Author's Note

Hey guys sorry for the long wait on this chapter but I had some personal things to take care of for a long while and just now found the motivation to write once more. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 13

"How goes the preparations for Nightmare Moons revival?" I ask Dark Embrace as she walked beside me through the tunnel's of my underground hideout.

After my little bonding moment with Twilight just a few days ago things had been going smoothly. I had went out a few times to chat with Twilight and catch up on things, no spies causing me trouble and best of all was the reactions I got from Celestia after she found out her attempt on my life failed.

Since I only had the damn cows body at the time I had neatly wrapped his head in a box and sent it to her during day court. The screams could be heard all the way to my home which really made my day. Yet not everything had been going well as I had hit a small snag in my plans in regards to reviving Nightmare.

"Things are coming along well my Lord however we are still lacking the means to shield the ritual from notice. No matter what we try it would seem Luna will be alerted and more than likely come to investigate." stated the vampony making me frown a bit.

Luna was the biggest problem for me at the moment. Her connection to Nightmare would alert her to our attempts at reviving the alicorn meaning I would have to deal with her sooner than I had planned. I couldn't just imprison her or else Celestia would be on my back more than usual to find her and killing her was something that would end very badly for the world in the long run. That only left me the option to somehow brainwash her or even convince her not to squeal which wouldn't be easy by any stretch of the imagination.

As I was thinking on how to deal with the lunar monarch Dark Embrace and I had reached the throne room where the others were waiting for us. I promptly took a seat in my throne while Chrysalis stood to my right and Savage to my left. In front of me stood Dark Embrace, Lyra, Zecora, Bon Bon and the recent addition Soarin of the Wonderbolt's.

Soarin was actually my longest running spy since I started my spy network in Equestria. Turns out that most of the ponies in the elite group got their positions due to family ties including Spitfire. Sure they had talent but they didn't have to work up to get their positions like he had done and when this was revealed to him he didn't take it quite well. Hence why he is now my spy and future Wonderbolts captain once I'm on the throne.

It was then I had an idea to get rid of Luna at least for the time being. The best part was that I would get to torment my least favorite ponies in the process. I just love my brain sometimes and that is not a sign of narcissism.

"Hmm I believe I have a solution to our little problem with the Night Princess Embrace so no need to worry on that front. Also it is good to see you again Soarin, how goes things up in Cloudsdale?" I ask casually as the pegasus stallion snorts.

"About as well as you'd expect. I've managed to get Spitfire to date me which opens up even more doors for me to gather intel but I don't know how much longer I can stand her. The mare is obsessed with her image and that means I have to play colt toy to her twenty four seven. I need a damn raise." he grumbled making the rest of us chuckle.

"Just a little longer Soarin. Soon enough Celestia will be off the throne and you won't ever have to deal with her again. Now if that is all leave me as I now have to get to work." I said and with a quick bow all of them departed save for Chrysalis and Savage who stayed by my side.

"What are you going to do dear? Does this have to do with your 'solution' to Luna? The night of the revival is fast approaching so whatever you plan to do you must do so quickly." said Chrysalis as she looked at me skeptically which drew a snort of smoke from the dragoness beside us.

"Do you have no faith in our Lord bug?" challenged Savage drawing a glare from the Changeling who hissed at her.

"Enough! I will not have any infighting between us so both of you will stop this here and now understood!?" I commanded with a glare making both of them bow their heads in submission and mumble apologies.

"Now either leave me or keep quiet as I need to concentrate for my plan to work." I said.

"Oh fine be that way but I'll be waiting in bed for you." she purrs and with a quick peck she walks away with a lot more swaying in her flanks than usual making my eye's focus until she was out of sight.

Looking back at Savage I see her growling in Chrysalis direction making me raise a brow but otherwise not comment on why she was doing such a thing. The female brain is one thing I will never try to study for sanities sake. Instead I focused more inward as my magic began to flare and my eyes closed.

It was a common misconception that only Luna was capable of dream walking but the truth is that anyone could do it however the magical drain from doing so was immense hence why it was so easy for Luna to do it. But even before my transformation my magic reserves were immense but now not even I knew what I was truly capable of.

First dream I visited was the dream of my so-called parents. I didn't want to waste the night going from one mind to another but thankfully I had found a way to cut my work load in half by connecting both of their dreams into one. Took a little bit of work but it was well worth it.

