kin.

Once I reached the stage, the whispering grew and the chained Changelings trembled at the sight of me, the slaver auctioneer held a questioning look yet quickly faded when he saw me stepping up on the stage and backed away, giving me room. I shifted my gaze outwardly towards the gathering Slavers, feeling all of their eyes on me. The way they looked at me was sickening, I was a goddess yet they sought me as a prize, a slave… Celestia is this the result of your rule? Had you long betrayed the ideal that we both once shared? “Auctioneer, tell me what do I see?”

“Um… Your Highness, er.. You honor us with your presence.” said the auctioneer nervously, his eyes shifting towards his guards. They quickly abandon him on the stage and fled into the crowd, undoubtedly abandon the market itself. “How can we help you Alicorn?”

“I asked you to tell me what do you see.” I said with a hard glare, magical light burning brighter on my horn. Icy cold winds were forming from the charging magic, the image of my father Venhayia formed in my mind with the words I said to morgana playing in the background, ‘as you walked in your father’s spets thus so I must walk in mine.’ Never before I had used or attempted to call upon the power of winter.. My inheritance, my true inheritance. Venhayia was an god of the winter, so I as his only daughter could call upon it just as he did.

“Um.. An Concordian market.” said the auctioneer as he began to shiver. An light snow began to grace the slave market, the changelings marveled at the snow before joining the slavers in their shivering. The cold wind gently caressed my face, the shivering auctioneer spoke again, “
We have the permits if you to see them your highness.. King King Geinzah- ”

“I see a slave market..” I interrupted, my older brother held no authority in Equestria. Geinzah had no right to send his ponies here.. This time he cannot intervene..“An Slave Market In Equestria!” I roared as the light snow turned into a torrent of snow and ice that reflected my outrage. In the flurries the sand at the slavers’ hooves froze, bringing winter’s fury to them, many of the tents collapse at both the weight of the snow and the force of the magical wind. “You broke my laws! The laws of Luna, the goddess of the night! Thou had earn the ire of an Alicorn, now suffer me!”I fully released the spell I was holding, freeing the building blizzard. The cold shattered the Changelings chains and the cages, freeing them while freezing many of the slavers, especially those surrounding the stage. What slavers that weren’t froze ran in a panic both trying to flee and save what they could of their businesses while the free changeling either attacked the panicking slavers and saved their kin or fled into the snowy bad lands. The majority chose to take their revenge and save their kin while the Ubam mares escaped heading for the north, taking all they could carry with them and with the knowledge that I haven’t abandon them. Nightmare and the others used their magics to cut through the blizzard, making their way towards me.

The results of my spell both horrified me and in some way pleased me. It was frightening too easy to throw away the years I spent listening and heeding the ways of peace and harmony, was this how Alkeyore felt? Was I doing the right thing by ending the slavers? I don’t know.. Were there another way? One that didn’t ended in bloodshed. The pleasant feelings I felt faded away from me leaving me just like the cold dead Slavers.. I stood there on the stage unmoving, staring at the frozen bodies as they stare right back at me and then the cold started to seep into my skin reminding me that I couldn’t be idle. The blizzard had grown in my moment of self-doubt and pulling myself through the snow my heart set on reach the others struggling in the snow, I attempted to cancel my spell but to my horror it didn’t. The magic was too strong to recall, it became the type of spell that ended over time.. It wasn’t my spell anymore.. Something was controlling it.. Someone else..

“We need to leave NOW!” I yelled when I finally regrouped with Nightmare, Moonlit and the war maidens. “There’s another controlling it!!” Taking both Nightmare and Moonlit on my back, we began to run as hard we could in the hail. Our clawed hooves digging into icy sands, we with great struggle entered the badlands proper, hoping that the wasteland’s sun would protect us from the wild spell.. It doesn’t, the blizzard was even worse in the badlands. Using a combine force of Alicorn and pony magics we broke through one of the blizzard’s layers, slowly forcing a way out. The sound kin to shattering glass ranged in our ears, we didn’t stop running to question it, only the thought of going forward sang to us.

It seemed that the blizzard itself was chasing us, the further we traveled into the badlands proper, the worse it became. Some of the formerly enslaved Changelings were there, lying on the ground frozen to death much like the slavers in the market yet was we raced by some of them seemly merged with the frozen sands with their cyran eyes solely on me.. I didn’t wanted this.. Any of this.. I was trying to save them… Despite coming to destroy them, my mind screamed at me for what I had done yet it wasn't my intention nor spell that done this to them and the slavers. I felt guilty and at the sametime not.. I needed to speak with someone.. Alkeyore help me.. I killed them. I forced myself to think of other things, I had to get the girls to safety.

When it seemed that we had finally out ran the blizzard, a solid wall of crystal erupted in front of us causing for us to side on our clawed hooves to avoid it. One of the warmaidens failed to slow down and struck the wall where spikes suddenly grew out, killing the young maiden. Both of her eyes and limbs were impaled allowing for her blood to splash onto the slowly freezing sands below. “Luna..” a voice from top of the wall spoke down to us. Our heads snapped upward and stare in horror.. Sombra was sitting atop of the wall with his corpse thrall laying across his lap. He had a small smile on his lips “surrender now, or my blizzard will make you.”

Again the sound of breaking glass regaled from all of round us, and several more walls came forth from the ground, boxing us in. The sand below us became solid ice reminding of the coming blizzard, another of the war maidens felled, her body slowly absorbed by the ice of our newly pirson. “Never!” I shouted as an blast of heated magic came from my horn and melted a large hole into one of the walls. We leaped right thought it only to find the corpse thrall waiting for us on the other side.

The corpse gave us an crazed grin and it then giggle, “Surrender Alicorn.” she said then she looked to the other warmaidens with foul magic dancing along it’s decaying claws dripping poison. “Are you going to play with me? Can we dress the Alicorn in red? Master likes it when I wear red. He get’s so rough with me, when I do.. I like pain. Do you like pain?”

“Rhori huer!!” Moonlit shouted in old Avalonian as she leaped from my back and landed in front of us. Her draconic claws shattering the solid ice beneath her and released an torrent of flames, the corpse gave an fearful hiss as it cradle the side of it’s face before running from the torrent of dragonfire. With the way clear, we ran. The blizzard to the right of us, Somba and his corpse mare to the left. Our hooves thundered over the frozen sands and jagged spikes, another maiden felled to Sombra’s spikes, her belly slashed open. I saw both Moonlit and Nightmare using strange magics against the older Unicorn and the corpse.. Spells taught to them by Alkeyore. Moonlit’s flames left the colors of fire behind and held rainbows, Nightmare using her own shadow to shield us the best her could from Sombra’s blast spells. They were stronger.. It made me glad to see the fruits of Alkeyore’s teachings, he was so wise. The two younglings then combine their magics and threw flaming spear at them, almost pinning the corpse mare to her master’s ice and side. Using my own magic, I send the light of stars against our pursuers and smite them yet it did little good, Sombra countered it with his own powers.

