The Forgotten Prodigy

After assuring that Dark Embrace was on my side I had to create a small medallion out of my magic for her. This is to ensure that when I sent her to the others they wouldn't outright attack her. The medallion was in the form of a black crystal heart with a red fire in the center. When I took over this would be the new symbol of Equestria that would signify a love for the country but also the harshness that would be inflicted upon those who threaten it.

After giving her the medallion I teleported her to Zecora's hut where she would remain until I called her and the others back to my home. The next few minutes were spent with me using my magic to burn away the poison that Bloodbeak had gotten me with. It was a good thing to as if left unattended for too long that poison would have had my heart beating to the point it exploded.

Looking over the bloody mess that was once Bloodbeak I tried to think of what to do with it. There wasn't much that I could do with a mangled corpse so I just teleported the remains to the same pit I had sent Blueblood and let the scarabs take care of him. I would let the changelings clean up the blood once they returned.

Now it was on to the minotaur and the dragoness. These two would no doubt be more entertaining then Dark and Bloodbeak due to them being such bloodthirsty killers by reputation. Shifting into my shadow form once more I start to travel through the catacombs towards where I last saw the two assassins.

Eventually I found them in my throne room as it were where the two of them were looking over my throne skeptically.

"Well this guy seems like an arrogant little shit to me. I mean he has his very own throne as if he was some type of ruler? HA! As if that puny pony could rule over anything dark magic or no!" Exclaimed Thunderhorn.

Savage meanwhile was sniffing at the throne and looked a bit interested if her curious gaze was anything to go by. When she went to look behind the throne though she jumped back with a surprised growl and I couldn't help but smile at what she had most likely found. Thunderhorn meanwhile was confused by her reaction and looked behind the throne as well.

"What's wrong with you lizard? It's just a bunch of skulls?" He asked scratching the back of his head making Savage turn an agry glare at him while baring her teeth.

"Those aren't just any skulls you fool! Those are dragon skulls. This bastard has slain my kind before and that only makes him more dangerous. Anyone who can kill a dragon is not one to be trifled with." Growled Savage. It was at this point I decided to make my presence known.

"Well thank you for acknowledging my power Savage. Sadly not many realize just how dangerous I am like your friend Bloodbeak found out a short while ago." I say evenly while I took solid form.

Both assassin's turned towards me with Thunderhorn lifting his hammer and Savage growling at me with rage burning in her eyes.

"I will make you suffer for killing my kin. The fact that a mere unicorn like you managed to kill them is an insult to all of my kind. And we do not take insults lightly." Growled Savage but I waved it off.

"Oh please spare me the draconic pride speech. In truth they brought it upon themselves. I was just minding my own business walking through the dragon lands when some little shit drake started to insult me. I think his name was Garble? Either way I killed him and when he died the rest of his clan came trying to kill me for 'justice'. Naturally I had to kill them as well. The same pride your kind holds in high regard so much is also your biggest weakness." I say casually while examining my hoof but noticing the room heat up a bit more due to the dragonesses anger.

"Enough of this waste of time! I don't care about your talk and just want to kill you and collect my money from Celestia!" Yelled Thunderhorn in frustration before taking a small round object out of his pouch and throwing it onto the ground.

I tense for a moment only for the orb to make a small flash like that for a camera and nothing else. What the hell would that accomplish? I was beginning to think that maybe I had overestimated these assassin's.

Thunderhorn then released a war cry as he charged me while I just stood there waiting for his approach wondering if this guy was as stupid as he looked. Just as the minotaur was close enough I started to get ready to cast a spell only for my magic to just stop! I was so stunned by this new development that I couldn't react as Thunderhorn's hammer impacted my side and sending me flying across the room and into the wall. I fell to the ground with a little blood dripping from my lip and knowing that my ribs were bruised but thankfully not broken, seemed that being an Alicorn made you tough as shit.

Standing up I shake the cobwebs from my head and glare at the smirking bull as he just stood there. Savage for her part was actually grinning at my pain and was more likely than not waiting for her own turn to cause me some pain.

"Surprised pony? That little trinket was given to me by Celestia herself just for you. Basically it temporarily nullifies your ability to channel magic making helpless against us. Without their magic you unicorns are completely helpless!" Thunderhorn exclaimed triumphantly.

