The dark brother of the bright student

by TwinS

Rating: mature
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Original Character, King Sombra, Slice of Life, Twilight Sparkle, Main 6
Length: 59975

Twilight got a new task from Celestia, but this task involves more than just her knowledge. She has to deal with two very different ponies.

Celestia and Luna decided that it is time for Twilight to make the next step of being a princess. She should have her own student and they already found the perfect choice for her. The young unicorn Bright Side.

Twilight is eager to follow the task but with her own student comes more than she thought. She has to deal with the rather unfriendly older half-brother Fallen Dark, who is different than many other ponies in more than one way.

While Bright still studies all kinds of magic, Fallen already carries a title with great weight. He is a part of the high council of magic who take care of the magical problems of Equestria.

This story takes place before the second half of season 5.
Rated M for violence and blood in later cheapters.
This fanfiction take place at the same time as that of my brother The effect of the Wooden Heart

Published 2015-08-20 19:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-11-29 13:55:05 UTC

Chapter 1 The student and the brother

On a morning in Ponyville Twilight woke up in her castle. After she lifter her head from her bed she looked through the window of her chamber.

'Another quiet morning in Ponyville.' she thought sleepily with a smile.

She enjoyed the peacefulness for some time until she heard Spike calling for her. "Twilight. Breakfast is ready and I have a letter for you"

"I am coming Spike!"She stood up and walked through the big hallways of her castle to the dining room.

As she reached the room she saw that on the big table were two plates lying with pancakes on them.

"Good morning Spike!"

"Good morning Twilight!"

"That looks delicious, but what about the letter you were talking about?" asked she curious.

Spike took out a letter from behind his back and answered. "You got a letter from Princess Celestia. I will give you the letter after we finished breakfast, because I am sure no matter what is in the letter you and I will have no time to eat after you read it!"
"Fine!" replied Twilight and started eating.

After finishing the breakfast Spike gave Twilight the letter and she immediately started to read it.

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle

after a discussion between my sister and me we agreed that you are ready for a new task as a Princess of friendship. If you have the time visit me at the castle of Canterlot. I will tell youeverything about you task when you arrive
your sincerely
Princess Celestia

Only a second later after she read the letter she stood up and ran outside. While she ran she shouted something to Spike. "I must go to Canterlot, you will look over the castle!"

Spike walked slowly after her while grumbled a quiet. "I knew, you wouldn't have ate after you read the letter." Then Spike remembered something. "Don't forget, we wanted to eat lunch with the others, so don't be late!!"

Twilight went outside of her castle an started to fly towards Canterlot. On the way Twilight began to think about the letter 'I wonder what the new task is, that Celestia has for me!'

Soon she landed in front of the castle and as soon as she touched the ground she started to run in the direction of the throne room.

She ran through the hallways of the castle and the guards tired to bow as she ran by. As she arrived at the throne room Celestia was already sitting there and signed some letters. She looked up from the letters and smiled. "Twilight, I didn't expect that you would come so soon."

"I am sorry Celestia. I would have come earlier but Spike insisted that I eat breakfast before I read the letter, but that doesn't matter now. What is the new task that you have for me?" said Twilight, she couldn't wait to hear what the new task is.

Celestia laid the rest of the letters away and started to talk. "My sister and I have decided that since you are a master of magic and the princess of friendship it is time for you to have your own personal student. I have already found the perfect student for you, if you think you are ready for an own student."

These news overwhelmed Twilight but after a moment she knew her answer. "I think I am ready for having an own student! What is his or her name?"

"Her name is Bright Side. She is 16 years old and is studying advanced healing magic. I think she will be very happy to hear that you want her as your personal student. I will order a guard to escort you to her house but she lives not alone. Her older half-brother owns the house and lives there too. His name is Fallen Dark. He is the newest high mage and he will not be very happy to hear that you want to take his little sister with you. He might be rude but you have to get his agreement, because I have promised him that no pony ever take his sister away from him against his will until she is old enough."

Twilight was a little bit confused by that statement. "Why did you have to promise him something?"

"He is a high mage and I am interested in his magic, he agreed to share his information with me if I accept his conditions."

"I guess that makes sense. That means all I have to do is convince Bright Sides older brother to let her go with me!" said Twilight, already exited to get her own personal student.

Seeing the excitement on Twilight face, Celestia began to smile and called for the guards. "Guard! Can you please escort princess Twilight to the house of the high mage Fallen Dark!"

Short time after that Twilight followed a guard through Canterlot.

On the way Twilight begun to thought about the whole thing 'I wonder what so special about Fallen Dark is that Celestia made such promises, to make him work for her? Whatever it is, I hope I can convince him to let his sister go!'

"There we are!" said the guard after a short time walking.

They were standing in front of a big and expensive looking house. The only strange thing was that it seems like every other house in this street was empty. "Have you new orders for me?" asked the guard.

"No. You are dismissed, I can handle this alone from now on."

"If you say so princess." said the guard. He bowed and began to walk back to the castle.

Twilight walked to the door and knocked. After a short time a stallion opened the door. He was a half head taller than Twilight and wore a black hooded cloak. The cloak covered him completely so Twilight couldn't even see his face.

"What do you want?" asked the stallion.

" I am here because of a mare named Bright Side who lives here."

"My sister is studying at school right now, come back later!" He attempt to shut the door as Twilight said. "Wait! I wanted to talk to you first anyway!"

As he heard that he sighed and opened the door again. "If that's the case, then come in."

The stallion began to walk back in to the house and Twilight followed him. As Twilight walks behind him she heard a strange noise coming from him while he walked.

'What is that noise? It sounds like something hard is knocking against the floor...'

While walking through the house Twilight saw many showcase with different stuff in them.
In one of them was a griffon feather, in another a skull of an animal that Twilight didn't know and in a bigger showcase where many different strange looking gems.

As Twilight walked to one of the showcases the stallion stopped her and said angrily. "Don't touch anything of this stuff!!"

When they arrived in a meeting room, it was big room with many different paintings on the walls. In the middle of the room is a big table and many chairs.

As the stallion took a seat at one end of the table Twilight sat down on the other side the stallion began to speak again. "I think it is time to introduce myself properly. My name is Fallen Dark, high mage and member of the magic council."

"I am Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship."

"What do you want to talk about with me your highness, Twilight Sparkle princess of friendship?" he asked curious.

"Just Twilight is fine and I want to talk about your magic researches."

"Oh, you are the first person besides my sister and Celestia that is not too scared to ask something about my magic!"

This statement confused Twilight a little bit. "Why should I be scared of your magic? What kind of magic do you research?"

"Dark magic." he simply replied.

This answer surprised Twilight. "WHAT?" She didn't thought that Celestia had a researcher for dark magic. 'Why is Celestia interested in his dark magic?' she thought.

"I said I am a researcher of dark magic." said Fallen completely ignoring the shock on Twilights face.

Twilight wanted to ask something, but as she opened her mouth they heard somepony coming inside and heard an female voice shouting. "Fallen! I am back home. The teacher send me home early! He said I would get an important visitor today and I should not let her wait. Do you know what visitor he means?"

Fallen answered with an annoyed tone in his voice. "Why don't you stop screaming through the whole house and ask her yourself!"

After he finished his sentence Twilight could hear the mare running towards the meeting room.

A short time later she entered the room. She was a unicorn and was around 16 years old. She had a dark yellow coat, she had an long golden mane. She had blue eyes and her cutie mark was an bright yellow pony with rays of light coming from the heart of the pony. She was shocked as she saw the princess of friendship herself sitting in the meeting room.

"By Celestia! You are Twilight Sparkle. I mean princess Twilight. Oh I completely forgot!" she said and hectically started bowing before Twilight.

Twilight was taken by surprise as she saw this reaction, but after a short time she said. "I assume you are Bright Side. It seems like you already know who I am and please don't bow before me."

Bright Side stood up, took a deep breath to clam herself down and said. "I am sorry for this reaction, but I have heard so much about you and the other elements of harmony and I always wanted to see you personally and you are my biggest idol and..."

"Bright! How often did I told you to not act silly when we have guests?" interrupted Fallen his little sister.

Bright looked at Fallen and grasped. "And how often did I told you to take your cloak of when we have guests in this house, especially if it is royalty?"

"Fine!" he said and took of his cloak off. He was an unicorn like his sister, but besides that he looked nothing like his little half-sister. His coat had a dark gray color and he had a short, dark red mane. His eyes were red colored. His cutie mark was black crystal surrounded by dark purple flames, but what really stood out was that his right front hoof was replaced by a dark crystal and that he had an curved, red horn.

'That explains the strange noises but what is with his horn?' thought Twilight while she looked at his hoof and horn.

"You know it is rude to stare!" said Fallen.

"I am sorry but I have only seen one other unicorn with an horn like yours." said Twilight embarrassed of herself.

"I know, it was king Sombra but this horn-form is just a side effect of using dark magic too often. Now that my sister is here, tell me, what do you want?" asked Fallen with an completely emotionless face.

"I came here to ask you, Bright Side, to become my personal student!" said Twilight, already expecting a yes from Bright, but she was not so sure what Fallens answer would be.

Bright started to jump in excitement. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Then she turned around to loot at Fallen still sitting in his chair. His expression hadn't changed a bit, he still looked emotionless at Twilight.

Then Bright asked her brother exited. "Can I Fallen? You know that was always my dream!"

First Fallen said nothing and just looked at Twilight and his sister. After a while he started to speak. "Well, since I didn't expect a question like this I will think about it for a while, but I have to go to an impotent meeting with the other high mages now. I will give you my answer when I am back."

After saying that he stood up, took is cloak and walked away.

No one said anything until they heard the door getting opened and closed again.

Then Bright Side needed to ask something. "Why did you choose me?"

"To be honest, Celestia choose you, but if she thinks you will be a good student then I trust her decision!" answered Twilight.

Bright was a bit surprised to hear that the sun princess herself has chosen her. "I am honored to hear that. I hope you are right and I hope my brother will say yes."

"Since it seems like we have to wait for a while until your brother is coming back, can you tell me a little bit about your studies?"

"Well, there is not much to say besides that I am studying advanced healing magic."

"Then tell me, what does your cutie mark mean?"

"Well, my special talent is to see the good in every pony and learn how to bring it on the outside of somepony!" said Bright very proud.

Now it made sense to Twilight how she can live with somepony like her brother.

Twilight still wanted to ask some things. "I have some questions about you and your brother! First, why do you have to ask your brother to go with me, second, why do you live with him and not with your parents and third, I understand the thing with his horn but besides that, why do you two look so different?"

"Well to the first question, he often knows better how to judge a situation than me. To the second question, our mother is already dead and my father, his stepfather, has to travel a lot for his job as geologist. The last question is simple, his look completely comes from his dead father. I better would not ask Fallen about him, he doesn't like it when somepony is asking questions about his father!" answered Bright Side with a not stopping smile.

Now Bright had an idea. "Do you want to see my brothers dark magic laboratory?"

Twilight had to think a little bit about this idea 'What if Fallen comes back and gets angry that I am in his laboratory, he already got angry when I got near of one of the showcases, but I always wanted to learn more about different kinds of magic. Maybe I can finish one of his experiments, then he will definitely let Bright Side go with me!' She made her decision and answered. "Yes, I want to see his laboratory! Where is it?"

"It is in the basement, just follow me!" said Bright and started to walk.

A short time later they arrived at the basement. There was no light besides a green purple fire in the middle of the room. In the room was only one bookshelf but many work tables with strange stuff on them, like several potions, a giant cobweb with a sleeping spiders that was as big as Spike in it and a dark crystal that spread black clouds with many notes lying around it. "This is the project he works on most of his time." She pointed in the direction of the dark crystal.

Twilight walked over to the table and looked at the notes. 'Maybe I can finished this spell that he works on. Seems like he try to find a cleaning spell for this crystal to get rid of the dark magic. Why didn't he try some light magic?' thought Twilight and begun to think over a spell.

Bright heard that somepony opened the front door and said. "I think Fallen is back, I will get him here!" She ran upstairs and Twilight started to cast a spell to clean the crystal from dark magic. After she finished her work she heard Fallen and Bright coming down to the basement. "As I said, I already know my answer and I..." Fallen stopped talking as he saw Twilight with the now shining crystal. "What did you do?" he asked shocked.

"You don't have to thank me, I just cleaned the crystal of dark magic. Nothing big."

He didn't looked very happy. "Nothing big! You destroyed nine months of work! I was working on a way to make the natural dark magic of this crystal useful! Do you know how rear natural dark crystals are? I can only hope that somepony will find another one in the next years!"

Twilight was shocked and immediately regretted the idea of coming down here. "I am sorry. I thought I could..." she tried to explain but was immediately interrupted by Fallen. "Silent!"

His eyes started to glow green and purple mist came from corner of his eyes "You thought you could do what? Come here, destroy nine months of work and the take my sister and leave? How can somepony as incompetent as you become a princess?" His horn started to glow with dark magic.

But while he tried to cast a spell Bright interrupted him. "Stop Fallen! Calm down, she just wanted to help you with your experiment! If you harm the princess I will never forgave you!"

Fallen eyes and horn stopped glowing. "Fine! I will forget what you did Twilight, but you will get me a new dark crystal. I don't care how hard it is to get a new one. And another thing, if you touch another one of my experiments I will kill you right where you stand no matter what my sister says."

"O-ok." said Twilight, really scared of Fallen, who is now standing right in front of her.

He started to speak again. "Good, after that is cleared I will give you my answer. After what you did I should say no, but I now that being a personal student of an princess is my sisters dream and even if you are the weakest and dumbest of them, I will let her go with you."

Bright started jumping "Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you big brother." She hugged him happily.

Twilight was very surprised by this answer, but was also happy to hear it "Thank you Fallen. I will promise that nothing bad will happened to her and..."

She was interrupted by Fallen. "I said I will let her go with you, but I have one condition. I will go with you too."

Author's Note

This is my first Fanfiction.
I hope you enjoyed reading this cheapter.
Please write if you find something that I can improve.
I want to say that english is not my main language so I hope there are not too many mistakes in the grammer.

Chapter 2 The good first impression

"I will go with you too."

Twilight was a bit surprised by that condition but she didn't need to think about it for long. "I accept your condition."

"Yay! I go and pack my stuff!" Bright shouted and went upstairs.

As she was gone, Fallen spoke again. "When should we expect the carriages to pick us and our stuff up? Oh and before I forget it I need a my special carriage, just ask Celestia she will know which one I mean."

"The carriages will arrive I an hour and a half. I must go now."

Twilight started to walk towards the door of the basement as Fallen spoke again to her. "Tell Celestia if she ever again say somepony where I live without my permission, I will make her regret it, she will now what I mean."

Twilight left the house and took a deep breath.'That was not what I expected but I think it went good enough. I have to keep an eye on Fallen, his magic is way too dangerous!'

She walked back to the castle. She still needed some carriages and she also wanted to ask Celestia a question.

Back in the castle Twilight saw that Celestia was still sitting in her throne and signing letters and scrolls again. "It took you longer to come back than I expected, did something happened?"

"Well only that fist Bright wasn't home, then Fallen needed to go to a meeting of the council and then I first couldn't find the way back here." said Twilight a little bit embarrassed about the last part. "Enough of that, I need to ask you for a favor. I need some carriages."

"I already prepared some carriages for you, Bright and Fallen and I prepared Fallens special carriage." said Celestia and smiled at Twilights surprised expression.

"You knew that Fallen will go with me too?"

"Yes, I know Fallen for quite some time now and I know that he would never let his sister go alone, even if I would promise that nothing will happen to her."

Twilight needed to ask something. "Why didn't you tell me that he is an dark mage and were did he learns dark magic in the first place? And why are you supporting the researches of dark magic?"

"It is normal for an high mage that they keep a low profile, only Luna, some of the royal guards and I know each one of them. Most ponies don't know who the current council members are. About your second question, I don't know where he learned dark magic and he made it clear that he will not tell me. I only support him because we need somepony who knows everything about dark magic and how to stop it because in the last years we got problems with uncontrolled dark magic. The best pony to stop dark magic is in fact a dark mage."

"Oh, that sounds reasonable. That reminds me, Fallen told me to tell you that you never again sent somepony to his house or he will make you regret it. What does he mean by this?"

"Well, one year ago he ask people to be his test subject, the subjects often came back with missing legs, wings or even horns. As I talked with him about it, he said that they all have signed valid contracts that made this legal, but he promised me to stop this. He said he had enough information for some time."

Twilight was shocked that Celestia had made such a pony to a high mage. "Why is he still allowed to research dark magic after such an event?"

"As much as I hate it, I know that things like that are necessary to study dark magic and even if I would try to stop his studies he would simply study secretly. I would recommend you to not ask him to many questions about his studies, he will tell you if he want and don't interrupt his studies."

Now Twilight remembered the dark crystal. "Celestia, do you know where I can get a natural dark crystal?"

"I would ask your brother Shining Armor, maybe there are a few in the crystal mines but can you tell me why you need one?" asked Celestia, she found the sudden question about dark crystals suspect.

Twilight let her head hang in shame. "I destroyed Fallens latest experiment and now he need a new dark crystal."

"If that's the case you should immediately write a letter to Shining Armor when you arrive at home, Fallen isn't very patient with such things. But I think you have to go now, the carriages are ready and I think Bright and Fallen are already waiting for you."

"Thank you Celestia. Goodbye and tell Luna I said hello." Twilight turned around and walked back outside the castle.

Outside were already standing four carriages, on the first was space for four ponies, two of the carriages where made for luggage, these three where all golden. The last one was different, it was black, purple, and red colored one and was twice as big as the others. It had a seat places for two ponies and the room for luggage was completely shut. 'That is probably the special carriage. Why does he even need one?'

For each carriage were two pegasus guards to pull them. "We are ready to go your highness!" said they all together.

"Then let's go!" Twilight walked on the carriage for ponies and the guards started flying towards the house of Fallen and Bright.

After a short flight they arrived at the house. Twilight got of the carriage and she walked to the house followed by four guards.

Twilight knocked on the door and it was immediate open by Bright Side. "You are earlier than we thought, we still have to pack some stuff."

One of the guards spoke up. "If you allow us, your highness, we could help."

Twilight was happy to hear this."Yes, please help them."

The guards walked in the house and got showed by Bright what they want to take with them. As one of the guards walked towards the basement Fallen stopped him "No one besides me will touch the stuff in my laboratory, if anypony tries to touch my experiments I will kill him!"

The guard backed away "I am sorry Mr. Dark."

"That is high mage Fallen for you!" stated Fallen.

"I am sorry high mage Fallen!"

While the guards loaded all normal stuff of Fallen and Bright on the two luggage carriages while Fallen loaded his experimental items in his special carriage. Twilight tried to help the guards multiple times but every time they said that they don't need help and she should just wait until they have finished their work.

Bright ran around twenty times through the whole house to search something she lost.

Fallen finished his work first. The giant spider from Fallens laboratory sat down on one of the seat places . Fallen walked to Twilight who was watching the guards loading some more stuff on the carriages.

Twilight wanted start a little conversation with him. "So, why do you have a special carriage for your experiments?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that simple to see? The dark magic needs a special kind of storage, if I would put them on a normal carriage the dark energy could have an impact on the environment." He chuckled evilly. "And you don't want to see what dark magic can do to the nature."

Twilight didn't know what he mean but she was sure she didn't want to know.

"Anyway, why were you so rude to that guard? I can understand that your experiments are too dangerous but you didn't have to threaten him with death."

"Well, lately I have some problems with some thieves that try to steal my experiments and I have to keep my experiments extra save."

"But you wouldn't have killed him?"

"I have Celestias permission to use violence if I think it is needed to protect my experiments."

'Was that a yes?' Twilight wanted to change the topic. "Why did you insist that he called you high mage, it didn't bother you as I called you just Fallen."

"They are in business here so I expect them to address me correctly and I must insist that you call me high mage to when we are in public, especially when the other high mages come for a meeting."

'The other high mages will come for meetings!' After realizing that Twilight was curios because she had never seen any of the high mages, she didn't even know who the current high mages were. 'I really should have ask Celestia about the other high mages.'

"Now I remember something, where are Bright and I going to live?"

Twilight was surprised. 'Why didn't I thought of this until now? I have to prepare rooms for them. There is enough room in the castle but were should Fallen put his laboratory?'

"You will live in the castle you can put you laboratory in the basement."

A second after she finished the sentence Bright ran to Twilight and Fallen and screamed "We are going to live in the castle?! That is so cool! I am going to live in the friendship castle!"

She jumped on the place.

Fallen walked over her and stopped her jumping "Have you finished packed all you stuff?"

"Yes everything is ready to go!" said Bright and pointed at the two full loaded luggage carriages.

Fallen walked to his carriage and spoke to the two guards that stands there ready to pull the carriage "You two can go!"

"But high mage Fallen who is going to pull your carriage?"

"That is not your problem! Go now before I lose my patience." The two guards walked away still confused.

Even more confused was Twilight as she watched the guards walking away. "Why did you send them away."

"Because I will not entrust two random guards with the most dangerous experiments in all of Equestria!"

"Then who is going to pull your carriage if not the guards?"

He smiled. "Look at the ground." Twilight was confused while Bright looked like she already knew what is going to happen.

Twilight looked at the ground and was surprised as she saw two more shadows next to her own. They started to circle around Twilight. Then they begun to go outside the ground and took the form of two completely black pegasus with red glowing eyes. They walked to Fallens carriage and made everything ready to pull it.

"Where did these come from?" Twilight was completely confused by the sudden appearance of the two shadows.

"I summoned them while you were busy looking confused after the guards." said Fallen now smiling even more about Twilights confusion.

"But that was in less than 10 seconds!"

"I have a lot of practice." Said Fallen and walked to his carriage. He took on his cloak.

He sat down on the empty seat and pet the giant spider. "Are we going now? I want to go on with my experiments and I think Arachna here is getting bored." He pointed at the spider which looked like it wanted to attack Twilight every moment.

"If everything is ready we can go! Bright you are flying on a carriage with me, we have to talk about your future studies." She and Bright walked on the carriage.

"Fly us to Ponyville!" The guards spread their wings and flew towards Ponyville.

The flight was without any special events and they arrived at Ponyville at the late afternoon. The carriages landed in front of Twilights castle.

The doors of the castle were nearly immediately opened by Spike, followed by Rarity and Pinkie Pie. Rarity spoke first as she saw Twilight and her followers getting of the carriages. "Were have you been? We missed you at lunch and who are your guests?"

"I completely forgot about the lunch! Oh and these are high mage Fallen Dark and his sister and my new personal student Bright Side!" said Twilight with a very proud tone in her voice about having an personal student.

Pinkie made a big gasp "That means I now have to throw a welcome party for three new ponies!" She ran away.

Now Twilight was curious. "Wait three who is the third pony and where are the others?"

"Well darling, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash went to help the new pony with his pet and Applejack had some work on Sweet Apple Acres to do, but enough about them I want to greet your new friends."

Rarity walked to Bright to greet her. "Welcome to Ponyville. My name is Rarity and you are probably Bright Side."

"It is an honor to meet another bearer of the elements of harmony. I always wanted to meet you all in person." Bright tried her best to hold back her excitement.

"Well and you are high mage Fallen Dark. It is a pleasure to meet a member of the mage council."

Fallen just looked at her and said "I know."

Then Rarity noticed the cloak Fallen was wearing. "I must say your cloak is completely out of fashion. I will take it and fix this issue."

Fallen just walked by her. "There is no need for this."

But Rarity wouldn't give up so fast "But I insist! Think of it as a welcome gift. Every friend of Twilight is my friend!"

She grabbed the cloak at the end, which made Fallen turn immediately around and holding his crystal hoof, which took the shape of a dagger, at her throat "First of all I am no one's friend, I am only here to watch after my sister and second if you take my cloak we will see how you fix it with one hoof less! So you still want to fix my cloak?"

Rarity let go of his cloak and backed away a few steps, but said nothing.

"I thought so. Now, if you excuse me I will go and prepare my laboratory. If you need me for something I am in the basement." He levitate all his stuff from his carriage and walked in the castle without waiting of Twilights answer.

The giant spider glared at Spike and made no attempt to move.

"ARACHNA! Come!" Arachna turned away from Spike an walked after Fallen.

After the doors of the castle shut Rarity spoke again. "How rude!"

But Bright wanted to defend him "You have to excuse his behavior the cloak is the symbol of his rank as a high mage and he can't stand if somepony else touch's it."

Twilight wanted to go to a other topic than Fallen. "Spike can you please show Bright and the guards the way to the guest chambers and please show Bright around the castle."

"Sure. Come on, follow me!" Spike walked in the castle followed by Bright and the guard carrying the luggage.

As everypony was gone Twilight spoke to Rarity "So who is this other new pony in Ponyville?"

As Fallen walked inside he used a spell to scan the castle, to find the way to the basement. After a short time he arrived at the entrance.

'I think I have to make a special security system.' He searched in his stuff to find the right item. It took him a while but at last he found it.

A locking crystal, if somepony put it on top of a door he can cast any spell he want on it, from a light beam to a fire stream. After that the door can only be opened by casting the spell on the crystal again and that is exactly what he did.

He placed it on the top of the door and casted a dark magic beam on it. 'This will keep the most ponies outside.'

He walked inside the basement, it was twice as big as his old laboratory but there was a problem. 'I have to put special spells on the walls to contain the dark magic that will be used in this room. This will probably take all the day!' The fact that the walls are made of magic crystals made all this even more complicated.

Fallen was right, it took him the whole rest of the day to cast every security spell he needed for his laboratory and put every item on the right place.

While he was busy preparing everything Twilight and Rarity finished their conversation about what happened today. "Goodbye Rarity. See you probably at Pinkies party tomorrow."

"See you there darling and please tell Fallen how to act properly around full grown mares!" Rarity walked away and made a big circle around Fallens carriage, the shadows where still standing there.

At the evening Spike called everypony to dinner, he even prepared food for Arachna. While eating Bright and Twilight talked most of the time about Brights future studies.

After a short time Twilight noticed something about Fallen. "I hope you don't mind if I ask but did I see right that you have fangs?"

Fallen stopped eating. "This is not a issue that should be discussed right now!" His face told her that she should not ask again.

Fallen on the other side had a question."But I have a question. I noticed that you have a big library and I wanted to ask if I could use it?"

"Since this is the purpose of a library, yes. But you have to tell Spike or me if you take a book so we know that you have it."

"Good." He started eating again.

After everpony has finished eating they all go to their chambers, while Fallen and Bright still needed to set their rooms before they could go to sleep.

Twilight wrote a letter to Shining Armor to ask him if could get her an new natural dark crystal. Later she thought about what happen this day 'I need to watch Fallen. I think there is something about him he don't want to tell me.'

Author's Note

Here is my second chapter.
I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Chapter 3 Parties and Duels

The next morning had a rough start for Fallen. It was already noon as he woke up because he had to work the whole night to build his laboratory and set everything right in his chambers.

He had a bookshelf, a desk with some scrolls, a rest place for Arachna and next to his bed was a little table with a infinity burning purple green flame on it, the flame didn't made any sound or light. He stood up and opened the windows of his chambers, what he immediately regretted as the light blinded his eyes. "Ah!"

He heard somepony knocking on the doors. "What?"

The door flung open and a smiling Bright Side was standing there. "Come on long sleeper! We have to go to a party."

Fallen needed some time before he really understood what Bright just said. "I won't go." He walked to his bookshelf to grab some books for his today's researches. "I have no time. I still have to catch the lost time because our moving and besides that, you know that I don't like parties."

"Come on Fallen! This party is to welcome us and another new pony to the town and we still haven't met many other ponies in this town."

He just walked out of his chambers and made his way towards the basement. "My answer is still no. Now let me study!"

But Bright followed him and didn't stop talking. "Come on, please. If you don't come I will follow you the whole day and disturb you!"

"And I will push you outside the basement and lock the door!" he said cold and didn't stop walking.

"Oh. come on. Please please please pleeeease! I will stop annoying you if you come!"

This goes on until they arrived at the basement. Fallen has lost all his nerves and just put the books of one of the worktable. "Fine! I will go but after the party you will let me work for the rest of the week. Am I clear?"

He gave her an angry glare but Birth only responded with an smile and said "Yay!"

Later they walked towards Sugarcube Corner. Fallen was wearing his cloak again. They used the time to talk a little bit.

"How do you know where we have to go?"

"Well I woke up early this morning and Twilight thought it would be a good idea to show me around the town. On the tour we met Pinkie Pie again, that is the pink earth pony that you met yesterday, she is the one who throws the party and she told me to bring you to Shugarcube Corner this noon."

Fallen raised his eyebrow. "What is a Sugarcube Corner?"

