The Signal: Deal with the Devil

by Moonreaper666

Rating: everyone
Tags: Princess Celestia, Crossover, Dark, Alternate Universe, Human, Sad, Main 6, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Tragedy
Length: 2998

Desperation leads to difficult choices. Something the Thousand Sons are familiar with

Spinoff to The Signal by Lord Destrustor

Its been two days since the 'Signal' happened, plunging Equestria into chaos. However, a strange foreigner arrives in Ponyville, claiming to have a cure. After all, these 'marks' couldn't hurt them.

THIS ISN'T THE MAINSTREAM WH40k! In this multiverse, Horus is still dead but Chaos won the Horus Heresy! The Imperium is no more!

Cover art by Nickbert at DeviantArt

Published 2015-02-05 18:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-02-16 20:14:21 UTC

A Stranger Arrives

The stranger arrives at the town and sees the dissonance. After all, a sorcerer, a trickster of the shadow must learn to see beyond what is around him.

“Ah, here is where the six targets reside,” said the Sorcerer as he enters the town

The Space Marine could see the beautiful and vibrant scenery, the architecture of the houses seem whimsical and flimsy. The colorful style of the city seems out of a child’s playbook.

However, the natives live their lives like a dark shadow is above their heads. The ponies go along with their lives, whispering like a dark secret has been cast upon the town.

Observing the town act out its depressing nature, the Sorcerer ignores a young filly coming up to him

“What are you?” the yellow creature said to the Sorcerer

To the Sorcerer, it was a common question he received. Fully armored, his bluish armor with yellow trims seemed alien to most of the natives he met in his journeys. Furthermore, beneath his helmet, the native could his eyes, bright as a fire.

“I am… a mystic, navigating the lands and experiencing the local civilization,” the Sorcerer bows in respect

“You’re not like anypony I’ve seen,”

“Indeed, there are many diverse creatures in this world. One should be aware of that,”

As he continue to converse with the youngling, more and more of the natives flock to him.

“Um… excuse me,” a native said

“I am Twilight Sparkle…”

“Yes, I know you, all of you,” the Sorcerer waves his staff around

The Mane six are surprised by his knowledge of them.

“In fact, you six are the reason I’ve come to this place,”

“What is it with your weird getup?”

“Dash!” said Twilight

“You friend is right, one should not talk rudely about her betters,” said the Sorcerer/Mystic which insulted RD

“Oh yeah, I’m Rainbow Dash….” RD walks closer to the mystic “The fast flyer in…”

THUMP, the Sorcerer taps his staff on the ground, causing RD and all sorts of things to levitate in the air. As soon as it starts the Pegasus and everything else fell to the ground, not with a thump but with a smooth motion

“I sense a disturbance in the air; clearly something has happened here within a week, a dear friend suddenly went…. insane” He said much to the Mane sixes surprise

“How did you…”

“I have my ways, though could you please tell me the events that led to her insanity?”

“It all started several weeks ago; we unicorns suddenly experienced ringing in our heads. We named the experience the ‘Signal.’ It never happened again; so we ignored it and continue with our lives. That was until…”

“Your friend Lyra suddenly went insane and goes in a killing spree. Worst of all, she knew what she was doing and couldn’t control it,”

“I do know of a way to… prevent such further tragedy,”

“Wait, you do?” asked Twilight

The mystic nodded

“Using my arcane arts, I can bestow a special inscription upon one’s forehead, a mark you see,” from the mystic’s left hand, blue fire appeared out of nowhere forming into a crest

The Mane Six look at one another, unsure if they should take the offer.

“I see that you all hesitate. I do not lie when I say the mark will prevent such unfortunate circumstances from happening all again from all of you. As the disease would affect all of you regardless if you are unicorn…”

“Pegasi…”

“Earth Pony…”

“Or even an Alicorn…”

Eyes popped…. Not literally.

“Yes look to your friends… remember their faces, the good old memories. Tell me, are the marks so bad, you’ve rather see yourself or your friends rather going insane, to be consume by unending and irrational anger, to lash out and KILL friends and family and knowing that it was all you, YOU ONLY NEEDED THE MARK TO PREVENT SUCH A NIGHTMARE BUT STILL REFUSE!!!”