“Enough!!!” growled Sombra, his magic reaching far and pulled a wall of ice before us, once again boxing us in by the ice. The warmaiden at the head, impacted the wall and bashed her skull in, killing another of my companions of old. The blizzard as if responding to Sombra’s growl strengthen it’s gales, overwhelmed us and pinned us against the wall, all of us except me. I was strong enough to withstand it but both the fillies were pinned against the wall. They were protected by the warmaidens, the maiden took the brunt of the attack and they were down to only two.. Lightning Dust and the youngest of the several maidens that left Equestria with me. I leaded them to their deaths… We were meant to fight Changelings, not Sombra.

Sombra and his corpse claimed the others. “I will not be denied!!”, “Surrender now or suffer me!!” he shouts as I wheeled around to met them, spreading myself wide in a battle stance to protect the others. My armor shining in the unnatural winter’s sun and drawn my swords.. The blades were meant for the Changelings, not for another pony yet they would still cut. This is the fourth time that I had faced sombra my old friend yet this was the first time I faced him on my own, he and his corpse mare stood there as the blizzard licked their forms. Circling us like wolves, we couldn’t run anymore.. I would not lose another of my companions.

Pouring my speed spells into myself, I shot forward my blades nicking both Sombra and his corpse thrall on their sides, “Never! I will never submit to you Sombra!” I then casted a shield spell over Nightmare and the others, ensuring their safety. My only advantage was I’m a Alicorn, I was stronger than him yet he held most of the cards. This is to be my greatest dual… and I could still verily lose.

“So be it then!” Sombra then summoned his copies and the dead warmaidens, bolstering his ranks. With an deathly hissed the ghosts and dead charged at me, I gave my own cry as like a spinning top I began to slash at Sombra’s minions. Cutting them down in pairs, each of my blades sliced through each one with ease. Magic both Sombra’s and of my own danced all round me, twisting like snakes in an dual of their own, night magic against the foul powers and of the winter. My blade blocked a swipe from the crystal pony corpse mare and the second slashed her across the face, painting her in red yet it didn’t phase her, the living corpse just attacked with her other claw. My horns flashes again with speed spells freeing me of her and then I attacked Sombra or who I thought as my old friend, the copy faded away leaving my blade hovering in the air. Another Sombra appear at my side attempting to grabbed me, a large magical bladelike shield formed around me, blocking all from harming me.

The shield fades away and I found myself, increasingly on the defence yet unlike my spar with Alkeyore, while not as brutal nor fast as he was. Sombra and his ‘followers’ began to break the weak links in my guard, a magical thrown dagger buird itself into one of the Sombra’s throat while the corpse thrall raked her claws on my side and Sombra, the real one used fleeting godly strength to crushed one of my greaves alonged my right hoof and his magic bite right through the opening in my armor he made. My horn lit and an wave of night magic pushed them back before I felled to an knee, burning hot pain coursed through my body before being purged along with my other light wounds. Before I could recover they were on me against struggling to break through my armor, it held as I then counterattack with a storm of construct swords releasing the dead warmaidens from Sombra’s control and sliced off one of the corpse’s arms off. She barely even noticed it. Breathing heavily, I blocked a strike from the real Sombra who just now summoned his own ancient weapon, a scythe with rubies encrusted along its blade… It was gift from my father. My blade cut slightly into the more ancient scythe blade and the other sliced cleanly through its shaft, destroying the once noble weapon and lightly cutted into the real Sombra but it was only but a scratch.

Sombra released a growl as he punched me in the face, sending me to take a step back and almost knocked my circlet helmet off, “That was a gift girl!”, “How dare you destroy it!” His horn then glowed and he was replaced by an earthen golem with hunks of iced embedded into it. The golem sent me flying till my back impacted one of the ice walls, losing my hold on my dual swords, the golem with an stomp broke one of the blades before started to crush my body, trying to with me one with the wall. My armor gave an metallic whine as it struggled to hold against the golem’s unnatural strength, even the strongest of armors had an limit. A beam of magic came from my horn, blasting the golem, shattering the earthen beast. Pebbles and ice rained on me in the aftermath of the blast, retrieving my blades I reentered the dance, slashing at Sombra cutting ribbons into him as he replied in kind.

Images of the slavers and the changeling played in my mind, all of them staring at me. The flat of the broken blade slammed into the side of my uncle's face while the other slashed his belly open and another Sombra jumped onto my back digging into the opening of my armor, rolling over I crushed that Sombra with both my weight and that of my armor, several daggers flew into another. Killing three of his copies. The copse thrall and three Sombras attacked me from the side with magical blasts, sending me skidding across the frozen sands and my magic hard at work purging my wounds. I lay there for mere moments before flying at the group with an blazing starfire blitz, burning the four of them with the light of stars before sinking my still whole blade into the real Sombra’s shoulder. For a moment the two of us stood there breathing heavily as our magics purged us of our wounds, I yet to gain the upperhand is this dual and I was tiring, at this rate I would lose and Sombra knew it.

Somehow he was getting stronger as did his blizzard, as I felt more drained with each passing second; the last time I fought him; he didn’t had this kind of stamina. As I went on the attack, my body froze and agonizing pain overtook me sending me to the ground wiggling in hot burning pain, the same pain I felt when Nightmare moon first took me over. Sombra was standing over me with a cruel smile “You had lost Luna, the toxin running in your veins will make you mine. If you wish to continue this foolish fight then toxin will entered your brain and mend it into my liking. I didn’t want to break you this way.. I wanted you to submit to me willingly as a wife should.”

“N.. Gah.. no.” I manage gasp despite the burning pain and attempted to rise only for him to kick me in the stomach, causing me to roll across the frozen sand till my back once again impacted the icy wall with an metical hiss from my armor. The pain hotly increased with each beat of my heart, blind white hot pain, help.. Someone help me.. The world then fade from me and was replaced only by the pain, I hear Sombra speaking to me yet the words grew muffled as if deep under the sea even the cold of the blizzard faded. I was blind, deaf and mute. Trapped in only darkness yet there was something in the shadows.. I didn't know what it was but i knew it was there, it brought sight back me but the sight that greeted me wasn’t that of Sombra nor of the others, it was a thing of metal. Black metal with eyes of rubies and gold, the eyes of an Ageless that much I knew.