"That is the locale bakery and confectionery . So where was I? Ah, right! After we talked to Pinkie she introduced me to the other bearer of the elements of harmony, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Fluttershy. You will meet them all at the party."

As she went on talking Fallen saw that a pony with a map in his hooves was about to crash into them, he used his magic to change the direction the pony was walking. Instead of crashing into Fallen and Bright the pony ran straight into another pony who wasn't looking.

Fallen chuckled as the pony started to argue whose fault it was. 'Why dose somepony even need a map in such a small town'

Bright didn't noticed anything and just went on talking. "Oh and I met Rarity again. She told me to tell you if be so rude to her again she will show you how good her magic is."

Fallen just laughed about this threat. "That would be interesting it is a long time since my last duel."

Now Bright was a little bit worried. "Please don't challenge anypony. You know that the only pony in Ponyville that has a chance in a duel is probably Twilight and it is wrong to challenge the host to an battle."

"You have a point, I doubt that some pony in Ponyville besides Twilight has the magic abilities to be a challenge for me. But I think challenging Twilight would be interesting. Please remind me to ask her for a duel after the party."

Bright thought only one thing. 'Me and my big mouth'

As they arrived at Sugarcube Corner Fallen saw somepony sitting n front of the shop, with closed eyes. It was a earth pony with an brown coat and a green mane. His mane was cut to an irokese. His cutie mark was a ghost wolf. But Fallen sensed something. 'This is an unusual strong magic aura for an earth pony.'

Bright immediately talked to him. "Hi, you must be Spirit Wood."

He opened his eyes as she finished, his eyes were dark green. "Yes I am Spirit Wood and you two must be Bright Side and Fallen Dark. It's nice to see that I am not the only new one!"

"That is high mage Fallen for you!" He looked angry at Spirit, he thought that the ponies in this town would have more respect for a high magician.

Bright was not so happy about Fallens reaction 'He is not even on duty here' "Fallen! Be nice and take your cloak off!"

Fallen was not in the mood to argue. "Fine." He took of his cloak waiting for questions about his horn or crystal hoof but there came no.

"Well it´s nice to meet you anyway but may if I ask the question, from where do you know each other?"

Bright smiled at this question, she was happy that Spirit didn't ask anything about Fallens appearance. "Well he is my big half-brother, we have the same mother."

Then Spirit had another question. "Is it rude or may I ask you what with your father is?"

Bright winced, fearing Fallens answer.

Fallens expression got a little more serious than before. "This is nothing of your concern and I would recommend you to not ask again, but now I have a question. Why do you have such a strong magic aura?"

"I think you mean the bond between me and my pet Bite, well it´s part of my special talent and it allows me to speak with him through my thoughts and if I concentrate on the bond I can see through his eyes! And also, I don´t know about here but where I came from we believe that everypony has magic even earth ponies and pegasi! "

'Does he think I never learned the basics of magic?' Fallen was angry about this insult. "I know that, I am not an high mage because I can levitate stuff. I was only curious because normally a magic aura of an earth pony is much weaker. But what you told me sounds interesting. Maybe you agree to some special experiments?" His voice changed a bit while he asked.

Bright knows this tone in his voice well. It means that it is a very bad idea to agree.

"No I don´t think I have time for an experiment, sorry!" 'Puh!' Bright took a deep breath.

Fallen was disappointed but didn't showed any expression. 'That could have been a perfect opportunity to study dark magic at earth ponies.' "What a shame. But I think we already wasted enough time. Where is that party I want to get this over with. I still have some experiments to work on."

Now Bright smiled again."The party is right inside."

The room was filled with many ponies and as they walked inside the ponies screamed "Welcome to Ponyville"

Spirit immediately walked to the ponies to greet them. Bright also walked around and talked to everypony.

Fallen on the other hoof looked for the next empty table and soon he found one in the corner of the room. He sat down and started watching the other ponies in the room.

He saw Spirit sitting at a table with Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, two pegasus and another earth pony which he assumed to be Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Applejack.

Then he watched some other ponies having fun, sometimes a pony tries to sat down on the table with him but each time they turned around as he gave them an angry look.

He used the time to practice one of his spells. He used a spell to see their fears. Most of the time he saw things like losing family or friends. 'Sentimental fools.'

He learned a long time ago to control and defeat his fear of losing somepony.

Then he saw the bearer of the elements of harmony coming to his direction. Twilight spoke first. "Hi Fallen. I wanted to introduce you to the rest of the group. You already met Pinkie Pie and Rarity."

Pinkie Pie bounced up and down. "Hi."

Rarity tried her best to act normal. "It is a pleasure to meet you again."

"After the massage you send me I highly doubt that. Oh and if you stay at your statement, I have nothing against a little duel, but I think that I have a little more practice in combat magic." He smiled evil.

Rarity started to stutter. "E-em, I d-don't think t-this is n-n-necessary." Everyone else didn't know anything to say and Fallen just smiled at her reaction. "So you want to introduce me to the rest." He abruptly changed the topic back.

Twilight shock her head to forget what she just heard. "Oh right. So this is Fluttershy." She pointed of one of the pegasus. "H-hi n-nice to meet y-you." 'I sense very much fear in her.'

"This is Rainbow Dash." The other pegasus spoke up. "What's up."

Now Twilight pointed at the earth pony. "And this is Applejack." Applejack step forward and held her hoof to him. "Nice to meet ya?"

Fallen took the hoof and shook it. "Well it is nice to see that this town isn't only filled with cowardly ponies that are as foolish as they look."

The others just stared at him.

Than Applejack spoke up. "Say what now?"

Fallen told them what he did this day. "I used the time to here to see in the fears of other ponies to practice a bit and I must say you are the first ponies today that have at last not completely pathetic fears."

Each one of them felt uncomfortable knowing that he knows their fears.

"Now if you excuse me, I have to meditate about all the fears I have seen today." And with saying he closed his eyes.

Knowing that he wouldn't talk any more the others walked away. Fallen was lost deep in his mind to put all the new faces names and fears in the right place.

Later as the party was nearly over, Bright finally noticed Fallen sitting alone with closed eyes. "What are you doing there?"

He didn't opened his eyes to answer. "I am collecting and sorting fears."

Bright groaned at Fallen. "Couldn't you just do something else? Only this one time? I thought you would talk with Twilight about magic or something else?"

He finally opened his eyes. "Thank you for reminding me, I still have to ask her for a duel!"

Bright facehoofed herself.

After the party was over everypony went home but Fallen wanted to speak with Twilight before they left. "Twilight, since you are a master mage too, I thought I follow the tradition of the battle of master mages and challenge you to an duel."

Twilight didn't understand what he means. "What tradition are you talking about?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Caelestia never told you about the battle of master mages?"

Twilight just shook her head.

"Well I have time to explain it. So the battle of master mages is an very old tradition under unicorn mages, when a master mage thinks he found somepony on his level of power he challenge him to a duel. The rules of the duel are simple. For offensive spells are only paralyze-spells allowed, weapons have to be enchanted that they don't do any deadly damage. For defensive is everything allowed from barrier-spells to illusion-spells. So, do you agree to the challenge?"

Twilight wasn't sure, she never really practiced much battle magic but this tradition sounds very interesting. "If it is a old tradition I accept!"

"Good. I know where we can fight." He walked towards the castle and Twilight followed him.

The others heard everything. "Oh oh oh. I want to duel too." exclaimed Pinkie.

"Darling you are no mage, so you can't fight a magic duel."

Applejack was worried. "Ah didn't like the thought that Twilight is about to fight a dark mage."

"We have to respect his traditions darling."

Fluttershy was even more worried. "I think this tradition is very brutal."

"I think it sounds awesome." exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

As they arrived at the castle Fallen walked to the big empty place next to it.

"This is a good place for a arena." Fallens eyes and horn started to glow with dark magic and he stomped on the ground. Giant crystal walls grew out of the ground.

As he was finished they were now standing in front of an round arena made of dark crystals. It was big enough for twenty carriages to park in.

Fallen turned around. "So since you are the challenged one you get to choose my and your weapon!"

"Choose weapons? How about we duel without weapons?"

"That would be unusual but fine. Next thing transportation abilities yes or not?"

'It seems like he take this very serious.' "Ok, transportation abilities are allowed!"

"Good now you six," he pointed at Bright and Twilights friends. "you are going to watch that no one breaks the rules, but I have to warn you. Every kind of distraction or help is against the rules. Now that everything is clear let's begin."

He and Twilight walked inside the arena and the rest to place at the spectator seats. "I will count down from ten to zero. On zero the fight starts."

"Good."

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, ZERO."

He immediately shoot the first paralyze bolt. Twilight jumped to the side and shoot one herself.

Fallen blocked this with a barrier.

Twilight flew in the air and shoot three more bolts, but they all missed because Fallen dodged them by going in the ground and becoming a shadow.

He stayed a shadow until he reached the other side of the arena from where he shoot a gigantic energy sphere which flew very slowly at Twilight.

Twilight flew back to the ground. "Did you really thought that something that slow is going to hit me." As she said that she heard a explosion above her.

The gigantic bolt exploded in hundreds of small bolts that rained down on Twilight. "What?"

She summoned a barrier. She couldn't see anything besides the light of the exploding bolts. Her shield nearly broke but then that bolt rain stopped.

As she could see Fallen again she immediately shoot a paralyze beam at him, he used a barrier to block the beam. The beam his the barrier and Twilight didn't stop casting the beam against it.

After some time Twilight saw that his barrier was about to break and put even more energy in the beam.

As the shield broke Twilight smiled. "It is over!" But as the beam hit him it just went through him. "What?!" The only thing Fallen did was dissolving into nothing.

Then Twilight heard a voice behind her. "Turn around." Twilight turned around and saw Fallen standing directly in front of her.

"How..." That was the only thing she could say before she got hit by a paralyze spell.

Fallen smiled as Twilight couldn't move anymore. "How did you do this?"

Fallen deactivated the spell. "I only used the rain of bolts as an distraction, I walked as a shadow behind you and summand an illusion of me. I am very disappointed, I thought Celestia taught you better at fighting."

Twilight was now a little bit embarrassed of herself. "I never learned anything about fighting besides simple magic beams."

"I definitely need to speak with Celestia. This was one of the easiest duels I ever had, but I will not complain the last duel I had was over a year ago and it was the only battle I ever lost."

Now Twilight was curious. "Do you mind if I ask who your enemy was?"

Fallen just raised an eyebrow. "I thought she told you, well it was princess Luna of course."

"What! Why did you challenged a princess?"

"First of all, I challenged you too and second, she challenged me."

"Why did she challenged you?"

"She wanted to see if I am strong enough to control dark magic. I must say that it was the longest and hardest duel I ever fought, but I still lost in the end. Well I have to work on some experiments and I am still waiting for an natural dark crystal."

He walked away towards the castle but before he got inside he stomped on the ground and the whole arena got back in the ground.

Pinkie jumped around Twilight. "This was awesome."

Applejack walked to Twilight. "Ah never thought to see somepony beat you in a fair magic duel!"

"No one of us thought that darling. How is it even possible that a normal unicorn can beat an alicorn in an magic battle?"

Bright felt like she needed to explain. "Well he is training fighting with magic since he learned dark magic and even if Twilights magic power is higher than his, he still has better tactics."

Now Twilight got an idea. "Maybe I should ask him to train me in battle magic."

But Bright clearly didn't like the idea. "You should better not ask him. If it is about magic he can get very serious and harsh and if I was you I would ask him no favors until you got him a new dark crystal."

Twilight facehoofed herself. "Completely forgot to write a letter to Shining Armor."

"You should rest now darling you have an long and exhausting fight behind you."

Rarity tired to get Twilight to rest but Bright needed to disagree with her. "To be honest that might be the shortest duel he ever fought, you may be the worst magician he ever fought and you should hurry with the crystal, I don't know why but he told me often that this is his most important experiment ever."

Twilight let her head hanging. "I know that I really messed this up. I will go and right the letter."

Bright wanted to cheer her up. "When you finished the letter can we start with the first lesson?"

Twilight lifted her head. "Of course, you still need to finish your studies of healing magic."

"Yay!"

Bright and Twilight walked inside to write a letter and study magic. The other five ponies walked back homes too.

Author's Note

And here is the next chapter.
The character Spirit Woood belongs to brother and his story Wooden Heart.
Check out his chapter 3 to read about his perspective of the party.

Chapter 4 Test and future lessons

Fallen was sleeping in his laboratory, with his head on one of his worktables, until he heard Arachna. He lifted his head and turned around to see that Twilight was standing with the back at the wall with Arachna standing before her threatening watching every of her motions.

"Arachna, back away from her!" Arachna turned around to look at Fallen. "Now!" The spider walked to her cobweb in the corner of the room.

"Thank you Fallen."

"How did you get inside?"

"I opened the locking crystal."

"That was clear to me but where did you learned to use dark beams?" asked Fallen, not really satisfied with Twilights answer.

"Well I saw Celestia use it once and copied it."

'Seems like Celestia had learned something from my experiment-protocols. I never thought that she even had a dark side to use these spells.'

"That is interesting, but why exactly are you here?" He turned away to sort some of his notes.

"Well I need you to buy some apples from Applejack." She tried her best to not look at his eyes as he turned around.

"And why should I do that for you? I still have experiments to finish."

Now Bright walked inside the laboratory too. "Because yesterday you talked to nearly no other pony."

"I will not go through the whole town just to buy some apples," said Fallen and turned to Bright. "and you promised me to let me work!"

"I will keep my promise if you go and talk to some ponies." said Bright smiling.

Fallen sighed because he knew this would go the same way as yesterday. "Fine but I tell you, this is the last time this will work."

Bright hugged him. "Yippee! I promise this is the last time for this week that I will stop you from working ."

"I definitely need to use a more complex spell to use on the locking crystal."

He walked outside but stopped. "That reminds me, when dose the mail normally arrive?"

"The mail normally should arrive around forenoon."

"Good, Bright you take my weekly payment and other letters and take care no one else touch this."

"Ok, see you later." Twilight gave Fallen some bits and Bright waved to say goodbye. As he was gone Bright turned to Twilight.

"Why again did we send him alone away?"

"Shining Armor wrote me that he can send me a dark crystal today and I need Fallens notes about the crystal to prepare it so he don't need to do all the work again. I highly doubt that he would share them. I told Applejack to not let him go until afternoon"

"They found a new one very fast."

"I know but Shining told my they found a big cave filled with natural dark crystals in the crystal mines. Well since there is still some time, how about we go back inside and go on with magic lessons."They walked back inside to the library.

Fallen walked through the town and after some time he noticed that he was followed by three fillies. It seems like they tried to not get caught by him but failed horribly every time they tried to hide and crashed into each other when he turned around.

He ignored it but then realized that he has no idea where he has to go. 'Maybe my little followers can help but first I want answers.'

He used his dark magic to levitate all of them in front of him. Now he noticed that each of them belongs to one of the three pony tribes.

"Why are you following me?"

The earth pony spoke first "We didn't followed ya!"

Fallen levitated them closer to his face. "I ask you to look at the situation you are in and think again if it is smart to lie to me!"

"Ok ok. We followed ya because ma sister Applejack told us to stay away from ya but we were curious what so special about ya."

He let them to the ground but as they tried to run away he block their way with a crystal wall.

"I let you down but I never said I would let you go. I still have some questions. First of all, who are you?"

This time the unicorn spoke first. "My name is Sweetie Belle."

Than the pegasus. "Mine is Scootaloo."

And at last the earth pony. "And ma name is Apple Bloom."

Then they screams all together. "And together we are the cutie mark crusaders yay!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Well I am high mage Fallen Dark, and now I want to know why did you followed me exactly. What did you expect to see?"

Sweetie Belle spoke this time. "We thought we can get our cutie marks for being spies."

Fallen didn't want to know why they thought that would be a good idea. "So, you said you are Applejacks sister. Then you probably know where I can find her."

He looked directly in Apple Blooms eyes. "She should be at Sweet Apple Acers."

"Then lead the way." He stomped on the ground and the crystals disappeared.

"Sure we have to go back to our clubhouse anyway."

The three fillies walked and Fallen followed them. They walked in silence what Fallen appreciated, until Sweetie Belle spoke to him. "Where did you learn this magic, I never saw Twilight use something like this?"

"It is dark magic and I discovered most of the spells by myself."

"Wow, can you show me how to use it?"

He looked at her. 'I don't think she has enough darkness inside her.'

"I don't think you are made for the path of darkness. Dark magic is made for loners, your friends would only weaken you and I don't think you want to separate yourself from your friends."

Sweetie Belle looked on the ground. "Oh I think you are right."

Later they arrived at the farm and Apple Bloom spoke again. "We are going to our clubhouse, Applejack should be somewhere bucking apple trees."

They ran away and waved. "Goodbye Mr. Dark."

Fallen walked between the trees until he heard the sound of falling apples. He followed the sound and saw Applejack carrying a basket apples next to her was a big red stallion doing the same.

Applejack noticed Fallen. "Howdy Fallen, nice to see ya again. This is my big brother Big Macintosh."

"Eeyup."

"So what are ya doing around here?"

"Twilight send me here to buy some apples from you." He took out the bits.

Now she remembered that Twilight told her to distract him until afternoon.

"Well we first need to bring all these apple filled baskets back to the farm." She pointed at twenty filled baskets.

"I will speed up this process." He summoned twenty shadow-minions. Each of them took one of the baskets. "Where should they bring the apples?"

"Just follow us." Applejack, Big Mac and Fallen walked back to the farm followed by twenty scary shadow-minions.

They stored the apples and Fallen talked with Applejack again. "Why did you told you sister and her friends to stay away from me."

"Ehm... Well... You know... Ähm...because ah didn't want them to disturb you." Applejack looked away from him.

"You are a horrible liar. You thought I would hurt them if they annoy me because I am an dark magician."

"N-no."

"I thought the bearer of the elements of harmony wouldn't judge a pony after their first encounter."

Applejack let her head hanging. "Ya, I am sorry if that hurt your feelings."

"You don't have to be sorry. I am used to thing like that since I started studying dark magic. Now can you please give me the apples, so I can go home."

"Sure." She handed him a bag filled with apples. She began to thought about a way to hold him back a little more. "But there is something I need the help of an magician."

He already turned around. "Ask some other unicorn."

He attempted to walk away as Applejack spoke again. "I think dark magic is needed."

He stopped walking. "I hear?"

"Well... Ehm... We have a problem with...rats! Right we have a problem with rats."

He turned around and raised an eyebrow. "And why do you need dark magic for that?"

"Well we can't capture them maybe you can get them with your magic."

He raised his crystal hoof to his chin and thought. 'That would be a great opportunity to test one of my new spell.'

"Fine, but first I need one of the rats."

"Sure, maybe there is one in one of the traps."

They walked in to the barn and Applejack checked the traps. Fallen prepared the spell. "Ah have one of the rats!"

"Bring it to me." Applejack took the trap and place it before Fallen. He cast the spell on the rat, which seems to have no effect besides the green glow in the eyes of the rat."Free the rat."

Applejack opened the trap without contradicting.

The rat ran immediately away. "The rat will now run back to his nest, there he will spread the plague I place on him. I think it will take twelve hours until every rat is infected. The plague will kill all of them after twenty-four hours and they will fall to dust. You don't have to fear that something else gets infected. This spell can only affect rats, a plague for other creatures would be much more difficulty."

"But there is another rat in one of the traps. Should I free it too?"

"Actually I have to test something else. You don't mind I make a little test?" He grinned.

Applejack didn't liked the look on his face but didn't saw a reason why not. "Sure." She took the other Trap with a rat in it to him.

He took the rat out of the trap and shackled it with little chains made of dark crystals. 'Let's see if this see if this new torture spell works like planned.'

His eyes glowed bright green and purple mist came from the corner of his eyes but instate of shooting a beam he shoot a stream of purple green fire at the rat. The rat began to writhe in pain as it catches fire and started burning.

"What the hay are ya doing?"

"I cast a special version of dark flames, it will burn the flesh of the rat but will do no irreparable damage. It will burn forever and will cause pain without killing it, until I stop the flames with a new spell. It is wonderful to see that it works perfect." Applejack was scared by knowing that he can use such spells.

"Why do ya need such a spell?"

"A dark mage can find many uses in a spell."

He turned around and began to walk away until Applejack stopped him. "Didn't ya forget something?" She pointed at the still in pain writhing rat.

"Ah, right!"

He walked back but instate of disabling the spell he lifted his crystal hoof above. As Applejack wanted to ask what he is doing he stomped with his hoof and crushed the skull by doing so.

Applejack looked at him with an open mouth.

"Well, thanks for the possibility to test my spells. Goodbye." He took the bag with the apples and walked away not waiting for an answer.

Applejack still didn't said anything and had only one thought. 'I have to keep Apple Bloom and her friends as far away from Fallen as possible!'

As Fallen arrived at the castle it was already late afternoon. 'And another day without many steps forward at my experiments. At last I could test some spells'

He walked through the castle searching for Twilight to give her the apples. As he arrived in the library he saw Twilight sitting on the ground with an dark crystal in front of her.

He watched as she tried multiple times to cast a dark spell from the notes that were lying next to her.

"Why can't I cast this spell? If he has enough magical energy than it should be no problem for me."

He stepped behind her. "What are you doing with my notes?!"

She immediately stood up and turned around as she heard his voice.

"Fallen what are you doing here?!"

"I bring you the apples, but now explain why did you stole my notes. And after that tell why I shouldn't rip your wings from your back?" His eyes started glowing with dark magic.

She tied to explain as fast as she can. "The dark crystal arrived today and I wanted to prepare it so you had less work to do but I couldn't even cast the first spell that was needed!"

"Didn't I told you that I will kill you if you touch another one of my experiments. Did you thought I would break my word?"

"I am sorry I didn't want to make you mad, I just wanted to help." His eyes stopped glowing as he slowly calmed down.

"Well since you didn't destroyed something this time I will forget it one more time but this is my last warning. Ask me first if you want something from me."

"Ok I am sorry. Now take your new dark crystal." She handed him the crystal.

He took it and looked at it from every side. "Well I must say this is an very impressive and powerful exemplar. May I ask where it was found?"

By hearing the calm tone in his voice she knew that he really forget what happened. "It was found in the mines of the crystal empire."

"Interesting..." He looked at the crystal without saying anything more.

"May I ask why I couldn't perform your spells."

He looked back to her. " To use dark magic you use the darkness inside you and simply you haven't enough darkness in you to cast something beyond a weak beam. Now if you excuse me I will take this crystal and my notes and prepare everything so I can go on with this experiment tomorrow."

He levitates the notes and the crystal next to him and walked to his laboratory.

He cast a dark beam to open the door and walked inside. Arachna was sleeping in her cobweb.

He placed the crystal on the table and began to cast the spells from his notes.

As he finished the last spell he heard Spike calling out for dinner. "Come Arachna it is time to eat." Arachna woke up and followed Fallen to the dining hall.

He sat down at his place and Arachna started immediately eating.

Bright was the first one that said something. "How was your day Fallen?"

"Well I was faster with my experiments than I thought. It will probably take only one day to catch up with my time plan."

Twilight was happy to hear that. "Well since you are so fast I thought it would be nice if you would show me how to use magic in a fight."

Fallen stopped eating. "I am only two days here and already two ponies asked me to train them in magic."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Who else asked you to train him?"

He just shrugged. "Just a filly named Sweetie Belle or something like that. I told her that she is not made for the path of darkness. Even if her dark side is strong enough doesn't mean she can control her darkness."

"What do you mean by control her darkness, I thought she only need to use her hatred?"

"Yes, that is true, but this is only the first step. If you want to control dark magic you need to control your darkness, the part of you that is made of your hate, fear, envy etc. you probably already heard about this. You need to control yourself or you will turn yourself in to an beams shooting berserker. Maybe I can find some other pony I this town to be my student."

Twilight wasn't sure if she liked the idea of having another dark magician in this town. "I don't think you will find somepony who would fit for this position in this town."

He lifted his crystal hoof to his chin and thought about how they met first. "You are probably right. The ponies in this town are simply too friendly to have a strong dark side and I don't think I have enough time to make my experiments and train more than one pony."

This was a relive for Twilight that until she realized what he just said. "Wait, do you mean you will show me how to fight with magic?"

Bright was shocked to hear that. "That is unfair I ask you to train me a long time ago and every time you said one day and now you train somepony else before me?"

Fallen closed his eyes, he hated this discussion. "I also told you that you are way too young for my methods and it would only complicate you healing studies."

He finished the last bite of his food and stood up. "I will now go back to my experiments, Twilight I see you tomorrow morning at 9:00 o'clock next to the castle! Don't be late!" And with that he walked away.

Bright shouted after him. "I placed your mail on your bed!"

"Good." He was already outside the room.

As Twilight was sure he couldn't hear them anymore jumped from her seat. "Yes! I will learn new magic tactics!"

Bright just looked at her and Twilight calmed down."Oh. Ehm. Well that reminds me how far did you get with your studies while I was busy with the crystal?"

"Um Äh I was learning buuuuuut....." Bright looked around to avoid eye contact.

"You didn't learn anything right?"

Bright looked at the ground. "Yes but I promise I will catch up all the lost time. "

"You have all work finished until tomorrow after the training with Fallen!"

"Ok!" She smiled and ran to the library to start working.

Twilight shouted after her. "When you have finished everything ask me for the next lesson!"

There were still plenty healing spells Bright needed to learn before they could start with the next bigger aspect of magic.

Chapter 5 First lesson

As Twilight woke up at the next morning, she immediately looked at the clock in her room. It was already 9:05 o'clock.

"I am late!" She stood up and ran through the castle to get outside.

As she reached the outside she saw Fallen sitting in front of a new arena.

"I am so sorry that I am late, I overslept!"

He completely ignored her apologize "Now that you are here we can start training, but I have to warn you! As long as we are inside the arena you are no longer a princess but my student and you better behave like that! Am I clear?"

"Yes."

"Then come inside." They walked inside. It was not as empty as the one they fought in. There was a place with targets, some armor stands, some tables with weapons on them and a small pit. Everything was made of dark crystals.

"Since you are late I remove your break and today is no flying allowed." With that he cast a spell on Twilight, the spell tied her wings up with shadows.

"But I was only five minutes late!" She tried to move her wing but this let the shadows only tighten. After she stopped moving the shadows loosened again.

"No buts and as long as we are in this arena you only call me master!" He looked at her with an serious expression.

"Yes master, what will I first learn?" Twilight was excited to learn new ways to use her magic.

"Today we will start with a simple weaponless fight."

"Who is my enemy?" She expected to train aiming or something till she would be ready to fight against Fallen again.

"You will fight some shadows we will start without magicians. A little hint, your magic shield only works against magic attacks."

Fallen and Twilight walked to the middle of the arena, Fallen summoned five pony shadows.

Twilight was about prepare herself for the fight as one of the shadow jumps forward and hit Twilight in the face with his hoof.

She fell down to the ground. "That was not fair, I wasn't ready!"

"This is a fight and I guaranteed you that a real attacker wouldn't wait either. Try again."

The shadow walked back to his position.

This time Twilight was prepared for the attack and dodged it. She shoot the shadow and it vanished.

The she saw two of the shadow jumping at her with swords in their hooves.

"I thought you said weaponless?" She jumped back to avoid getting hit.

"Yes but I meant that you are weaponless." He had a small smile on his face.

But the smile disappeared as Twilight started to complain."That is not fair!"

"I am the master here and I tell you, that in a battle fairness doesn't matter!"

Twilight was so distracted that she nearly got hit in the face by a sword. She jumped to the side and shoot her attacker with an energy bolt. The shadow vanished.

Then she noticed that her cheek was bleeding.

Fallen saw her shocked expression. "Don't worry they can't kill you complete, but that doesn't mean they will not break your bones." He laughed a little bit. "I give you a little hint for help. Consider to use your magic like a master and not like a fool who just learned that he has a horn."

Twilight now took a closer look at the remaining shadows, one of them had a sword, another had a spear and the last had some sort of claws.

She got an idea as the one with the spear threw his weapon at her while the other two dashed in her direction. Instate of dodging the spear she changed the direction of it with an levitations spell.

The spear pinned the shadow with the claws to the ground. She looked at Fallen, proud about her little trick.

He nodded. "That is better. Still not very good but better."

Twilight turned back to the fight and shoot a beam at the one with the sword in his hoofs but it missed him as he started flying.

Instead the beam hit the shadow without a weapon behind him. "You didn't said that one of them is a pegasus!"

"I only said that we start without magicians, I didn't said that they can't fly."

Twilight started shooting multiple energy bolts at the shadow but he dodged every single one of them. The shadow flew directly at her and kicked her in the side.