The Sorcerer bellows out. The Mane Six shudder in fear.

“Fine then, there is another way to prevent the madness from afflicting you,”

The six ponies look up with hope…

“Something about removing a certain appendage or something,”

The other solution proved to be too much for the natives. Fluttershy and Rarity fainted. Pinkie Pie started crying with Rainbow Dash trying to comfort her. Applejack could only look onto Twilight for guidance.

“Oh I remember; to stop the ‘Signal’ one would have to remove the EARS of the afflicted!”

“ENOUGH! …we accept your proposition,” shouted Twilight

“Fine, come over here,”

Putting the tip of his staff at close proximity to the native’s head, sparks ignite a mystical blue fire which inscribed the mark upon the native.

Minutes turn to hours which resulted in the entire afternoon spent inscribing marks upon the susceptible inhabitants of the town. By the time the deed is done, every single pony in the town has the blue mark upon their foreheads.

“The deed is done; obviously there is one glaring problem with this solution. I wonder if you six are bright enough to see it?” said the Sorcerer

“What could be so bad! It didn’t even hurt a little…” said Rainbow Dash before she was interrupted

“What this fellow meant that it took so long to fix this darn problem,” said Applejack

“Exactly, it would take several weeks to get everyone these marks!” Rarity said in frustration

“Fear not child, there is a way,” the Sorcerer puts out his hands

“Take my hand, six younglings,”

The six natives’ experiences a flash of power, the marks upon their forehead glow brightly

“The six of you can give these marks to others. I have already given the marks to the city of Manehatten; you can start focusing at the other places. Focus on the big cities first, then work your way to the smallest town,”

The Sorcerer walks away, but not before turning back and giving them one last advice.

“It would be better if you all split up! Time is of the essence!”

The Sorcerer walks out into the night, carrying a sinister smile underneath his helmet. Everything is set, time for the final act!

Beggining of the End

“Truly, the patheticness of the native xenos knows no bounds,”

The Sorcerer has made it to Canterlot and quite frankly isn’t impressed with either the architecture or the fortifications, if there is any the Thousand Sons Marine ain’t seeing it.

“This place is dull when compared to the Great Pyramids of Prospero! Do these ponies have no sense of style!”

The Sorcerer walks inside the city and notices that none of the aliens bear his patron’s mark. Accompanied by mind-controlled Royal Guards the capitol isn’t prepared for the horrors cast upon Canterlot!

“Very good, the gifts of the Deceiver are very fickle. It was yesterday since I’ve given the Six their ‘blessings’, Time to begin the final act,” the Sorcerer walks up to the center of town

Meanwhile…

Inside the throne room, the monarch has fallen asleep upon her throne, the stressful events have strain her mind to its limits.

“Luna… what did you see. What horrors that scarred your mind, turned you into a rabid monster?”

There at Canterlot square, Celestia saw the source of the commotion.

"Come and receive the mark, it shall protect you from the Signal!" shouted the strange creature at the crowd

Hundreds of ponies crowded around the strange bipedal, many of them having marks on their foreheads. Over a dozen of them members of the Royal Guard.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Princess! This mystic claims to have a cure for the insanity which occurred a week ago!"

"You claim to have a solution to this disease?"

The giant armored bipedal nodded yes

"Tell me what this mark does and why to all the ponies and not just the unicorns?”

“This mark prevents certain sound waves from being received by the mind. Think of it as a mental barrier…”

The mystic touches a pony’s head

“As to why I’m giving it to everyone, it is so simple. Your entire country could be affected by the ‘Signal,’ even you… and your sister,”

Shocked at this revelation, Celestia look back to the castle. Her sister, also distressed by the effect the Signal has done on the nation, tried to

“That still doesn’t give you reason to do this without my consent,”

“Oh, but you’re not the only Princesses of this land…”

Celestia was surprise at the turn of events. How could this mystic know of her plans!

“Yes, I’ve met your ‘protégé’ and she consented to my rituals. In fact she and her friends are giving out the marks as well,”

“That doesn’t explain why I haven’t been notified by Twilight?”

