Death is Magic

by neokiva

Rating: mature
Tags: Dark, Romance, Alternate Universe
Length: 3430

Twilight has been banished from Equestria for what? No pony knows save for Celestia and Twilight herself. 15 years Later Twilight returns, though as something more than that little unicorn Luna fell for.

Twilight has been banished from Equestria for what? No pony knows save for Celestia and Twilight herself. 15 years Later Twilight returns, though as something more than that little unicorn Luna fell for.

Elsewhere dark forces beyond anything seen before prepare for their eventual return.

Note: cover art is a place holder.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2015-02-23 15:40:02 UTC

Chapter one

“Twilight Sparkle, you are hereby banished from Equestria.” That one sentence shattered my world and ripped my heart out. My name is Princess Luna. It happened so suddenly I was unable to act to protect her, my sister gave no reason as to why Twilight was to be banished. I secretly hated her for it, who wouldn’t? But I reasoned that it was because Twilight had done something and that my sister was trying to protect me from the truth, whatever that may be.

15 years later

I sat Listlessly on my throne. The same whiney nobles, the same useless politics. another day away from my Twilight. “There has been several reports of a hooded unicorn sighted in the Maregali forest, wielding a bow and arrow. Killing any and all ponies that enter it. Nearby villagers fear the forest and refuse to enter it. They say that they can hear the screams in the night after adventurers and heroes try to rid the town of this demon. Now they warn any foalish ponies, as to the fate that awaits them in that damned forest. Your highness are you listening?”

A unicorn mare, with a brown mane and tail looked up at me. She had a quill and ink well for a cutie mark and she had light grey coat.

“Huh! Wha--? Oh right sorry Miss Raven! I was just thinking. Just send a detachment of guards. To flush out this scoundrel. about 50 strong should do it.” I said as Raven nodded and proceeded to take note of my order. To be honest now-a-days I didn’t care much for anything that happens. Only giving an issue my cursory attention at best. Such has been the case since my love was banished 15 years earlier. Sister never told me about it or why it had to happen. There is more here than meets the eyes.

Twilight was is a good pony, a heroine that saved equestria many times. There were no witnesses to any crime she may have committed, except perhaps being way too cute for her own good or what my sources termed Adorkable. Oh how I miss those amethyst eyes, that bright smile her soft lips. There is no way that she could have done anything to warrant banishment.

“As you wish your highness.” Raven replied looking over her notes. “There doesn’t seem to be anything else your highness.”

“Okay then This court is adjourned, I’ll be in my room if anypony needs me.” I sighed as I got up from my throne, Twilight I hope you still live. As I reached to my I pushed open the door locking it behind me.

 My room is nothing overt like my sister’s, mine is painted midnight blue, white ceiling and the carpet lavender to remind me of my love. in front of me as I enter the room is my four poster bed with cobalt blue curtains and my covers made of the finest high thread count cotton bed sheets.

Opposite the hoof of my bed was my vanity mirror, tucked in between two bookcases for my private book collection,on the left of the vanity was a pair of double doors that filled my vision as light seeped into it and to the right near the wall was a couple of faux leather couches and a fireplace where me and Twilight would read to each other.

I trotted up to the bookcase on the right of the vanity mirror laying a hoof on the edge and pushed it, revealing the back of the bookcase.Over the years I have been tracking information on Twilight sparkle,  newspaper clippings of sightings, eye witness reports and photos.  Celestia is hiding something from me guards have told me she cries herself to sleep.  What happened to you sister?

Three weeks later the Margali forest. The sun beat down on the forest, out of the forest as the sound of galloping hooves became ever louder with the rustling of leaves and bushes.  Two unicorns one a mare and one a stallion both part of the royal guard detachment sent to apprehend what locals have taken to call the demon of the Maregali. Were galloping as fast as they could.

        “What in Tartarus was that thing Gilded Shield!?” the mare called back to the stallion bringing up the rear. “Don’t ask me Straightshot!? I don’t know, how could it take out the whole detachment!?” the Stallion Gilded shield replied panting to keep up. Behind him an arrow shot towards his neck changing just as it reach trapping him a white glowing chain, started dragging the stallion back into the forest. Frantically screaming and trying to escape “Help me Straight Shot! It’s got me!”