Twilight fell to the ground and the shadow pointed his sword at her throat. "The fight is over. Try again but this time I will double the number of shadows."

"What? I couldn't even beat five how I am suppose to beat ten shadows?"

"You agreed to my methods as you entered this arena and now stop talking and fight! But if you want to give up, right there is the exit!"

Twilight shook her head. "No. I will fight the shadows."

Fallen nodded. "Good. Then back at your stat position."

The shadow backed away and nine new shadows appeared. They surrounded Twilight and got ready to attack

She fought against the shadows till noon. She already received multiple wounds and bruises but she finally managed to defeat every shadow.

As the last shadow disappeared Bright walked inside the arena levitating two plates with food.

"I have lunch for you two!"

Fallen looked at the completely exhausted and wounded Twilight. "Well since you finished your first lessen early you can eat something and then we will go on with the next lesson."

They all sat down on the ground and started eating. Bright wanted to talk to Twilight.

"I practiced every spell of the book you gave me." Bright smiled proud of herself.

Twilight smiled at her, feeling reminded of herself how she was when she was young."Then ask Spike for the next book of the series."

"How many books are in this series?"

"If I remember it correctly there should be five books in this series and I want you to learn every single spell, but I think you can take a break for today."

"Ok, what have you two done this morning?"

This time Fallen talked. "She defeated ten shadows at the lowest level of difficulty."

"What that was the lowest difficulty?" Twilight now felt really bad for all the times she lost.

"Yes and before we go to the next level of difficulty, I will train you to fight with weapons."

Twilight wanted to ask something as she was interrupted by somepony shouting from above them. "Hey, Twilight!"

They all looked at the sky where they saw Rainbow Dash flying. "Twilight you look like something ran over you. What happened?"

"Hi Rainbow, Fallen is training me how to fight."

"Awesome, Can I learn fighting too?" She looked begging at Fallen.

Fallen raised his hoof to his chin. "I don't think I can train a pegasus to fight in general but if you want you can train with Twilight to fight with weapons."

Bright saw that she was no longer needed. "I will go and help Spike in the library."

Fallen stood up and walked to the tables with weapons. Rainbow and Twilight followed him.

"Since you both never learned how to use weapons, you both can test the weapons first. You can choose a main weapon another time we train."

Twilight was confused about the whole weapon thing. "Why do I need to learn to use a weapon."

Fallen answered while looking at the weapons. "First it is tradition, second it needs much less energy to levitate a weapon than using other spells and lastly it is good to have a weapon against other magicians because they can block your magic with barriers. To block physical attacks with a spell is much more energy necessary."

They looked at the different weapons. There were swords, axes, daggers, spears, bows, shields and other weapons in different shapes and sizes. Every weapon was made of crystals.

"Twilight since you are a unicorn you can use any weapon without problems but remember, you have to concentrate all the time to use them." He looked at Rainbow Dash. "Since you are a pegasus, Rainbow Dash, you can use two-hooved weapons without any problems but I wouldn't recommend you to use heavy weapons. They would only make flying more difficulty. For the beginning you two will duel against each other. I already prepared every weapon so they will do no big damage and only paralyze the target. Rainbow you will start with a spear and you Twilight with a one-hooved sword and a shield."

Fallen levitated the crystal weapons to the ponies. Rainbow took her spear in her hooves and Twilight grabbed her sword and shield with an levitation spell.

They walked away from each other and Fallen walked between them. "Twilight since you already trained a bit with magic you will only use levitation, but you are from now on allowed to fly."

And with that the shadows that tied up her wing vanished.

Twilight flew to get on the same high as Rainbow.

"The fight starts on three. One, two, THREE."

Rainbow immediately flew towards Twilight with the spear forward. Twilight blocked the attack with her shield and swung her sword to hit Dash in the side but Rainbow flew upwards so the chop missed her.

Rainbow took her spear in both hooves to strike her directly in the back. Twilight lifted her shield fast enough to block this attack the but force behind the attack was so strong that Twilight couldn't hold her shield and dropped it on the ground.

Twilight didn't had the time to levitate the shield to her again because Rainbow was already flying towards her again.

Twilight dodged the attack by flying upwards but Dash turned around after she missed her target. She again flew directly towards Twilight, this time Twilight blocked the attack with her sword.

The two mares hold their weapons against each other but since Rainbow Dash is more athletic and didn't already had fought for hours, she slowly overpowered her.

The only thing she didn't noticed was that Twilight slowly levitated her shield in to the air. She used the shield to knock Rainbow spear away and swung her now free sword right into Rainbows chest. The paralyze spell on the sword activated and Rainbow fell to the ground.

"The fight is over!" Fallen walked to Rainbow and broke the spell. Twilight flew to the ground filled with proud about her victory against Rainbow Dash.

"Twilight you should not let yourself get involved in such kind of situations. This time you may have tricked your enemy but actions like that are way too dangerous. Rainbow, you should always watch out for some kind of trick if you fight a magician, even if she only uses levitation."

"Yes master!" Twilight nodded at him.

"Fine!" Rainbow Dash just shrugged.

Fallen turned around. "This is enough training for today, I will go back to my experiments. You can go one with training if you want but I will not help you anymore. Don't forget to choose your main weapon sometime. When you are finished put everything where you found it."

He walked away not turning around. No one noticed that a little part of Twilights shadow floated after Fallen.

Outside the arena the shadow transformed itself into a crystal bottle filled with something red.

Fallen levitated the bottle to his face. "Perfect. Fresh blood. This will very much help me."

He walked in his laboratory, there he filled the blood in one of four different colored vials in a locked shelf, only one of them was still empty. "Only one left. It will probably take some time to get the blood of the last one."

He turned around and walked to the table with the dark crystal and stated working on it.

In the afternoon Bright was reading some books in the library as Twilight walked inside the room. "Bright, Spirit Wood is going to hold a speech in a few hours and I think the subject of the speech should be interesting for you."

"Oh that sound interesting!" She stood up and ran away. Twilight was now standing alone in the library.

"Well since that is finished I better get Spike and get going to help Spirit to prepare everything." She turned around and started searching for Spike.

"Fallen! We are going to hear a speech!" Bright ran directly into the looked door.

After a few seconds Fallen opened the door. "What speech?"

"Spirit is going to hold a speech, I don't know what it is about but Twilight said it is important."

He raised an eyebrow "Who was Spirit again?"

"That is the pony we met at the party."

He needed to think for some time. "Oh, you mean the earth pony with the magic aura?"

"Yes. So, are you coming now?"

He walked outside the lobotomy and closed the door. "If I say no you would only drag me so, fine I come."

"Yay." She turned around and ran away. Fallen walked slowly after her.

They arrived at the town hall after a short walk. After they found a good place in the crowd, they waited for the speech to started.

First Twilight walked in front of the crowd and started talking. "Hello everypony thank you for coming, as you might know we had a guest for the last days and he wants to say something."

Then she walked away and Spirit walked on the stage.

He said that he is from the land of the zebras and that he want to bring peace between ponies and the creatures of Everfree Forest.

"I have also a proof that it is possible to live with one of them."

As Spirit said that some kind of wolf walked on the stage. The wolf was made of wood and leafs and nearly as big as a normal pony.

First Fallen couldn't recognize the creature but then he remembered that he read about wooden wolves. He remembered that they are called Timberwolves. 'There is a magic bound between the cub and Spirit.'

"As you can see ponies can live together with them!"

After this sentence Fallen and Bright heard some ponies cried out that Spirit is crazy and that Timberwolves are evil.

Bright whispered to Fallen. "How could they say things like this every creature has a good side even the darkest creature! Spirits cub is a good example."

"Yes but their fear is blinding them. It is like in any other city. It only takes some rumors and stories to make ponies fear a creature they don't know."

Spirit spoke again and said that everypony who want to leave should do it now.

After some ponies went away, much less than Fallen expected, Fallen could fell that much of the fear was gone but there was still some fear left in the room.

As the crowd was quiet again Spirit spoke again to the crowd. "Thank you all who stayed and want to give other creatures a chance. As I said will answer all question you have

After some questions the biggest question was asked. "How do you want to bring peace?"

That question even got Fallens full interest. Spirit answered that he would use his special talent to talk to the creatures of the forest after he did some more researches.

'Well that is not what I call a good plan but I guess it is a start.'

After some more questions it was over and Bright and Fallen decided to leave.

As they walked Bright wanted to talk with Fallen about the speech. "What do you think about his plan."

"You can hardly call it a plan Besides that I think this project is too much for one pony alone considering all the magic that exists in this forest."

"I just hope that he make it. Every creature should live in peace together and every creature should get a chance to show the good side, even creatures of darkness." She placed on hoof on Fallens shoulder.

Fallen pushed her away. "Let's see how they use their chance."

Author's Note

Here is my next chapter, I hope you like it.

If you want to read the whole speech from Spirit read my brothers story Wooden Heart

Chapter 7 A bad day

A week later Fallen worked in his laboratory, in the morning, as he heard Spike calling for breakfast.

He arrived in the dining room after a few minutes. He saw that Bright and Twilight already finished breakfast and they looked like they were preparing to leave.

Fallen sat down and began to eat. "Where are you two going?"

Twilight packed some sandwiches in her saddlebags. "Since Bright finished her healing magic studies we are going on a trip to study gems and their magical abilities."

Fallen raised an eyebrow. "Why do you need to go on a trip for that, didn't one of your friends always have some gems?"

Twilight shook her head. "Rarity has no gems left, in fact we are going to bring her a bag as a surprise."

After Fallen finished his breakfast and he stood up. "Twilight I have to talk to you. Alone!"

Twilight followed Fallen outside the room while Bright was busy searching for the things they need.

Fallen looked at Twilight with an disapproving look. "This is the third time this week that you miss your training. Rainbow Dash ask me if you didn't want to train anymore and I have better thing to do as waiting for you to come to the training. If you miss the lesson tomorrow I will no longer teach you. Do you understand?"

Twilight looked at the ground, she skipped his lessons because she didn't made any steps forward. "Ok, I am sorry."

Fallen still looked directly at her. "I didn't ask for a sorry. Now another thing, If you go on a trip with Bright you are responsible for her. You take care that nothing happens to her!"

Twilight nodded and turned around. She walked back to Bright and helped her packing the rest.

Fallen followed the two the door and watched them as they walked away. Bright waved Fallen and screamed. "See you tonight!"

As they were gone Fallen walked in the library and looked over some books. He searched if Twilight had something that could help him with his studies. He found nothing besides some notes of Twilights first visit at the crystal empire.

Later he took his cloak on and went outside to go to the arena where he saw Rainbow trying to use two spears at the same time.

He walked behind her and took one of the spears out of her hoof. "These spears are only made for two-hoof use. How often do I need to tell you this."

Rainbow Dash just shrugged. "I just wanted to try. Did you told Twilight that she should come to training again?"

Fallen placed the spear back where it belongs and turned around. "Yes and she said that she would come next time, but today she will not come, so I decided that since you already managed to beat fifteen shadows alone you will fight against me today. Don't worry, I will not use my magic."

Rainbow grabbed her spear and flew in the air. "Cool! Let's start."

They walked in the middle of the arena and Fallen transformed his crystal hoof into a sword.

"Three, two, one, GO!"

Rainbow dashed at him and tried to hit him in the left side but Fallen took one step aside and turned a little bit so he could attack Rainbow Dash who was now directly in front of him.

He swung his sword at her exposed wing. Rainbow lifted her spear to block the attack but the sword turned into a hammer and shattered her spear. "What?"

The hammer hit her wing and Rainbow heard her bones breaking. She fell to the ground. She tried to get up as fast as she could but as she lifted her head was there already a crystal sword at her throat.

Fallen turned around and walked to the shattered pieces of the spear. "Next time you better try to win at least."

Rainbow got up and looked at him outraged. "That was not fair! You cheated! You said no magic."

Fallen used a spell to repair the spear. "I didn't use magic, this hoof is a part of me and I can change the shape of it without magic and whenever I want. I think you would prefer to go home or to a doctor. I don't think you are capable of anymore training today."

He poked her wing with the spear and Rainbow Dash screamed in pain. "Fine!"

She turned around and walked to the town.

Fallen looked at his cloak. 'I should have taken it off before the fight, now there is a hole in the cloak. She is faster than I thought she nearly got me and she doesn't even know it. Well I think I need to fix it. Wasn't Rarity some sort of designer. She can probably fix it.'

Fallen walked through the town and even if he already lived if Ponyville for two weeks he never walked without his cloak. Many other ponies stared at his hoof and his horn. Fallen ignored them and walked to Raritys boutique.

He opened the door and saw Rarity working on some dresses, as she heard the door bell she turned around and saw Fallen. "Oh, Fallen. It is nice to see you."

Fallen knew that she feared to hear why he was in her boutique. "I know that you don't like me and to calm you down, I am not here to ask you for a duel or an experiment. During the training with Rainbow Dash she pierced through my cloak. I need it fixed."

"I thought you don't want me to touch your cloak."

"If you don't want I can ask a designer in Canterlot. They would probably fight against each other for the opportunity to work on the cloak of an high mage." He turned away and smiled. He knew that, if Rarity was anything like the few designers he knows, she wouldn't want to miss such an opportunity.

"Stop darling. I will do it!"

"Perfect." He gave her the cloak. "How long will it take until it is repaired?"

She looked at the hole for a second and answered. "That should only take a minute of two."

He nodded. "Good I will come back in two minutes." He walked outside the boutique and began to walk.

He walked around the town and watched some of the ponies till a little pink and a gray filly bumped into him. "Can't you look where you go?"

Fallen looked down at her. "I think I remember you two from the school."

The pink looked at the gray filly. "Oh, it is that 'high mage' replacement."

"What was that?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I said that you are a replacement for the princess!"

"Well I hope you liked my lecture." Fallen walked a few steps towards them.

The pink filly didn't looked at Fallen and went on talking. "It was boring and you look like an idiot with your horn and hoof. Isn't that right Silver Spoon?"

Silver Spoon looked at the stallion in front of them. "Diamond Tiara, I don't think this is a good idea."

Diamond Tiara looked at her confused. "Why? What can he do scare us with his dumb dark magic? He probably learnt it from his crazy old father."

"What did you say about my magic and my father?" Fallen looked directly in her eyes. "Silver Spoon can you bring her feather here. Tell him a high mage wants to speak with him."

The gray filly ran away and Diamond Tiara looked after her. "Why are you going, he can do nothing!"

Fallen summoned enough dark clouds to hide them both and spoke again to the now blind Diamond Tiara. "So, I am an ugly, weak replacement for the princess? I can't do anything against a dumb annoying filly? My magic is dumb and my father was crazy?"

He transformed his hoof into a claw and grabbed her head and lifed her up so she could see his angry face again. "This cloud makes us both invisibly for everypony outside. I can tell you, I will not let an arrogant filly insult me, my magic or my father."

His horn now glowed with dark magic. The eyes of Diamond Tiara began to glow green as Fallen used a spell to let her feel fear.

As he finished he let the cloud disappear and dropped Diamond Tiara on the ground. She stood up and backed away from Fallen.

Fallen saw Silver Spoon returning with an brown earth pony. The stallion walked over to Diamond Tiara and talked to her. "What happened. Silver Spoon told me a high mage wanted to talk to me."

Fallen started to explain. "I wanted to inform you that your daughter tried offend me and my magic. Twilight already told me your name, it is Filthy Rich right? Maybe you should teach your daughter respect."

Filthy Rich nodded. "Yes and I am sorry if my daughter said anything that offended you. She will get her punishment for offending a high mage."

"But he.." She wanted to tell everything but then Fallens eyes glowed for a second and she didn't dare to say anything about what happened. "he... he did nothing wrong and I am sorry for the mean things I said."

Fallen nodded. "Well I have to go now. I hope we will see each other again but under other circumstances Mr. Rich."

As he walked away he could hear Filthy Rich angry talking to Diamond Tiara about not offending a high mage and that this harms his reputation if other ponies hear of this.

Fallen walked back to the boutique and went inside.

Rarity walked over him with the cloak in her hoofs. "It is good as new."

Fallen took out some Bits and took the cloak from her. "Good. That should be enough." He gave her the Bits.

He left the boutique without any more words and walked back to the castle

As he wanted to go inside he saw Twilight flying to the castle."What are you doing here I thought the trip will take till tonight and where is Bright?"

She took a few steps back. "Well... Uhm... We got attacked by Diamond Dogs... and they took Bright."

"What did you say?" He stepped towards her.

"The Diamond Dogs kidnapped Bright and they want gems as a ransom!" shouted Twilight.

"What?" Fallens eyes started glowing with dark magic. Black clouds started to surround him.

"I am sorry. I tried to fight them but there where to many and I was a little out of practice. I came back to get help." She stepped back as she saw that his eyes glowed even more on the purple mist came form the corner of his eyes.

"Where are these Dogs?"

She pointed in the direction where the Diamond Dog live and Fallen turned into a black cloud and flew in the direction, leaving a trail of dark crystal behind him.

"Oh oh." Twilight ran inside to search for Spike.

She found him in the library. "Spike you need to inform princess Celestia that Diamond Dogs kidnapped Bright and that Fallen went alone after them . She need to send some guards to help. I will follow Fallen to make sure that nothing happens to him."

Spike immediately jumped up and grabbed a feather and a scroll. Twilight turned away and ran outside to fly after Fallen.

She followed the crystal trail to a tunnel. 'How was he able to track the Diamond Dogs so fast. I hope he didn't got caught by them.'

She walked inside the tunnel and saw no dogs. After some time she felt something dripping on her. She looked up and saw three dogs impaled on the ceiling of the tunnel.

She ran away from under them. Later she saw a gigantic crystal that stomped a few dogs. Some of their arms and legs came out from under it. The ground around it was completle red.

In the next room were a big structure made of thin, long crystals with some shredded some dogs in it.That what was left of the expressions from the dogs was filled with horror.

Twilight was horrified by these pictures walked a faster. On the way she saw many dog that were cut into pieces. Then she heard Bright voice. "Fallen please stop!"

Twilight ran to follow the voice. After some time she entered a big hall. All around the room were dogs. They were burned to death, some of them were only skeletons.

In the middle of the room were three dog. They werr hold by shadows and Fallen wasin front of them. Bright was in a cage behind the dogs.

Twilight saw two of the dogs getting strangled by the shadows and fell to the ground.

Bright watched her brother, scared. She knew he had this side but she hoped it would never show itself. "Fallen please stop. No one deserves death."

Fallen didn't turned away from the last dog and lifted his sword shaped hoof to the throat of the dog. "I am sorry we didn't want to make you mad!"

Fallen looked angry at him. "You kidnapped my sister. You should be happy that I will end your pathetic life fast." The expression of the dog was filled with fear.

Twilight wanted to stop him but she stopped as she saw the dog falling on the ground and his head rolled beside him. Bright closed her eyes. She didn't want to see this side of Fallen.

Fallen walked to the cage and burned the steel bars with dark fire.

Twilight heard some ponies running inside the tunnels. 'These are probably the guards.' She called out so they could find them. "We are over here."

The guards entered the room and looked surprised around. "What happened here your highness?"

Twilight wanted to answer but then she heard Bright collapsing on the ground. Fallen took her on his back. "I gave these dogs what they deserve for kidnapping my sister."

Twilight ran to the unconscious Bright. "What happened to her."

"She can sense the good in somepony. Something like this gave her a psychical shook. She will be out for some minutes. I will bring her home and tomorrow you will learn to fight alone Twilight or else I will take my sister and leave. You guards will go through the caves and look if you find something that could be stolen. Bring everything to Ponyville and find out who the owners are."

"Yes high mage." The guards were confused but followed the order and began to search.

Fallen went on his way to leave the cave and Twilight walked besides him.

"Why did you killed them all? You could just paralyze them and get Bright."

"These dogs already have done enough. I saw what they have stolen and this probably isn't the first time they kidnapped a pony." Fallen looked at his unconscious sister.

"Do you think your sister will understand this?" Twilight gave Fallen a worried look.

Fallen closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I don't feel any hatred against me but even if that would be the case, I will not regret anything. If she can't live with this side of me, then I think it is time that we go on different paths."

"You would leave her?"

"If the pony whose talent is seeing the good in you hates you, then it is the best that I never see her again. But let us no longer talk about 'what ifs'. When we arrive you will make up all the missed combat lessons."

They walked the rest of the way quiet. They arrived a short time later at the castle. Fallen took Bright in her room and put her on her bed.

He walked back to the arena to start with Twilights lesson. At the beginning she couldn't concentrated and lost the fight even against only one shadow, but after some time she got back to her real level.

Fallen was even more strict and let Twilight no break but Twilight didn't complain because she felt guilty for what happened today.

After a hard training Twilight tried to get other thoughts by a little normal conversation. "So, how was the training with Rainbow?"

"You mean the training you missed because you were busy losing my sister? Well, it was a normal training but at the end we had a little duel."

"How ended the duel." Twilight was curious to know how much Rainbow had improved.

"Well she pierced a hole in my cloak and I broke one of her wings. She is probably still in the hospital right now."

'I have to visit her and ask her what exactly happened. I hope she isn't hurt to strong.' "What else happened today? You weren't inside when I came back.

"I was at your friends boutique to let my cloak fix. Then I had a little conversation with Filthy Rich about his daughter and insulting a high mage. After that I came back and you know the rest of the day."

"Maybe I should go if Rainbow Dash if that is okay."

"Do that I go back to my experiments." He walked back inside the castle.

Twilight arrived at the hospital and ask if Rainbow Dash was there. The doctor told her that Rainbow Dash had to stay in the hospital till tomorrow evening. After that the bone will heal in six weeks if she is careful. After that Rainbow would be able to fly again.

As Twilight was back at the castle she walked to Brights room and looked if she was awake. Twilight noticed a light crystal in one of the bookshelves, it was the one Twilight cleaned of darkness in Canterlot. 'How did she get Fallen to give it to her?'

Fallen was in his laboratory and worked hard on his experiments so he didn't had to think about the day.

Chapter 8 The council

A week later Twilight found a letter for Fallen was in the mail. It had the seal of the council of mages on the envelope.

She wondered what the council might want from Fallen and walked to the dining room where Fallen was already waiting for her. "Has the letter of the council arrived?"

"Good morning you too, and yes." She levitated the letter to him.

He took it and broke the seal. He read it fast and burned the letter after he finished. "I need the dining room today for a meeting of the council." He burned the letter to ash.

Twilight was a bit surprised about these news. "That is a little bit sudden. Why do you get informed so late?"

"The mail was probably send to my old address first. It should have arrived a week ago."

He stood up and left the dining room to go to his laboratory, and Twilight followed him. "What about our training today."

"I think we have to take a break for one day."

"Can I watch the meeting?"

He stopped walking and turned around. "You have to ask the archmage when he arrives. But tell no pony else about this. The identities of the high mages are a secret and I think they want to keep it like that as long as possible. If anypony asked you who they are you say they are some normal mages and that they are here to talk with me, nothing more!" He turned away again and walked towards his laboratory. Twilight followed him again.

She nodded fast. She was excited to hear that she is going to meet the members of the mage council. "When will the first one of them arrive?"

Fallen shrugged and went inside his laboratory. He closed the door behind him before Twilight could ask any more questions.

As the door closed in front of Twilight she turned around and walked to the library where she found Bright, studying about magic gems.

Bright stood up to greet Twilight. "Good morning Twilight. What are we going to do today?"

Twilight tried to behave a professional as possible despite the fact that she was already excited about the meeting. "The mage council is going to hold their meeting in this castle and if they allow it we will watch it."

Bright didn't showed much enthusiasm. "I already know them all."

Twilight eyes widen and she stepped a bit closer to Bright. "Really what can you tell me about them?"

She shook her head. "I am not allowed to tell you their names till you met them personally but I can tell you that each one of the has a apprentice. Only Fallen, the archmage and one other high mage have no apprentice . The apprentices are going to wear the typical brown cloaks with masks. It is tradition for them to wear a white cloak and a blank mask when they are at the meetings."

Twilight sighed about so few information's but didn't asked any more questions."Well, I think we should go on with your magic lessons."

Twilight levitated some books about magical gems to them and they began with the lesson.

A few hours later Twilight and Bright heard some carriages landing outside of the castle. They walked to the doors of the castle and saw that Fallen was already standing there to greet the other high mages. He wore his black cloak.

Twilight looked at the place in front of the castle and saw six different carriages. All of them were pulled by royal guards.

The first was purple and was decorated with some mirrors. It had a color changing eye symbol on the front.

The second had a completely gray was covered in lots of strange symbols. Twilight recognized a few of the symbols as magical runes.

The third one was blue white and had a cloud like design.

The fourth was made of different parts. The base was made of obsidian, the walls of ice and the ceiling was made of some ever burning stones.

The fifth was white with golden and blue lines on it. It had some golden gems as decoration.

The last one was bigger than the rest and had a dark brown color. Torches with blue fire were attached to the carriage and it also had some golden decorations.

A brown stallion with black smooth mane and a long mustache came out of the first carriage. He wore a black cloak with little stars on it and as Twilight looked at it she thought she looked at the real night sky. He was followed by a mare in the apprentice clothes.

The stallion walked to Fallen and shook his hoof, then he walked to Twilight.

"It is a pleasure to meet you in person princess Twilight and you are as beautiful as they told me." He took her hoof and placed a kiss on it. "My name is Mirror Illusion. I am a master of illusion spells."

Twilight blushed at this kind of greeting. "Thank you for your compliment. It is a pleasure to meet you too."

"Well, I hope we can have a little conversation after the meeting."

He wanted to go on but his apprentice spoke up. "I think princess Twilight more has important duties."

Twilight remembered that she heard the voice before but couldn't remember where. "I have no duties today. I hoped I could watch the meeting with my student Bright Side."

Bright walked besides Twilight and nodded. "We hope the archmage will agree and it is nice to see you again Mirror." She held her hoof towards him.

Mirror shook her hoof. "Yes it is nice to see you too."

As he took her hoof he got an angry glare from Fallen and Mirror let go of her hoof and walked by. He started to talk with his apprentice.

Twilight truned confused to Bright. "Why did he walk away after Fallen looked at him." Twilight looked first to Fallen and then to Mirror.

Bright chuckled a bit. "The first time we met he greeted me similar to you. After that Fallen and Mirror had a little talk and Mirror didn't dared to talk to me like this again."

"Oh. I think that makes sense."

Twilight saw the next pony coming towards them. It was a light gray stallion with a short brown mane. He wore small glasses and a completely gray cloak. His apprentice levitated a big gray case.

He shortly bowed before Twilight and said. "Greetings princess Twilight Sparkle. My name is Formulas. I am a master rune mage."

He walked to the place where Mirror and his apprentice were and took out a feather and a scroll and started writing.

The next high mage was a light blue mare with an white mane and she wore a wore a white cloak with a cloud design. "Hello princess Twilight. My name is Rain Bringer. I study weather magic. Normally my assistant Storm Carrier would be here too but he is ill at the moment."

Twilight shook her hoof. "It is nice to meet you. I hope you assistant will be ok soon."

She nodded and turned to Bright. "It is also nice to see you again Bright. We haven't seen in a while."

Bright smiled at her. "The last time I saw you was three month ago."

Rain smiled back at her. "Well I hope we can talk a bit after the meeting."

"Sure."

Rain smiled and walked with her apprentice to the other two high mages.

This conversation made Twilight a bit curious. "Is she one of your friends Bright?"

"Yes, she is the youngest member of the council but is already two years longer a part of it than Fallen."

A big red stallion with a gray blue mane came out of fourth carriage. He wore a ice blue cloak with flames on it. After he greeted Fallen he walked to Twilight and bowed before her. "It is an honor to meet you, princess Twilight."

"It is an honor to meet you too. May I ask what your name is?"

He stood up. "My name is Ice Eruption. I am a mage of the elements, I hope it is ok that I have to go now. I have to set some things ready. Apprentice follow me."

He walked away and Twilight looked to the next one. It was a white stallion with a dark blue mane. He wore a completely white cloak. He had no apprentice. As he hold his hoof towards Fallens, he just responded with an growl.

The white unicorn sighed and walked towards Twilight.

He bowed before her and said. "It is wonderful to meet you princess Twilight. My name is Rising Light and I am a master of light magic. It is nice to meet you again Bright."

Bright smiled at him. "Fallens behavior towards you still hasn't changed"?"

Rising shrugged. "Seems so I still don't understand why he keeps this behavior."

Twilight was curious what happened between Fallen and Rising. "Where did you know Fallen from?"

"We used to be friends but one day he said that he has no friends anymore and it seems like he began to hate me. I don't know why." He walked to the other high mages.

Twilight saw the last mage. Twilight assumed he was the archmage because he was the last one left. The archmage was very old. He had a pale blue coat and a white mane. He had a long beard and wore a purple cloak with blue lines on it.