“I know you..” a low raspy voice spoke, the voice carrying primal fear and ancient knowledge. It was the black metal thing, yet I could see very little of it. “Bride of Alternis.. I know you.” Great ruby wings then filled my newly gifted sight. “Summon him, you must summon Alternis lest the great enemy gains another foothold.”

Something wasn’t right, I could felt it, I could even tasted it on the air. However at what little I could see, primal fear quaked within me. “Who are you?” Those three little words were all I could utter, I was so afraid of the creature before me. My mind screamed at me to run till it seems that my ears bleed at the shrieks in the depths of my mind.

“I am the first.” it says as it reveal it’s face, and an scream of pure terror escaped my lips. It was an featureless mask of black metal, there was nothing outside of the eyes of rubies and gold. I felt cracking in my divinity as I looked upon him, the pain from the toxin, my years of being trapped on the moon and being processed by Nightmare moon all attacked me at once. “Summon Alternis, Luna.. Summon my nephew and conquer in my name!” he cried, emanating pluses of energy that snaked along my body before merging with me. “The greatest of Archangels and Archdemons, Lucifer the Falling Star.. Savior of both the Ageless race and the younger races!”, “Summon him now!!”

My body glowed with power as I returned to the world, black magic arching across my body like lightening, the blizzard…the cold no longer affected me and the drained feeling vanished. Replacing it was the power. It coiled about me and I could see the very souls of the others.. Was this what Alkeyore saw? Was this what he felt since birth? Yet all of it was disconnected, what did he do to me… Lucifer the first Archdemon.. My mind then grows fuzzy, a dull pain enters me. What was happening to me?!? My divinity was gone and replaced by something else.. “Alternis!” I cried as a magic circle erupted from my horn, burning with black energy. “Alternis!!”

An portal came forth from me, baring black glyphs that mirrored the circle at my hooves. I could felt something inside of the portal moving and my soul sang out to it, bidding to come to me or was it calling me to it. In the vortex, shades of blues formed as Alkeyore in his true form flew out of it with an soul shuddering roar with his blacken flames pouring forth from his lips, lighting the sky in the black and shot himself at Sombra and his followers in a manner more befitting an rabid beast than a man.

Northern Badlands
Alkeyore’s PoV

The sun beated down on us as we wandered through an abandon Changeling encampment. Clan White Rose, Chrysalis claimed that was who the encampment belonged to, the white changelings. The camp bore the marks of a struggle, and the footprints of at least one battalion of soldiers by my count, pulling a piece of coal from one of the fire pits I found that it was still warm. “Still fresh.” I told my companion. “Whatever happen here, happened only a day ago.”

“Slaving Party.” said Chrysalis, searching one of the tents for survivors and any usable supplies. “These tracks are of pony and buffalo make, ponies only enter the badlands when hunting for new slaves. Buffalo are always on the move, nomadic just like most of the surviving Changeling Clans.” She left the tent she was searching in holding only but scapes of food and blankets. Gable and Starheart were searching the other side of the encampment for anything of use like water, leaving me alone with Chrysalis. “The beasts won't just leave us alone Changelings and buffalo had been killing each other since the Avalonian runes were first written.”

“Who were these White Roses?” I asked placing the coal back into the fire pit, I myself had found little supplies yet assuming by the state of the encampment, anything of value was hauled away along with the inhabitants and the lack of defences gave me pause. For such an hunted race as the changelings, the camp solely lack any notable defences even if the slavers took everything there had to something they couldn’t carried. Walls, siege engines; scapes of arms; dead bodies yet there were nothing here. I smell a trap..“This camp oddly lack defences and is poorly hidden.. I think that we should leave once we regroup.”

“They were minor clan, they had little to do with all the other clans even mine. Yet you are right, something isn’t right. Our camps are often underground or hidden in plain sight but this? A sure chance of being spotted by any unwanted attention.” said Chrysalis before making a sour face at the scapes of food and throw them far from us. “We should leave lest we are too found out.”

We gathered what was of use and started heading for the others, passing the empty tents and other remnants of the camp. Another thing that was odd was the lack of blood and dead bodies, there should be at some least bloodstains if this camp was truly attacked. As we walked, I felt Chrysalis’s hand brush against mine before wrapping her hoof with mine and she leaned her head against my side. It.. was blissful. My lips still tingled with the taste of her, ever since I kissed her, I felt… Things. Luna and Chrysalis, two of the five dark brides. It was foreseeable that trouble would come out from this, yet at least Luna knew that Ageless had multiple partners throughout the ages however Chrysalis did not. I would have to show her what I’m really am in the foreseeable future and move carefully lest I lose them both. The matters of the heart weren’t my domain of power and my relationship with Chrysalis went much faster than the one I had with Luna. Both were uncomfortably fast however I aimed to see them last. It will only be more increasingly difficult to balance our relationship when I find the other three and then there were the children..

“Alkeyore?” my lady love said in a concerned voice. “Were you listening to me?” her catlike eyes looked up to me shining with the light of the sun, an uncharacteristic icy wind danced about us caring for her to shiver before pressing deeper into me, seeking my warmth.

“Ne, I was merely lost in thought..” I said as I lightly kissed her. She blushes as she melted into our kiss, turning it from a light kiss to one that was deep. We had yet to share our new relationship with our companions, preferring theses times alone to indulge with Chrysalis’s lips on mine. By the eight dead gods and Darkness, she had such saccharine lips. It was almost like she was angelic. My angel, my rose of desert. I felt my demonic instincts rising bidding me to claim her and her soul. Hastily I fought them back, keeping them in check as I did with Luna.

“What were you thinking about?” she asks once we break our kiss and her hoof squeezes mine.

“The future.” I simply stated before switching to Gaeaish, “Tir Koal, fherr me’lnar.”, “Shirai vonvul daal ennig coa. Shir shir von’naga me’lour.”

“And what that’s mean?” said Chrysalis. “Perhaps I should learn your language, it’s unlike anything ever I heard. It sounds much more aggressive than the smoothness of old Avalonian nor the foulness of Eponaish.”

“Beautiful.” I said before kissing her again. “In Gaeaish the way or how it is said affects its meaning.” another icy wind met us but this time it was stronger. Darker.

More icy wind danced around us, causing for our clothes to flap wildly and Chrysalis shivered badly as dark clouds ominously gathered overhead. I could feel magic in the wind and in the storm, this wasn’t natural. Summoning my old robles, I quickly placed them on her shoulders and her wraps herself in them. Snow began to fall, and Chrysalis stared at the falling snow with wide eyes before jumping when some of the snow brushed against her. “S-Snow?! What in the name of the gods is snow being this far down south!”

