Chapter 1: In The Beginning there was No Hope.
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Chapter 1: In The Beginning there was No Hope.
I was lost in the suffering of my "job", barely even aware of my surroundings. My arms ached from the endless pounding of the hydraulic jack. Small bits of cement and rock skipped off the cavern wall as I bored through, ricocheting off my protective goggles and stinging my exposed face. Clouds of atomized dust filled the air, obscuring my vision, and the screeching whine of the jack filled the cavern, drowning out all other sounds as it burrowed centimeter by agonizing centimeter into the thick vein of copper and gold woven into the rock before me. I had been hammering for nearly six hours now. The jack weighed more than thirty kilos, and the strain of keeping it raised and pressed against the rock face was taking its toll. My arms were trembling from the exertion. My lungs were gasping for air and choking on the clouds of fine mineral dust thrown up from the jack's head. Even his teeth hurt: the rattling vibration felt as if it were shaking them loose from his gums. But the miners in this company were paid based on how much copper and or gold they brought back. If I quit now, another miner would jump in and start working the vein, taking a share of the profits. I don't like to share.
The whine of the jack's motor took on a higher pitch, becoming a keening wail that I was all to familiar with. At twenty thousand rpm, the motor sucked in dust like thirsty man sucking up water after a long desert crossing. The only way to combat it was by regular cleaning and servicing, and the company I worked for preferred to buy cheap equipment and replace it, rather than sinking money into maintenance. I knew exactly what was going to happen next and a second later, it did. The motor blew. The hydraulics seized with a horrible crunch and a cloud of black smoke spit out the rear of the jack. Cursing the company and its corporate policies, I released my cramped finger from the trigger and tossed the spent piece of equipment aside. After a moment I sighed picked the jack back up, left the cavern and headed back up the tunnel to tell the foreman what had happened and get a replacement.
As I trudged by the local stream something caught my eye. A boy had fallen in and began flailing about. I watched for a minute until he began crying out,
"NN-AAH! *KAFF* ...AKK!"
The boy was drowning, without another thought I ran and jumped in after him.
"Hang on!" I shouted.
"HELP! *KAFF* ... I CAN'T SWIM!"
I quickly swam straight toward the boy grabbed him by the hem of his shirt and swam back.
"It's a okay. I got you. Easy now." I said to the boy to get him to calm down, after which I got a good look at him
"Say you look familiar."
Minutes later I find out that the boy is actually the son of the current President and C.E.O. of the company I worked for. My father calls him "Soft John" on account of he's a billion times nicer than the company's founder and previous president "Old Man Skeeze". The old buzzard is the one responsible for why the miners work in such shitty conditions. "Soft John" has been trying for years to improve our conditions and the shitty corporate policies but it's harder than it sounds, especially with his father still alive. The old man may not be in charge anymore but he has enough power and influence to make changing the current policies a real nightmare.
Now meeting Mr. John normally wouldn't be too bad only making me a little nervous, I mean who wouldn't be slightly nervous talking to their boss even if they are a nice guy. However in addition to him and his right-hand man, "Old Man Skeeze" was there too, making me even more nervous. But the thing that made this meeting an unbearably nerve-wracking nightmare of an ordeal was the presence of my father Mac.
"Don't worry about any ramifications Mac. Let's just be relieved everyone's intact, shall we? Here, James. Dry yourself with this." Mr. John said to my father before handing me a towel.
"What? You're letting then go without punishment? In my day, the boy would have been flogged, as would his father. In my day.." The old man began.
However Mr. John calmly cut him off, "This isn't your day, Papa. Mac, I want you to take your boy home and take care of him, understood?"
"Oh, I will, Sir." Father said.
That sentence filled me with dread.
"Ah-hehh *snff* I'm sorry father. I didn't mean anything by it." I whispered. Lying in a fetal position, trembling after the sound beating my father gave me.
"Let that be a lesson to you, boy. If I told you once, I told you a thousand times..Our kind an' their kind don't mix. Them people, they don't understand 'ow it is down below. They live in their big, fancy houses, and we live in the dirt. You'll remember this one day, boy. You'll thank me for it. You understand me?" My father lectured.
"Yes, sir." I said
"Good boy. Here this'll set you to rights." My father said as he handed me a glass bottle of one of his favorite whiskeys.
Alone in the darkness of my room, I stood up and cracked my back.
Hate.. I didn't feel anything else at first. Pure, white-hot hatred consumed every thought, every motion and every ounce of reason in my brain. Shooting a savage glare at the door I congratulated myself on another excellent performance. Of course his fathers blows still hurt but not as much as they used to when I was younger. I had been working the mines ever since I lost the first job I got after graduation from school and I was just as solid as my father, if not a little leaner. But I had to pretend that my father's blows hurt more and act submissively to his will that way he won't kick me out of the house and away from the few things that made life bearable. But one day, I vowed, that he would bow down to me and pay deeply. One day.
A month later Mr. John called me to his estate and spoke to me about a reward for saving his son from drowning. He was putting me on a paid vacation and had gotten me an all expenses paid trip to SDCC for all four days. And a costume will be waiting for me when I got to my hotel room and not only that but will pay for anything I buy at SDCC and I would be leaving tomorrow.
I don't know what came over me but for some reason I lost control of my body and hugged him instead of just thanking him.
How odd.