        The mare kept going reaching cover behind a village house, she watched from the corner of her cover. Glowing white eyes came into view at the edge of the forest she levitated the stallion she’d captured. Turning towards the cowering mare behind the cover the creature, smiled a wide and open mouthed grin, that somehow also glowed white. The stallion kept screaming as the creature known as the demon of the Maregali forest trotted off, screaming stallion thrashing around.

        The mare behind the cover ducked behind cover again, eyes wide, pupils shrunk and cowering under her forehooves. “Oh my Celestia, we shouldn’t have come here.” After a few minutes she started to relax then she heard  blood curdling scream, after blood curdling scream. Each time it only seemed to get worse. Then the screaming stopped and an arrow flew passed her and hit the wall near her, she gingerly looked up at it, freezing as she looked at it. On the arrow shaft there hung the Gilded Shield’s hide on it was his cutie mark a simple sword and shield. Blood slid down from it onto a note that was written in his blood, it said “Run little mare, Run!” the words seemed to echo in her head in a sinister whisper and that is what she did. She grabbed the macabre message and Ran for dear life.

The demon of Margali watched as the mare ran away, she wore a gray cloak and hood, underneath she wore a simple shirt and pants made of gear she pillaged from foals who would be stupid enough to come to her forest. She trotted off back to her shelter deep in the forest. In recent years I have finished building my own castle, which I had begun to build 13 years ago after that bitch had banished her, I had started  wondering about helping ponies until I made this forest my home. This Banishment was a goddess send really, well save for what happened when I was first banished, I ground my teeth, she just had to send me farther than was safe.

Teleportation is a magic that uses the ley lines that criss cross the world, When she teleported me, I estimate it took a week before I was deposited onto firm ground.

Being a part of the leylines for that length of time changed me. My body throbbed with power When I awoke I found that I had longer legs, large magnificent wings, my horn was longer and sharper. My mane and tail flowed on a non existent breeze, next to me a scythe with dark and morbid imagery carved into the shaft, was stuck in the ground. Pulling out the scythe with my magic I was suddenly overtaken by a white light.

When the light dissipated I saw a mare standing there in front of me “Greetings, my little pony. My name is not important, you may refer to me as mother Equestria. You were apart of my leylines far too long.”Mother Equestria looked down ”I know I was.“I quickly replied

“Most ponies do not know this, but the ley lines carry lifeforce around the planet they are the lifestream as well as magic streams.”Mother Equestria a hint of sadness in her voice. “Why are you telling me this?” I asked her. “Well Twilight sparkle, You are no longer a unicorn but an alicorn. this should be obvious. However the way it happened was unnatural, bathed in the life and magic stream as you were.

I am so sorry my little pony you are now the alicorn of life and death. you shall be judge, jury and executioner and the harvester of souls as such, you shall never age like all alicorns but unlike other alicorns you’ll never die no matter the cause either. Of course this job doesn’t mean you must give up your life, you can still do what you like to do.”

That was the day my world shattered Mother Equestria continued “That scythe is your death scythe. it allows you to do your job, it will show you anything you want, let you force ponies to tell the truth. Other than that it’s a regular scythe.”

        But back to my castle. I trotted inside closing the door behind me. In my time pillaging foals my possessions grew as did my wealth. Adventurers were so wealthy now-a-days. I wanted for nothing, save perhaps the touch of my love or at least a friend to talk to. As I my way into the atrium I took of my cloak and boots. at each side a door lead to a different room in the castle, the one directly in front of me as I trotted in lead to the lounge to the left lead to the kitchen, to the right lead to my lab. The atrium didn’t have much in the way of decoration, in fact it was bare save for the odd chair.

I trotted towards the lounge door my hooves clicking on the stone floor. I went through the lounge door in here the floor was carpeted with midnight blue carpet, the walls painted lavender and the ceiling white, in front of me as I entered I saw the large roaring fireplace that warmed up the room. It was flush with the wall the room was surrounded by many books, I had pillaged or bought. In 13 years I had amassed quite the collection. Over the fireplace hung a portrait of my love Luna.