The Sorcerer knows the reason. The dragon’s mark has ensured that any of his messages ended up in the Sorcerer’s hands, ensuring the deception continues.

As for the pathetic purple street magician, her mark and gift are mutating her powers, especially her teleportation.

“Still…”

The monarch looked at her subjects, she could see the fear and despair streaming out of their faces. She could not imagine the chaos and destruction wrought if she refused.

“Fine, if it’s the only way… continue your ritual. Save my ponies,”

Canterlot proved to be more resistant to his advances. The xenos here proved to be less inclined to receiving the marks.

“I don’t believe in your charades! You cannot force me and my family that ugly mark!” said an alien noble called Blueblood

“Indeed I cannot force you, but you will be forced to cut your entire family’s ears…”

Only the sense of gasp could be seen from Blueblood’s face. Once the pony processes the harsh reality, the unicorn relents and allows him to bestow the mark.

The next day…

It’s 10 am in the morning. The time in which the mystic finished giving everyone the blue marks… Except for two particular alicorns.

Walking inside the throne room, the Sorcerer looks at the two Princesses.

“Hello Celestia…” the Sorcerer turns towards the other princess, unconscious and bound in chains, “THAT, must be Luna, your sister,”

“Indeed, my younger sister investigated the cause of this madness. She suffered a mental breakdown,”

“You two are the last creatures still susceptible to the illness in this country,”

“I know… do it,”

The Sorcerer approaches the two Princesses, right hand stretching out…

BAM! Only to be interrupted by the sounds of the large interior door being kicked open, revealing a new guest to the throne room.

“Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! It’s SO GOOD to see you two! HONESTLY, the teleportation spell is going wacko but it is okay since I’m FINALL-“

Twilight Sparkle, protégé and future Princess of Equestria, stopped blabbering once she figured out that everyone is looking at her like something strange has happened, which is weird because she feels perfectly fine!

However, to everybody else that is seeing her. It’s like a scene out of a horror movie.

“Twilight! What happened to YOU!!!”

Gone was the unicorn, in her stead was a mutated monster. Her eyes, in there were now three, are now blue like the avian wings that grown out of her back. On top of her forehead, the blue flame symbol glows with ethereal light.

Shock at her appearance, Celestia turned towards the stranger the fire of anger could be seen in her eyes. For now the charade is over.

“Looks like my patron’s gifts are compatible with your species,”

In a flash, a bright white light shot out of Celestia’s horn only to be deflected by the enemy, just by a swipe of his hand which at that moment glows the same blue ethereal light coming from Twilight’s mark.

Suddenly the sun monarch found herself blasted from her throne falling onto the floor. The sheer force broke many of her bones and left her with a bloody nose.

“But the direction, it could only come from… Oh no,”

The Sun Princess look up and saw her sister standing up the chains that bind it her incinerated and an all-too-familiar mark rested at her forehead.

“Truly the pathetic ‘Force’ is much more powerful than your childish tricks. Living for a thousand years must have turned your mind into dust!”

“My Xeno slaves would you so kindly… Kill her”

The sorcerer leads leaves Canterlot Castle and its monarch to Luna and Twilight. Celestia’s screams and the burst of flames ensure her demise, her soul another tribute to Tzeentch. Looking at the sky, the Sorcerer bellowed out one sentence to sky.

"Let everything burn! LET ALL TURN TO DUST!!!"

Soon Canterlot went in flames as the entire population succumbs to the whispers of Tzeentch, Chaos God of manipulation and magic. The mutated horde of monsters began developing warp and daemon based abilities.

All around Equestria ponies bearing the mark began to change to lose their minds there will and forever is slaves to the great deceiver. Those ponies unfortunate enough not to have marks were the first victims of the mutant army of terror! Warp fire and mutated limbs destroy the country and the entirety of Equestria.

As the Sorcerer witnesses the carnage, the violence, the ever-changing scenery. He shouts out one last statement before being entirely consumed by a blue fiery inferno!