The archmage walked to Twilight and Bright. He bowed his head a bit. "It is nice to finally meet you princess Twilight. My name is Arcanus I am the archmage and master of arcane magic. I would bow properly but at my age that would be a bad idea."

Twilight bowed her own head. "It is a honor to meet the archmage of Equestria, but what do you mean with finally?"

"After Celestia made you her personal student she told me everything about you and your studies. I watched you career and hoped that you could become my apprentice and probably my successor after you finished your studies, but as you see this isn't how things went."

Twilight was very surprised. "Wait. You mean if I didn't became a princess, I would maybe be your apprentice?"

Arcanus nodded.

Twilight tried to stay calm at this compliment about her magic abilities. "It is an honor to hear how high you think about my abilities."

"I would be a liar if I deny it."

Twilight smiled at him. "There is something I wanted to ask you archmage."

"What is it?"

"Could I watch the meeting of the high mages with my student Bright?"

"That is possible but I have to ask you to be absolutely quiet. No pony is allowed to talk at the meeting besides the high mages. The only exception is if one of the mages ask you a question."

"I agree to this conditions as well as my student. Right Bright?"

"Yes, I will not say even a single word."

"Perfect." Arcanus walked back to Fallen and talked a bit with him.

After a short time Fallen gave every mage a signal to follow him. They walked to the dining room and sat down. Twilight and Bright stood a few steps away from the table to watch them but not disturb anypony.

Arcanus began to speak. "It is good that everypony could make it. As always we will start with talking about progress everpony made with his experiments and studies. As always you may begin Formulas."

"Well then," he levitated the case that his apprentice was carrying on the table, opened it and took out some scrolls. He started to read the first one. "Experiment No. 542. Goal: Finding the exact effect of different numbers of degrees in the angel of triangles in runes. Test No. 001 ..."

He was interrupted by an groan from Mirror Illusion. "How often do we need to tell you that you don't have to tell us everything in such detail. Just tell us what you found."

Formulas just shook his head. "I will do everything like it is ask in the protocol. So where was I? Ah right Test No. 001. Standard rune, one degree shift from the left base angle to the right base angle..."

This goes on for some time. Each mage talked about their newest findings of magic. Then they reached Fallen.

"As always, I take my right to only talk with the archmage about my findings."

Formulas stood up. "Why are you still not telling the rest of the council about your findings?"

"As I say every time. These information are way too dangerous. We already have enough problems with idiots that try to use dark magic. The fewer ponies have knowledge of dark magic the better."

Formulas grasped. "Are you implying that we would abuse this knowledge."

Mirror knew where this would go and interrupted them. "Stop it Formulas. It is his right to not trust us. Now can we please go on?"

Arcanus nodded. "I agree with Mirror. We had this discussion often enough. Fallen you will give me a copy of your protocols after the meeting as always. Now to the next point. Has anypony heard anything about magical emergencies?"

Formulas spoke first. "The ponies in Manehatten still have problems with the rune vandals. I analyzed the runes and I came to the conclusion that they are probably in possession of the missing spell book that was stolen from the Canterlot library."

Arcanus thought for a moment. "We should send our magic hunter. They should be able to track them down."

Every other high mage nodded.

Arcanus looked at Formulas again. "You will take care that the local hunters are informed about their mission when you arrive in Manehatten."

"Yes, archmage."

Arcanus looked back at the rest. "Well than if there are no more problems. Than this meeting is over."

The high mages stood up and turned to their apprentices.

Mirror walked together with his apprentice to Twilight. "My apprentice wanted to talk with you and since the meeting is over she is allowed to take off the mask. She said you would remember her."

The apprentice stepped in front of Twilight and took her mask of.

"TRIXIE?"

"So, it is true. You became a princess. Trixie... Um I mean... I am surprised. I thought I could show you that I am better than you by becoming a high mage. Looks like you are better again."

"Thank you..." 'Why is she speaking normal?'

"But this isn't why I wanted to talk with you. I want to challenge you to an battle of master mages."

Mirror looked at Trixie. "Didn't I tell you to not challenge ponies who hasn't any fighting knowledge."

Twilight interrupted him. "Actually, Fallen taught me a little bit about fighting."

Mirror turned to Fallen and spoke to him. "So the arena is your work Fallen."

Twilight on her side talked to Trixie again. "I agree to your challenge."

Fallen stood up and shook his head at Twilight. "You are a foolish idiot. How can somepony become princess and at the same time be dumb enough to fight a duel against an illusionist."

Twilight looked confused at Trixie who had a big grin on her face. "Why am I an idiot? I learned a lot about fighting."

"Yes but illusionists are some of the most dangerous fighters. It is to late anyway. You already agreed. Now come, the rest of the high mages are allowed to follow and watch. I will take care that no pony breaks the rules."

He walked outside and the rest followed him. They all walked outside to the arena and Twilight and Trixie walked in the middle of the arena. While the high mages and bright took a seat on at the arena bleachers.

Fallen walked with Twilight and Trixie to the tables with weapons. "Twilight, since you are the challenged one you can choose her weapon and your own and you are allowed to forbid transportation abilities."

Twilight levitated the sword and shield she used during her training. "Trixie, you can choose every weapon you want and transportation abilities are allowed."

Fallen gave Twilight an disappointed look. "Will you ever learn to not underestimate your opponent."

Twilight raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

Then Twilight saw that Trixie took a Rapier from under her cloak. The rapier looked like it was made of glass and because it was so thin it was nearly invisibly.

Trixie smiled at Twilight. "What did you expect from the great and powerful Trixie? That Trixie would come unprepared?"

'That is how I remember her.'

Fallen walked away. "Get on your positions. I will start to count down when both of you are ready. Let's see how long you will stand Twilight."

He walked to the other mages on the seats. He watched the two mares walking the their positions. Arcanus talked to Fallen. "You didn't taught her about fighting other specific mages."

Fallen nodded. "She may not understand it but she still is at the basics. This foolish princess has no idea what she gotten herself into."

Ice Eruption just shook his head. "She didn't even pass basic and still she tries to fight an illusionist. Either she is brave or very incompetent. By the way, Fallen you did great work with your arena. It is nearly as good as one of my small ones."

Fallen nodded again.

Bright was confused about Fallens disbelieve in Twilight possible victory. "Why should this Trixie be a problem. I can understand that she can't beat one of you all, but Trixie is just an apprentice."

"Because Twilight is about to fight against the devious kind of mage and she doesn't even know how to fight normal mages."

Twilight and Trixie signaled Fallen that they are ready and Fallen began to count down. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two one, ZERO."

Trixie immediately rushed forward to hit Twilight with her rapier. Twilight blocked the attack with her shield and Twilight tried to attack Trixie with her sword. They fought for some time till Trixie used a spell to create a smoke explosion.

After the smoke cloud disappeared Twilight saw Trixie coming from one side and a bunch of paralyzing bolts from the other side. Twilight created a barrier for the bolts and placed her shield toward Trixie, but close before the bolts hit the barrier, the bolts and Trixie switched places and Twilight had to jump to not get hit in the back by Trixies rapier in the back.

As Twilight tried to understand what happened she saw that the ground began to glow. She quickly flew up to not get blinded. She shoot a rain of bolt randomly to the ground.

As the ground stopped glowing she saw that there were now ten Trixies. They began to shoot at her. Twilight knew that she needed to figure out which the real one was.

She flew to the ground and created a energy wave on the ground. As they hit them no one of them responded to it. 'If none of them is the real one where is she?'

She got an idea Twilight conjured a smoke cloud and let it fly around. On one place it met resistance. "There you are!"

Trixie became visibly and began to cast a big spell.

Twilight waited because she feared that Trixie has planned something big.

Tirxie shoot a big bolt that took the shape of a giant dragon. The energy dragon flew directly at Twilight. Twilight created a strong barrier and hoped she could block it.

As the dragon reached her it just went through her. 'This was just a distraction!'

Twilight saw that Trixie about to cast another big spell. Twilight shoot as fast as she could a paralyzing bolt at her. The bolt hit the goal and Trixie fell to the ground. Twilight walked to her.

Then Twilight saw Trixie vanishing and heard laughter from behind her. "Oh you thought that was me. I am sorry to disappoint you."

Twilight turned around and saw Trixie standing in front f her. Trixie began to stab Twilight with her rapier and on such an high speed that Twilight had problems to block every attack.

Twilight tried to attack on her side but Trixie parried the attack and Twilight lost her sword and shield and got hit by the rapier. The paralyze spell started to work and she fell to the ground.

Fallen ended the duel. "This duel is over and the winner is high mage apprentice Trixie!"

The mages talked a bit about the duel and then walked down the stairs to the entrance of the arena and they saw Spirit standing there with his Timberwolf and a unknown zebra.

The zebra talked to Spirit in another language that Fallen didn't understood. Spirit answered him and the zebra talked back again. Some of the apprentices began to whisper about the language.

Twilight stood up from the ground of the arena and grasped as she saw Spirit. She quickly walked over to him. "Oh I am so sorry I almost forgot about you Spirit."

The council walked over to them and Fallen spoke to them, completely ignoring the zebra, Spirit and the Timberwolf. "So you have forgotten other things besides everything I taught you about fighting too?"

No pony said anything for a while till Spirit talked to Twilight. "Anyway Twilight if you don´t have time at the moment we can come later."

But Twilight quickly answered. "No! No! No! It´s ok!"

Mirror spoke to the zebra. "I think we should let you alone with your guests for a moment. Apprentice follow me." The council left the arena and talked about the duel a bit with Trixie who left the arena with her master.

After some time the high mages saw the zebra, Spirit and the Timberwolf leave.

Twilight followed a short time later and saw Mirror smiling at his apprentice. "Well done, but you still leak of patience. You need to plan more steps ahead. If the last trick didn't work you would had no more spells prepared."

Fallen looked disappointed at Twilight. "You did even worse than I expected. I think Celestia was wrong when she told me that you learn fast and that you always listen to your master."

Twilight let her head hang. "I am sorry, I thought I already learned enough to fight against another mage."

Rain spoke to Fallen. "Come on Fallen, don't be like that. She did not so bad for her first battle against a illusionist."

"I am already nice. If she was my apprentice I would let her train for the whole week, without a break and only give her only one glass of water to drink after such an shameful defeat."

Fallen turned away but as he was about to go he was stopped by Arcanus. "Before you go maybe you can show me and the other high mages around in this town. This is the first time that any of us is here."

Fallen shook his head. "I am sorry archmage. I have to check on my newest experiment. Ask somepony else."

"Fallen I still need your protocols."

Fallen stomped on the ground a shadow minion came out of the castle and gave Arcanus a small stack of paper. "I am in my laboratory. Don't disturb me unless it is necessary."

After Fallen was gone Twilight stepped to the rest of the council. "I can show you around if you want."

Arcanus nodded. "I would like to see the town and I still want to talk with you a bit princess Twilight."

Formulas spoke up. "I am sorry but I have to go, as soon as I am back in Manehatten I can sent out the magic hunters."

Ice Eruption bowed before Twilight and spoke. "I am sorry your highness but I have to go too or my apprentice and I are late for training."

The two high mages walked away and went inside their carriages together with their apprentices. The guards began to pull and flew away.

Mirror Illusion smiled at Twilight. "I would love to spent more time with you princess."

Rain Bringer smiled too. "I will stay too. Bright and I still have some things to catch up on."

Rising turned around and attempted to walk away but Mirror stopped him. "Don't say you have to go too. Normally you are the last one that left."

Rising just shook his head and went on till he saw that somepony was in his way. It was Bright. "You are not going to go away. I haven't seen you for so long!"

"I have some experiments to do and you know that Fallen wouldn't like it if I stay any longer."

Bright made a sad face. "Oh please."

"Fine." Rising smiled weakly at her and he walked back to the rest.

Twilight began to show them around the town. After the tour Twilight, Arcanus and Mirror talked about magic. Mirror left first after he noticed that they both will talk about nothing else but magic today.

Rain, Rising and Bright spent the rest of the day talking and wandering around the town.

The apprentices stayed at the castle and looked through the library.

Fallen spent the rest of the day alone and tried to finish the experiment and mastered the new spells he found in a ancient dark spell book.

Chapter 9 Different opinions

Several weeks later Twilight started to make progress in her training. She still lost many times but she started to use her magic in more ways than just energy bolts. Rainbows training on the other side got slower because Fallen couldn't teach her in fighting techniques for pegasi. The only thing he could do was giving her a book about pegasus fighting techniques.

One night Fallen was dreaming and he heard a voice in his dreams. "Greetings high mage Fallen Dark."

Fallen saw princess Luna appearing in his dream. "Greetings princess Luna. Long time not seen. Why the sudden visit?"

Luna nodded. "That is certainly true the last time we met was when I tested your strength."

Fallen still was curious about her visit. "I never expected to see you in my dreams. As you can see I have them perfectly under control."

Luna looked around. Fallens dream was nothing more than just a an empty nothing. "That is true. But that is not the reason why I visited you. I am here to tell you that my sister and I are coming for a visit next week. We want to see how Twilight is doing with her fist personal student. Please tell her that this visit is private and we don't want any special arrangement for us."

Fallen raised an eyebrow. "Why telling me this and why in my dreams."

"I wanted to tell you first. You once told me that you hate surprises. Tomorrow Princess Twilight will get a letter from my sister about our visit. I also was interested to see why I didn't sense any emotions coming from your dreams." She looked around to see if there is anything in this void.

"I prefer it to decide myself when I give information about myself and dreams can give very much information about a pony."

"Well then I have to go now. I am needed in the dreams of others."

"Good night princess Luna."

Luna disappeared and Fallen spent the rest of the night alone in the void of his dream.

The next day was normal till the lunch. Fallen, Bright and Twilight sat in the dining room eating till they heard Spike running in the room with a letter in his claw. "Twilight you got a letter from princess Celestia."

Twilight stood up and grabbed the letter with a levitation spell and read it. She grasped after she finished reading.

Bright looked at her with an curious expression. "What is it saying?"

"Princess Celestia and princess Luna are coming to see Ponyville and how I am doing with my first personal student."

"When are they coming?"

"Next week. We have to prepare everything. We have to prepare a parade and..."

Fallen interrupted her . "No The princesses already told me about their visit. They also told me that this is a private visit and they don't want any special arrangement."

Twilight looked confused at Fallen. "How do you now that the princesses want this visit to be private. It is not even written on the letter."

"Princess Luna visited me in my dreams and informed me about everything."

"Oh. Well then we still have to clean up the castle!"

Spike groaned. "But I cleaned the whole castle yesterday!"

"But in a week everything will be complete covered in dust!"

The week went on completely normal besides Twilight making sure that the castle was in a perfect condition.

In the morning of the day of the visit Twilight was training to dodge. She was surrounded by ten unicorn shadows who either shoot bolts at her or attacked her in close combat with their swords. Twilights task was to dodge the attacks for ten minutes but she is not allowed to attack back.

Twilight already had many wounds and bruises form the earlier attempts to finish the task.

She nearly managed to finished the task as she saw the carriages of Celestia and Luna coming towards them. Because of the distraction she got hit by an energy bolt and fell to the ground.

"Don't let anything distract you. Try again."

The carriages landed beside the arena and Celestia and Luna walked to into the arena.

Twilight wanted to walk to them but got hit by an energy bolt from Fallen. "I said try again, not training is over."

"But the princesses are here!"

"If that is so important to you should consider to finish the task instead of getting hit."

"Yes master." Twilight sighed and got ready to dodge the shadows.

Fallen walked to the princesses and greeted them with by short bowing before them. Celestia greeted him with a smile. "It is nice to see you again Fallen. As I see you really are training Twilight to fight."

"Yes and I have to say that I am disappointed in you. I thought you would have taught her about the battle of master mages and about fighting with magic."

"I hoped that it is enough that the royal guard knows how to fight and no pony noponyelse ever has to learn to fight again."

"Such foolish thoughts have already lead many great kingdoms to their downfall."

"Till know it was enough. Equestria wasn't involved in a war since thousand years."

The watched Twilight finishing the task after a few more attempts. It took her even longer because she knew Celestia and Luna were watching her training.

But finally she managed to dodge every attack for ten minutes.

Twilight walked exhausted to the princesses and tried to talk but only deep breaths escaped her mouth.

Celestia saw Twilights struggle to talk and spoke to her. "It is nice to see you again Twilight and I am curious to see how your personal student is doing."

By saying this Bright walked in the arena with the usual plates with food for Twilight and Fallen, but she stopped as she saw the princesses standing there. "Oh. The princesses are already here! I am sorry I haven't anything to eat for you prepared. I go and make something."

Before anypony could object she placed the plates on the ground and ran away to prepare food for Celestia and Luna.

Celestia talked to Twilight again. "Looks like she already learned a lot from you." She smiled at Twilight.

Before anypony could say anything else Fallen spoke up. "How about we go inside and go on with talking while we eat?"

He levitated his plate to himself and walked to the castle. Twilight, Celestia and Luna followed him. They sat down in the dining room and Bright ran inside the room too with three more plates.

She levitated two of them to Celestia and Luna and sat down with her own plate. "I am sorry you highnesses if my behavior earlier offended you."

Celestia just smiled. "There is no need to apologize. Now how are your studies with Twilight going?"

"I finished my studies on healing magic and now I am studying the magical abilities and uses of gems."

"Then I assume it was the right idea to choose you as Twilight first personal student."

Twilight and Bright nodded smiling at her.

While eating Bright came a question in mind she wanted to ask till she became Twilights student. "Why did you choose me?"

"Well you have to thank your brother. While we talked about his magic he told me how fast you were learning and how much you wanted to become the student of a princess, so I looked through your files in your school. I talked with Luna and we came to the conclusion that you would be the perfect choice to be Twilights personal student."

Fallen glared angry at Celestia. "You like to break every agreement we made don't you? I will ignore it this time but if this happened again I will break my part of the agreement too."

Celestias smile vanished and she nodded. It took some time till somepony said anything.

This time it was Twilight who had a question. "If that is not another part of you agreement can you tell me why you allowed Fallen to study dark magic and how you made him a high mage. I always thought that dark magic is too dangerous to be studied."

Celestia and Luna looked at Fallen who just nodded and Celestia began to tell. "One day I sensed dark magic in Canterlot. I sent the guards to find out what it was. They told me it was a colt named Fallen Dark who earned his cutie mark for using dark magic. I researched about him and found out that his father is dead and that his mother was conducting an orphanage. I went personally to his home and talked with his mother. I decided that, since the talent to use dark magic never existed before, he is allowed him to study dark magic."

Luna went on with talking. "After my return, my sister told me that she found somepony who can use and control dark magic. As he went to the advanced dark magic that could corrupted him, I decided to test his strength. I challenged him and after a long duel I defeated him but I thought that he has proven that he indeed can control his dark magic."

Now Celestia spoke again. "A short time later Arcanus heard about Fallen and said that he thought that Fallen is worthy to become a high mage. I trusted Arcanus advice and made Fallen an high mage and till now his decisions were always helpful. That reminds me, prince Blueblood told me to ask you again if you will let him see your experiments about dark magic Fallen."

Fallen rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "How often does he need to hear that I will never show him anything about my magic. Tell him to never bother me again about this or I will show him what I can do with my magic!"

Celestia nodded. "I will tell him that you don't want to be asked again." She completely ignored Fallens threat against Blueblood.

After they were finished eating Celestia and Luna said goodbye. "It is nice to see that you two already got used living in Ponyville."

Twilight spoke up. "Well they aren't the only new ponies in Ponyville. Spirit Wood is also new, he came from another land."

Celestia looked at Luna. "Maybe we should visit him too."

Twilight nodded. "I show you where he lives. I can tell you anything I know about him on the way."

After everypony said good bye Twilight, Celestia and Luna left the castle. Bright went back to her studies in the library and Fallen went in his laboratory.

There he opened the locked shelf with the four vials and took them out. "How am I suppose to get the blood of the last one. I have to find a way before the old blood is useless."

He put the vials back and took something else out of the shelf. It was a very old book, it is the oldest book Fallen owned. it is completely black and had a dark crystal in the cover. He shortly touched the cover and began to read it. After he finished reading for this day he put it back in the shelf locked the shelf again and began do work on his experiments.

He walked to Arachnas web to see why she didn't came for lunch and he saw her sitting there. This became normal for her over the last week. She was less aggressive and only came one time per day for food. But Fallen didn't mind it because she was already two years older than he expected her to become.

At dinner everypony sat in silence till Twilight wanted to ask Fallen something. "When the high mages were here for a meeting you talked to every single one of them. Only with the light mage you didn't talk. I wanted to know why. Do you hate him or something like that?"

"Oh you mean Rising. Well this has several reasons."

"And what are these reasons?"

"To name a few of my reasons why I avoid him. The first reason is a disagreement between us about moral and my methods. Another reason is that he once was my best friend but after I started learning dark magic I read in many books about dark magic that friends make the training harder. I decided that I want to learn as much as I can as fast as I can. The only way to do so was being a loner. Over the time I learned to appreciate being alone so I decided to keep it this way. "

"So for being a dark mage you had to give up all your friends?"

"Yes but it isn't something I would change if I could. I even think that I would have learned about my talent earlier if I never had friend."

"But friendship is important!"

Fallen just laugh at this objection. "Maybe you still don't understand it but dark magic and its users are a lot different from other ponies. Friendship, love and things like that are things that only a few of us ever have. An important rule for every dark mage is that hatred is always your best friend."

Twilight began to get upset about such an perspective on friendship. "Friendship will always win in the end. No power is as strong as friendship, it can defeat everything!"

Bright grasped in shock.

Fallen just raised his eyebrow and looked at her. He stood up. "If you think so, then let's put this to a test. Get all your friends in one hour to the arena. We will see if your friendship can beat me. If you don't show up your fighting training is over!"

He walked outside and slammed the door shut.

Twilight needed a second before she realized what happened. "Why is he so upset?"

Bright just sighed. "You called his magic weaker than friendship. That is probably the worst thing you could say. You should better get your friends if you want to continue your battle training."

Twilight flew to each of her friends and told them that Fallen challenged them to a duel and that he said he is stronger than friendship. Everypony accepted, even Fluttershy who thought that Fallen needed to learn that friendship is stronger than he is.

They walked to the arena but now Fluttershy wasn't so sure anymore. "Maybe this is a bad idea."

But Rainbow Dash was sure that they could do this. "What are you talking about? Sure we can beat him. Together no one can beat us! And you said yourself that it is about time that he learns this lesson, even if we have to beat it in his head."

They walked inside the arena and they saw Fallen sitting there. " You surprise me. I didn't thought that everypony would come. This will be interesting. That means if you stay for even a minute."

Twilight shook her head. "We are here to teach you a lesson about friendship. It can't be defeated."

Fallen gave Twilight a disappointed look for a brief moment and then he stood up. "Then let's start with the lesson."

The six friends ran in Fallens direction but he didn't made any attempted to dodge or anything else. He waited till they only were a few feet away from him than his horn started to glow with dark magic. He took a deep breath and then black clouds came out of his mouth. In a few seconds the whole arena was completely shrouded by black clouds.

They screamed out for each other but the only answer came from Fallen. "They can't hear you, this cloud is completely noise intercepting the only pony you will hear is me.

He short laughed about his work and the sudden shock in everyponies face as they began to realize Fallens plan."It is hard to defeat somepony with friendship if you have no clue where your friends are. But after what you said earlier this should be no problem for you."

Rainbow did the only thing she cloud think of she tried to find the weapons based on her memory of the arena. After she found the weapons she grabbed a spear and some random weapons for her friends but as she was about to search for her friends as all weapons shattered. "What?"

"I have created these weapons. Next time think of something better." The crystal pieces of the weapons crawled together and formed shackles.

Before Rainbow could react the shackle flew towards her and grabbed her. In a second she was tied to the ground.

Fluttershy tried to find a way out of the arena but she didn't found anything. She heard a laugh and ran away from it directly into somepony. She fell to the ground and as she looked up she saw Fallen standing in front of her. His eyes glowed with dark magic and purple mist came from the corner of his eyes. Fluttershy slowly backed away from him. He followed her and began to smile at her fear.

Fluttershy jumped a step back and landed in the pit of the arena. The opening of the pit was closed by Fallen with transparent crystals.

Pinkie jumped around in the dark and tried to find her friends. Then she saw the silhouettes of her friends. She ran to them. As she reached them she saw that they were only shadows. The shadows jumped at her and transformed into black ropes. They tied up Pinkie so she couldn't move.

Rarity began to get frustrated. "I can't see anything. If I find Fallen I will give him what he deserves!"

"Oh will you?" Fallen was right behind her and grinned evil.

Rarity turned around. "Only because I am not a master mage doesn't mean I can't fight an arrogant high mage." She shoot a beam at him which was blocked by him with a barrier.

"You call me arrogant. Of all ponies these who think they can defeat me with friendship say that I am arrogant." He shoot a rain of paralyze beams at her. She tried to block them but they broke her barrier and Rarity fell paralyzed to the ground.

Applejack took out a lasso from under her hat. She got ready to react if somepony tried to attack her.

Then she saw Fallen and threw her lasso at him and tied him up. Applejack walked towards him but as she came near she saw that it wasn't Fallen but a shadow. The shadow went in the ground and under Applejack. Dark crystals began to grew around her hooves so she couldn't move.

Twilight was now the only one left. She flew through the arena to search for her friends and to find Fallen. Then she heard them. "And now to the last one."

"What?" Twilight was confused why he said last one.

Then the black cloud disappeared and Twilight saw that she was at the entrance of the arena. She looked around and saw Fallen in the middle of the arena and all of her friend captured behind him. "This was fun but I think it is time to end this." He stomped on the ground and dark flames erupted around Twilight.

Twilight tried to fly away but she was hit by one of Fallens spells. The spell created shadows to tie up her wings. She fell to the ground, in the ring of dark fire. A prison of dark crystals grew around Twilight.

"As I said it is over."

He used a short spell to free everypony they walked to Twilight. "Let this be a lesson for you. Friendship is a strong power and nearly indestructible but that doesn't mean there aren't other strong powers. Remember friendship isn't a sword that can defeat your enemies, it is a way to be strong together. But as I said there are some that rather be alone."

Twilight was a little confused. "If friendship is nearly indestructible and makes us strong together, as you said, how could you defeat us."

Fallen looked at her disappointed that she still didn't understood fighting. "Because I didn't fought against friendship I fought against six pony with nearly no experience in fighting. Being strong together doesn't make you good fighters and it doesn't help you if you are alone."

He walked out of the arena and left the six friends alone.

Chapter 10 How a dark mage was found

After her defeat, Twilight trained even harder than before.

Some days later, after the training, Twilight went off for a picnic with her friends. They had this planned for a week now.

Fallen on the other side was looking through the library for some ancient books he didn't read yet as Bright walked inside the room.

She had a big smile on her face. "Hi Fallen. I finished all my studying for today and I am going to visit my friends in Canterlot over the weekend. I am going to take the next train, so please tell Twilight were I am."

Fallen put the book back in the bookshelf and looked at her. "If you would have planned something like this before, like I tell you every time, you could have told her yourself."

Bright took this as a yes and smiled at him. "Thank you. Good bye. See you in a few days."

She hugged him and left the room. Fallen could hear her taking some stuff and leaving through the castle doors.

Fallen sat in the library for some time, quietly reading, as he heard six ponies going through the castle to the main hall with the map. Fallen stood up, Twilight already told him about the map but he was curios what exactly is going on.

As Fallen reached the main hall he saw the six ponies and the dragon all looking at the map and talking. As the finished they stood up and attempted to leave the room as Twilight saw Fallen.

She looked like she wanted to hurry up. "Fallen the map sends us to the borders of Equestria and we have to go soon. We will be gone for one or two days. So can you please tell Bright to take care of Apple Bloom and her friends, they going to have a sleepover in the castle. Tell her she has to watch over them so they can't do anything stupid. We have to hurry now before we miss the next train!"

She and her friends began to ran before Fallen could say that Bright is already on a train towards Canterlot.

'I just have to send them away when they arrive.'

Fallen walked back in to the library and began to look through the books again. At the noon he heard three fillies walking through the castle calling out. "Bright are you there. We wanted to talk with you."

Fallen walked out of the library and followed their voices. He saw them standing in the dining room, talking to each other. "Where is she? Twilight said that Bright is in the castle and will look over us tonight."

Fallen walked in the room. "She is in Canterlot and will not come back in the next few days."

"But Twilight said we could stay in the castle today and Bright would be here."

"But that isn't the case. You have to go home because there is nopony that will do this instead of Bright."

They looked at him And Sweetie Belle got an idea. "But you are in the castle the whole day."