By the fireplace was a couch and two seats were set at either side at angles facing the fireplace. It is a place where i could sit and read, by the chairs sat several small side tables and a coffee table was located in the center.

 I trotted over to the chairs picked up a book and sat into a chair by my fireplace. “Hah! friends as if they cared. They didn’t even try and stop my banishment. Oh sure they made a token effort, but it was nothing more than that and was so ineffective mostly because that bitch never once told them the reason I was to be banished.”

 I sprung up “That’s it! if they are going to send soldiers after me. I’ll make them regret it.” I rushed back through the atrium. I put on my cloak and boots, leaving I placed a magic lock on the door and turned it invisible. so nopony would stumble upon it.

        I am sitting outside the castle infirmary I had heard word that the detachment to Margali forest had returned. Only one survivor, who was left a gibbering mess in the castle gateway.

I sighed as I got to my hooves and made my way to her room. As I pushed her door open, she looked up at me with abject terror in her eyes, she scrambled to get away from me.

        “Calm yourself, I will not hurt you! I am Princess Luna” The mare stopped trying to run but still watched me cautiously. “What is your name my little pony?” she started shaking “Little mar.. uh I mean Straight Shot.” well that’s a start at least. “Miss Straightshot, can you tell me what happened to your detachment?” The mares pupils shrunk “My detachment was obliterated, what’s worse is whatever was doing it, it- it- picked us off one by one, like it was just a game. At first it was going alright, we had made our way into the forest. that is until we were deeper in the forest, that’s when the demon struck. It would take one of us and the screams, I can still hear them.

I hear them in my dreams, 49 ponies screaming in the night.” Straightshot rocked and lay in the fetal position. “It was just me and one other a unicorn stallion, Gilded Shield was his name, he was the last victim. It caught him as we breached the edge of the forest and dragged him back into the forest.

I ran for the nearest cover and watched as it’s glowing eyes looked around until it’s eyes fell on my location,  it saw me, it’s open mouth grin glowing white as it’s eyes. It levitated him away and then I heard his screams it was worse than any before it. It sounded like he was so desperate for release, it went on for 20 minutes before his screams ceased and an arrow flew passed me.”

“Why would it spare you?” I asked her  “I think it let me live to deliver a message.” Straightshot said as she handed over the macabre message. As it left her hoof a voice filled her mind. “Good little mare, you may rest now” horrible laughter filled her mind. She looked everywhere in panic eventually settling on the window, beside her and the dark figure was there. Straightshot Screamed and screamed and wouldn’t stop no matter what I did, that is until the ecg read that she had flatlined. the absolute terror engraved on her face permanently.

        “Dammit!” I exclaimed. A voice echoed through my mind, “Tell your sister, Celestia. I am coming for her!” The voice was so distorted and unrecognisable that I barely made out that it was a mare.

        I ran to My sister who was holding court. When I made it through the double doors. “Tia! Somepony is coming for your head!” I shouted everypony in the room froze looking at me. As my sister’s face went pale.

        “I am sorry Luna, but. Who is coming for my head?” Celestia asked me “I do not know sister only that they wiped out the detachment of guards we sent to Maregali single hoofedly and is now coming here. The last survivor just died of a terror that I have not seen in a pony since before my banishment!”

        “Prepare for battle, mount the battlements, Shining armor raise your shield over the castle!” Celestia ordered. I looked on as my sister continued to frantically give orders. What are you afraid of sister?

        I left the throne room and made my way to the battlements as I came to the edge amidst the guard. I witnessed a shadow forming as a tall hooded unicorn trotted out. The shield covered the castle. “Hahahahaha, oh that is so cute!” the hooded mare giggled as she drew her long bow in her magic, with a wave of her right fore hoof four magic circles appeared as a giant one appeared above, the first four angled towards the larger.

I watched her curiously she can’t think she can penetrate this shield can she?

The hooded mare notched 4 arrows and took aim at the four magic circles drawing and firing at the sametime. each arrow met a circle each magic circle glowed before each spewed forth a hail of arrows that hit the large one. The circle rippled and shuddered as it’s glow increased and it’s perimeter widened and lengthened as even more arrows rained down on the shield.