“We need to find the others and shelter!” I said as gales of freezing wind ripped into us, darken flames escape my maw forcing the magical wind back. Chrysalis added her own green flames to my black fire and as if sensing the fire, the gales grew into an blizzard. The sands of the desert itself froze while our flames fought the ice back and kept Chrysalis from freezing, I poured more blacken flames at the sands before us make us an path of glass. When we finally reached the other side of camp, we found both Gable and Starheart holding each other tightly shivering in the snow, fighting the cold back with dragonfire.

Thrusting my hand towards them, I took control of their fire and combined it with ours, creating a heated shield protecting us all from the unnatural blizzard. “Gable! Starheart! Are you okay?!” I cried, knowing that the majority of dragons often veiled poorly in the cold. I was somewhat worried for the two dragons since the both of them seemed to be fire dragons if would be different if they were earth or ice dragons. The cold wouldn’t bother them as much.

“Aye my king!” shouted Starheart in Gaeaish with her fangs chattering and her elf ears, one of the last remnants of her elven blood outside of her humanoid shape were flat against her head. “What in Helios’s name where this blizzard came from!? An frost wyvern’s arse?”

“We’re fine lord Alkeyore! Just a little cold!” yells Gable, his own fangs chattering. “And I thought that the Long-fangs were cold, there’s magic to this blizzard I tell you!”

“The shield will only shelter us but so long! We must move once it fails!” I said taking the blankets we found earlier and gave them to the two dragons. The blankets were thin yet they should take some of the chill away. Then I shifted my gaze toward Chrysalis holding my robes tightly against her shivering form. Using some more of my magic I created a small fire to help her restore her body heat, she spent most of her life in a desert, this blizzard could verily well kill her if it wasn’t for me and my robes. “Chrysalis keep those robles I gave you on, they’re made from flare-spider silk, they’ll keep you warm.”

“What about you?” she asks, concern in her voice with her icy cold hooves numbly gasped at my arm, almost pulling me into the robes with her. “This blizzard isn’t natural.”

“I can handle the cold but you can’t.” I said as both my black magic and nephilimic nature adapted my body for the cold. She despite our closeness failed noticed my body morphing. My will pressed itself against the magical blizzard, attempting to weaken it of both it’s influence and strength. I manage to suppress most of its dark influence away with ease but surely my meddling with it had been noticed by it’s master.. We needed to move. The blizzard’s master would surely now pour more power into it and I feared that even dragonfire could be rended useless against it. “Focus on staying warm.. Is there anything place closeby we could take shelter?”

“No, the farther north we go then further we are from any Changeling clan and friendly folk but there should be some caves nearby, North-east of the encampment. But we should go no further! That’s Concordian territory!” warned Chrysalis, her hoof pointing in the direction while still holding onto me. “From there we can make for Merlin’s pass! It should be still open to us if this blizzard haven’t buried it!”

“It will have to do!” I shouted as the heated shield started to fail, due to my meddling with the blizzard’s magic, it did somewhat weaken. However it wasn’t enough to completely dispel it or force into my will. I didn’t had the time. “Everyone grab on to me, my power will protect you!” My companions quickly did as I bided, black hissing tendrils bursted out from my body and wrapped themselves round them, if they shown any reaction to the action, they didn’t shown it. They trusted me completely, the kind of trust only placed in higher powers… Ironic. The heated shield came crushing down and the blizzard struck us it’s full fury, slowly pushing me back. The others in my tendrils hissed in the heartstopping cold. The blizzard gave me no respite as it attempted to overpower my human form.. It left me with little choice, Aroo can’t withstand this wind.. Only I could. I needed to free my wings. Darker flames came forth from my maw, the hellfire dueling it’s icy opposite as I allowed my wings freedom, I only allowed this one part of my true self to be revealed. The others gasped as my spread my wingspan to it’s fullest and took to the skies with one single beat of my wings, leaving hurricane winds in my wake. I continued to gain altitude till I broke through the clouds before leveling out, the blizzard couldn’t reach us now but it would once we attempted to land anywhere near the White Rose encampment.

“Your flying?!!?” exclaimed Chrysalis with disbelief strong in her voice, holding tightly onto her tendril. “Your flying?!?! she repeats, her own wings were spread wide wanting to join me in an aerial dance yet the lust I smelt emanating from her told me otherwise. “But how? Where did these wings came from?”

Both Starheat and Gable also expressed their opinions of learning of my having the ability to fly. “I always had wings, they were always there, none of you thought enough of it to look.” I replied to them once they finished never mentioning the illusion of my being human. Even though both Chrysalis and Gable could fly themselves, I didn’t released them from the tendrils and started to gain speed but I did let Chrysalis down on my back only with more tendrils tieing her down to keep her from falling off.. That if she had any chance to do so in the first place, however it did allowed her to wrap her arms round my neck and to speak in my ear. It was only to my nephilimic nature I could bare all their weight yet I knew that even I would have to land eventually. “I’m sure you have questions but keep them I shan't answer them till we are safe. Chrysalis, direct me to your caves.”

“Just head northeast, I’ll tell-

In that moment I felt a sharp pain in chest, fire alongside demonic magic ran inside my veins. My breath hitches itself as I felt my illusion being forcibly ripped from my body, ‘Alternis!’ I heard Luna’s voice call inside my head, the light of both the moon and sun pierced my nephilimic body. ‘ALTERNIS!!’ Blue magic then overtook me, shaping itself according to my true from and that of the others, they looked at me with fear in their eyes. As my vision beings to darkens, I hear their cries, they were calling for me. When light returned to me, I found my teeth buried deeply into Sombra’s throat and my claws spilling his corpse thall’s innards, the streamly bloodied flesh painting the frozen sands below me… With a snap of my head, I tore Sombra’s head clean off and turned my gaze towards a unsteady Chrysalis and the dragons, they were behind an heavily damaged magical shield with Nightmare and Moonlit. Beyond them were two pony maidens in armor, both batponies. The two pony maidens stood in front of my students with blades bared at my lady love whom herself was ready to do battle and was aidided by Starheart who held her hammer at the ready while Gable gathered his fires. Then I looked towards Luna, she was lying on her side, not far from the shield nor me, struggling to rise to her hooves with her magic hard at work to heal her bruises and other wounds. I could tell that she had fought long and hard but still was able to fight further, her silver armor took the brunt of the damage; she held both an broken and unbroken blade in her magic; many smaller blades peeked through her feathers, ready to be thrown. Seeing her in weakness, stoked demonic hunger for her. She was mine just as Chrysalis. It took me some time to suppress my instincts and to uncover.. What .. Just happen. My eyes widen at the circle of black glyphs under her clawed hooves, it told me everything I needed to know. She performed an demonic summoning, we had an contract… Stupid girl, foolish girl; stupid naive girl; what had you done?