"Yes! Do you hear the voices! Do you feel the Warp overtaking you! This is the fate of all! Accept it and gain all its blessings... Or be controlled by the Great Deceiver and dance to his tune like puppets!"

Warp energy bursting from his physical body, the Sorcerer began to levitate higher than the mountains Canterlot is situated in.

"Witness the greatness of the Deceiver! For Tzeentch sees all! He knows all! HE CONQUERS ALL!........................................................................................"

"Witness... MY ASCENSION!!!!-"

BOOM! The very sky exploded as reality unfolded into itself. As the very planet began to crack and waver under the strain, a dark and terrifying voice began to laugh endlessly.

(A deep, monstrous and warped voice) "MWAHAHA! HA! HAHA!"

The endless laugh keeps on going as another universe falls into the hands of the Great Deceiver

Paradise of the Warp

It is done; the planet becomes another plaything for the Warp

The sky began to change colors. The natural blue color begins to fade, replaced by a vibrant violet light.

Eldritch energy infuses the environment, twisting and changing the form of all. Trees began to expand and contract, move around with their new legs and breathing fire.

The very land itself shuddered and shakes erratically. Faultlines are created and dissipate at random while vicious earthquakes continuously break mountains and buildings.

The tyrant sits on his throne. Gone is the mortal Sorcerer. The Astarte has transformed into something else, a monster quite as rare as it is powerful. The giant spouts two avian metallic wings while its head covered in blue ethereal flame.

Suddenly, it received a psychic communication from the Warp. The signature seems familiar… No it can’t be!

“Oh Great Cyclops! Another world falls to the schemes of the Deceiver!”

“Another one of my children attains Ascension. Truly the Thousand Sons have unlimited potential,” Magnus responded in the Warp

“What is it my lord?”

“Through the glories of the Warp, the prophet himself has asked our lesion Legion to perform a sacred task…”

“The Arch-chosen himself has entrusted a particular universe to our hands. The humans there have built several empires and civilizations across the stars. They built everything without the power of the warp. We shall show them the superiority of the warp over reality, our glorious sorcery will engineer the destruction of their universe built on reality and technology!”

The Daemon Primarch pauses for a moment

“However, I have a task that requires your assistance,”

“An aspirant has been chosen by the prophet to invade another universe, this one has been designated to be full of the ‘Force,’” Magnus spat on the ground, his hatred of the Force and its patheticness compared to the Warp is well known

“In exchange for selling his services and spoils for our cause, this ‘Iron Mongrel’ requisitioned the Thousand Sons for an Army. You’ll you are going to give him that army,”

“As you wish Primarch,”

Magnus pauses his thoughts again

“Very few call me by that title ever since…”

“You’re apprentice and second-in-command Ahriman, revealed to the Legion that you knew of the imminent Space Wolf invasion and his defection towards the Prophet’s Black Legion,” the Daemon Prince answered in earnest

“Times have changed, know this my disciple. The great all seeing deceiver has a plan for us all. (Pause) We just have to go along with it,”

With that the psychic communications with Magnus ended. The Daemon Prince relayed another psychic message. This time it’s towards somebody the elevated Sorcerer hated with a passion!

Somewhere in Warpspace

Somewhere in neutral space, where the Four Dark Gods have no control, a lone figure spends his eternity in eternal torment.

Dead for three years, the soul has a physical form of a tormented old man chained into a throne. The being endures the torture inflicted on him by the Four Chaos Gods, feeding off on his suffering.

“Tell me old man! Where is your Imperium now!” the Daemon Prince manifested in front of the God-Emperor, spitting in his face

“Another universe falls to the Dark Gods! This time it is by my hands!”

The God-Emperor, now dead and imprisoned in the warp, faces constant screaming and humiliation from pretty much everyone. Even Ahriman and Magnus insulted him several times after his death.

“You say the Dark Gods don’t exist! But they do, and they have ascended me to a superior being! Enjoy your torment, for it will be eternal! (Constant, unending laughter)”

The Daemon Prince disappears from the God-Emperor’s sight, the Sorcerer’s laughter another torment driving him insane. The end is nigh and as for the God-Emperor and the rest of the Multiverse, the end is only the beginning!