My Greatest Adventure

Chapter 2: Embrace The Darkness

I laughed, howled i should say, for a few minutes before looking back at the castle. I saw Twilight and her friends running towards the main castle. I tapped my chin and grinned at the realization.

"YOU CAN RUN SPARKLE, BUT YOU CANT HIDE!!!!!" I howled as they shot a glance back at me before they kept running. "Finally, a challenge." I whispered and darted off after them. I smashed to the ground at the entrance to the castle and blocked them off. "Oh, whats wrong? Give up already?" I asked as they all took fighting positions. Celestia and Luna landed behind them as well. "Well, well, well. What have we here? The princess's actually fighting for once?" I joked sarcastically as they stepped towards me.

"Out of our way." Dash said. I stood my ground and grinned. "I SAID MOVE IT!!!!!" She howled and smashed a kick into my side, sending me spiraling into a wall a few feet away. Rubble landed all over me as they ran into the building and locked the door. I grinned, stood up, and smashed the wall to bits and walked in.

"Knock, Knock." I said as i saw them with the elements of harmony.

"ENOUGH!!!!!" Twilight howled as her eyes glowed and they all lifted up. I sighed as the elements charged and fired at me. The rainbow hit and swirled around me as i yawned in amusement. I lifted a hand and waved it, causing the twister to exploded away from me.

"A bold sentimate. But did you really believe the elements could harm me?" I asked, lifting them away from the girls and looking at them.

"B-But how?!" Twilight shouted.

"The elements defeated Nightmare because she had light in her heart. Luna's heart. True darkness is immune to the elements." I said and smashed the elements to pieces. "Now, where. Is. She?" I asked and walked forward slowly.

"Who?" Celestia asked. I growled and lunged at her, grabbing her neck and lifting her up.

"WHERE IS NIGHTMARE?!?!" I howled at her.

"She's dead." Twilight said.

"The elements cannot kill, nor can they harm. They shredded Nightmare away from Luna. She is alive and well in this world. Now Celestia, WHERE. ARE. THE SHARDS OF DARKNESS?!?!" I howled again as a door opened. I looked over at it and growled at Celestia. " If this is not what i seek, you shall pay." I said and dropped her as i walked into the room. There was a box with the scraps of Nightmare and her armor locked inside. I grinned and smashed it open with my bare hand, then used my magic to lift, empower and animate the scraps and armor. The armor took the shape of a body while the scraps did the same, then i infused my life force into the form to give it life. Its eyes opened looked at me with the same turquoise, daggers i loved. "Hello Nightmare. I've finally come home." I said and kissed her. "This time, our destiny is complete." I said.

"You did it?" She asked me.

"Yes, the sun is no more. Only a land shrouded in pure darkness." I said as we walked back into the other room. "Let it be known that on this day, Equestria became a land of utter darkness. Go now, feel the power of the shadows. and embrace the darkness!" I shouted and raised my hands as an army of black creatures rose up behind me and formed soldiers. The men had crimson red eyes, like their king, and the women had turquoise blue eyes, like their queen. "Go now, spread the darkness over all of the world. Those who refuse my rule shall be imprisoned and brought here. I shall determine their fate from then on." I said to them and they all saluted.

"Yes, Lord Rider." They all said and flew off.

"Lord Rider..... Its been a thousand years since i was called that..... It feels good to be home again." I said. "Now then, as for you few." I said and walked towards Twilight and the others.

"W-What are you gonna do to us?" Fluttershy asked.

"Hmm..... I dont quite know yet....." I said and grinned at them. Two shadows materialized at the door and formed guards who then blocked off the door. "Hmm, i could lock you up. But where's the fun in that? I could torture you all, but im above that. Oh the possibilities are endless....." I said and chuckled to myself. I opened my eyes and sighed happily as i saw a few of them trembling. "Or i could just let you go free. Let you go about your lives as if nothing changed." I said and smiled genuinely.

"W-What?" Twilight asked and i laughed.

"Twilight, do you really think you DESERVE imprisonment or torture?" I asked and walked forward.

"N-No, i suppose not..... But why would you let us go?" She asked me.

"Because. You and your friends have provided me with a thrill i haven't had in a thousand years. Why should the fun have to just end? Now run along, i am tired and need some rest." I said and smiled.

"One more thing Dark Rider." Luna said.

"Ask freely princess. My ears are yours to listen." I said and looked at her.

"What have we done to wrong you?" She asked me and i sighed and turned around.

"More than you could possibly imagine....." I whispered.

"Tell me, what have taken from you?" She asked again. There was a silent between all of us before she spoke again. "What have we taken-" She said but i cut her off and spun around angrily.

"YOU TOOK BOTH MY CHILDREN FROM ME!!!!!" I howled at her. She stepped back in fear as i calmed down. "You took my two sons, my wife, my pride, my honor, my home. You, DARE ask me what you've done to me?!..... Im sorry you two, but i cannot continue speaking. It pains me so....." I said as Nightmare and i walked upstairs. We walked up the stairs and two shadow guards opened our bedroom door for us. "Thank you sirs." I said as they bowed.

"Yes lord Rider." They said and shut the door behind me. I turned the lights on and looked around the room. It appeared to be similar to Celestia's room but with a slightly different design. I tapped my chin and smiled.