I just stared at him for a good minute before I started to chuckle. That chuckle soon turned into a full blown bought of laughter that made Sombra so proud as I could hear him crying proud tears in my mind. This went on for a good five minutes before I finally stopped laughing to gaze at the two remaining assassins and saw them visibly shift uncomfortably under my gaze.

"Oh this is too rich! I have to admit that Celestia certainly had a good idea in neutralizing my magic if only temporarily just to give you a chance to kill me. But she made a critical mistake in this plan. While most unicorns would be helpless due to them relying on magic so much I am not as reliant as you would think asshole. I've trained my body and my mind just for the day I would fight Celestia and if you think a little lack of magic will stop me then you and her are truly fools." I say through my fanged grin. Even I had to admit this was certainly getting interesting and couldn't wait to really get into the fight that was no doubt about to come.

Thunderhorn snorted steam from his nostril's as he charged me once more with hammer but this time I was ready. He came down with an overhead strike which I sidestepped letting the hammer hit the ground with a loud impact. Jumping up I punch the bull in the face making him stagger a bit before I grab onto one of his arms bringing a hoof to bear in a chopping motion right onto his elbow making the appendage bend backwards and a complete ninety degree angle. I didn't even give him time to scream in pain before I bucked him in the gut hard enough to send him flaying across the room. Strangely enough he still held his hammer in his still working arm as his broken one dangled at his side.

I couldn't savor the moment for long though as I was tackled from the side by Savage who had now decided to make her move. The two of us rolled on the ground with both of us trying to gain the upper hand. I punched with all of my new earth pony strength gained from being an Alicorn as the dragoness in turn clawed at any part of me she could reach leaving me with a few bleeding cuts across my chest and back. Eventually though I managed to gain the advantage after delivering a particularly hard punch to Savage's muzzle and dazing her a bit.

I stood over her with both of us bearing our teeth at each other. I had to roll away though as Thunderhorn had recovered and was now trying to hit me with his hammer with his only working arm. I easily avoided his attack's though due to his slow swings now that he couldn't use his weapon with both hands as usual.

After he over swung on one of his strikes I leaped into action as I swept his hooves from under him sending him onto his back. I quickly grabbed his only good arm and brought it into an arm bar. He tried to break free but I put a stop to that once I applied pressure. I kept applying more and more pressure until a sickening crack was heard along with Thunderhorn's screams letting me know that I had now broken his other arm leaving him basically helpless.

Rolling away from the beaten bull and onto my hooves I see Savage charging me once more. It was at this point I felt my magic return and was thankful as I didn't know how long I would have been able to hold out against the enraged dragoness. Flaring my magic The shadows in the room lash out turning into chains that restrain the draconic assassin. She tried to struggle but after a few minutes of failed attempts she finally lost her energy and slumped down in defeat.

Looking up at me she growls in anger before saying in disgust that is most likely aimed at herself, "what are you waiting for? Just kill me and be done with it!"

I return her gaze impassively for a moment before a smile worms its way onto my face. These two were truly interesting, both were exceptional warriors in their own right and didn't back down from a challenge. Even now these two weren't afraid of the death he could deliver unto them at anytime I wished.

"Now that would be a waste wouldn't it?"

Her once angry gaze turned to one of confusion as she waited for me to explain. Looking back I see Thunderhorn is intrigued by my actions as well and was waiting for what I would say next.

"I mean, you two were much more impressive than the other two who were here to kill me and I find it a waste of both of your talents as nothing more than hired killers. So I have a an offer for the two of you that should you accept will grant you great rewards. If you agree to serve me loyally and without question I will give you both power and respect as well as a high ranking position once I take over Equestria." I say casually as I move to sit in my throne while I awaited on how the two would answer.

Savage looked me in the eyes intensely as if searching for any signs of deceit while Thunderhorn just lay in his spot laughing his ass off. Turning towards him I wondered what he found so funny? Soon enough he managed to answer as his laughing died down.

"You arrogant little shit! As if I would serve a weakling like you! You may have broken my arms but you've also hurt my reputation. Once I'm healed I will make sure to kill you and mount your pelt on my wall. You only prove how weak you are by letting me live and actually having a choice! You ruling Equestria is the biggest joke I've ever heard!" He yelled out before laughing his ass of once more.