Fallen shook his head. "No . I have better things to do than watch over three fillies running through this castle."

They made sad faces with big eyes at him.

He just looked at them and raised an eyebrow. "This trick will not work on somepony who has a sister that tried this his whole live."

"But Twilight promised that we could spent a night in her castle!"

Now they began to annoy him. "I don't care. Now go away I have work to do."

Scootaloos expression changed to anger. "That is mean. We are going to tell Bright and Twilight that you were mean to us and that you kicked us out of the castle!"

Fallen could already hear his half-sister annoying him a whole week that he should have been nice and that she will keep him from working till he made up for it. "Fine you can stay. But I will go in my laboratory and work. Don't disturb me if it isn't important."

"YAY"

He turned away but before he could leave Apple Bloom spoke up. "There is something we wanted to ask you."

He sighed. "What is it?"

"We wanted to know how you got your cutie mark."

Fallen stopped and turned around. "You want to hear the story of my cutie mark?"

They nodded heavily and Fallen sat down on one of the chairs. "I think I can spent the time if you really want to know."

The three fillies sat on the chairs and looked at him.

Fallen coughed and began. "The story started when I was a foal... "

I lived with my sister and my mother in Canterlot in a flat that is build above the orphanage that my mother was conducting. My sisters father, my step-father, was traveling for his job most of the time. I went to the magic school in Canterlot.

I learned very fast and my teachers told me often how good I am doing. My mother always told me that I will become a great mage.

One day it was time to test which students had a strong magical aura. My former best friend Rising Light was told that he had one of the strongest light auras they ever found in the last years.

As they scanned me they said that my aura was very special and that they never have seen something like this before. So I also got taught in advanced magic.

On the first day we learned to use a spell to show in what kind of magic we are good at but I failed every time I tried to use the spell. The teachers tried everything to show me how to use my magic till they said that it seems like I can't use my special energy.

Scootaloo interrupted him. "If you had so much energy why couldn't you use it?"

"Maybe I can tell you if you don't interrupt me again. So where was I..."

So I didn't learned advanced magic but it didn't bother me very much. I learned normal magic and learned everything I could.

My mother enrolled at the school for gifted unicorns. A week later my mother got the a letter that said that I wasn't accepted because I don't have the magical ability for the school.

This was the worst day of my live. I thought that my dream of becoming a great mage had been crushed.

But I still went on with learning magic. When I wasn't learning I took care of my little sister Bright.

One day I brought my sister back home from school. We used a shortcut trough a dark alley. But two ponies blocked our way. "And where are you two foals going."

Bright stepped behind me as they began to surround us. "We are just going home."

"I don't think so." One of them grabbed Brights school bag before we could react.

I whispered to Bright."I will blind these ponies and you have to run away and get some guards here as fast as you can. I will keep them distracted." Bright nodded to me and I casted a light spell.

As she was gone the three ponies looked angry at me. "You little bastard. I will kill you!"

He grabbed a knife and the others stepped near me.

In my despair I became angry. I started to use spells without thinking. I used dark magic the first time in my live and I knew that this is my real magical talent.

I had my eyes closed all the time but I heard them scream in horror and pain. As I opened my eyes I saw them cowering in fear before me. I left the alley and saw Bright and five guards running towards me. The guards looked at me . "Where are the criminals that attacked you?"

I pointed towards the alley and the ran directly in it. I began to walk away and Bright followed me."How did you escape them?"

"I used my magic."

"What do you mean?"

"Please stop asking I have to think about what happened myself first."

"Sorry."

We walked in silence till Bright grasped. "Fallen you got your cutie mark."

I stopped and looked at myself and saw the crystal with the dark purple flames. Bright was curious. "What does it mean?"

"It has probably something to do with the strange magic I used."

"Maybe mom knows something about it!"

"This is the story of my cutie mark."

They just starred at Fallen, not saying any word.

Fallen raised an eyebrow. "I said this was the story now go and do whatever you do in your free time I have work to do."

He wanted to stand up but Sweetie Belle stopped him. "We want to know what happened after you found out that you can use dark magic."

First he wanted to say no but he knew that Bright would get angry at him. Fallen sat down again and sighed. "Fine..."

We walked back home and as we arrived our mother hugged us. "Some guards came earlier and said you two were attacked by some criminals."

Bright told her what happened. "... and also Fallen got is cutie mark for something with this strange magic he said he used. Do you know something about it."

"If I understand right it was dark magic."

We were confused because dark magic was nothing that foals in our age got taught about. "What is dark magic?"

"I don't know much about it but it is known to be the opposite of light magic. We should keep it a secret as long as we can."

Knowing not better I agreed.

For the next few day everything was normal, my mother told me to go on with learning normal magic since she wasn't sure if dark magic is allowed to use.

One day I was learning in my room as I heard somepony knocking on the door. I heard tree ponies walking inside the building. After some time my mother called me to the living room.

I walked out of my room and went through the hallway. I heard a mare talking to my mother and as I entered the living room I saw my mother sitting there and drinking tea with princess Celestia and tow guards.

My mother noticed me fast. "There you are Fallen. The princess wants to talk with you."

I walked in the room and sat down. The princess looked at me for a short time. "So you are the one that traumatized these criminals?"

"I think so."

"Do you know what magic you used?"

I hesitated for a moment to think if I should tell the princess or not and I decided that it probably wouldn't work. So I said the truth. "Dark magic."

"You know, dark magic is the most dangerous magic that exists and it is very uncommon for a foal to be able to use it."

"I am sorry if I did something wrong."

"You did nothing wrong. I talked with your mother and she said that you could learn to control your dark powers. It is your special talent so I will not deny it for you."

"What do you mean princess?"

"I mean that you are allowed to learn dark magic."

I was excited as I heard that my dream of becoming a powerful mage was possible again. "Thank you princess. I will learn as fast as I can to control the dark magic."

The princess nodded and stood up. "That is good. I have to go now. The books we have about dark magic will arrive tomorrow."

As she walked away I remembered what my teachers told me years ago. "I have a question princess Celestia."

She stopped. "What is the question."

"On magic school they tested if somepony has a strong magic aura. As they scanned me they said that mine was strong but very strange and I wanted to know if what they sensed was the dark magic in me."

"Let me see."

She used a spell to see my magic aura and I am sure I saw surprise on her face for a short time. "You have indeed a very strong dark magic aura. You dark aura is way stronger than that of any other pony I have met before. As I said I have to go now."

She walked away and the guards followed her. The next day the books about dark magic arrived and I began to learn.

"After that I learned every day. And that is how I began to study dark magic."

Sweetie Belle had a question. "I thought everypony could learn every kind of magic?"

"Yes but while you practice magic your magic aura starts to change and becomes stronger but it can't every reach the level of somepony that is born with a strong aura. In my case I didn't need to create my dark energy because I was born with natural dark aura. Something like that is very rare. Most high mages are born with a special aura but there are exceptions."

They looked at him confused.

Fallen thought about haw he could explain this easier to them. "Well, imagine it like this, a magic aura is normally gray and glows weak. If somepony learns and uses for example fire magic his aura will began to glow strong and change color, this will make it easier to use fire magic and his magic gets stronger. Some ponies are born with a special aura like me. I was born with a strong glowing dark aura that means I have strong magic and can use dark magic easily, but this also made it harder for me to learn other kinds of magic especially light magic, which I can't use at all. But even with the aura I still have to learn like every other pony and I had to learn to control my darkness like it is needed."

Sweetie Belle jumped up in excitement. "Can you look if my magic aura is special. Maybe that can help me get my cutie mark."

He used the spell to see the magic auras but couldn't see anything special on Sweetie Belles aura. "You only have a normal foal aura. Maybe you generate a special aura later."

"Oh."

Fallen stood up and walked away. "I go work now. Don't destroy anything."

He walked to his laboratory and looked at his experiments. He checked where Arachna was and found her in her web.

He turned back to his experiments and began to work. He finished everything for this day after a few hours so he decided to train a little bit in the arena.

As he walked through the floors he heard the fillies talking in the library and followed their voices. As he entered the library he saw many books on the ground and heard the tree fillies talking. "I told you that we wouldn't find anything in these books, they are just boring."

Fallen walked to the fillies and saw them sitting on the ground with dozens on open books lying around them. "You three better put everything where you found it till I am back."

Apple Bloom got up and looked at Fallen curious. "Where are you going? Aren't you suppose to look after us?"

"I will just go to the arena and train."

As Scootaloo heard fighting she jumped up too."Oh oh oh can we watch you or better train too?"

"First you're going to put every book back where it belongs. After that I don't care if you watch or not, but don't disturb me or go on the training ground. You watch form the seats or you don't watch at all."

He walked out of the library and heard them beginning to put the books back.

He made his way to the arena and walked in the middle of it.

After he took a deep breath he created ten crystal targets around him and began to cast the spell. He conjured ten dark flames around him. He shoot them beneath the targets and when they hit the ground they exploded in spheres of dark flames.

As the flames stopped the targets where completely gone. 'Perfect. Let's see if the new weapon enchantment works.'

He looked around and thought. 'I need a living target.'

He closed his eyes and tried to find something but he found nothing. 'Well then I think a shadow will work it too.'

He conjured a large shadow pony and transformed his crystal hoof into a blade. He began to use the enchantment on it as he heard the three fillies walking to the seats of the arena.

He heard them talking about him. "Please be quiet up there. I need to concentrate!"

As he finished the enchantment he opened his eyes and jumped at the shadow and hit him with his blade in the shoulder.

He looked at his target and smiled as he saw the enchantment was working. The shadow began to turn into crystal beginning where it was hit. After a short time the shadow was a crystal statue and Fallen shoot an dark energy bolt at it. The statue exploded on the impact.

After that he decided that this was enough spell testing for today and began to train his aiming with spells.

It was late evening as he finished training. He walked outside of the arena, as he was a few steps away he heard the three fillies trying to sneak in the arena. Fallen levitated them away from the arena and dragged them in front of him. He lifted them into the air so their faces were on his high.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing." said they all together.

"I hope so. I am going to the library and you are going to stay out of the arena."

"Ok." Said they all together again.

"Good." He walked inside the castle.

He looked through the books of the library for some time. He walked around to find a book about alchemy. He needed some cures for his next experiment after he finished his main project.

After some hours he wanted to go to bed as he heard a "Ouch" from outside the castle. He used his magic to see what it was and he sensed the aura of the fillies in the arena. 'Why haven't I seen this coming.'

He turned in to a shadow and flew outside of the castle into the arena. He creeped on the ground towards the fillies.

The fillies didn't noticed him and he sent out parts of his shadow to creep under them. After his shadow was connected to theirs he let them leave the ground and they grabbed the fillies at their tails.

Fallen left the ground and turned to his normal form again. The shadows dragged the three in front of him. "I said you should stay out of the arena!"

"We are sorry!"

He talked to them with an angry but controlled tone. "I give you a last warning. I am going to bed and if I hear even a small noise from you I am going to put shackles on your legs and chain you in the middle of the arena for the night! Now go out of the arena!"

The shadows disappeared and the three fillies fell on the ground. Fallen watched them leaving the arena and followed them. They walked back to the castle.

As he went to his room to go to sleep he heard a "Good night" form the fillies but he ignored them and went to bed.

Chapter 11 The visit of a royal pair

"You threaten them with what?"

It was the end of the weekend and Bright was back for her trip to Canterlot. Fallen told what happened that day at lunch and Bright wasn't very happy to hear what he said to the foals.

"Stop shouting Bright and as I said I told them to be quiet or I would chain them in the arena for the night."

Bright sighed. "I know that you hate it when somepony doesn't followed your orders but they are foals. "

"I don't care what they are. I told them twice to not go inside the arena and they did it. I was nicer than they deserve by warning them a last time."

Spike walked inside the dining room and saw that Arachna wasn't here eating. "Fallen where is Arachna? She didn't come to breakfast and now she is missing lunch."

Fallen just went on eating. "She is dead. She died last night."

Bright was shocked to hear that. "I am sorry for you Fallen."

Fallen shock his head. "You don't have to. She already was older than I ever expected her to be. Also, she was just an experiment after all. Now if you excuse me I have some work to do."

He stood up and walked to his laboratory and Twilight and Bright ate the rest of their lunch together.

As some days later, Twilight ad Bright began with their lesson for today they heard somepony knocking on the door.

Twilight walked to the door and opened it. The pony on the door was a mailpony and he had a letter in his hoof. "Letter for princess Twilight."

"That is me." She took the letter and the mailpony flew away. Twilight looked at the letter and it had the flag of the crystal empire on the envelope.

She walked back to the library, she opened the letter and read it while she walked. As she arrived at the library she jumped in excitement. "Oh this is so exciting!"

Bright looked up from her book and asked Twilight. "What is so exciting?"

"My brother and Cadence are coming for an visit in two days and they going to stay for two days!" Twilight jumped around. "These are the most exciting news ever."

Fallen walked out from behind one of the bookshelves. "Can you please be excited somewhere else, I am trying to read."

He walked back to his book and Twilight calmed down. "Oh sorry. They also wrote that they want to meet you two too."

Fallen just murmured something and went back to his book while Bright jumped up "Yay!"

Later Twilight prepared everything for the visit like preparing a room and telling the others about the visit.

Two days later Fallen was waiting in the arena for Twilight and as she ran inside the arena she immediately said "Fallen can we please skip training today. I don't want to look like I was ran over by a train when my brother and my sister-in-law arrive."

"I almost forgot that the prince and the princess of the crystal empire are coming to visit you."

"So, it is ok that I skip training today?"

Fallen walked to the weapon and began to think. He mumbled a bit to himself before he turned back around and looked at Twilight again. "Fine, but you have to learn harder the next days. We are already more than a week behind the trainings plan. I want you to finish your training one day."

"I will do my best. Oh and I wanted to tell you that the others are coming in a few hours too. I don't know if he comes to but I told Fluttershy to invite Spirit too."

He simply nodded and Twilight left the arena. Before she was outside Fallen called after her. "I will go to my laboratory later you find me there when the guests arrive." Twilight nodded and left the arena completely.

Before he went inside to he turned back to the tables with weapons and began to check each one of them. After he checked them he went to the castle. He made his way to his laboratory and spend the next hours preparing everything for the next experiment.

Twilight and Bright were in the library and Twilight wanted to begin with Brights next lesson as they heard a carriage landing outside.

Twilight quickly walked outside to greet Shining Armor and Cadence and Bright went down to the basement to get Fallen.

Cadence and Shining Armor left the carriage and the guards that dragged the carriage flew away. Twilight ran to them and hugged them both. Shining Armor laughed a bit. "It is nice to see you too Twili."

Twilight let go of the two with a big smile on her face. "I am so happy that we can spent a whole day together, the others should come in a few hours too."

As she said that Bright jumped out of the castle with a huge smile on her face followed slowly by Fallen.

Cadence was the first that said something. "You must be Bright Side the new student of Twilight. It is nice to finally meet you."

Bright smiled even more. "It is nice to meet the famous princess and prince of the crystal empire."

Both of them were surprised by being called famous but Cadence quickly responded "I am happy to hear ou high you think of us. So what happened around here?"

Cadence, Twilight and Bright began to talk about everything that happened in the last months.

Shining walked to Fallen and shook his hoof. "You must be her brother Fallen. Twili wrote about you in her letters but she said she couldn't say what your job is and Cadence told me that she knows it too. They only told me that you are a really good mage, so can you tell me more?"

Fallen nodded a bit. "I am high mage and master of dark magic. That is also the reason why I am the only pony who is allowed to talk about it."

"So you are a high mage. I bet you are impressed by the abilities of my sister."

"After everything I heard, I am disappointed. She failed every test I gave her."

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying that my sister is a bad mage?"

"I say that for having a cutie mark in magic she learns really slow." Fallen smiled a bit.

Shining began to get angry. "Are you saying that you are better than her?"

"I beat her in a duel without that I even had to try and I am teaching her in fighting for some time now. The time she needs to learn one lesson is the time that I need to learn to every spell in a spell book."

"She told me about her training but she didn't said anything about a duel with you or that you are so much better than her!"

"She probably didn't wrote about it because she was embarrassed by her own filature."

Now Shining Armor got even more angry and began to speak louder. "If you are so good, than you have nothing against that I challenge you to a duel of master mages!"

The three mares heard Shining and stopped talking. Twilight and Bright gave each other a worried look. "Oh no."

Fallen gave Shining an evil grin. "And I already thought I would have to challenge you. We can go in my arena for the duel."

Shining Armor looked at the arena and back to Fallen and then at Fallens crystal hoof. "No we will fight on the open field."

Fallens grin disappeared. "Looks like you are smarter than you sister. But I think there is a reason why you are the captain of the royal guard."

Shining looked at Fallen from top to bottom. "We will fight with magic only and no transportation abilities."

Fallen nodded and began to walk to the right position.

Shining did the same and as they stood at the right positions they got ready to fight. The three mares watched everything and they all agreed that they had a bad feeling about this.

"Three, Two, one. GO!"

Shining Armor immediately created a barrier around him. Before any pony had a change to wonder why he did this he began to shoot pieces of the shield at Fallen. Even Twilight was surprised by this unique magic. No one of them has ever seen Shining Armor fighting.

The flat projectiles flew directly at Fallen. Fallen on his side sent a shadow on the ground. The shadow fast flew forward on the ground towards Shining Armor while Fallen used energy blots to destroy Shining Armors shield projectiles.

As the shadow reached the ground beneath Shining, crystal spikes began to grow where the shadow covered the ground.

Shining Armor had to deactivate the shield and jumped to the left side. He didn't saw that Fallen already sent a shadow there so he could let a big crystal grow out of the ground. The crystal hit Shining Armor in mid air and he fell to the ground. He tried to stand up but was hit by an paralyzing bolt, shoot by Fallen.

Fallen walked over to him. "The duel is over."

Fallen deactivated the paralyzing spell and Shining Armor tried to stand up. As he stood he felt a pain in his side and nearly fell to the ground again.

Cadence ran to Shining Armor to help him but she stepped on a crystal spike on the ground. "Ouch!"

Fallen stomped on the ground and the crystals went back in the shadows and the shadows flew back to Fallen. "I am sorry about this princess." Then he turned Shining Armor again. "Prince Shining Armor, I must say I am impressed. You did better than the most ponies I have fought and I have to apologize for my behavior earlier. It was a part of my little test for you. Sure Twilight told you that I do things like this sometimes."

Cadence walked to Shining Armor and helped him stand up. "Yeah, she wrote about your strange tests. I have to apologize for my behavior too. I shouldn't have got so angry."

Fallen nodded and Shining Armor nodded back, even if Shining Armor still didn't trusted Fallen. Bright and Twilight walked over to them too.

Bright walked to Shining Armor and spoke to him. "If you want I can heal you wound. I know a lot about healing magic."

Shining Armor nodded and Bright began to cast the spell on him. While they were busy Fallen contacted the shadow beneath him. 'Bring the blood of the princess to my laboratory and put is in the last empty vial in the shelf.'

A little part of his shadow split up and flew over the ground away. It carried a little bit of Cadences blood.

After Bright was finished with the healing spell they heard some ponies coming in their direction.

"Hey Cadence, Shining Armor!" They turned to the ponies and saw that theses ponies where Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

Fallen watched them all talking greeting and talking. After some time Twilight asked. "Where are Spirit and Fluttershy?"

"We don't know darling. But they probably have a good reason why they are late."

They went on talking and Fallen began to look out with his magic. He looked at the fears of Shining Armor and Cadence. He wasn't surprised by their fears but he still made sure to not forget them.

After some time they made their way to the dining room. They all set down and talked about some random stuff. Spike was already preparing lunch while they waited for Fluttershy and Spirit.

After a few minutes Fluttershy and Spirit Wood came inside the dining room. Spirit had a bandage around his back. Spirits Timberwolf Bite walked beside him.

Spirit began to explain. "Sorry for being so late I had a little... accident."

Bright looked at him with an concerned face. "What happened? If you want I can try to heal you."

"No no, you don't have to I already put some medical plants on it! And also I don't want to bother you!"

"It wouldn't bother me but if you don't want. Maybe you should sit down, Spike is about to serve the food."

Spirit and Fluttershy took a seat and Bite walked behind Spirits seat and lay on the ground.

Spike walked inside the room and placed some food on the table.

They began to eat and everypony began to talk to each other. After some time Shining Armor turned to his left to talk with Fallen. "I understand that you don't really think that my sister is a bad mage, but could you tell me what you really think of her."

Fallen simply replied. "I think she is a smart mage with a lot of unused potential."

"No. I didn't meant what do you think of her as a mage I meant as a pony."

"She is learns fast and doesn't give up so easily but she still has to learn much about the dark sides of the world."

Shining Armor sighed. "This isn't what I meant either." Shing Armor made the impression that he was getting frustrated.

Fallen stopped eating and raised an eyebrow. "I fear I can't follow you."

"I meant what do you think of my sister as a mare around your age?"

"This is what you meant? Well ,nothing. I have better things to do than think about such things. May I asked where you got this idea."

Shining Armor rubbed the back of his head. "Well, Twilight wrote about you that you are a very powerful mage and that she is very impressed by you, so I thought that she was interested in you."

"I think you are reading way to much in what your sister writes!"

"Yeah you are probably right."

Now Fallen remembered something. "Twilight told me that the new natural dark crystal was found in the mines of the crystal empire. May I asked where exactly it was found?"

"It was strange to be honest. The dark crystal was the only one in a big wall of light crystals. Another strange thing is that the light crystals around and behind it were enchanted with an unknown spell. The mages told me that whatever this enchantment does, we shouldn't dig into the crystal."

"That sounds interesting maybe I should visit the mines one day to look at this phenomenon by myself. "

Shining Armor nodded. "I already asked Celestia if she could send a high mage but she said that they are all too busy. Maybe you could visit the crystal fair."

"I will think about it." They went on eating and Fallen stayed silence for the rest of the time.

After everypony was finished with eating Twilight said that she had planned something to do for all of them but Fallen said that he had some work to do and that would probably take till evening.

So the rest walked away and Fallen made his way to his laboratory.

At the laboratory he walked to the shelf with the vials and the book and took both of them out.

He placed the blood vials on one of the desks and opened the book. He searched the right page in the book.

"Ah, there it is. Blood crystals. I hope it works with Alicorn-blood too." He took out the four moulds he prepared for the blood and filled each one with the blood from the different vials.

After that he began to cast the spell. It took him hours till he was finished. The result where a white, a dark blue, a pink and a purple crystal. He put each in one of the prepared necklaces.

He looked at the four necklaces one last time before he put them in a black box and placed the box and the book in the shelf. He looked the shelf and toughed over everything. 'This nearly finished only a few things left to prepare before I can go to the last phase.'

Fallen spent the rest of time working on some smaller experiments.

At the dinner Fallen walked to the dining room and the others came back. Twilight said that she had planned something only for the mares for after the dinner.

After the dinner, the mares left to go to another room. And the three stallions and Spike where alone. None of them knew anything to do so Spirit asked. "So, what now?"

Spike to a stack of cards from somewhere and asked. "How about a poker game?"

Everypony nodded and Spike explained the rules for them.

They started playing poker. Spirit began to talk a bit. "I bet twenty. So you two battled this morning?"

Shinning Armor was next. "Yes and I raise to thirty."

After that it was Fallens turn. "I call. It wasn't much of an battle but still the best I had in this town."

Spike placed the next card on the table.

After some time of playing Spirit began to louse many chips to Fallen and Shining Armor. They had the same amount of chips , but Spirit was nearly out of the game. Then Spirit stood up. "I am sorry I must change my bandage Bite will continue for me!"

The Timberwolf walked to Spirits seat and sat down. The wolf used his mouth to put some of Spirits left chips on the table. For the nest rounds Bite manages to stay in the game for a few rounds more.

After some more time playing, Fallen decided to end this game and went all in since Shining Armor then needed to do the same. After they all placed all their chips in the middle of the table they showed their hands. Fallen had three Ace on the hand.

He smiled as he saw that Shining Armor jut had two 9 and two 8.

Then he saw that Bite had a complete Royal Flush. The Timberwolf took all the chips to his side and Spike took the card and put them away.

Then Spirit walked in the room and looked at the table and said only one thing. "I won't even question that!"

The mares entered in the room a few moments later and Twilight yawned "It is really late. I think it is time that we all go to bed."

They all said good night and went home. Cadence and Shining Armor went to the room that Twilight prepared for them.

Fallen decided to go to bed too. He walked to his room and lay down on his bed. He looked to the side and looked into the dark flame.

Chapter 12 Changes of the past and a new leader

Chapter 12 Changes of the past and a new leader

It was a normal morning, the sun shined and Twilight was training with Fallen in the arena. "Before we go to fight mages you will learn to fight other creatures than ponies."

As he said this a shadow Manticore jumped out of Fallens shadow and began to attack Twilight. "Whoa!" Twilight jumped back and got in fighting position.

After she dodged some of its attacks she began to attack it herself. She fought the Manticore for some time as Fallen saw a brown carriage flying above the arena. He seemed to know the carriage and growled. His eyes followed the carriage as it flew towards the place in front of the castle.

As it landed he sighed. "The training is over for today. I have to take care of something."

The Manticore disappeared and Fallen left the arena. Leaving a confused Twilight in the middle of the arena.

A silver unicorn stallion with a dark yellow mane left the carriage. He wore a brown and very much damaged cloak and he had light red eyes. He spoke to the pegasi that pulled the carriage. "Thank you for bringing me here. We see us tomorrow in Canterlot."

He took a big case form the carriage and they flew away.

Fallen walked to the stallion and spoke to him. "Rubyus, what are you doing here?"

Rubyus looked at Fallen and smiled. "How often do I need to tell you that you can call me father."

Fallen growled. "I said that I will never do this. Now what do you want?"

Twilight walked to them and she could have sworn that she saw sadness in Rubyus face for a short time. "May I ask who you are?"

Rubyus looked at Twilight and bowed fast. "My name is Rubyus Side and I am a geologist. I am the father of Bright and the step-father from Fallen. I am here to visit them."

Fallen spoke to him. "Next time tell us before you come here."

"Can't I surprise my family?"

"I hate surprises and you are Brights father not mine. So I will get your family."

He walked away and Twilight looked at Rubyus. "Why is he rejecting you?"

Rubyus sighed "He never accepted me as his father. I hope he will change his mind one day."

Twilight wanted to say something but she was interrupted by Bright, who ran in the direction of her father and screamed. "DAAAAAD!"

She jumped at him and hugged him. "I haven't seen you for so long!"

Rubyus hugged her back. "I am sorry but you know that my job is very important."

"I know."

They hugged for some time till Fallen walked to them. "When you are finished. Spike has prepared lunch. He also prepared some for you Rubyus."

Rubyus nodded. "Thank you."

They walked inside the castle and entered the dining room. They sat down and Spike served the food. Rubyus was the fist who spoke. "Where is your pet spider Fallen? Arachna was her name, right?"

"She is dead and she wasn't a pet she was an experiment and an assistance." Replied Fallen.

"Oh, well... Bright how are your studies going. Learned anything interesting new?"

"I learned a lot about magical crystals and gems." She smiled at him.

"This is wonderful to hear." He turned to Twilight. "Bright didn't made any problems or did she?"

Twilight laughed a bit. "No she didn't."

"I have to ask. Why is there a arena made of Fallens dark crystals?"

Twilight was a bit confused. "How do you know that the dark crystals are made by Fallen?"

Rubyus smiled a bit. "This is a part of my special talent. I can use my magic to nearly find anything about a crystal or gem, especially the magical ones. Now what is the reason behind it?"

Fallen spoke up. "After I beat the princess in an duel she asked me to train her so I build an arena."

"But he still won't train me." Murmured Bright quiet so no pony heard her.

Rubyus looked at Fallen with an surprised expression."You had a duel again. If I remember it right the last one you told me about was the one against princess Luna."

"I already fought some duels in this town."

"Really? How went these duels."

Fallen took a sip of his drink and began to talk again. "The first was a short time after I arrived. I challenged Twilight and defeated her in a short fight. She asked me to train her and one of her friends joined the training too. I fought this pegasus in a training and defeated her after one move. "

Rubyus listened interested. "So you are training a pegasus and a Alicorn?"

Fallen nodded. "Yes but I cannot teach the pegasus very much anymore so she mostly trains on her own. Now where was I? Ah, right. After that I fought against Twilight and five of her friends after she said that their friendship can defeat everything. So I defeated them without any problems. The last one was against Twilights brother, Shining Armor captain of the royal guard."

Rubyus eyes widen. "You fought against the prince of the crystal empire. I heard that he is a really good fighter."

Fallen took another sip. "Yes he was good but he had no knowledge of dark magic so I could defeat him with a little trick."