I asked what of my father and he said he had taken care of it. And I spared it no further thought
Apparently the trip also came with a few "Assistants" which was great and I used them quite well. They helped me put on my costume which turned out to be Pariah Dark "The King of all Ghosts" (which I thought was an odd choice but wasn't going to complain since he was one of my favorite villains). I had seen a lot of interesting things. It was like a dream. Suddenly I spotted a stand selling jewelry, the man tending the stand wore the costume of a Tenryubito from One Piece and SDCC badge with the name Cyrus* on it. He had an aristocratic air about him which naturally put me on guard. I noticed that he had a familiar necklace for sale. It was gold with a gold pendant and a black gem attached to it. Was marked $500. I pointed to it and pulled out my card, he swiped it and after the transaction was complete handed me the necklace along with another one. This one had a green gem in it. I looked at the seller questioningly and he simply said,
"On the house." He said simply. I shrugged and continued on my way, soon I wound up at another booth this time with someone dressed FF-XII Moogle. She wore a badge with the name Nono** on it. I looked at her wares and spotted very real looking fake pumpkin with a green sword in it, I pulled out the sword and gave few experimental swings with it then put it back in the pumpkin.
"How much?" I asked.
"Twenty bucks. Just because it goes great with your costume." she answered.
I handed her my card, once the transaction was complete I took off looking for more awesome things to add.
Hours later I bought my last item of the day "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu. I got it from a guy dressed up as the Vergil*** from the "Dante's Inferno" game. When I got back to my hotel I began separating my things, I had put the two necklaces, plus the Pumpkin with the Sword in it and The Art of War book together in the same pile next to me because I wanted to examine them first.
While I was still separating my things I noticed a small glow coming from the sword? The necklaces were glowing too. And the book! I grabbed the book to see what was the matter.
There was a bright Flash of Light and then......
Urgh. Who hit me? I opened my eyes, well eye as apparently only my right eye seems to work. But that isn't the weirdest thing, I am standing on a balcony in front of an endless crowd of chanting creatures.
"Pariah! Pariah! Pariah! Pariah! Pariah!"
Creatures in much humbler dress. Unicorns, Pegasai, Earth-Ponies, Griffons, and children, even mothers carrying babies are yelling and cheering, smiling, pumping their arms in the air.
I awkwardly raise a hand and wave.
"Uh... hi."
Immediately and as one, every single person in the crowd falls to his or her knees and bows to the ground in silent obeisance.
Heh. I could get used to this.
I turned away from them and walked back into my castle. Upon arriving in the throne room I sat down upon my throne and closed my eye to think.
"Lord Pariah?"
A voice called out to me I opened my eye and looked down and saw a knight in black and gray armor, flaming purple hair and green eyes. The Fright Knight.
"Yes my loyal servant?"
"I have received word that the Dragon King's armies have amassed and are awaiting your word." The Fright Knight said while bowing to me.
"Good. Where should we go today?" I asked.
The knight hesitated for a moment,
"Well sire, I propose we head to the Dream Estate. Our spies say that the Queen there knows information regarding the Tower of Harmony. Plus the Queen has been getting a little too full of herself."
"Well then. It's time we show little peon what it truly means to be a King." I said grinning maliciously.
"Yes my lord. I shall tell your armies to move out towards the Estate at once." the knight added quickly.
"No. It will be just us this time."
I got up from my throne and flew straight toward the roof smashing through it.
"Look out Majestic. I'm coming for you."
**Eons Later**
I stood alone in the front yard of my castle, basking in my awesomeness.
A long time ago The Fright Knight had acquired the "Crown of Fire" and with it along with the "Ring of Rage" I had successfully conquered the entire planet and ruled it with an Iron Fist. Once that was done I had decided to go after the Tower of Harmony which supposedly held knowledge of cosmic proportions. And knowledge is the second greatest power.
However, finding the place was proving to be a lot more difficult than anticipated. I had been chasing multiple leads across the world but every single one of them had turned up false. The tower continued to elude me, until today. Now that I know where it is it shall be mine!
"Hmhmhmhmhahahahah!" I laughed.
"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you."
That voice- Coming from above me! I looked up to see six cloaked figures floating above me.
The figures each raised a hand and fired a powerful beam at me.
"AAAAARGH!" I howled in agonizing pain. I gathered my willpower and attempted to fight it off but I managed only to last five minutes before I collapsed.
Two figures came up to my prone body, one slipped the Ring of Rage off my finger, another took the Crown of Fire off my head. Then they dragged me into my throne room. Blearily I opened my eye to see that the figures brought out a familiar looking sarcophagus. Oh no. It was the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep. Shit!
The figures levitated my body into it. Before closing it two of the figures took off their hoods revealing.... two Alicorns. One with a mane like gold, the other one had a mane of deep Red.
"You! Majesty! Lauren Faust!" I growled out.
Majesty was the first to speak,
"Yes. You have grown too dangerous Pariah Dark. Not to mention the countless..."
I tuned out her self-righteous speech and searched my memory for anything that might help me. I found it in one of the deepest parts of my brain. A very special little curse.
Focusing all my power I began whispering the incantation.
"Have you anything to say before we pronounce sentence?" asked Lauren.
I smiled.
"Only this. You. All of you, this world and it's inhabitants shall never know true peace again." I declared.
The figures in front of me flinched before regaining their composure.
"Empty threats." Majesty countered.
"We hereby sentence you to an eternity in a dreamless sleep. May you forever rest in peace.
"How long is forever?" was the last thing I said before I passed out.
Majesty closed the the lid while Lauren put the key inside and locked it.