Yet the battle wasn’t o’er, Sombra merely reappeared, informing me that I had but only dispatched one of his copies. He looked at me with a cold glare as the blizzard winds returned beating down on both me and Luna, “So we meet again beast.”, “I been waiting for you~”

“Aye, that we had.” I replied as I went to Luna, never turning my back on him. I couldn't believe my eyes, somehow she knew.. She knew how to summon a demon.. She summoned me. She never mention this, why.. Why would sully herself for me? She truly loves me? My throat tightens as felt the very last remnants of my humanity melt away. One of her eyes flashed with an eye of an Ageless.. Sapphire and silver before returning to her green… She sacrifice a piece of herself for demonhood in order to summon me without the protection of a binding pact or did she always held demon blood as I? Or.. or a knife pierced my deepest of hearts as one single thought came to me, a thought I hope to never come, ‘did I infected her?..’

“You came..” She whimpered looking up at me, tears forming in her eyes, “Alke-”

“Shhh.” I shushed her and help her up, my emotions ripped my innards asunder as the worse came to me, I infected her… I stole her freedom and soul. If I bided so she’d birth a thousand legions to purged this world of all non-Ageless life.. She was… me, she was no longer of the younger races, she was in between the worlds of Ageless and of the younger races.. Forgive me my love. “You had done enough Luna.”, “Go and join the others, I’ll handle Sombra…” She then looked toward the others, her eyes widens once she saw Chrysalis and attempted to charge at Changeling woman with an whinny in her throat but my hand stops her from doing so, “She’s friend, as are the two dragons.” in that precise moment Sombra attempts to strike with an wave of black magic yet my own quickly reflected to it, forcing the hostile magic to hit one of the icy walls instead. “Go while you have the chance, I’ll explain everything once I had finished with Sombra.” I needed to find a black forge, it was the only way to free her.

She gave me a worried searching look, clearly wanted to argue but she quickly nobs and teleported behind the shield where she quickly took up an protective position over Nightmare and Moonlit, her eyes digging daggers into Chrysalis. Knowing that both Luna and the others were safe momentarily, I changed at the steel gray unicorn with a roar befitting my Ageless nature and so did he. Black shadows blanketed us as we impacted each other.

Canterlot
Celestia’s PoV

“... Luna..” I sighed with sniffle as I sat in my throne room alone. It had been just days since she ranaway from the outpost with the fillies and what I had said to her haunted me ever since. Why did I say that? I didn’t thought of her like that.. Yet I still said them. Discord, my sweet Discord he found me wandering the halls of the outpost after leaving the Elements behind, Twilight had disappeared not long after Luna’s leaving. He calmed me down enough so we could find her and regroup… We only found her after walking the outpost for hours in the outpost’s archives seeking for any information they had on human magic to create an counterspell. In a silent parade we returned to Canterlot and spoke with Blueblood and the other herd heads, they told us of Duke Apple’s ambition of forming a Equestria Pantheon coexisting of us and Alkeyore. I had read the report Blue had for me the day before yet it was still shocking to hear it in person, I had yet to make a decision on the matter yet would I want too? Should I? Alkeyore wasn’t human yet his darkness was far reaching, it would childsplay for him to influence the ponies since Luna felled so deeply to his magics.

Or did she? She claimed that he had used no such magics on her nor on the fillies, her mind was of sound. I refuse to believe it, the Nephilim was controlling her, his influence was so strong she doesn't even see it. I have to save her… “Luna, where did you go?” I whispered wiping my eyes, no more crying, I was a goddess of the sun and my ponies needed me. Yet Luna needed me too. You will pay for this Alkeyore, you will pay for doing this to me and my sister. God or not you will pay black wizard. An knock at the doors ripped me from my self pity and thoughts, “Enter.” I commanded once I was sure that any indication of my soul’s weeping was cleaned. The door open revealing both Blue and the herd headers with Duke Macintosh. Macintosh’s gaze met mine as both the guard and the herd heads led by Blue escorted the representative of the Apples, the guards held their spears closely as they prodded him forward. The group walks towards my throne before stopping at the foot of the steps only a several away from me. “Ah, so this is Big Macintosh Apple.”

“Yes Auntie.” said Blueblood before moving to stand next to me, “This the Macintosh Apple, older brother to Applejack Apple of the elements of harmony.”

“Thank you dear nephew.” I said to Blue, as he summoned an smaller throne before sitting down. His eyes burrowing into the self-admitted human worshiper, I myself had experience with the Humanic faiths while the other Alicorns rooted them out of the other pony nations eight hundred years ago. I incorporationed both the hybrid clans and the beastial races into the Equestrian fold, for their loyalty, I had to allow some human worship as long it wasn’t out in the open. Thus they aided me in keeping the peace that Equestria enjoyed since. However I still had to contend with both the Pantheon and the nobles calling for their extermination once they saw what I did and they would perhaps call once again in time. Yet I doubt that I could work with the humanics again, not in this day and age. “Big Mac, do you know why I called you here?”

“The Equestrian Pantheon.” said Big Mac without skipping a beat. His head rose as he held his ground, almost reaching my shoulder due to his abnormally great size. “You disprove Princess Celestia?”

“The Alicorn Pantheon certainly does… Really, what you thought would come of it? Surely you would’ve known that my father would never allow it.” I said before dismissing the herd heads and the guards. Both group wanted to stay and see what I and Big Mac were leading up to yet like the little ponies they were, they quickly saw my wishes done.

“Peace..” said Big Mac with a small sigh, “I had hoped that it would bring about a true peace between all races in Avalon. Especially between the humans and the Alicorns.”

“... I’m afraid that’s impossible, there can be no peace between us and the humans. Not now or if ever.” I said with my heart sinking a little, there were things far beyond the Pantheon’s control and making peace with the humans were one of them. I thought I could have peace with Alkeyore when we first found him yet… that was doomed once I learned that he was of the black. “Though I should commend you, peace is what we must always strive for. It was though peace that Equestria has thrived and prospered.”

“Did you even try?” Big Mac suddenly said, throwing both me and Blue off for a moment. I shifted my gaze from Mac to Blue and he returned the gaze, our minds met each other and shared our thoughts in council. Only mere confusion filled the both of us.

“Excuse me?” I said confused, returning my gaze to Big Mac, “What do you mean try?”

“Did you ever tried with making peace with the humans? Did either of you Alicorns ever made an effort to know them or was because you couldn’t control them that they had to destroyed? Humans and the natives are individualistic while we are more collectivistic?” said Big Mac accusingly, “No, you never did, in all of my years I never saw any you even attemped to know them or the natives.”