Appearing in their dream I wasn't too surprised at what I found. Both of them were sitting at the kitchen table of my old home as they watched a young Gleaming Shield and Twilight play. Figures I was nowhere in here. An evil grin split's my face as I start to weave my magic throughout the dream. Soon enough the house melts away into a barren landscape complete with jagged rocks and dead plant life. Yeah it wasn't very original but the classics always worked for me so eh.

"N-Night Light where are we." stuttered Twilight Velvet fearfully as she observed their new surroundings.

"I don't know dear." responded Night Light before he spotted Twilight and Gleaming still in foal form, "Twilight! Gleaming come here quickly!"

Now came the real fun, for me of course. Weaving my magic some more the forms of the two foals began to shift and change as they turned to look at the two now horrified ponies. Right before their eyes the two rapidly rotted away in a horrifying display as skin and muscle gave way to bone before turning to dust. Night Light looked ready to puke at what he had just witnessed while Twilight Velvet already was blowing chunks. The sight made me roll my eye's, I had seen far worse and barely flinched yet these two act like it's the end of the world.

It was then I appeared before the two smiling but this time I had my wings out showing them exactly what I had become. I took joy in watching the shock, rage and even fear on their faces once they saw me.

"Like my little show mother? Father?" I asked smugly as I stared at them.

I raised a brow in amusement however when Velvet tried to leap at me but was physically being held back by Night. Oh this was going better than I could have hoped! It only got better when she started yelling at me hatefully.

"You monster! How could you do that to your own siblings! I should have thrown you out when Celestia told us what you were!" she screamed as my gaze turned neutral.

"And what did she tell you I was? A monster? A menace that would one day destroy Equestria? It wasn't my fault I was born with a talent for dark magic yet you blamed me anyway! You just took Celestia's word for it like the good little sheep you were and condemned me to suffer! You don't deserve to be a mother!" I roared as lightning rained down from the sky further scaring the two ponies.

"Yet look at you now! You became exactly like how Celestia said, a monster!" returned Night which I responded with a hollow laugh.

"I admit I have become a monster in some aspects, but I am a monster of your making along with the others. You have only yourselves to blame for what I am now so if you should blame anyone blame yourselves. But first here's a little glimpse of your future." I say with a malevolent smile as the scene shifted once more.

Instead of the wasteland we were now in main street Canterlot which looked as clean as ever save for the black banners waving my symbol on each side of the street. Close by there was a gathering of ponies looking up at a raised platform. On that platform were Velvet and Night looking severely malnourished and raggedy as the were locked in a pair of stockade's. Ponies then began to throw things at them adding more bruises and covering them in rotten things that couldn't even be discerned on what food they could have been. The biggest horror however was the fact that both unicorns horns were gone.

I watched with a smile as my two so called parents watched on and just to add insult to injury a small filly began to speak to their mother just loud enough to be heard by the two.

"Mommy, why are they being punished? Did they do something bad?" she asked innocently as her mother looked down on her with a smile.

"Yes honey they did a very bad thing. They abandoned their own flesh and blood to suffer at the hooves of a tyrant. The called their own son, our king, a monster and neglected him for nearly his entire life and this is their punishment. To suffer alone just as they left him to do." said the mare as the scene faded away to a black void as both parents now turned to look at me in horror.

"Now you have something to look forward to! I'll being seeing you soon." I said as I faded from the dream.

With my parents now scared out of their wits it was now time to visit my so called sister and her lover. I can't wait to see their reactions! Almost instantly my astral form, as I've taken to calling it, arrived at the Crystal Empire hovering just above the sleeping crystal monarchs as they cuddled. How cute, lets see how long that lasts.

Doing the same thing I did with Velvet and Night by connecting their dreams before diving in. I deadpanned however once I saw what their shared dream was. I nearly puked at the scene of a huge rainbow in a beautiful meadow where in the very center sat Gleaming and Cadence on a checkered picnic blanket sharing a plate of spaghetti. The sight made me want to blow chunks but I kept it down. Hard to look intimidating while vomiting after all.

"Well I can't say I ain't surprised. You two always were ones to over fantasize." I said gaining both of their attention and upon seeing me leaped into defensive stances.

"Dusk! What are yo-" began Cadence only to freeze when she saw my wings.

"Nice to see you both as well. Gotta say you both have a really vivid imagination when making this place." I say as I idly kick a walking carrot that had a smiley face on it. I may be a bit twisted but this place is just disturbing.

"H-h-how? You. Alicorn. Wha?" stuttered Cadence making me snicker at her attempt to wrap her head around the fact that I had become an alicorn.

"What's a matter Cadenza? Cat got your tongue?"