"Its missing something..... Ah, i've got it!" I said and the whole room flashed and changed. When the light disappeared the whole room was a series of dark colors and everything was using the same design of the shadow guards, Luna's guards and many other dark symbols. I looked around and smiled at my work. "Well, what do you think?" I asked Nightmare.

"I like it." She said and smiled.

"Glad to hear it. Come on, we should get some rest." I said as we went over and laid down in the bed. I turned the lights off with my magic and fell asleep.

The next morning, i awoke to the sounds of hollering and orders being shouted. I jumped out of bed and ran through the doors and upstairs. I passed several soldiers and injured the like as i ran. I reached the top of the tower and saw Nightmare standing next to me shadow captain, Soul Snare.

"What in Equestria is going on out here?!" I shouted.

"Lord Rider! We are under siege!" Soul Snare shouted back at me and i looked over the ledge. There was an army of soldiers approaching the castle as my armies massed at the front door. I growled as i saw who was leading this attack as well.

"Celestia....." I growled and jumped over the ledge. I smashed into the roof of the lower castle and looked over the army. "Celestia! Why do you lay siege to my city here?! Have you not learned that you cannot defeat the darkness?!" I howled at her.

"Dark Rider! I have come to reclaim my city, and to defeat you and free this land of your darkness!" She shouted and fired a beam of light at us. I gasped as the light evaporated my men and struck me next. I howled in pain as the light burned me down. When it faded i was heavily wounded as i panted and growled. "FREE THE LIGHT!!!!!"  She shouted and the barrier over the sun disappeared and burned me even further.

"Dark move....." I growled as two violet spheres appeared in my hands. I pressed them together and held my hands up. "DRAGON EMPEROR SOARING FIGHT STRIKE!!!!!" I howled and fired a massive black and violet beam at the sun. "NOW I CLAIM YOUR PLANET, AND YOUR BELOVED SUN!!!!!" I howled as the sun shrank down and exploded in the sky. The blast evaporated before reaching the planet as i looked down at Celestia in pure rage. "YOU TRY AGAIN TO TAKE MY HOME AND THOSE I LOVE?!?! You, DARE EVEN SET FOOT IN THIS CITY AFTER ALL YOU'VE DONE?!?!" I screamed at her. I levitated myself to the ground in front of her army as they all raised their weapons.

"Hold on everyone. I wish to speak-" She began but i cut her off.

"NO! ATTACK ME NOW!!!!! I wish to show you just what TRUE DARKNESS IS CAPABLE OF!!!!!" I howled and drew a long, obsidian sword from a sheath on my back. "COME ON!!!!!" I said and charged into the army, slaying all who came before me as Celestia ran. The warriors fought valiantly, but to no avail, for all who passed before me died before me. "CELESTIA!!!!!!!!!!" I howled and chased her down. The gates to the city sealed shut in front of her and a barrier of darkness appeared around the city. She turned to me and backed into the gate as i stepped closer and closer to her. Another long, obsidian blade materialized in my other hand as i stopped a few feet in front of her and growled. "Do you fear me princess? Do you fear that which you know is invincible here?" I asked and sheathed the blades. She whimpered and slid to the ground and looked away from me as i kneeled in front of her.

"M-Make it quick....." She whispered to me as i stood up.

"As you wish Celestia. Know that we could have avoided this had you listened." I said to her and drew my blade. I slowly lifted it into the air above my head and sighed. "Goodbye Celestia." I whispered and began to swing the blade. I gasped and stopped dead as a long, silver blade pierced my chest and went upward as i lifted from the ground. I was slowly turned around to face a tall man with black and red hair and a hook in front of it.

"You shall harm my daughter no longer Dark Rider....." The man growled at me as i came to realize who held me.

"Dante. Crest. Sparda as i live and breath..... It appears there still is someone who can finish off the darkness..... Will you be the one to finish me off?" I asked him as he withdrew the blade and dropped me. I drew my swords and we began mercilessly fighting each other. I impaled him and he did the same to me as i looked into his eyes. "You too, immortal?" I whispered to him.

"No..... I just dont fear death....." He whispered back and twisted the blade and withdrew it. I realized we were standing on top of Canterlot tower now. I backed to the edge and looked at him. "Dark....." He said to me.

"DIE!!!!!" I screamed and finished his sentence for him as the life faded from my body and i dropped from the tower to the ground. I smashed into the street of Canterlot and blew pieces everywhere with the impact. I lay there in pain as Dante, Celestia, Luna, Twilight, her friends and two men i did not know stood around me. "You have defeated me..... You have beaten the darkness Sparda..... The darkness is no more..... I just have one... Final request....." I said as Dante kneeled next to me.

"Ask and i shall listen my nephew....." He whispered to me.

"Please..... Take good care of Nightmare for me..... It is all i ask of you..... Please....." I asked him as he stood.

"It will be done....." He said to me. The sunlight reached me and began evaporating my body slowly as i lay there. I whispered one final thing under my breath to them before my head disappeared.

"The darkness..... Shall rise again.......... Some..... Day.........." I whispered as my body vanished into the distance. Dante stood up and looked out over the city.

"Let it be known, to all the world, that on this day, the darkness shall be no more. For now, and forever." He said.

"What did he mean by the darkness will rise again?" Celestia asked him.

"I do not know. But when the time comes.......... We will be ready....." He said as my vision faded from the world to nothing.