“Remember your place earth pony.” hissed blueblood with a dark look in his eyes. “An pony doesn’t question his or her’s Alicorn. However knowing you Big Mac as you are, I know that you smarter and wiser than you should be, farmer.. Use that intelligence accordingly.”

“Then let me be the first Prince Blueblood. Perhaps a fresh set of eyes are what is needed.” replied Big Mac, “Princess Celestia please allow me to speak with the new human god Alkeyore in your place. I assure you that I can meld Equestria’s relations with him and ensure that both he and Princess Luna return to us. This is all I ask of you, this one chance.”

“Denied.” my voice echoed darkly throughout the thorne room and the smell of burning cushion filled the air. I then closed my eyes and turned away from Big Mac, I had made my decision, I have no other choice… Luna, wait for me dear sister, I’ll save you… Even from yourself. Opening my eyes partly I could see several minor Alicorns hidden from mortal eyes including Shining Armor yet if I could see them then Blueblood could as well, they were eagerly awaiting for my word, so they were here. The aid Father sent me against Alkeyore.. He was forcing my hoof towards the outcome he wanted... I had lost control. Perhaps if I pleased him, he might left Luna go.

“What?” gasped Big Mac.

“I won’t allow it.”, “Alkeyore is too dangerous to be left alive or left alone…” I said with little comfort, my long reign of peace had ended. Luna.. please come back. “Blueblood call forth all of the herds, for the declaration of war against Alkeyore Blood raven and any who dares to follow him.”

Blue looked at me with shock yet solemnly he nodded and went to see my wishes done. His thoughts mingled with mine, all of our fears and worries fused together as one, the hidden Alicorn minors gazed at me with pleased expressions before teleporting away. I wouldn’t doubt that they were all waiting for me in my chambers to whether congratulate me in my wisdom or to force the Pantheon’s will on me, either I knew that I had lost. I was alway told that I was wise, the wisest of all of the Avalonian Born Alicorns yet now I felt more like the most foolish than the wisest. How could I ever think of befriending a human or in Alkeyore’s case a Nephilim. With Blueblood gone, I was alone with Big Mac, holding both of our gazes for what felt like ages, his face held one that was of defeat to my mask of indifference.

“So it comes to this.” he whispered then he closed his eyes before speaking again, much louder this time. “Please Celestia reconsider this avenue.”, “No good will come of it, that I assure you.. don’t turn your back on our peace.”

“I am sorry Big Mac but my decision is final, go back to your farm.” I said before taking my leave of him, the look of defeat on his face grew as my horn flashed in golden light and revealed the sight of my bedroom and of the seven minor Alicorns. Shining, Zocla; Iponia; Hponis; Siren; Buzii and Frala. The Alicorns of Valor, Choices; Fire; Decay; Sea; Wine and Harvest all representative.

“I wish to speak with the Princess alone.” said Shining to the others while never taking his eyes off of me. They nodded and simply left the room, I kept my guard up knowing that they wouldn’t just all leave at least one of them still had to be among us, eavesdropping for anything useful. “Hello Princess Celestia..”

“Shining… I see that my father had made of a use of you.” I said calmly and gestured to my table with an cold tea pot on it, the leftovers from my morning tea. “I’m sure that you have some time for tea?” Sitting down I waited for the prince to join me, my magic making a fresh brew of tea.

“Yes, he has.” he said with a smirk before taking a seat at the small table and waited for me to finish making the tea. “You made right decision with the human worshiping filth.”

“Perhaps.” I said with little emotion whilst lighting a small flame to boil the tea to my preferred temperature, scalding hot. The burn of the scalding tea was something I enjoyed time to time. It reminded me of my unbinding duty to my little ponies. “Though I wished that it didn’t needed to happen and would prefer a different outcome entirely but I digress, we both know what you’re here for. Yes?”

“What are you orders, King Sleipnir gave us specific instructions to heed you commands as long they don’t interfere with the capture of both Alkeyore and Luna..”

“Leave my sister out of this, do what you will to Alkeyore but Luna isn’t your target.” I said as my face darkens a little, I remember the fight I had with my father well and I knew that he wanted to punish Luna.. I will never let him. Luna will stay with me as would Nightmare. This is the one thing I could do.. I needed to make it up to her… Sister, I’m sorry. I should’ve never went to him for help. I hoped that he would show leniency if I helped against Alkeyore yet why I get the feeling that would never happen?

“We both know that Sleipnir’s words takes priority over yours first and foremost.” said Shiny with an seemly gleefully cruelness to him. He had changed, for the worse it seems. “Don’t fight me on this, Princess. Luna will be given over to Sleipnir.. and Nightmare as well. “These are the king’s orders.”

A bold move, another bold attempt against what little control I had left… in my own nation. “And I’m an high goddess, you must do as I command.” If he was going by the old Eponaish way then so would I, Discord was right, he needed to be put in his place. “Minor Alicorn as per the law of the Pantheon.”, “Leave Luna and Nightmare alone, they are mine.”, “Would you disobey me? Your high goddess?”, “The last I check I had final authority in matters dealing with Equestria as again per Pantheon law.” I was the first Avalonian Alicorn, thus I had to sully myself with the vileness of the Eponaish ways, under my rule and freeing my subjects from Epona Equestria thrived while other pony nations faulted. Yet here my own former captain, bringing them back to my nation, right in front of me. Ironic, I suppose.

“As I said Princess, I am under orders from the king himself.” He said firmly, taking a step towards me, the other minor Alicorns then returned at the young prince’s side. Each of them with dark looks in their eyes, and horns at the ready. “Do not lecture me of the laws of the Pantheon or of old noble and just Epona, King Sleipnir had taught me much since joining at his side in the north. Destroying hidden Windigoian temples and worshipers in Northwind and the other free cities.”

“..Do I look like I care for what my father wants?!?”,“Captain.” I said reminding Shiny of his old oaths of fealty to me with the hope he would see reason. Windigos? Since when the everwinter came from the sea? Discord! Discord! I mentally called, knowing that danger that both the Windigos and now our own kin poised to Equestria… My duty to my ponies.. The one thing I had left and the one thing I dammed everything I cherished for… Help.. Luna. What do I do? Everything falling apart. “Damned be the Pantheon! I only wanted my sister and daughter back!”

“Then you leave me no choice, by the command of the king you are hereby abdicated of throne of Equestria until the capture of Alkeyore, Luna and Nightmare.” and then Shiny and his following made their move.. An great flash of light erupted and blinded me. When the light died down, Discord dressed in his old bronze-gold armor stood over me and his mismatched limbs glowing with magical aura. His magic physically pushing my attackers powers back effortlessly. Then again a flash of light blinded me again… The light of chaos and war.

...What have I done?