Rubyus smiled at Bright and Fallen. "Sounds like you two have an interesting time here."

Twilight then asked Rubyus. "I am a little bit curious. How did you met Fallens mother?"

Rubyus expression changed to an sad smile. "You mean Shine Keeper. The story isn't very special."

Twilight just looked at him.

Rubyus expression lighten up a bit. "But if you want me to. I walked through the streets of Canterlot because I got a letter that said that they found a indestructible magical gem. It turned out that it was just the result of an project of an mage that got lost and was found in the streets. It fell apart after it lost all its energy. On my way back home I bumped into Shine. She was carrying some purchases and as I bumped into her she dropped them in the mud."

He took a bite of his food before he went on. "Because it was my fault I bought everything new for her and invited her to a cup of tea. After that we began to meet each other more often. I found out that she had a son and that the father is dead."

Fallen turned his head a bit away from him.

"But she and Fallen never told me who he was and what happened to him. I accepted their decision and never asked again. After a long time I married her and a short time later Bright was born. You probably already know that Shine died a few years ago. Since I have to travel a lot for my job Fallen takes care on Bright."

No pony said anything and they ate the rest of their foot in silence.

After they finished Fallen was the first one who spoke again. "I have work to do." He stood up and walked away.

After Fallen left the room Bright walked to her father and talked to him. "How long will you stay here?"

Rubyus smiled at her. "Sadly only for today but we can spent the rest however you want."

Brights face turned to a big smile. "YAY. Twilight can I have the free from studying."

Twilight looked at Bright and Rubyus happy faces and nodded. "Sure but tomorrow you will make up all the lost time."

Bright jumped in excitement and dragged her father to the door. Rubyus tried to talk to Twilight while he was dragged. "It was a pleasure to meet you princess Twilight."

Fallen was in his laboratory and opened the locked shelf and took out the necklaces and the natural dark crystal. He placed everything on the work table and took out some notes. 'I need to have this finished in time.'

This day Fallen didn't left the laboratory and spent all the time enchanting the necklaces and the crystal.

In the evening Bright and her father waited at the train station of Ponyville . "It was nice to spent some time with you again dad."

The train arrived as she said that and Rubyus hugged her. "It was fun for me too. I hope I will have some more free time in the future."

He walked into the train and waved Bright. She waved back and the train left the station. As it left the station towards Canterlot Bright turned around and made her way back to Twilights castle.

As she arrived it was time for dinner. While she ate together with Spike and Twilight she noticed that Fallen wasn't there. "Where is Fallen?"

Spike shrugged and answered."I don't know. I knocked at his laboratory but he said that he is busy and don't want to be disturbed."

"Then we should better let him alone. He only does this when he is behind his schedule. So we should let him work."

Spike grabbed Fallens plate. "Then I suppose that I can have this."

They ate their food and went to the library. Bright wanted to start with the lesson she had to catch up on.

Fallen worked to whole night. As the sun raised the next morning, he finished the project.

As he put the necklaces and the crystal back in the shelf and locked it again Spike knocked on the door. "It is time for breakfast!"

Fallen just realized how long he worked. 'I think I overreacted a bit. I think I still have a week or two left to prepare everything.'

He left the laboratory and walked to the dining room. He saw that Twilight and Bright were already sitting there and Twilight saw Fallen entering the room. "Is training canceled for today or are we going to start after eating?"

Fallen sat down and began to eat. "I have no work for today if you have the time we can start after I finished my breakfast."

He ate the rest and went outside together with Twilight. They walked to the arena and saw that Rainbow Dash was already there training.

Twilight and Rainbow sat down in front of Fallen waiting that he tell them what the lesson for this day is. "Twilight you remember the lesson form yesterday. Since Rainbow Dash is here two you two will fight five Manticore."

His shadow stretched and five Manticore came out of it. Without anymore words they began to train. It was hard both for Rainbow Dash and for Twilight to fight against five Manticore. Five month ago, before they started training, they wouldn't even have managed to defeat one Manticore.

Fallen ended the training as he noticed that Rainbow and Twilight were way too exhausted to go on. Rainbow Dash flew away and Twilight and Fallen wanted to go inside the castle.

But as they opened the door they heard somepony flying in their direction. Fallen looked at the direction of the noise and saw that it was a mailpony.

The pony landed in front of them and took out a package and a latter. "A package for princess Twilight Sparkle and a letter for Fallen Dark."

Fallen took the letter and Twilight the package. After the mailpony flew away they walked inside the castle and to the dining room for lunch.

After they ate Bright asked. "Who sent you two post?"

Twilight shrugged. "I don't know I wanted to open it now."

While she said that Fallen already opened his letter and began to read it.

Greetings high mage Fallen Dark

I have to tell you that Arcanus died yesterday. The magic council will be meeting in Canterlot with the royal sisters in two days. There we will choose the next archmage.

Rising Light

"What does the letter say?" asked Bright.

"The archmage is dead. I will go to an meeting in three days to decide who the next archmage is."

Bright expression saddened a bit as she heard the news. "That is sad. He was a nice guy."

Twilight on her side began to open the package . Inside it was a letter and a smaller box with another letter attached on it. She took the letter and began to read it.

Greeting princess Twilight

I sent you this letter because Arcanus died and we found this box with a letter for you in his room. I can assure you that no pony read the letter or opened the box.

Rising Light

Twilight took the box and with the letter out of the box. "What could the archmage send me?"

Twilight took the letter and read it.

Dear princess Twilight

if you read this letter that means I am dead and I haven't found a successor for my arcane magic. And it also means that Formulas wasn't the one who found it. I am writhing you this because I think you are the only pony I know that could be capable of mastering arcane magic. From what princess Celestia told me I think I can trust you that you wouldn't abuse this magic. In the box is a book with everything I know about arcane magic and how to use it. Keep it save, it is the only of its kind.

your now dead archmage

Arcanus

Twilight looked at the letter of a moment and placed it on the table. Bright was curious. "Who wrote you and what did he send you?"

"It was the archmage and he sent me a book about arcane magic."

Fallen grinned a bit. "Then I congratulate you. Arcanus the pony who discovered arcane magic and he always said that he would only share his knowledge about it with somepony who he thinks is worthy. It seems like he toughed very high of you."

Twilight opened the box and took the book out of it on the cover was written 'Arcane Arts by archmage Arcanus.'

Twilight began to read it.

Arcane Magic

found by Arcanus

Chapter 1: The basic knowledge

Arcane magic is the purest magic that can be used. When a pony uses it he can control magic itself but if a pony can't control it, it will destroy him and everything that is near him. It is complex to explain and even more complex to use.

Twilight closed the book and noticed that there was a light blue crystal in the cover.

Fallen stood up and walked away. "I will leave with my carriage tomorrow noon . Training is canceled but I think you have something to do instead."

Twilight nodded and took the book. "Bright, I think we should start with your lesson."

She walked towards the library and Bright followed her. The rest of the day went on without any other events.

At the noon of the next day Fallen stood in front of his carriage. He summoned two shadow to pull it. He walked onto it and commended the shadows to fly.

He commended them to fly slow so he could read some books while they flew. They arrived at the evening at Fallens old house. He let the shadows disappear and walked inside. He walked through the house and looked at everything they didn't take with them when they moved to the castle. He looked at the showcases and the pictures on the walls. 'I still don't know what to do with this place.'

He went to his old bed room and opened a shelf. He took out an old picture of his father that was made before he was born. He looked at it for some time and went to his old bed to sleep.

At the next morning he went to the castle of Canterlot. He wore his cloak so the guards knew that he was a high mage. He walked to a room that is made for meeting between the council and the princesses. The room was located in one of the towers. It was a room with only one table and some seats around it. At the head of the table were two bigger seats for the princesses.

As he entered the room he saw that Rising, Formulas and Ice were already there. He sat down on his seat and greeted the other high mages. After some time the other high mages entered the room and sat down on their seats.

A few minutes later Celestia and Luna entered the room and sat on the two big seats. Celestia was the first who spoke. "I expect you all know why we are here."

They all nodded and Luna began to talk. "Even if Arcanus death is a sad event we have to perform our duties. To do so we have to choose a new archmage."

Formulas stood up and took out a few small crystals in different colors. "I will give each off you a crystal. To vote you have to change the color of the crystal to the color of the high mage you vote for. They are prepared so you can't vote for yourself." He looked at Mirror Illusion while he said that. "When you made your decision you put the crystal in the hole in front of you."

Mirror Illusion just sighed. "We all know how to vote this isn't the first time we vote something. So please give us the crystals and let us vote. "

Formulas looked at Mirror with an disapproving expression. "I just follow the protocol but if you insist." He levitated the crystals to the princesses and to the high mages.

Fallen took his and looked around. He thought about his choices. Mirror Illusion wasn't not serious enough for this position. Fallen didn't want to share his knowledge with Formulas. Rain Bringer was too young and inexperienced. Rising didn't even came to his mind. So he decided he would vote for Ice Eruption.

He changed the color to an red and placed it in the hole in front of him.

After some time everypony has placed his crystal.

Celestia stood. "After erverypony made his decision I will know count the votes."

Her horn began to glow and a crystal came out of the middle of the table.

It was a quarter was colored in black another quarter was red and the left half was white.

Luna stood up now too. "So it is settled Rising Light is the new archmage."

Fallen hold his anger about this decision back as good as he could but he couldn't hold back that some small crystals began to grow around his seat. No pony noticed them. Fallen took a deep breath and let them go back in the ground.

Raising stood up and bowed. "I am honored that so many of you have such an high view on me. I will do my best to follow these expectations."

Celestia nodded . "Then this is cleared. Rising Light is the new archmage. Now let's move to another point. Formulas, could the magic hunters track down the vandals in Manehattan."

Formulas answered fast. "Yes and it turned out that they were failed magic students and they indeed stole the book form the library."

Celestia nodded. "Then, if no pony has anything to say, this emergency meeting is over."

The high mages stood up and bowed before the princesses. They all walked outside and made their way to their carriages.

Fallen walked home to carriage and summoned shadow to pull it. He flew back to Ponyville used the memories from this day to feed his hatred to let it grow bigger.

Chapter 13 Plans of a night

A few weeks after the new archmage was chosen Fallen walked through the castle at noon as he heard Twilight calling. "Fallen! Bright! Come here you both got post!"

Fallen looked outside the next window at the sun to see what time it is. 'Just like expected.'

He walked to Twilight who was in the library of the castle. As he entered the library he saw Twilight with two letters and a letter for herself sitting in the middle of the room, facing away from the door.

Fallen talked to her. "It is from the princess, right?"

Twilight turned around as she heard him and looked surprised at him. "How do you know that?"

Fallen walked towards her and levitated the letter to him . He took it with his hoof, looked fast at the envelope of the letter and then back to Twilight. "Because since I am a high mage I get an invitation to the Grand Galloping Gala every single year."

"How it comes that I have not seen one of the high mages at the last Gala?"

"Every high mage is invited but they normally don't go to the Gala. The only high mages that go to the Gala most years are Rain Bringer and Rising Light. You probably just didn't noticed them because they weren't wearing their cloaks."

Twilight raised her hoof to her chin and began to think about it. She remembered that she maybe has seen ponies that looked similar to a few of the high mages. "I guess that is possible."

Fallen opened his letter and like he expected it was his ticket to the Gala.

Twilight looked at Fallen for a short time and asked. "So you are not going?"

Fallen smiled about her comment. "At least you combination skills are improving. But this time you are wrong. I plan to go to the Gala."

Twilight was surprised first but then nodded. "Well I am going to leave earlier that day to help with the preparations for the Gala."

Bright walked inside the library and looked at Twilight. "You said there is a letter for me too?"

Twilight levitated the letter to her and Bright opened it and began to read. After she finished reading she jumped up and down. "Wuhu!"

Fallen watched his sister bouncing for some time and then asked her. "Do you care to tell what so exciting is? And stop this bouncing!"

Bright stopped bouncing and began to stutter. "Uhm...Uh... nothing..."

Fallen raised a eyebrow but said nothing.

Bright tired to just look back but she gave up quickly. "Ok. Fine. I tell you. Somepony invited me to go with him to the Gala."

Fallens expression didn't changed a bit. "Him?"

Bright just nodded and closed her eyes, waiting for Fallen to get mad and ask who him is but he only said. "Ok."

Bright waited for Fallen to say anything else but he just turned away and began to search through the bookshelves. Bright was confused. "Aren't you upset or want to know who that stallion is?"

Fallen shook his head. "You are old enough to handle things like this for yourself." He took a book out of one of the shelf and looked at the first pages but closed it again.

Bright nodded slowly till she asked another thing. "Then why did you threaten Mirror as I met him at the first meeting at your house?"

Fallen put the book back into the shelf and grinned a bit as he remembered this encounter. "Because he is way older than you and I have seen him talking like this with seven other mares that day."

Bright began to understand what he meant. "Ooooh."

After no pony said anything for a few secondsTwilight turned to Bright. "You should ask Rarity if she could make you a dress for the Gala."

Bright jumped and was super excited again. "You are right. I have to prepare for everything."

Bright was about to run hectically around as Fallen interrupted her. "Bright! Stay calm. You have three days left and if you want to run around do this in the arena or somewhere else but not in the library."

Bright stopped immediately and walked slowly outside the library where she started to run hectically towards the exit of the castle.

Fallen on his side looked through some more books but decided to go back to his experiments.

He went inside the laboratory and began to work on his newest experiment. He tried to find a spell to overthrow someponies mind and get complete control over the pony. He had problems to make progress since he had no pony to test the spell.

Fallen spent the next days with this experiment while Bright was getting more and more exited.

After three days, on the day of the Gala, Fallen wanted to prepare everything he needed this night. So he took his cloak and walked to his laboratory.

There he opened the locked shelf and took the necklaces out of it and put them in four small noble-looking boxes. He put the boxes in a small bag and walked out of the laboratory.

He walked through the castle as he saw Bright running beside him towards the exit already wearing her dress. "Bright why are you running?"

She stopped running to answer the question. "I am going to take the train to go to the Gala."

"I can take you with in my carriage. I will go in two hours."

Bright shook her head. "I am going to meet with the pony that invited me at the train station. In two hours would be too late and I am already late."

Bright turned away and ran away to get the train.

Fallen walked to the library to read a bit before he had to go to the Gala. He mainly just looked through some old history books.

After two hours he put the bag with the boxes on his back and put his cloak on. He walked outside to his carriage and stepped on it. He used a spell to summoned his shadow servants to pull the carriage and they flew towards Canterlot.

As he arrived he saw that many other ponies were on their way inside. He put his hood on his head so no pony could see his face. He entered the hall and looked around a bit. He began to walk around and many ponies stared at him. He could hear them whisper about his black cloak.

After some time he heard the first ponies that recognized him as an high mage and in a few seconds the first noble pony walked towards him to speak with him. "I couldn't help but recognize that you sir are wearing a high mage cloak. May I ask what your name is high mage?"

Fallen growled. "My name is nothing of you business."

"Sir I must say that I will not tolerate such behavior. Even if you are a high mage. Do you know who I am?"

Fallen looked at the pony and walked away. "No and I don't care."

He made once more sure that no pony could see his face and walked a bit around again. 'Where are they?'

He searched a bit more till he found them. All four alicorn princesses. They were at the buffet. 'All at one place. Perfect!'

He walked towards them. As he was behind them he coughed to get their attention. They turned around and Celestia was the first one who recognized his cloak. "Hello Fallen, nice to see you at the Gala for once."

As she said his name he looked around to make sure that nopony heard his name. After he was sure he bowed short and spoke. "It is a pleasure to meet you all princesses and a great opportunity too!"

The princesses looked confused at him and Twilight asked him. "An opportunity for what?"

Fallen laughed a bit. "You probably know that I wouldn't come to the Gala without a reason. The reason why I am here is to give you this." He took his bag and levitated to each of the princesses one of the boxes. "It is a gift to thank you for giving an dark mage a chance."

Each one of them took their box and opened them They all took the necklaces out of the boxes and looked at them fascinated. Cadence was the first on that said something. "They look really lovely. Where did you get such beautiful necklaces?"

Fallen grinned a bit. "I made them completely myself. Even the crystals are made by me."

Celestia smiled at him. "These are beautiful gifts. I have to thank you."

They all thanked him for the necklaces but Fallen had to tell them about the little extra. "Naturally I have made a little extra. When you wear them and use your magic they will glow in the shape of you cutie mark. A little trick I found by studying magic auras. Maybe one of you want to try it?"

Twilight put on the necklace and used a simple light spell and, as Fallen said, inside the crystal a star shaped exactly like Twilights cutie mark began to glow.

They all looked at it for a short time. Fallen waited for them for a short while till he spoke again. "Well that is all I wanted to show you. I wish you a good rest of the night."

They all thanked him again and he walked away. He wandered around till he saw his sister standing alone at a table. Fallen walked to her. Bright saw him and smiled. "Hi Fallen."

"Please don't say my name so loud. I don't want that everypony knows what my name is."

Bright held a hoof in front of her mouth. "Sorry. Why are you even wearing your cloak? If you simply put on something else no one would recognize you as a high mage."

"Because I am here in business. I had to take care of something as high mage so I will make sure to look like one."

Bright looked at him for a moment and then responded. "If you think that is necessary. So how was the night till now."

"It went exactly like I planned it. What about you? I thought you are here with somepony. Where is he?"

"He is getting me something to drink."

Fallen nodded. "Well then I will walked around a bit." He wanted to walk away as he heard a familiar voice coming from behind him. "Hey Bright I got the drinks! Who are you talking to?"

Fallen turned back around and saw Rising Light. They stared at each other. Fallen with anger and Rising with fear. Bright looked between them back and forth.

Fallen was the first who broke the silence. "Rising, I didn't expect to see you here. With my sister."

Rising responded in a nervous tone. "And I didn't expect to see you today at all."

Fallen stepped a bit closer. "May I talk with you under four eyes, archmage?" Rising could hear the hate in Fallens voice.

They walked a bit away from the most ponies and Fallen began to talk. "You know that I hate you."

Rising prepared himself for everything that could happen next.

Fallen went on talking. "But this is something between us two. If my sister wants to spent time with you I can do nothing against it."

Rising first just stared at Fallen and then he took a deep breath in and out.

But he became nervous again as Fallen began to walk closer. "But I have to warn you. If you hurt my sister in any way I will gladly accept this opportunity to show you what I learned about dark magic. Am I clear?"

Rising nodded and Fallen grinned.

Rising walked back to Bright and Fallen began to wander around the Gala again.

As he walked through the garden he heard somepony talking to him from behind him. "Dark high mage. I want to speak with you."

Fallen turned around and saw who spoke to him. It was prince Blueblood. "Prince Blueblood. What do you want?"

"I want to know why princess Celestia told me to not bother you anymore!"

Fallen growled. "Because you annoy me with your permanent asking to show you dark magic."

Blueblood grasped. "How dare you to speak like this to me! I order you to do as I say and show me dark magic or I will commend the guards to put you in prison!"

Fallen eyes began to glow with dark magic. "You dare to commend me and threaten me." He grabbed Blueblood with his magic at the neck and dragged him around the corner where no pony could see them. There he grabbed him at the throat with his crystal hoof and hold him against the wall

He eyes began to glow even more and dark clouds began to surround them. "You dare to speak to me like that and acted like I should obey you! Celestia probably didn't gave you my warning. I never want to hear anything from you again. If you dare to talk like this to me again I will make sure that it was the last thing you ever said!"

Blueblood nodded in fear. Fallen lowered Blueblood to the ground. As he let go of Bluebloods throat completely. The prince fell on the ground and began to cough. Fallen lowered his head to him. "No pony will hear of this conversation or death is the last thing you should fear."

Blueblood looked up to him, his eyes still filled with fear. He nodded again in panic. Blueblood stood up and walked away as fast as he could.

Fallen made his way back to the garden were he watched other ponies. After some time he closed his eyes and began to meditate.

Then he heard a voice from above him. "Hey Fallen I didn't expect to see you here!"

He looked up and saw that the voice came from Rainbow Dash. She landed in front of him and he told her why he was here. "I just came to give a gift to the princesses and now I am only staying out of politeness. But at last I could take care of something else too."

Rainbow nodded. "Nice for you. Well then I have to go now."

Fallen nodded and Rainbow Dash flew away.

Fallen walked a little bit around till he was in the big main hall again. He saw princess Luna, standing around alone at the buffet.

He walked to her. "Princess Luna, I see you are already wearing the necklace. It is nice to see that you like it that much."

Luna smiled at him. "This it is an understatement. It is beautiful."

Fallen took a drink from the buffet and took a sip from it. "I just wonder how it comes that you have time at night to spent it at the Gala."

Luna nodded short. "I used a spell to warn me if a pony needs help in his dreams but fortunately this night is quiet."

"That reminds me. I wanted to ask if it is a problem that I make experiments with my dream."

Luna shook her head. "Certainly not, as long as no harm is done to any pony."

"I am glad to hear that. I know how it is when somepony is making had work even harder."

Luna smiled and nodded. "Then you don't have to worry."

Fallen took another sip of his drink and watched other ponies in silence. After he finished his drink he bowed before Luna shortly. "Well it was a pleasure to talk to you but I think I have to leave the Gala now."

"Then I wish you a good rest of the night."

He walked away and left the building. He walked to his carriage and stepped on it. The carriage, pulled by shadows flew away and Fallen began to think about the night. 'That really couldn't go any better. Now the only thing that I need is time.'

He arrived at the castle after a few hours and walked inside. He walked through the empty floor. 'Maybe Bright is already back.'

He walked to Brights room and knocked on the door. As no answer came he opened the door and looked inside. Bright wasn't there yet but something else caught his eye. It was the light crystal that Twilight cleaned from dark magic at their first encounter.

It glowed stronger as he stepped closer. 'She kept this crystal so long now. I wonder why.'

He reached up to it and tried to touch it. But immediately a he touched it with his hoof it burned his hoof. Fallen moved his hoof away and looked at his hoof. There was now a small burn mark on his hoof. 'Curse on this light magic!'

He looked at the light crystal for a short time and decided to let it where it is. He left the room of Bright and walked to his room to go to sleep.

The next days were completely normal for Fallen. He decided to study the history book in Twilight library more.

One day he took his book from the locked shelf of his laboratory and took it to the library because he found something that didn't fit with the information of his book.

He laid both books on a desk and began to look for the differences. After some time he decided that he needed some of his old notes, so he went to his laboratory but he forgot to take his book with him.

As he came back to the library he saw Twilight reading his book. "What are you doing there?"

Twilight startled as she heard him. "I was just reading this book."

Fallen took a step closer. "How much have you read?"

"Only something about a Teno Dark. Is he related to you in some way?"

Fallen grabbed the book and closed it. "That is none of you business. Don't dare to ask anything about him ever again!" His eyes began to glow with dark magic.

Bright walked through the flours of the castle as she heard her brother. She began to ran towards the library. She saw Fallen with the glowing eyes and immediately tired to stop him. "Fallen calm down and tell me what happened."

For some time Fallen just stared at Twilight with an hateful expression till he took a deep breath in and out. "She tried to read the dark book. If you excuse me I have to work."

Bright stood in his way. "Maybe you should tell her."

Fallen just growled as an answer.

Bright didn't move away. "It is better if you tell her now than having her find out without you knowing it. I will go now to the lesson with Spirit. Twilight already told you about that."

Fallen sighed and nodded. "Fine."

He turned to Twilight and began to walk to one of the seats. "I will tell you a story of my family. You should sit down it will take a while."

Twilight walked to another seat and sat down.

Chapter 14 The story of the dark

Fallen and Twilight sat in front of each other and Twilight waited for Fallen to begin with the story.

Twilight listened closely as he began to talk. "You remember that I told you that my horn is an effect of using dark magic right?"

She nodded. "Yes you said it took this shape because you use dark magic so often."

"That is not entirely true. The horn and the fangs come from a my general strong amount of dark magic itself, not from using it. After I used it the first time it reviled itself to the outside."

"But how can it be that you are the only normal pony known to have enough dark magic for that?"

"It is not natural for normal ponies to have so much dark power, maybe even dangerous, but I am not a normal pony. The reason for the great amount of dark magic inside me is that I am a half Umbrum."

Twilight grasp. "But that is impossible! The last Umbrum was king Sombra and he was trapped for thousand years and is dead now!"

Fallen shook his head. "I am not related with king Sombra except being an Umbrum, he wasn't the only Umbrum that lived free in the last thousand years. I will tell you the story of the Umbrum Tenobris. His story begins way over thousand years ago....

The kind of ponies have begun to settle the new found land, Equestria. Cities and kingdoms began to build and grew, but one kingdom rose to enormously glory. The crystal empire in the north of Equestria.

The empire was ruled by the unicorn queen Miraclum, she ruled over her subjects with kindness and love.

But what they didn't know was that they weren't the only new race that settled in this land. The Umbrum arrived in the land and rested with their army in the frozen lands.

The queen was happy to greet the newcomers in her land and sent a messenger to their camp.

The messenger walked through the camp between the tents. While he walked he was watched by the Umbrum. The messenger could hear wolves howl.

After a while of walking he met a big group of Umbrum. These Umbrum were Tenobris and a few of his soldiers "What is your reason for entering our camp?"

The messenger bowed before him and said. "I am a messenger sent by the queen of this land, queen Miraclum. I have a message for your leader."

Tenobirs nodded "That is me. I am Tenobris grand mage and warlord of the Umbrum. Tell me what is the message?" Many of the near Umbrum turned their head to the messenger. Some of them began to grin.

The messenger bowed again. "The queen greets you in her kingdom and hops that we can live in peace and harmony together. She want to meet with you to discuss everything else."

Tenobris laughed about this message. Many other Umbrum began to laugh too. A little bit scared by the behavior of the Umbrum the messenger took a few steps back.

Tenobris stopped laughing and looked back to the messenger. "I have a answer for your pitiful queen."

He grabbed a spear from one of his guards. "We are not interested in peace."

He walked towards the pony and his expression turned to hatred. "And this land is ours!" He punched the pony in the face and made him fall to the ground.

Tenobris lifted the spear and rammed it through the back of the messenger, who started to cough blood. He tired to stand up again but the pain let him sunk to the ground again. The snow beneath him began to turn red from his blood.

Tenobris took the head of the messenger in his hoof. "You only have a few hours to live left. Go and warn your queen that we will attack in one day and tell her that this land now belongs to the darkness."

The messenger realized what would happen if he fails to warn the empire in time and took all his left strength. He slowly stood up and began to walk away. Tenobris watched the pony leaving with the false hope to save his kind, followed by a red line of blood in the snow.

After a few hours of walking alone through the snow the messenger reached the empire. The guards of the walls saw him walking toward them, still carrying a spear in his back, and hurried to help him immediately. They carried him to their queen.

The guards carried him in the throne room and bowed before their queen. "The messenger is back and he said he has an important message for you before he dies."

The queen ran to her wounded subject and talked to him. "Why aren't you at the hospital, the message can wait. Why is the spear still in his back?"

He shook his head. "It his already too late to save me. If you take out the spear I will just die faster. But that doesn't mean I can't try to save everypony else. My queen the newcomers aren't friendly they want this kingdom and they will attack in one day." After he finished his last sentence he died.

The queen nodded slowly and talked to the guards. "Call all guards ready to fight and get all civilians inside the walls. And go to my daughter and tell her to not leave her cambers until I allow it... and bring this pony to his family. Tell them what he has done for our kingdom."

The guards bowed. "Yes my queen." The guard walked away to follow the orders of their queen.

Tenobris was in his tent and discussed the plan with his advisor Insidius. "The first wave of their army should be easily defeated with the help of our shadow-wolf rider and we can turn this in a siege. After this it is up to our mages to end this quickly. "

Insidius nodded. "The spell I found should help but I think the walls will become a problem. They are obviously made to hold back the wild creatures but I think till tomorrow they have prepared them for this war."

"This doesn't matter .The walls will fall and then they have no place to hide" They both discussed the plan in more detail for the next hour.

The next morning Tenobris hold a speech in front of his army. "This is the day were we will take the first of many kingdoms. These ponies lived long enough in peace on harmony."

The soldiers cheered.

"Today we will show them fear!"

The soldiers cheered even more and stomped with their hoofs on the ground.

"Today we will show them darkness!" He turned around and gave the generals the signal to move forward.

Tenobris and Insidius watched as the army walked towards the crystal empire. Some stayed in their normal form others changed to smoke clouds.

Between the soldiers ran a few big creatures. These were the shadow wolves, big monsters made of shadows and black smoke with red glowing eyes. These monsters carried the best soldiers of the army.

In the crystal empire the army got ready to fight and walked through the gates of the walls of the empire. They marched in their bright armors towards their enemies.