It was like a storm had covered the castle, thundering and shaking the ground as it struck the shield.

Slowly cracks formed in the shield, How is that possible!

eventually the shield shattered completely. The spell ended once the shield was breached. allowing a few archers to fire off  three shots hit their mark impaling her head and neck, a fourth knocked off her hood and cloak. “Twilight!!” I screamed as I saw her lavender coat, her striped mane and tail. I slumped down. My lover dead before me as tears ran down my face.

        I was cut off as I heard a faint-- laugh? “HAHAHAHA!! You foals can’t kill me!” Twilight pulled out the arrows as if they were nothing, Laughing, Her Horn lit up encasing me in a lavender shield. I was then pulled into the shadows alongside her.

When I came to Twilight stood in front of Celestia. “Hello, Tia. Destroy any lives recently?” Twilight’s voice was full of venom. Celestia took to the air and attacked Twilight charging her horn before she fired a beam at Twilight. The beam hit Twilight but it was brushed off like it was nothing.

Twilight just sat there and yawned. “Are you done Tia?” Celestia repeatedly fired magic at Twilight her attacks less than effective. Twilight held out her hoof, several dark binds encased Celestia’s hooves and horn. Though she tried to struggle.

“Twilight! Why are you doing this--” I lost my voice as I saw Twilights cold emotionless eyes, her face covered in scars. “Did Celestia tell you why she banished me, my love?” Twilight asked. I looked down shaking my head “No she did not. I don’t believe you did anything either.” Twilight smiled up at me. “No Luna don’t list--!” Celestia was cut of by another bind around her muzzle.

“Well she told me why, do you want to know why?” Twilight asked “Yes!” I shouted as Twilight chuckled and shook her head bringing a hoof to her face. “She banished me because I rejected her confession and told her I only had that kind of love for you.” I shook in my bubble shield “Surely you’re joking, Tia wouldn’t do that--.” I fell silent. “It is okay my love i did not expect you to believe me without proof.” Twilight stomped her right hoof a black mist deposited a large scythe it’s shaft was oak carved with skeletons and other dark images. Taking the scythe in her magic while holstering her bow.

Twilight lifted her scythe up then slammed the end of the shaft into the floor “Celestia you will tell the truth.” Twilight commanded as shadows slithered like tentacles from it  up towards Celestia. Twilight then continued, ”Celestia is what I said correct, did you banish me because of your unrequited love for me and jealousy of your sister, who had won my heart?”

Twilight released Celestia’s muzzle  “Yes!” Celestia shouted her eyes filling with tears.

My jaw hung as I tried to process this revelation, A guard was sneaking up behind Twilight and then ran her through, the rest of her clothes fell off. “Foal! I spare you and you attack me!?” large wings splay out in rage as Twilight turned to the guard. Twilight held a hoof on him and he fell down dead.

“How did you?” Twilight looked up at me. “It’s really quite simple my love. Celestia’s banishment had an unfortunate side effect. I ascended to alicornhood, because of my extended stay in the ley lines that magic and life stream through, I thought i’d get friendship, magic or learning as my domain. You know what one I got?”I shook my head ”Life and Death! I am the alicorn of Life and Death. The judge, jury, the executioner and the soul harvester. The one that comes for your soul when you die. I’ll be there to guide you to the afterlife.”  Gasps emanated throughout the room.

“Let my sister go!” Celestia shouted Twilight buckled and started laughing “Let her go? Who says I’m holding her captive, foal!? I am protecting her!”

“Twilight please go easy on my sister, please let’s just discuss this. ” I begged looking at her with the puppy dog pout. Twilight snorted, “Fine, we discuss this. Don’t let it be said I am not merciful.” with a wave of her hoof Celestia fell to the floor sobbing, she lay spread eagle across the floor.

“Um honey er-- could you put me down too? It’s not dangerous anymore.” Twilight turned and raised an eyebrow and then she gently lowered me to the floor. As soon as the shield was gone I rushed towards Twilight, planting a big kiss on her lips. “I missed you so much, my love.” Twilight leaned into the kiss and wrapped her hooves around me.