Big Mac’s PoV

I sat there on my knees in defeat, she didn't even wanted to try for peace.. Celestia the Alicorn of the sun, the most peaceful of the Alicorns turned her back on the very concept of making peace with the returning humans. This can’t be, she was supposed to be the wisest of the Avalonianborn Alicorns, she was the only other Alicorn in the world that would agreed with me.. Yet she didn’t, she told me to return to the farm. No, rising from my knees, an new flame enter my breast if peace was to die then I would fell the blade. It was time to gather the others, if the Alicorn wanted holy war then so would we, the white gold hammer amulet around my neck seemed to matched the flame in my heart.

Upon leaving the throne room, I found that my friends and brothers in arms were waiting from me. Each of them following their own human god yet despite them coming from many different cults, they were united.. United in the wish to follow the new god Alkeyore into what should’ve been the next great age, eagerly to learn about my talk with Celestia “So what did the Alicorn say?” asked one of them, Delinda, a rust colored Lamia with an humanish upper torso. Her hair a light venomous blue. She wore the dress of the cult of Adalricus, the god of madness and was one of the leading priestess in Equestria. Those who held an likeness to the humans of old were always held in high regard by the different human cults, they were the closest to the gods themselves and were the most zealous.

I didn’t answer, I couldn’t answer them. How could I tell them that all our hopes and dreams were for naught? I followed the king of the gods, Aronnos yet still I failed them. Yet I still had to tell them something, the fire in my beating heart demanded it.

“Big Mac?” asked a female diamond dog by the name of Áine, a devotee to Edonia the sky goddess. Adalricus’s wife and arch rival. She sat next to Denlina and Alasdair, an batpony stallion. He severed Noric the god of sorrow, at his hip was the crying mask that all of the cult of Noric wore. “What happen?”

“War..” I said in an small voice, yet all three of them heard the word clear as thunder, “The Alicorns have no ear for us, the titan war begins anew and the world poorer for it. The wind will whip and the fires will crack, stoned forests taste godsblood. Tell everyone with an ear to us, a call to arms if the Alicorns wish for there to blood then we shall give to them.”

“..War..” said Delinda agasp at the very prospect of going to war, even she a follower of madness wasn't that mad. She then made the sign of the hammer on her breasts in hopes to ward off eavesdropping Alicorn spies. “So even she, the great Celestia is no friend to our folk. I never thought that she would call for war.. Yet I shouldn’t be surprised, she’s still an Alicorn after all. Adalricus’s folk will stand with our madsongs.” Áine and Alasdair also voiced their cults support in declaring holy war. Yet still Equestria was my home.. I felt sorrow yet this was only choice left, she should’ve listened, she should’ve at least tried..

“When do we make our move?” asked Alasdair, placing his mask on, the mask held the carved hammer upon it’s brow and painted red tears. “With winter coming, we’ll be few in number and the Alicorns are gathering their strength now. Lord Alkeyore will have need of us. ”

“Spring, we attack in the new leaf.” I said with a nod of understanding, it was the very same point that I made to the herd heads. Yet unlike them it would take us longer to gather, our folk were scattered although Avalon. “The power of the gods are strongest during the waxing of the year.”, “That will give us time to gather and plan yet we may have to join with the natives.” The others nodded in agreement and we quickly made our way out of the castle before separating seeking out the other cults to inform them of the holy war yet I still had some doubts.. I was still an farmer, not a warrior or leader, just an simple farmer. Well as simple one could be in ponyville and had one of the element bearers for an sister. Gods, I hoped that this is the correct path.

From a corner of my eye, I saw the largest group of armed royal guards I ever seen escorting the night guard.. Each memeber of the night gurad were striped of their arms and armor, the direction they were headed in was that of the depths of the southern wing of canterlot castle, the dungeons… At spear point. What in the gods’ names is going on? The rest of the city joined me in watching the night guard being lead away before returning back to their own business till only I remained in the watching. One of the royal guards noticed me watching and approached me, stone faced, “Carry on, brother pony, none benefit from idleness.”

“Brother? What you’re on about? I ain't got a brother, just sisters.” I replied, none too kindly. Moving my neck just so, to hid my humanic faith. I had the feeling that if he saw it then I would be joining Luna’s night guard in the dungeons..

He frowns,“We all brothers in King Sleipnir's eye.”, “Though may not be common knowledge to you Equestrians with Celestia spitting in the face of true pony traditions, yet that will soon change once the king returns to his throne and rule this backwater properly.” he revealed his Roama accent, weighing heavily on his e’s and the sharpness of the s’s.

“An Imperial? You’re quite far from home.” I said with a raised brow, Roama.. The most zealous pony supremacists and fanatical herd out of all the herds and clans. It seemed that wisdom was with me in calling for holy war against Equestria and the Alicorns. He appeared to lack any knowledge of me if he knew who I was and what I abdicated for then that spear would be piecing my throat. ‘Since when the Imperials were welcomed in Equestria?’

“The Alicorns give me strength, hearth and home” said the Imperial whilst making the symbol of the Alicorn’s flame across his face, “Go about it now, lest you’ll would like to join those traitorous heretics. The king doesn’t take kindly to those who questions his rights to law and rule.”

I left without saying another word to the Imperial soldier, it was just like Alasdair said, the Alicorns were gathering their strength. The age of Celestia was over, that was what he meant, Sleipnir was coming back to finish what he started so long ago. The Equestria I knew was gone, replaced by the Empire of Equestria of over two thousand years ago. The sundering of both Equestria and Avalon were at hoof and it couldn’t be stopped now. It was a short time before the others rejoined me, each telling that the word had been sent to all four corners of Equestria and it seemed that every cult in the hills were willing to stand with us in rebellion as was the Lamias and the few natives that dwell in Equestria. With one last look to castle, I turned my back to it and all it means to be a pony… I was no Alicorn’s slave. It was time for war.

Rarity's PoV

“Pinkie?” I asked sweetly as I wiped the sweat from her brow, despite the sweetness in my voice or cleaning her she doesn’t give any sign of being of this world. Only just laying there in the bed, mumbling in hushed tones so scarce, I couldn’t even hope to hear her. I gave a small sigh, leading my head into my free hoof. “I think I’m losing my mind, Pinkie if you can hear me then could you make me smile.. You should know what’s wrong with me and the others.” We were the only ones in the room, the other girls left us behind. Applejack, Rainbow and Fluttershy went back to ponyville for as they claimed ‘personal reasons’ and Twilight had not even once came to see Pinkie or me, even Spike had scarcely seen her. We were all avoiding each other, ever since Luna’s and Celestia’s fight.. Pinkie hasn't been herself either ever since King Sleipnir casted that sleep spell on her, we thought she had recovered yet something happen to her back in the outpost..