The armies clashed against each other in the frozen land in front of the crystal empire.

First it looked like the armies were equally but then the army of the crystal empire got pushed back and for each Umbrum that died they killed ten ponies.

Tenobris and Insidius could watch the shining army slowly getting devoured by the dark cloud.

Everything worked like Tenobris has planned. After a few more hours of battle the enemy army retreated inside the walls. At the end of the day Tenobris prepared the everything to break the walls.

Tenobirs gave the orders to attack the walls. Soon his mages were shooting the walls with their magic.

After hours of attacking Insidius came to the already expected conclusion and decided to talk to his master.

He walked inside of Tenobris tent to speak with his warlord. "Our mages are attacking the walls but the enemy is shielding it with a strong spell and it looks like they have enough mages to hold this up forever."

Tenobris was looking at a map of the empire they had stolen from an enemy general. "Like I expected, we have to get to the next step of the plan. Dose every mage know the spell?"

Insidius nodded. "Yes and it should go through the barrier of the enemy."

Tenobris smiled. "Perfect. The magic gas should give the enemy nightmares so horribly that they can't sleep. And without sleep they will become exhausted. The barrier will fall and we can go on with the attack."

They walked outside the tent and on a hill. Tenobris used a spell to higher the volume of his voice so he could be heard even in the crystal empire. "Queen Miraclum, I give you the last change to give up. End this war right now and become the first slaves of the darkness. Or you can go on and my army will have no mercy and make your lives a living nightmare!"

Tenobris waited for the answer and he got one. The queen answered by increasing the volume of her voice too. "We will not give up! We will never become slaves of a tyrant!"

Tenobris laughed and gave the signal for the mages to begin. "Then may your nightmare begin!"

The mages heard the signal and began to summon the gas.

The mages and guards of the crystal empire saw the gas coming through the barrier. The guards were immediately alarmed ."Don't inhale the gas, it could be poised."

They all took one last deep breath before the gas reached them. All of them tried to hold their breath but after some time the guards and mages couldn't hold it anymore.

As the first one breathed again, they saw that it had no effect. The guards told everypony that it was ok to breathe again. "This was just a distraction you can breathe again."

They all breathed again thinking that it wasn't dangerous.

This night, after the switch of guards and mages at the walls, they realized how wrong they were, that it was more than an distraction.

Everypony who breathed the gas was haunted in their dreams by horrible monsters. They couldn't get a hour sleep. That means when it was their turn again they were still exhausted. They couldn't warn each other fast enough before every guard and every mage was infected.

They tried their best to but each day it was harder to even stand, until one day the mages were too exhausted to hold up the barrier. The barria broke and the army of the empire retreated.

The Umbrum destroyed the wall and they began to invade the empire. They slaughter the exhausted soldiers and the civilians. Tenobris ordered to take a few soldiers and a few civilians as prisoners. The invasion went on and every pony tried to rescue themselves in to the castle.

The whole empire was covered with dark clouds and large crystal pillars raised from the ground.

The doors of the castle closed shortly before the Umbrum could enter it. The dark mages began to attack the doors with their magic but they faced an unexpected obstacle.

At the evening Insidius walked into Tenobris tent to inform him about this obstacle. "The enemy retreated in to the castle, but it seems like it is prepared with a special spell, we can't damage it. We don't know who cast the spell but it is very powerful."

"Go and ask the prisoners for another way in the castle. If they don't speak torture them! I want this war to be over in three days, before any other kingdom see what we are doing and come to help them."

"Yes my lord." Insidius bowed and walked away.

Insidius walked to the prisoners and started to question them, but the soldiers didn't talk and the civilians had no information.

After he tried every method Insidius walked back to Tenobris who was sitting in his tent, meditating . "Nothing seem to work they are nearly as good trained as our soldiers."

Tenobris rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "They are nearly a annoying as these druids and their obsession about rescuing these wolves, but unlike the druids they don't know when it is time to die!"

Tenobris stood up and walked outside the tent. "Bring me the soldier with the least fear and all civilians. I will break his will by myself."

Insidius brought Tenobris to a group of civilians and one soldier. The ponies were sitting in a line with the soldier at the beginning. Tenobris walked to him and looked him directly in the eyes. "You will tell me how we can get inside the castle."

The soldier just looked at him without any signs of fear. "Never."

Tenobris laughed. "Really? How about every time you refuse to speak I do this." He used a spell to put the first civilian on dark fire. It was a young mare. She screamed in pain as she slowly burned till she was nothing more than a skeleton. The other civilians looked at the skeleton in horror and the foals began to cry in fear.

As Tenobris turned back to the soldier he saw that his face was consumed by anger. "You monster! They don't deserve to die!"

Tenobris smiled at him and walked to the next pony in the line. "Good. You finally understand. Will you speak now?"

"No. If I do everypony in the castle will die." The soldier closed his eyes and hoped that the ponies in the line would understand.

Tenobris smiled, he already thought the soldier would give up too easily . "Well then, who is next?"

He looked at the line till he noticed that the eyes of the soldier twitched for a second to the end of the line. The last pony was a little colt. After looking at the colt Tenobris knew what the reason for the twitch was.

He walked to the colt. "Speak or your son will be the next one I burn down!"

"You monster he is just a foal, do you have no honor?"

Tenobris eyes began to glow green and purple mist came from the corner of his eyes. He grabbed the colt by his head. "Will you tell me or not?" The foal began to cry in Tenobris hoof.

The soldier looked at his son and nodded while a tear rolled from his eyes. "In the library is a secret passage that leads directly in the castle. You have to look for the book 'The way of a princess'. They probably didn't used it because they feared that one of your soldiers would see them leave through the passage."

The soldier closed his eyes and let his head hang. He began to quietly curse himself. "I am a monster."

Tenobris turned to Insidius. "Prepare a infantry squad to open the castle gates from the inside and let every other soldier prepare to invade the castle."

Insidius bowed before Tenobris and nodded. "Yes my lord, but what about the prisoners?"

Tenobris put on an evil grin. "Burn them down. One by One and make sure that this soldier and his son watch every single one of them burn. Then kill the son and after him is father!"

The father screamed at Tenobris. "You liar. I thought you would let them live if I tell you about the entrance!"

Tenobris walked behind the colt and kicked it to his father.

Tenobris turned away and began to smile as he heard the first civilian burn. "I never said I will let anypony alive." He walked away and began to laugh as he hear the soldier screaming at him and calling him a monster.

After a few hours of preparation for the fight, Tenobris and Insidius where the only Umbrum who stayed in the camp. They watched as the Umbrum army got ready to invade the castle. But something was odd.

Tenobris told Insidius about this. "I sense something is happening in this castle. It feels like a very powerful spell and it feels like light magic."

Insidius nodded. "I sense it too. Should we stop the attack?"

Tenobris hold his hoof to his chin. "No. Whatever the spell does it is too late to stop it and we don't have enough time to let the army fall back. We have to go on and hope for the best."

Meanwhile four Umbrum sneaked in form of shadows inside the castle. They made their way to the main hall of the castle where they saw the queen.

Miraclums horn began to glow but a young mare ran to her. "Please don't do it mother. This spell will kill you!"

A tear came out of Miraclums eye. "I am sorry Amore but this is the only way to save my subjects and protect them. Promise me that after I died you will rule this empire with kindness and never again let innocent suffer like I did!"

Princess Amore began to cry and nodded. "I will rule and protect my subjects with love."

Miraclum hugged her daughter. "I am proud of you."

The queen began to cast the spell and light filled the room.

Tenobris and Insidiuns sensed the energy getting stronger but before one of them could say anything they saw the army of darkness vanish in a big flash of light. "What happened. Where is my army Insidius?"

Insidius closed his eyes and searched out for the dark magic of the army. He grasp as he found them. "They are underneath the empire. They are trapped by an powerful spell, there is no way out for them."

Tenobris hit Insidius so he fell to the ground. "WHAT? That is impossible nopony can use such a spell and live!"

Insidius stood up, bowed and took a few steps back. "I am sorry but it is the truth you can try to sense it yourself if you don't believe me. I only sense our four soldiers inside the castle."

The four Umbrum in the castle weren't affected by the spell but they knew what had happened. They saw the queen falling to the ground, dead. She slowly vanished leafing a crystal shaped heart in her place.

They heard Tenobris talking to them trough a spell. "The original plan is destroyed. It is time for plan B. We will kill all members of the royal family!"

They immediately left the ground and ran towards the crying princess. "FOR DARKNESS!"

The princess heard the Umbrum and turned around with the heart in her hoofs.

As she saw the Umbrum attacking her she closed her eyes and let her kindness flow through the heart.

It began to glow and a white shockwave came from the heart. As it hits the Umbrum they screamed and shattered into pieces.

The shockwave flew till the borders of the empire and formed a shield around it.

Tenobris watched the shield for a short time and decided what to do next. "This is not over yet. I will find a way to break the spell and I will have my revenge on the crystal empire for defeating my army."

Insidius watched his master. "What is the next step?"

Tenobris thought for a moment. "We cant do anything right now. We will split up. Each one of us will go on a journey. We will search of a way for revenge. When one of us finds a way he will seek out for the other and we will conquer this land."

Insidius nodded. "I will follow your orders, our enemy will cower in fear."

"Yes, in fear and in my hatred!"

They both took a gray hooded-cloak from the now empty camp and walked in different directions. They knew that the camp would be destroyed by the next blizzard.

The last free Umbrum began their journeys. What happened to Insidius is unknown, but Tenobris searched through the land of Equestria for hundreds of years, aging extremely slow because of his enormous dark power. What was a month in a ponies live was a minute in his.

He heard of many possible allies but they all fell before he could get to them. One day he sensed something. He sensed that his king was born. He knew it was his duty to serve him.

He sensed him in the crystal empire. He waited at the borders for his master to grew up and fulfill his destiny, but Tenobris knew that is quest wasn't watching his king grow. He decided that it would be the best if he goes on with his journey. He looked one last time at the empire and turned away. So he began his journey to find allies.

After a few year he heard news about the empire. His king was banished and the empire vanished by a curse. Knowing that his king will come back he went on with his quest.

One day he heard about what happened to the royal sisters. He heard about Nightmare Moon and he decided to change his quest. He made his way to Canterlot so that he should spy on princess Celestia. But to do that he needed to hide his dark magic.

He used a spell to extract a big part of his magic and contained it in a small crystal but that also meant that he now aged, slower as normal ponies but still aged.

Fallen stopped talking for a moment and Twilight looked at him. "Why did you stop?"

Fallen lifted his hoof to his chin. "This was one of the last thing he wrote in this book. The only other thing is the message he wrote for me, the one that you read."

Twilight looked at him confused. "Why did he signed with Teno Dark?"

"I will come to this point. I just have to remember the rest of the story from what my mother told me...

Tenobris lived many years in Canterlot. He lived form small jobs all the time keeping an eye on the princess. In one year couldn't find any jobs so he lived on the street.

He could live a long time without food or water but it was embarrassing for him knowing that other ponies live in happiness while he barely lived at all.

One day he was lonely sitting in the rain without his magic and nearly no energy left at all. His cloak was damaged and had many holes. It was months ago since he ate something. He tried to sleep but he heard somepony walking towards him. "May I help you mister?"

Tenobris opened his eyes and looked up. In front of him was a mare. She was maybe twenty-five years old.

He closed his eyes again and lowered his head on the ground again. "No. Now let me sleep."

The mare didn't walked away. She looked at Tenobris and felt sorry for him. "But it is raining and you look like you haven't eaten for a month. Have you no place to stay?"

He grumbled something. His situation was already beneath his dignity, he didn't needed another pony to remind him of his situation.

She reached out with her hoof. "I have a room in the orphanage I own, maybe you can rest there for some days till you found a job and a place to live."

Without any other option besides lying on the street and risking to get noticed by guards he took her hoof and got up. As he got up his hood fell from his head and his red curved horn was exposed. The mare looked at his red curved horn.

Tenobris thought as fast as he could for an explanation. "I was born with it I don't know why."He hoped that this was enough so she won't continue asking.

After she heard this answer she immediately looked away from his horn. "Oh I am sorry I didn't wanted to stare." She turned around and began to walk. "We should better go. It looks like the rain will not stop very soon and it is already late." Tenobris followed her.

They walked down the street and Tenobris looked at the mare. "What is your name?"

"Oh sorry my name is Shine Keeper but you can call me just Shine. What is your name?"

He told her his false name . "Just call me Teno dark. I know that this name is very old fashion."

Shine giggled a bit and nodded. "Teno sounds funny." Tenobris growled a bit.

They stopped in front of an building with a sign with the text "The shining orphanage."

"This is where I live and work. I have a guest room in the first floor. That is where I live and the orphanage is in the ground floor. Tomorrow you will start with your work."

"What do you mean?" He raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

Shine smiled at him. "Did you thought I will let you live here for free? You are going to help me with the foals as long as you live here."

He sighed. "I suppose that is fair."

They walked inside and Shine told him that the foals were already sleeping. They walked up the stairs she showed him her home. After they ate dinner together she showed him the guest room.

The next day Tenobirs watched over the foals. He tired to be as calm as he could and he also tire to not scare the foals.

At the end of the day Shine told him that he did a great job and offered him a permanent job. With no other option he agreed. He watched over the foals every day and helped Shine. He began to get used to the foals, he even began to like his job.

The time went on and Tenobris was less and less interested in revenge or spying the princess. He decided that he was already too old and that his time as warlord was over. He stopped his spying completely and just enjoyed his live.

After a few years he and Shine became close friends and he told her his origin. Even after all he did she said that it was a long time ago and she couldn't see the Tenobris he talked about only her friend Teno."Every creature deserves a second chance, even the darkest one." That was the last thing he said to him about this topic.

After years they fell in love and married. Tenobris didn't even thought about his still trapped king anymore. He only cared about his live with his wife and their not yet born child. Tenobris began to write a book about his live and everything he knew about dark magic.

He put the crystal with his energy in the middle of the cover. He prepared everything so that his child could learn everything, even if he died.

He thought that it wouldn't be needed but one day he was proven wrong. He walked through the streets of Canterlot to buy some food and he decided to walked through a side street as a shortcut. In the street his way was blocked by somepony. "What is it?"

The pony walked towards him. "I know what you are and I will not let a creature like you live." The pony walked in the light. It was Fury Light, a well known light mage.

Fury looked at Temobris and his eyes were filled with hatred "You are a Umbrum and don't deserve to live. You are nothing more than a shadow of everything good and you should burn in the light!"

He shoot a beam of light directly at Tenobris. He fell back in the open street and many ponies saw as Fury ran towards him and began to shoot light bolts at him. They hit Tenobris and he flew against the next building. Fury attempted to shoot more bolts at him but he was stopped by some guards. They took Fury in jail for fifty years.

Tenobris was brought to a hospital. Shine came as fast as she could after she heard what happened. She sat down besides his bed and waited till he woke up.

The doctor entered the room to tell how Tenos situation was. "He is going to die. There is nothing we can do. His body seems to block any healing spell we know. I am sorry."

He turned around and left Tenobris and Shine alone.

Shine began to cry. Tenobris petted her head to calm her. "It is alright I already lived for over thousand years. Just promise me to tell our foal his name and promise to take care of him. Give him the book and tell him the rest I couldn't write"

She wiped the tears away and said a quiet. "Yes, I promise."

He nodded. His breath began to slow down and as he died he gave Shine a last smile.

Fallen closed his eyes and waited for Twilight to think about what she heard.

After a short while she talked to him. "Thank you for telling me. I am sure it wasn't easy for you. The only thing I didn't understand is what he meant with telling you your name."

Fallen didn't expect her to be so calm about everything he told her but decided to just answer her. "Fallen Dark is my pony name. I have an Umbrum name too."

Twilight got a little bit closer to Fallen. "And what is your Umbrum name?"

"My name is Malonex."

Author's Note

Important Info:
I haven't read the new MLP comics yet but for those who have read them, I wrote this backstory before the Sombra comics were even announced. So, in this version Umbrum are ponies with darker colors.
It may not match up with the information of the comics.The only information I had as I wrote this was everything that was told in Sombras origin comic.

Chapter 15 The true darkness

Twilight looked at him confused. "Malonex? This name sounds ancient."

Fallen nodded. "The name is from a long time ago and name is from a long time ago.. As I said my father was over thousand years old."

Twilight didn't really knew what to say and just asked."So you really are an half shadow pony?"

"Yes and I have to ask you to keep that a secret, not even the other princesses know this secret." Fallen looked at her dead serious.

Twilight slowly nodded. "Yes I promise." Then Twilight got an idea. "Can I ask you some questions about you and your kind? There are no information about your kind except the things we know about king Sombra."

This was what Fallen had expected from her. "And what are these questions?"

In less than one second Twilight levitated a few pieces of paper and a quill to herself. "First, have you any clue how old you will become and how long does your kind live normally?"

"I have made a test with my blood and I don't know how long I will live exactly but after testing a bit with my blood, I can say that I will probably live something around thousand years. I can't say how long does your kind normally live, I only know how long my father lived and how long I will maybe live."

Twilight made a few notes and looked back at him. "Does your kind eat meat and if the answer is yes, do you eat meat too?"

He knew how she came to that conclusion. "Yes I can eat meat, I have these fangs not without a reason, but since it isn't allowed to eat meat in Equestria I don't eat it very often."

"How long can you and your kind live without food?"

"I can live without food for five months or more. But I will become weaker over time. The same is for every shadow pony." He waited for her to write everything down. "I hope these were all your questions for now because I have to meditate. You have to wait if you have more questions."

He stood up took the book and attempt to go away as he heard Twilight. "Sure, Malonex."

He stopped for a moment. 'I hope you mean it as you say it.' And with that he walked to the laboratory to put the book back to its spot. After that he walked to his room and closed the door.

He sat on the ground in front of the dark fire and began to meditate.

While he meditated he heard a voice in his head. "You know that she fears your name Malonex..."

He nodded and with that thought his mind filled itself with hate. He spent the rest of the day in his room. He didn't went to the dinner and went to bed at night.

In the middle of the night, as everypony was asleep, a gray unicorn made his way to the castle. Hiding his brown mane and green eyes under a black hood, he sneaked around the castle and searched for a way inside. He walked around it till he saw that the window to the kitchen was open.

He climbed inside without making any noises and used a spell to see magic auras. "Where is this pony?"

After some time he found Fallens dark aura. As he saw the aura he stopped the spell and used a night vision spell. He began to searched for a way to Fallens room. He walked through the hallways of the castle without making any noises.

A few minutes later he reached to door to Fallens room. He scanned the door for any security spell and indeed found one that was placed on the doorway. He looked at the enchantment of the door for sometime before he smiled. "That should be easy."

He used his magic to deactivate the spell and opened the door. He sneaked inside the room and looked around. He saw Fallen in his bed and began to look around for the item he searched for. 'Where is it. He told me that he probably keeps it somewhere near him.'

He looked around for a few more seconds till he noticed the dark flame. He looked at the flame and tired to figure a way out to deactivate it. After he couldn't find a way he opened his bag and took a magic immune glove out of it.

He put it on his hoof and reached in the fire. As he reached in he could feel that the protection wouldn't resist the fire very long so he hurried up a bit.

He could feel that there was something in the fire. He grabbed it and took it out. It was a small black box. 'Bingo!'

He put the box in the bag and began to sneak out of the room. On his way he tried to walk as fast as he could without making noises but he didn't noticed that the glove was still burning with dark fire.

He walked through the castle back to the window he used to enter but a moment before he could leave the castle he felt the fire nearly reaching him and screamed. "AH!"

As fast as he could he threw the glove away and held a hoof on his mouth.

Fallen heard the scream and stood up immediately. He ran to the flame and reached into is with his crystal hoof. As he realized that the box was missing he turned into a black cloud and flew through the castle.

The thief knew that it was time to run and jumped out of the window and began to ran away not caring anymore if somepony heard him.

While Fallen rushed through the castle he used a spell to see magic auras and saw the aura of the thief outside. He flew through the first window he saw and began to chase the thief.

The thief looked behind him and saw the big black cloud following him and coming closer. He tried to run faster but the cloud kept coming closer.

As the thief realized that he couldn't escape he closed his eyes and turned around. He began to shoot beams at his pursuer.

As he opened his eyes he saw that his pursuer was gone. He sighed in relive and turned around where he saw Fallen standing in his normal form, eyes glowing with dark magic. "Big mistake."

The thief saw a beam directly flying in his direction. He was hit and fell to the ground. He couldn't move more than his head and saw a shadow coming closed to him.

As he looked up he saw Fallen standing above him lifting is hoof over the head of the thief. The hoof stomped down on him and all went black for him.

Fallen carried the thief and his bag to his laboratory and closed the door. Fallen opened the bag and took the box out of it and place it on one of the worktables.

Then he used a spell to make the walls soundproofed. He created a crystal table in the middle of the room and laid his prisoner on it. He also created crystals to tie his hooves and to block his horn.

He sat down and waited for the thief to wake up, he wanted to know more details. After a few hours he head a groan form is prisoner.

"Where am I?"

"You are in my laboratory. Now you tell me who you are?"

The thief noticed that he was completely tied up. He tired to move but it didn't help. He only got hit in his side by Fallen. "Stop moving!" The thief stopped and groaned in pain. "Now answer my question."

"I am known as the master thief."

Fallen rolled his eyes about that nickname and hit him in the side again this time with the crystal hoof. He could hear some ribs breaking. "I didn't asked for your silly nickname I want your real name!"

The thief screamed in pain. "My name is Lock Changer!"

"You tell the truth or else!" He hit him again and again a few more ribs broke."Who told you about the box?"

Lock was in pain but tired to answer. "My client!"

Fallen began to lose his patience."Who is your client?"

"I will not tell."

Fallen raised an eyebrow. "Why? Look at the situation he put you in."

Lock hesitated for a moment but decided to talk. "Because he said he would get me and my family in prison if I tell somepony the name he told me."

"The prison should be the least of your worries now!"

Lock stayed silence.

"Fine. Try to resist but I will get the information." He began to walk around Lock Changer. "It is a long time since I last tortured somepony, I have to warn you, I am a little out of practice." Fallen lowered the crystal table that Lock was now lying on the ground.

Fallen used a spell to grab Locks right front leg. He slowly began to bend the leg and soon it began to crack.

Lock Changer began to scream. "I will not talk. My family is more important."

Fallen just smiled at this confidence. "We will see."

Fallen walked to one of the worktables and looked a bit over it. After a short time he found what he searched for.

He walked back to Lock with a long red crystal spike in his hoof. "It is a long time since I used this." He lifted it over the broken leg and them impaled it inside of it. Lock screamed as the crystal dug itself in his leg.

The crystal let Lock only breath for a second before its real effect activated. Red black lightning began to spread from the crystal all over Lock. Everywhere where the dark lightning struck was nothing left but pain.

After a few minutes in sheer pain Fallen decided that this was enough and turned his hoof into a blade. He cut the leg off with a quick chop and thus cutting Lock from the red crystal. Then he used a spell to stop the stump from bleeding by covering the wound with dark crystals.

The crystal bandage stopped the bleeding and Fallen looked at Lock. "Tell me who your client is!"

Lock caught before he could answer. "No. You can do whatever you want but I will keep my family save and I bet you already used your biggest trick."

"This was just one of many trick I have." He used a spell to let small spikes grow out of the crystal bandage, piercing into the stump. Fallen also created spikes beneath Lock that pierced into his back and stayed there.

Fallen smiled at the tormented expression of Lock. "Are you going to talk now?"

Lock tired to talk but the pain made it hard to form words. "N-never..."

Fallen lifted his crystal hoof and used a spell to put it on dark fire. He slowly move his hoof closer to Locks face and touched his right eye. Locks fur and eye began to burn and he screamed in pain. The eye burned to ash and Fallen used his magic to contain the fire on Locks face on the right side. After the fire burned the fur and a big part of his skin away Fallen turned the fire off.

Fallen covered the right half of Locks face with dark crystals to keep him from dying, it also covered his missing eye.

Fallen looked down at Lock and smiled. "Will you talk now?"

"N-no..."

Fallen was about to put his crystal hoof on fire again as he got a better idea.

He decided to use a different technique. He looked Lock directly in the eye and made sure that Lock couldn't look away. Lock saw that Fallens eyes began to glow. The light blinded him and then his vision was black and after a few seconds he was unconscious.

As he woke up again he first didn't recognized where he was. He looked around and saw picture of him his wife and his little daughter. He was in his house and was lying in his bed.

He left the bed and looked around again. 'It was just a horrible nightmare.'

He walked to the door to search for his wife. As he walked through the house he saw that some pictures were dropped on the four. He walked to the dining room and saw that the table was flipped and the chairs were lying everywhere in the room. 'Oh no.'

He began to ran through the house to search for his family. He ran through every room and saw that everything was destroyed. In the end only one room was left. He walked to the kitchen and slowly opened the door.

As the door was open his eyes widen in horror. He saw his wife and his little daughter on the ground. They were both impaled by an big dark crystal. The complete ground was covered in their blood.

Lock sunk to the ground and began to cry. "This is just a nightmare. This is just a nightmare. This is just a nightmare!"

Black smoke began to spread in the room and Lock heard Fallen laughing. "This isn't a nightmare, this is the future if you don't do what I say."

Lock looked at Fallen with an now angry expression. "Liar! You can't harm them without getting busted."

The smoke began to gather in the middle of the kitchen right beside the dead ponies. "You think I am not in the position to do something like that? I can kill them and make everypony believe that a idiot who tired dark magic but couldn't control it killed them, I can even make everpony believe that it was you how did this! If you don't cooperate, you will wish that this is how things went. I could also torture them for hours and make sure that no pony can recognize the corpses."

Lock Changer let his head hang. "I give up."

Fallen smiled and the whole scenario vanished. Lock was bound to the ground of Fallens laboratory again.

Fallen walked to Lock and looked in his eyes. "I will use a spell to take over your mind. You will feel me invading your mind, don't defend yourself against me or I will kill your family."

Lock just said a quiet. "Yes."

So Fallen began to invade Locks mind and after a short time Lock was completely under his control.

Fallen let the crystal shackles disappear and created a crystal leg for him, that couldn't change shape. The spikes in Locks back disappeared and Fallen took some bandages he had in his laboratory for emergencies to stop the wounds from bleeding.

Lock stood up and looked at Fallen emotionless. Fallen smiled and asked again. "Who is your client?"

"He didn't told me his full name just his nickname."

"Just a nickname and he still threatened him. Probably somepony who is worried about his reputation. What is his nickname?"

"He called himself the Blue Prince."

Fallen groaned loud as he heard this bad nickname. 'I should have expected this. Who else but Blueblood would be so dumb to sent a thief to me. Since I am finished with this thief it is time to change his memories.'

He invaded Locks mind again and began to change his memories. After he was finished he waited till Lock could talk again.

Lock looked confused around. "Where am I?"

Fallen walked to him and petted his shoulder. "Stay calm. I am Fallen Dark and you are in my laboratory. You were brainwashed by Blueblood as he talked to you. Do you remember?"

Lock nodded slowly. "Yes I remember. A pony named the Blue Prince wanted to talk with me in privet and then everything is black."

"He brainwashed you to make you steal something from me. After you stole the item you where attacked by some creatures of the near forest. I saw you getting attacked the creatures and scared them away but as you can see they already burned the right half of your face and your leg. I could replace the leg but for your face I couldn't do more than just covering the damaged part. I also had to remove your right eye."

Lock slowly moved his now crystal hoof and touched the crystal half of his face. "I have to thank you. Without you I would be dead right now. Is there a way how I can thank you?"

Fallen smiled and indicated Lock to follow him. "There is a way. We will get the pony that tried to steal form me and that brainwashed you."

He took Locks bag and walked out of his laboratory. Lock followed him. On their way Fallen quickly looked out of one of the windows. The sun was already rising.

As they walked through the hallway of the castle Spike woke up and left his room. "Fallen what are you doing so early? And who is that pony?"

Fallen didn't stopped and just harshly replied. "I will explain at lunch! Tell the others that I am in Canterlot."

Fallen didn't stopped walking for a second and Lock followed him. They left the castle and Fallen walked to his carriage.

"Get on there, Lock!"

Lock nodded and stepped on one of the seats of the carriage. Fallen quickly summoned two shadows to pull the carriage and stepped on it himself.

The shadows pulled the carriage with an high speed and they reached Canterlot after only one hour.

They landed in front of a big villa and Fallen got of the carriage. "Lock wait in the carriage and look out if anypony comes near."

Lock Changer nodded and Fallen walked to the door and knocked.

After a short while a butler opened the door. "How can I help you sir?"