I let him laugh for another for moments before flaring my magic and saying out loud in a cold tone of voice, "wrong answer."

My aura wrapped around his head and he stopped laughing momentarily in confusion only for his eyes to go completely white before he started to scream in complete agony. I was assaulting his mind continuously with his worst fears while also torturing his mind. This spell was pretty new so this was one of the first times I had used it on someone other than a test dummy.

I kept up the assault for a few minutes before stopping once Thunderhorn stopped screaming. His form was still and even though he was still alive in body the same couldn't be said for his mind. His eyes were now rolled into the back of his head and he was foaming at the mouth. I had destroyed his mind and left him brain dead.

Looking over to Savage I see her looking at Thunderhorn with both surprise and what I thought was a bit of approval. She then turned to look at me and her face became a blank slate showing nothing of what she may be thinking.

"And what may your answer be Savage?"

"What do you think?" She responded tonelessly.

"I think you'll say yes." I say with a bit of smugness. Almost instantly anger breaks out on the dragonesses features once more.

"Why the hell would I agree to join you!?" She roared out but I simply brushed it off before walking up to her so we were looking at each other eye to eye with only a few inches separating us.

"Because you respect me." I answer simply.

"W-what!? But I don-" She began but I cut her off.

"Don't try and deny it Savage for I know how your kind thinks. True you value your pride a lot but what you hold even higher than your pride... is power. You've seen how powerful I am and your instincts are screaming at you to listen to me in the hope you can gain that power as well. Plus I know about you personally." I say casually as I walk around her still restrained form as I use my magic to idly start healing my wounds.

"You don't know anything about me." Savage growled out lowly enough that I just barely heard her.

"Oh but there is where you are wrong Savage. You see I have spies everywhere. One just so happens to have access to a certain file of your life story."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Challenged Savage obviously not believing a word I said. How it was so fun when others call my bluff!

"Like how your name isn't really Savage. Amber Wing. Also the fact that you were the runt of the litter for not being able to breath fire like other dragons and ended up killing your entire clan just to prove your strength as a dragon. Face it Amber, you crave power, power only I can give you and all you have to do is give up your pride to me. Do that and I assure you no one will ever see you as weak again." I whisper into where her ears would be. I saw as her body tensed more and more with each statement I threw at her and knew her will was breaking. But a little more incentive never hurt anyone right?

"Plus your position will be as my personal guard so you will answer to no one but myself along with the promise of power. Here's is just a taste of what I can give you." I say before letting a little bit of my magic flow into Savage. Her eyes narrow into slits before with a roar she broke the chains I had made to hold her.

I quickly took the power back as she calmed down. Her head snapped to me at the loss of strength I had given her. I saw her internal struggle as she tried to decide between keeping her pride and most likely dying or submitting to me and becoming more powerful than she could have though possible. Eventually power won out and she knelt before me making me smile at another powerful ally added to my fold. If anything she would make an excellent bodyguard as well as a good representative whenever I would have to deal with the dragon clans.

"Stand Savage. You don't need to bow before me as I hate formalities. But since you have accepted my offer it is only fair I hold up my end." I say with a malicious grin as my magic flares before rushing toward a wary Savage. In moments she was surrounded by a shroud of my magic completely obscuring her from view. Moment's after this happened she began to scream in pain as my power flooded her form. The process lasted a whole five minutes but with the way Savage had been screaming you would have thought it had been years.

When the ritual was done I stopped my flow of magic and let the shroud that covered the female drake dissipate revealing a changed dragoness. She hadn't grown any but her appearance was much sleeker and toned, her once orange scales and dulled to a fiery red. Her horns and spikes had brightened considerably to gleam like silver. Her eyes though now emitted the same purple haze mine did making her look truly fearsome.

"Welcome to the family Savage, now let us go meet your peers and then we can get to work on recruiting our next ally." I say as I gesture her to follow me out of the throne room while ignoring the brain dead body of Thunderhorn. I would just have some changelings dispose of him later.

"Who will be our next ally my lord?" Asked Savage as she followed behind me obediently. I couldn't help the smirk that spread across my face when she called me lord. Unknown to the dragoness that as I was giving her more power I also changed a few things in her psych just to make sure she stayed loyal to me for s long as she lived. Without turning back I answer her question with one of my own.

"Tell me Savage, what do you know of Nightmare Moon?"