She again doesn't answer and doesn't even noticed me as I magical changed the sweat covered rag into a fresher one and went about cleaning her. The rag danced from her brow to her chest fur, drampering the unkept pink fur before smoothing it out. My mind kept going back to that horrid dream, vision or whatever it truly was yet in truth it was merely the first, they almost come every night now. Images of pain and unwanted pleasure, every night. Something was wrong something was trying to break me, it was obvious yet it was effecting me. I had trouble telling where reality began and where it ended, it became so troubling.. Or was it all in my head? Was I going mad? Was this some dark spell? “Please Pinkie,” I said as tears started form in my eyes, the dark images of Syco returned with itching crawling pain, was that an hand snaking up my back? It disappeared before I turn my head to catch it with eyes “Speak to me. You always could us smile.. Laugh when we needed it.”

I looked away from an moment to wipe the tears away and suddenly I felt a hoof on my arm, for a second I thought it was false yet looking back to my old friend, it remained and I found that one of her eyes were looking straight at me with it’s tired baby blue. “Rarity..” she said, her face almost stonelike. “I can’t, if I helped it would only incite it.. There will be pain.. But when he asks for you to let him in, let him, he’ll protect you.”

“Let him in?” I asked in confusion, “I don’t understand, let who in?” she couldn’t possibly mean to let that dream creature in, it tormented me, how could it protect me from itself?

“Yes… let Alkeyore in, he’s not our true foe but a friend alone in the darkness.” Pinkie says with her voice taking on an otherworldly quality, she then looked in one of the windows, southwards before returning to me. The otherworldly quality to her voice grew in strength. “He’ll return to Canterlot in a short time and free you from what is hunting you and me.. He is the only one with the knowledge to fight it.. Blood and shadows upon the moonlight, pain and pleasure one they are. Demons dress in white fur. Five brides, six foals with the blood of the Ageless. Accursed earth with metal wings upon my breast.”, “You, Twilight and I will survive, the others will not.”

“What?” I said as the nonsensical words warped themselve about my ears, some of the terms she used I never heard her use before while others were completely new to me. Yet.. It bother me, she talking like this, it wasn’t like her. What had happen to my old friend. “The Ageless? Blood and shadows upon the moonlight? Demons? Pinkie.. What is happening to us?” Worry and fear for my friends, especially pinkie, gripped me tightly with its unyielding hooves.

“The elements are failing and we all must play our parts..” She says as she rose from her bed and simply left, leaving me all alone. For an time I stood there, staring at the closed door, in my lonesomeness I set the rag down before sittingdown on the bed warping my hooves around my knees. My mind trying to decipher what she meant, even in our childhood she was strange yet.. There were was always something about her. Out of all the girls, I knew her the longest.. My mind repeated her nonsensical words, each term throwing me off from the meaning. Demons dressed in white fur, five brides and six foals with the blood of the Ageless. A warning perhaps? What was the connection? An sudden knock stole me from my pondering. Hopefully it was one of the others, finally putting an end to this unnecessary avoiding each other.

“Yes?” I called before taking a moment to smooth out my dress. “Just a mome-”

“Miss Rarity?” a very familiar voice called out from the other side of the door. “Is this a good time, my friend? Or would perhaps we should come at another time?”

“Fancy!” went another familiar voice, one I haven’t heard in ages, “You promised that it would be today!”, “I want her..”

“Fancy pants?! Fleur??” jumping from the bed and opening the door, I found that both of the unicorns were standing in my doorway with small smiles gracing their lips. Fancy wore an rich red velvet suite and his mane slicked back into his iconic look while Fleur wore a yellow sun dress that brought her figure and charms to the forefront. Their white fur almost sparkled like jewels in the dazzling sunlight, for an second the light seem to pierce right through.. Them.. No it must be a trick of the light, or was it Syco’s doing.. “Oh my, this is quite the surprise~” I said truly surprised at their sudden visit, they had never visited me before it was often that I had go to them. “Oh please give me a moment to set the tea~”

Fleur gave me a musical giggle, “Rarity darling, please the tea can wait, me and dear Fancy were just passing by and we thought that you would like to join us for the day.” For a second her beauty withered away revealing an ghostly corpse visil and thorn ancient rags adoring her frame then it reverted back to her beauty.“Besides we get to spent so little time together Rarity.” she then fluttered her eyes at her husband and pouted at him, “Isn't that right my dear Fancy.”

“Aye that is it my love.” replied Fancy before kissing Fleur’s horn lightly and turned his gaze back to me. His eyes seemed glow with his love for the prench mare or was his eyes glowing for me… A small headache made itself known causing me to wince a little before dissipating like a mist in the morning’s light. He too changed for an moment, his hide was striped from him leaving the muscle tissue to shine wetly with yellowed and blacken blood. His spine was broken in three places or so I thought before the each of them move independently of each other, snapping at me with their own little mouths and his eyes merged into one sickly glowing green orb. I barely manage to suppress the building scream in my lungs, the images however real they were, weren’t there.. Stop it. Stop it. “Would you like to join us on this fine day?” he asked good naturedly, “Perhaps enjoy some upper class entertainment and dinner at the manor?”

“Why of course!” I said with a smile, almost pulling the couple into the room with me. “Just let me get my things, oh please have a seat.”, “I’ll be ready shortly.” With a swift step, I went into one of the side rooms and pulled an light green dress and hat from the closest before changing with a light hum. Perhaps this outing would do me some good or at least take my mind off.. Demons in white fur.. My head painfully throbbed at the thought causing me dropped my dress to hold it, I could hardly more the throbbing was so bad. Dark images came and went, some with the changed forms of Fancy and Fleur, others I was among them in an monstrous form enjoying the torment I brought to the innocent before it started to dissipate away with the the pain, once the throbbing spell finally passed I picked the dress off up from the floor. Pinkie couldn’t be talking about them, could she? What was I thinking about again? No matter, time for some enjoyment with some old friends.

Author's Note

Ah... happy the 3rd anniversary, a little early yes but this was burning white hot with hellfire.
]

So much had happen over theses pasted few chapters... Madness, demons and fights. Or is it madness? Poor Rarity, my best of the mane 6, -

"You forgot about Pinkie!!" goes pretty pony.

Sorry what my dear?

"What you done to pinkie you vile lord!", "What about her!"

Pinkie? what about he- oh I see... well sorry deary I can't tell you.. Ahem as for the official novel, I am at the sixth or seventh wave of corrections and edits, hopefully soon I can start on the final version and then get published. Now my dear friends, please leave comments. I'm sure that I missed an error and see if you can guess what happens next..

merry x-mas