"Shut up you freak! Your little illusion won't fool me! There is no way in tartarus a bastard like you could become an alicorn!" screamed Gleaming making me give her a bored look which served to enrage her even more. Time to educate her a bit.

"That's what you think dear sister. It's actually quite amazing what one can accomplish with a bit of imagination as well as the Alicorn Amulet and the horn of Sombra." I say with a fanged grin which visibly made the two shiver.

"Impossible! The horn is locked up in the empire and the amulet is hidden in the everfree!" declared Gleaming as she tried to call my bluff.

"Oh? You mean the horn that is, or better was hidden in the secret chamber connected to your chambers? And the amulet that was hidden in the zebra Zecora's hut?" I say innocently making both of their faces drain of color. Seems they finally get the fact that I'm not bluffing.

"Enough of this Dusk! Why are you here!?" demanded Cadence making my eyes narrow at her.

"You don't demand things from me you harlot! As for why I am here lets just say I'm going to give you a peek on what's coming your way." I say with a smile as the scene once again changes. Gone was that disturbing meadow only to be replaced with the throne room of the Crystal Empire.

But like with the alternate Canterlot I had shown my sire's there were differences. For one most of the crystals had a darker light to them than usual and some spots were even covered in chitin. On the ornate crystal throne on a raised dias however another of me sat wearing almost the exact same garb as my adoptive father Sombra only without the royal cape. Above my other's head sat the crystal heart only now it was blood red yet was still giving out it's calm and peaceful aura.

But the real focus of attention was the pony kneeling down at the bottom. It was easy to see from the white coat and blue mane it was Gleaming only she was now dressed in a dark brown tunic and had a black metal collar with a red gem around her neck. Still she was glaring up at my other hatefully.

"You've been caught trying to start a rebellion among the subjects once again Gleaming. How long until you realize it's pointless?" asked my other.

"You think they will stand to be your slaves forever!? Eventually they will rise up and you'll be put down just like Sombra was!" she declared but all my other did was laugh. Oh this would be good.

"Oh but dear Gleaming that's where you are wrong. They are not my slaves only you. Don't you remember? This is your punishment for your crimes against me and for your abandonment. Be glad Twily managed to convince me to spare you and Cadence's lives." says my other just before the doors to the throne room opens to reveal Chrysalis walking in with a leash held in her magic. Said leash was attached to a familiar pink alicorn wearing the exact same ensemble as Gleaming.

"Hello dear! I just needed to take my pet for a walk, she doesn't seem to enjoy them though with all her former subjects glaring at her. I could taste the hatred rolling off of them!" said Chrysalis as she went to stand at my others side as Gleaming tried to comfort the pink alicorn but was having no luck.

"I don't blame them. The so called 'Princess of Love' they so admired turned out to be a fraud as her love only extended to those who she thought deserved it. I would say she is more of the Princess of False Love. Make sure to take her out again tomorrow. Now off with you two! Get back to your chores around the castle and we'll see you later tonight." said my other with a laugh that was soon joined by Chrysalis just as the scene faded away to a black void where Cadence was silently crying and Gleaming was looking ready to murder me.

"You...you sick bastard! You think that's going to happen while I live and breathe!? I'll kill you before that happens!" declared Gleaming as I now gave her a cold look.

"You and those bigot's tried to kill me once and failed. You will fail again and when that happens you will truly know my pain and will continue to know it till the end of time. This outcome is closer than you think after all." I say before disappearing from the dream world.

When I opened my eyes again I was back in my throne in my hideout with Savage still by my side like the bodyguard she was. Once she saw that I was 'awake' she quickly looked me over as if checking for any injuries I may have sustained.

"Are you alright my Lord? You were out of it for a while." she asked as I waved her concerns off.

"I'm fine Savage. Just giving a few ponies some info on things to come and showing my new wings off a bit." I say as I get up from my throne and stretch a bit to get the stiffness out from sitting too long.

"Are you sure that is wise? They will be more suspicious of you now than ever especially once Celestia hears of it."

"Exactly. You see that is my plan in a nutshell. Now that they know I can invade dreams Luna will more than likely be put on guard duty of the dream realm meaning while she is doing that.." I say leaving the ending for the dragoness to finish. Her eye's quickly widen in recognition as she finishes.

"She will not notice the revival of Nightmare Moon! That is a brilliant plan my Lord."

"Of course Savage. It takes more than raw power to win a war. Being able to play your enemy is the best way to win in my experience." I say proudly as I walk off to bed followed by my bodyguard. Things were going exactly according to plan.