Fallen tired to sound as calm as possible. "Is Blueblood here?"

"The prince is at the moment not here."

"Where is Blueblood?"

"I am sorry sir but I am not allowed to give you this information."

Fallen gave the butler an annoyed look. "I am the dark high mage he wanted to talk to so often. If you don't give me this information you can tell him that you destroyed his chance to learn anything about dark magic."

"Oh you are the high mage he talked the whole day after the gala. After what I heard I didn't expect that you would change your mind."

The butler really began to test his patience. "But I did. Now where is he?"

"He is at breakfast with the princesses at the castle."

'Perfect.' Fallen turned around and began to walk to his carriage. "Tell Blueblood that you where the one who sent me to him."

The butler bowed. "I surely will, sir high mage."

Fallen stepped on the carriage and they flew to the castle.

At the castle he got down from the carriage and talked to Lock. "Follow me. We are going to meet the princess. Don't forget to bow and leave the talking to me."

Lock nodded and Fallen took the high mage emblem form the carriage. It was still early in the morning. They walked to the doors of the castle and Fallen showed the guards the emblem.

They opened the door and Fallen and Lock entered the castle.

Fallen walked straight to the dining room while Lock followed him slowly. Lock stared at the beauty of the castle that he never entered before.

After a short walk Fallen arrived in front of the doors to the dining hall. Lock got left behind but Fallen was sure he would catch up soon.

Fallen opened the doors and could see that Blueblood was there eating and talking with the princesses.

The princesses seemed to be very annoyed and looked up as they heard the doors open, they seemed almost relived.

Blueblood on the other side was very surprised as he saw Fallen walking towards him that an angry expression. "Blueblood. Didn't I told you already what would happen if you ever ask me again? And now you brainwash a pony and sent him to steal the box?" Fallen didn't even tired to control his anger.

Blueblood didn't know what to say and looked at the princesses searching for help. Celestia and Luna only looked at Blueblood. Celestia was the first who said anything. "Blueblood, what is he talking about?"

"I-I don't know. I haven't d-done anything he said."

Fallen stepped even closer to Blueblood and looked directly in his eyes. "Don't try to lie your way out. I even bought the thief."

In this moment Lock Changer entered the room and bowed before the princesses. "My name is Lock Changer your majesties. I was brainwashed by prince Blueblood to steal an item from Fallen Dark."

Celestia looked angry at Blueblood. "Is that true Blueblood?"

"N-no. I would never do something like that."

Fallen took the bag from his back and placed it in front of the princesses. "He is lying. I used a spell to see the magic in the back and I found remains of a magical aura. That means somepony must have levitated it. I bet if we compare the remains of the aura on the bag with Bluebloods aura we will find out what the truth is."

Blueblood began to sweat as he became nervous. "I can explain! I... fine I met with him to give him the task to steal the item from Fallen but I didn't brainwashed him!"

Fallen stepped closer to Blueblood again and looked into his eyes. "Yes because a normal pony would always dare with his free will to steal form a high mage."

Blueblood began to panic. "That is a lie! He did it because I threaten him that I would imprison his family if he didn't do what I say." Only a few seconds later Blueblood realized what he just said.Fallen smiled for a short time and calmed down a bit.

He turned to the princesses again. "Now he starts talking the truth. As I found Lock he was attacked by some creatures, that is why he looks like that. After I sacred the creatures away I deactivated the brainwash-spell. While I was in Lock mind I found a memory that showed me the attempted to threaten Lock, I also saw that Lock still refused to do the job and got brainwashed. Sadly I couldn't rescue this memory and it got lost with the brainwash-spell."

Now Luna lost her patience. "Blueblood I heard enough! Guards take Blueblood in prison. We will later decide what will happen with him."

Some guards entered the room and grabbed the now in panic screaming Blueblood. They dragged him out of the room and Fallen smiled as he watched everything.

As the doors closed again Luna turned to Fallen. "I am impressed Fallen."

Celestia now spoke up too. "And I have to apologize to you both . I should have known that Blueblood wouldn't give up that easily, I just didn't thought he would go that far."

Fallen simply nodded and Lock tired his best to smile. "It isn't so bed. If it wasn't for Fallen I would be dead now. I just hope my wife and my daughter aren't scared by my new appearance." He again stared at his new hoof for a short time.

"Maybe a heal mage can help you."

Lock lifted his head with hope in his eyes but Fallen stopped them. "That isn't possible. The wounds were made by magical creatures. They can't be healed not even by four alicorns. It is impossible."

Lock let his head hang again and sighed. "Still thank you highness for the offer. I will go home now."

The princesses nodded and Celestia called some guards. "Guards please escort Lock Changer to his house and his family and inform them what happened."

The guards bowed fast. "Yes your highness." They turned around and followed Lock out of the room.

After he was gone Luna turned to Fallen. "What item was stolen?"

Fallen looked at both of the princesses and then looked if anypony was near. "The dark box. That reminds me I never told you what is inside and I told no pony about it besides you two so how could Blueblood know about it?"

Celestia let her head hang in shame. "Since you never told us what inside is I thought I wasn't important to keep it a secret."

Fallen rubbed his forehead with his hoof. "Then let me tell you this. I can't tell you what is inside but I can tell you that it is dangerous enough that it could have destroyed Canterlot if Blueblood got it. I have to go now I already missed breakfast and I don't want to miss lunch too."

He turned around and left the room before the princesses could say another word. As he was outside of the castle he stepped on his carriage an told his still waiting shadows to fly.

As they reached Ponyville it was nearly noon. He landed in next to the castle like always and let the shadows disappear. Fallen made his way inside the castle to the dining room and as he reached it he saw that they were about to start eating lunch.

Bright looked up from her plate and pointed at one of the seats. "We already thought you wouldn't come to lunch. Spike prepared already something for you. What happened this morning?"

Fallen sat down on his seat and began to tell them the same story he told the princesses and what happened to Blueblood. As he finished they all were finished with their lunch and Twilight had a question. "What item was stolen from you?"

"I will not tell you. I can only tell you that it is inside a black box and it is dangerous."

Bright nodded. "If you say so it is probably better if we don't know."

Fallen nodded and stood up. "I have some work to do. Today's training is canceled Twilight."

He walked away and Twilight and Bright made their way to the library. Fallen quickly walked to his laboratory. He still needed to clear a few thing up.

In his laboratory Fallen looked at the box. He took it from the worktable and placed it in the middle of the room where he opened it. Red light filled the room and black smoke left the box. It covered the complete ground of the laboratory. Fallen bowed before the box.

Fallen heard the voice. "Malonex my student, I saw what happened. Did you take care of the thief?"

Fallen stood up and nodded. "Yes master, I place a spell on his mind. I destroyed his memories, he thinks that I saved his live. I his talent in breaking spells, locks and sneaking into places could be useful one day."

"Indeed my student. Did somepony become suspicious or has an idea about our plans?"

Fallen shook his head. "No. They all think I rescued Lock. No pony has a clue about our plans."

"Good work Malonex. You are even better than your father in such things."

Fallen smiled and bowed again and then walked to the box. He closed it and took it to his room where he placed it in the dark fire again.

Chapter 16 Malonex is in charge

Fallen was right and nopony had a clue about the plan. Blueblood was sent to prison for twenty years for stealing and for using of highly forbidden magic.

The weeks went on without anything special, until one day.

Bright was in Canterlot to meet some friends. Twilight and Fallen decided that they would train the whole day. Fallen told her that after she managed to defeat twenty mage shadows, she would be ready for her next test.

After hours of training Twilight managed to defeat all the shadows and Fallen walked to her. She was standing in the middle of the arena and was breathing heavily.

Fallen looked at her from top to the bottom and nodded. "Well done..." Twilight began to smile. "...this time."

Fallen began to walk to the other side of the arena. "As I told you, it is time for your next test."

Twilight followed him curious what the test might be. "What is the next test Malonex?"

Fallen smiled a bit, Twilight had started to use his dark name whenever they were alone. He turned around and looked at her. "I hope you remember everything I taught you because it is time that you fight a real mage."

Twilight stopped walking. It took her some time to understand what he meant. But as she did she jumped up in excitement. "You really think I am already so far to duel against you again?"

Fallen growled. "If this is how you react, then I don't think you are ready."

Twilight immediately stopped and lowered her head. "I am sorry master Malonex."

Fallen nodded and pointed with his hoof to the other end of the arena. "Then let us begin."

Twilight walked to the other end of the arena and Fallen got in battle position. As Twilight reached the other end she turned around and got in battle position too. Fallen turned his crystal hoof into a sword and Twilight levitated her crystal sword and shield to herself.

Fallen began to count down. "Three. Two. One..."

But before he reached zero they heard a scream. "We are under attack!"

Fallen looked to Twilight and she back to him for a short time. Fallen turend his hoof back to normal and Twilight put her weapons on her back. Then they began to run to the direction of the scream.

On their way they heard more and more ponies screaming for help. The screams came from the borders of Ponyville.

As they heard more and more scream Fallen turned himself into a dark cloud and Twilight began to fly to move faster. They couldn't risk to teleport, they could end up directly in front of the attacker.

They reached the end of the town after a short time. Fallen turned back to his normal from and Twilight landed besides him. They looked directly at the Everyfree Forest.

They saw an army of Changelings coming out of the forest and attacking the ponies of Ponyville. Fallen saw a bigger Changeling flying in the air above the entrance. It was queen Chrysalis. She looked down at the ponies running in fear.

Twilight flew into the air and shouted at Chrysalis. "What are you doing here?"

Chrysalis looked at Twilight and laugh. "I am here for revenge for everything you did to me and my subjects and there is nothing you can do against it!"

Twilight looked at the ground and saw that the Changelings began to destroy the town and ponies ran for their lives. Fallen looked up to Twilight and shouted at her. "Come down here. You are not ready to fight her alone. We have to stop the Changelings."

Fallen began to shoot energy bolts at the Changelings and Twilight flew down to help him. Chrysalis laughed at them as they tried to defeat an entire army alone.

Fallen was so concentrated in fighting that he didn't noticed that Rainbow Dash flew to them till she was right behind him. He didn't turned around and just went on fighting. "What is it Rainbow? Talk fast!"

Rainbow Dash dose as he said and talked as fast as she could. "After I heard of the attack I flew around the town and it looks like the Changelings are attacking from everywhere. The complete town is surrounded!"

Fallen wanted to say something but he was interrupted by Chrysalis who was flying right above them. "I told you, you have no chance. My army will destroy this little town."

Twilight looked at her angry. "We will fight you and defeat you!"

Chrysalis laughed and smiled at Twilight. "You can keep telling that to yourself but in the end you can do nothing against your defeat. And your little freak friend can't help you either!"

Fallen looked at Chrysalis and his eyes began to glow with dark magic. "The bug calls me a freak?"

Chrysalis smiled at him. "I know what you are. You are half shadow pony. I know everything about your race and your magic. If one of us is a monster than you and your race of warmonger."

Fallens eyes began to glow even more as he got angry.

He could fell that a dark magic source created a connection the him. Fallen heard the voice of his master in his head."I will give you my power for this fight! Show them why we are called the masters of fear!" His power was now more than twice as strong as normally.

He began to use the new energy to create a giant field of crystal spikes at a group of Changelings that were attacking the town hall. It killed over fifty Changelings.

Chrysalis didn't noticed what happened to Fallen. "My spies told me about you. You are the son of the warlord Tenobris! Isn't that right."

Fallen got angrier with every word she said. He used his anger to kill every Changeling that he saw. He shoot a giant dark fireball at a house that was covered by Changelings. As the fireball hit the target it set the whole house and every Changeling that was near it on fire. The Changelings began to scream in pain as they burned to the ground.

As Twilight saw what happened with Fallen, she began to worry and stepped away from him.

Chrysalis just went on talking. "He once wanted to get us as allies but I saw that he was just as pathetic as you are now!"

This completely destroyed any mercy in Fallen for his enemy he only though about revenge. He let crystal grow under his hooves. The crystal platform carried him on the high of the Changeling queen.

Fallens shadow began to spread around him and crept on the ground in all directions. "You call me pathetic!"

The shadow began to spread over the whole town. As it reached the first Changeling group a giant shadow hoof came out of it and squished them. At another place the shadow began to shoot fireballs in all directions. Fallen killed hundreds of Changelings.

A giant crystal claw grew out of the ground beneath Chrysalis. It grabbed her so she couldn't move anymore. The claw took Chrysalis directly in front of Fallen. All the confidence from earlier was gone. In her eyes was only fear. "You pathetic insect. You dare to insult me and my species. I should squish you like the bug you are!"

Fallen heard the voice of his master again. "Don't kill her. I think we could have use for her sometime."

Fallen nodded and the claw grabbed tighter. Chrysalis couldn't breathe anymore."Be happy that I am not in the mood to kill an entire species. I will let you go and you call back your army. I don't want to see you ever again! Am I clear?"

Chrysalis nodded hectically and the claw let go of her and she flew away. With her the rest of her army. They flew away and Fallen could feel that the connection to the magic source was cut. The dark flames stopped burning and the shadows went back to Fallen.

The platform went back into the ground and Fallen sunk to the ground. He looked at the destroyed town in front of him. Everywhere were dead Changelings on the ground, some of them where completely squished others burned to skeletons.

Fallen looked at all the ponies he save but no pony cheered. They all just stared at him. Some of them even began to run away from him.

Fallen was completely exhausted and tried to stand up. He stumbled and nearly fell over again. Twilight walked slowly towards him. "Fallen? Are you alright?" She held her hoof towards him to help him.

Fallen pushed her hoof away and began to walk slowly. "I am fine . I just need some rest."

He walked through the town and every pony stared at him. Twilight and Rainbow Dash looked worried after him.

Fallen made his way to the castle and on the way he saw that the eyes of the ponies were filled with fear. They feared him.

He reached the castle after a long walk and immediately walked to his room. As he went inside he room he sensed the dark energy again. He knew that his master wanted to talk with him.

Fallen locked the door of his room behind him. Then he walked towards the dark flame in his room and put his crystal hoof into it. He grabbed the box that was hidden inside the flame.

He took the box out of the flame and placed it in the middle of his room. As he opened the red light shined out of it and filled his entire room. Black smoke left the box and covered the ground of the room.

Fallen bowed before the box. "My king I sensed you wanted to speak with me!"

Fallen heard the deep voice of his master coming from the box. "Yes Malonex. You know that what happened today will force us to accelerate our plans."

Fallen nodded. "I know but the next possibility for us is in over a month."

"Is everything else prepared?"

"Yes everything is ready and the princess trusts me despite the fact that she knows that I am a half shadow pony."

"Perfect work Malonex. Your father would be proud of you!"

Fallen smiled for a moment but then doubt began to fill his mind. "Master I know what the plan is but I fear that I will struggle to focus my hatred. I can feel that my darkness is becoming weaker."

"Malonex you have to know you are in a similar situation as I once was. I was hated by nearly every other pony. I was an outcast like you. As the first pony was nice to me I completely forgot everything the others had done, how they treated me. I nearly lost my darkness and this was what nearly led to my downfall."

"Master, I don't quite understand."

"You have to banish everypony from your heart. You think they are your friends but you have to understand that they will betray you one day. Once I trusted my friend but when I discovered who I really am she stepped back in fear. As I fulfilled my destiny she told me to stop and as I let her go she betrayed me. They are all just waiting for you to give them a chance to betray you. Even Bright Side."

"My sister would never betray me. She is the only pony that understands who I am."

"She fears you the most. She wants you to turn away from your true self. She wants you to be another pony. She isn't your sister, she is your biggest blockade to be who you are. Think about how she turned away as you saved her, how she couldn't stand near you. She loves her brother Fallen but she hates you Malonex."

Fallen said nothing, he just let his head hang.

The voice went on talking. "If they knew that you hide me they wouldn't wait a second to kill you. Even after you saved them today they will still view you as a monster. They will never accept you as one of them because you aren't one of them, you are a shadow pony."

His master still didn't stopped. "The princess may call you by your name but you know that she doesn't say it with trust but with fear. The fear that you are Malonex and not Fallen. They all fear you for that and this fear will turn into hate one day. You have to be prepared when they turn against you or you will end like your father. He fell into their web of lies about friendship and trust."

His master waited for him to thing. Fallen took a deep breath in. As he did this he summoned all his thought about friendship in his mind. He looked at them and thought about what his master said.

After some time he knew what his decision was. Fallen breathed slowly out. "Are you ready to use your power to strike our enemy as long as they are not prepared?"

Malonex lifted his head up and looked at the box with resolute eyes. He will do what his father could not do. "I will make these ponies suffer for their actions against our race and I will show them why we should rule this land."

"They will fall to the ground and cower in front of us like they should . This land will belong to the Umbrum!"

Malonex nodded and bowed. He took the box and closed it and left his room, after he place the box back into the fire. He walked through the hallways of the castle towards his laboratory. On the way Twilight saw him walking through the castle and followed him.

She was silence for a while before she asked him. "What happened out there? I know that you have strong magic but this magic was more powerful than everything I have ever seen before. How did you managed that?"

"I just treated some bug nicer than they deserve, there is nothing more to it. What took you so long to come here?"

Twilight stopped walking and said. "I had to assure everypony that they are save and that you wouldn't kill them. "

Malonex stopped and turned around . "What did you say?"

Twilight took a deep breath and repeated louder. " I had to assure them that they are save and that you wouldn't kill them. I also had to tell them what a shadow pony is. They all know now that you are half shadow pony. Many are still scared..."

Twilight waited in fear for his reaction but he just turned around and walked to his laboratory.

Malonexs hatred grow bigger with each step he made and he now was completely sure that his master was right. They feared him and so they sealed their fates.

At the laboratory arrived he was only filled with thoughts about his plan. He took the book of his father and looked for the ritual he needed. He read it a thousand times before he was sure that he knew every step. He opened another locked shelf and took out the traditional mage cloak for shadow ponies. It was the one his father wore at the battle at the crystal empire. The cloak was black with purple lines at the edges. It had a hole in the hood for his horn.

He also took a bag with his cutie mark out of the shelf, he put the cloak and the dark crystal inside it. With the bag on his back he left his laboratory and used a new spell for the locking crystal. He used a spell he was sure no other pony could use.

After he finished that he walked back to his room and place the bag to the box into the dark fire.

Malonex went to bed and began to meditate in the void of his empty dream. But he got a visitor.

Princess Luna entered his dream. She walked through the void till she was directly in front of him. "Fallen, I want to speak with you."

He opened his eyes and stood up. "What is the reason for you visit princess?"

Luna stepped a bit closer to him. "Please call me Luna. I am not here as a princess of Equestria but as your friend."

Malonex hold his emotions back and stayed calm to the outside. "How can I help you Luna."

Luna looked at him for a moment before she talked. "I am here because Twilight sent me a letter about today's events. She told me that she and her friends are worried and after everything I heard you did I had to talk with you, I am worried about you."

He just laughed a bit. "You don't have to worry I am completely fine."

"Why did you never told my sister or me that you are half shadow pony."

"Because I decided that you didn't had to know."

"What about your magical abilities? I fought against you a year ago and that was nothing in comparison to what you did today. You have to be careful so much darkness can easily consume a pony."

As an answer she got another laugh from him. "Darkness can consume a pony but I am not a pony."

Luna just nodded. "If you are so sure about that. I hope you are right Fallen."

She turned around to leave his dream but he stopped her. "My name is Malonex."

Luna didn't respond and just left him alone in his void with his hatred.

At the morning of the next day he waited in the arena to see if Twilight or Rainbow would come. He saw them both coming in the arena. "So you two are still coming to training. Even after the events of yesterday."

Rainbow just shrugged. "Sure you are our friend. Even if you are a shadow monster."

Twilight kicked her in the side and gave her an angry glare.

'You can call me friend as often as you want. I don't want or need any friends and my knowledge is far beyond yours.'

Rainbow Dash apologized after she got kicked again. "I am sorry for calling you monster. Can we start training Malo."

As he used this name he looked at her for a short time. 'So she told them my name.'

He walked to the weapons and made clear that they should follow him. He looked over the weapons. "Which weapon do you want to fight with today?"

Rainbow immediately answered. "Spear." and Twilight shortly after her. "Sword and shield."

Malonex nodded and levitated their weapons to them. "Since it seems like you decided what your main weapons are you should consider to find a blacksmith."

They looked confused at him and Twilight asked him. "Why do we need a blacksmith?"

Malonex sighed. "To make you your own weapons. You can't always use my crystal weapons you both should know that they aren't as good as real weapons. Especially in the defense."

Twilight was still confused. "Why should we need better weapons. We have nothing to fight against."

He raised an eyebrow and got a few steps closer. "Because the attack yesterday was nothing. There are more enemies waiting out there I don't want to see Equestria fall because of your foolishness."

They both took a few steps away from him and nodded. Malonex nodded back at them walked to the middle of the arena. "Now both of you come here and get in fighting position. You two will fight a duel."

They both nodded and walked each to one end of the arena to got ready to fight.

Chapter 17 Removing a mask

It was three days before the Summer Sun Celebration and Malonex was training with Twilight. Malonex told Twilight that he was disappointed of what he had seen at the Changeling attack and that he would move the test to a later date.

Twilight had to fight fifty mage shadows at the same time. Twilight was covered in dust and bruises.

Malonex watched Twilight fighting them. She managed to defeat them one by one. The shadows fell and disappeared. Malonex was watching every step Twilight made and he saw that Twilight was using a exact movement sequence again and again.

Malonex gave the ten left shadows a commando to counteract the sequence. They followed the order and began to adapt Twilights moves. Soon they managed to defeat her.

Twilight fell to the ground and Malonex let the shadow disappear. He walked towards Twilight and picked her up from the ground.

She began to brush the dirt and dust off. Malonex gave her a disapproving glace. "You should be smarter than that. You have to remind yourself to not repeat the same move multiple times in a row. You have to change your tactics in a fight if you want to win."

Twilight nodded and let her head hang. It was the third time he told her that and she still forgot it in every fight.

Malonex turned away from her and began to walk away. "I think this is enough training for today. If I remember it right you have to go in a few hours anyway."

Twilight followed Malonex and walked together with him to the castle. "Not today. I have to go to Canterlot tomorrow noon to help prepare everything for the celebration."

Malonex nodded and they entered the castle. They walked toward the library. On the way Malonex asked Twilight about the Celebration. "Is it possible for me to hold a speech at the ceremony? I have to make an announcement."

Twilight raised an eyebrow but thought about it. "I have to ask Celestia but I think that should be possible. May I ask what the speech is about?"

Malonex smiled a bit. "Let's just say I have found something that could change Equestria."

Twilight nodded "That sounds like it is going to be interesting." They walked to the library where they found Bright reading. Twilight walked to her. "Well I think it is time for your next lesson."

Malonex began to look through a few books.

Two days later Malonex was reading some books in the library. He was the only pony in the castle because Twilight and Spike were in Canterlot and Bright was helping with the Celebration in Ponyville. He finished the book he was reading and wanted to take another book as he heard knocks on the door.

Malonex walked to the door and opened it. On the other side of the door was a mailpony. The mailpony took out a letter. "A letter from princess Twilight for Fallen Dark."

Malonex took the letter without a word and closed the door again. He walked to his room to open the letter there.

In his room he opened the letter and began to read it.

Dear Malonex

I write you because I asked Celestia about your speech and she said that you can hold it shortly before the ceremony begins. She first didn't believe me as I said you wanted to hold a speech. Please come at the evening before the celebration to the castle to the castle in the dining room.

your friend

Twilight Sparkle

Malonex smiled at the letter. He put it away and walked towards the dark flame. He took the black box out of it and placed it on the ground.

He opened it and bowed. "My king, I have good news. Tomorrow will be the day when we can finally finish the plan."

He heard the voice of his king coming out of the box. "Perfect. Is everything prepared?"

Malonex nodded. "Yes everything should work exactly as planned."

"Then it is time for the world to feel our vengeance."

"Yes my king." He bowed again.

Malonex stood up and closed the box. He put the box back into the fire and left the room. He walked back to his laboratory to look up the ritual for one last time.

At the noon he sat with Bright in the dining room for lunch. He told her that he was going to hold a speech at the celebration in Canterlot. "That sounds great Fallen, what will it be about?"

"I have to announce something I am working on for a while now."

"Oh that sounds interesting. It is a shame that I have to stay in Ponyville to help with everything here. I would have liked to hear your speech and I wanted to celebrate with you. But it is not that bad, we can celebrate in one month together."

As he heard that he raised an eyebrow. "What is there to celebrate next month?"

"Next month it will be one whole year since we moved to Ponyville!"

Malonex didn't respond to her first and then changed the topic by asking her about the preparations of the party.

While they ate the rest of their lunch Bright told Malonex a bit about the party in Ponyville. As it was late Malonex stood up. "Well I will go now. Since I am not coming back till tomorrow noon, bye and good night."

"Good night Fallen."

Malonex walked to his room and he took the box and the bag out of the dark flame and put the box into the bag. He took his high mage cloak and put it on.

After that he was ready to go and went outside the castle to his carriage. He summoned the shadows and ordered them to fly him to Canterlot.

As he reached Canterlot he ordered his shadows to land in front of the castle. After he told them to bring his carriage to a place where it could stay save for some time he made his way to the castle. On the way he saw many ponies already existed for the celebration. But Malonex noticed that this still didn't kept them from starring at him with distrust.

At the castle the guards immediately recognized him as an high mage because of his cloak and the opened the doors for him.

As he reached the dining room of the castle and a guard opened the door. "The princesses are already waiting inside."

Malonex nodded and went inside where he saw the four alicorn princesses sitting and eating dinner. Twilight was the first who noticed him. "Malonex. You are finally here."

He nodded and took a seat. "Yes and I am surprised to see you here princess Cadence." 'Good that I am prepared for that.'

"I wanted to see the celebration again. It has been so long since I last saw it."

Luna turned to Malonex too. "I have to say that I was surprised when Twilight told me that you want to hold a speech. Will you tell us what the reason is?"

Malonex simply replied. "After some thinking I came to the conclusion that is time for me to show Equestria my work. I already worked on this project for two years."

Celestia smiled at him. "Then I will say that I am already curious what this project is. But for now eat a bit and tomorrow morning we will start with the final preparation."

They all agreed and began to eat. After that a guard showed Malonex his room for tonight. At the next morning before the sunrise at the celebration Malonex watched the last preparation and prepared himself mentally for his plan.

After a few hours it was time for the ceremony. Ponies began to gather at the location and everypony went to their position. The four princesses stood on the podium and they wore the necklaces he made.

As everything was ready Malonex heard the trumpets starting to play and Celestia stepped forward and began to speak. " Citizens of Equestria. I am happy to greet you all to this year Summer Sun Celebration. But before we begin with the ceremony we have somepony who wants to hold a speech."

She stepped back to the other princesses and Malonex walked forward till he stood in front of the crowd. He took of his hood and he could see the surprise in their eyes. "Maybe some of you recognize me and my cloak. For these who don't, I am known as Fallen Dark and I am a high mage."

Malonex heard the whispers in the crowd and went on. "Some might heard of what happened a few days ago and know that that isn't my real name. My real names Malonex and I am a dark mage and a shadow pony."

The whispers became louder. "My kind is trapped and I am one of the few that are free. We have been trapped under the crystal empire for over thousand years now and I want to repay that to you all."

He stomped on the ground and giant crystal grew at the entrances to make every attempt to escape impossible. Only pegasi could do anything to escape.

"What is this suppose to be Malonex?" Asked an angry Celestia.

He didn't turned around and began to smile. "As I said I will give you what you deserve."

Luna turned to the guards. "Guards! Stop him."

Ten of the guards took their spears and charged at him, but Malonex shoot crystal spikes at each of them. They were all hit in their heads and died before they hit the ground.

Malonex still didn't move a bit. "Did you think I am unprepared?"

He turned around to look directly at them and his shadow crept towards them and before they could react the shadow reached them and crystals surrounded their hooves. They couldn't move them anymore.

Luna got furious. "You will pay for that traitor!"

The princesses began to cast spells but before one of them could do anything Malonex used a fast spell to activate the necklaces. The gems inside of the necklaces began to glow red and the princesses stopped their spells. They tried to use their magic again but couldn't do it.

Twilight looked confused at Malonex. "What? How is that possible?"

Malonex smiled and pointed at their necklaces. "These crystals are made from your blood. As long as you wear them I can control your magic." He demonstrated it by forcing Celestia and Luna to lift the sun and the moon high in the sky.

Now it was day and night at the same time and Malonex turned back to the crowd. "I am here to get revenge for my race and I will bring the true ruler of Equestria back!"

He took of his cloak and reviled that he wore the cloak of a shadow pony. Now the crowd saw his red horn sticking out through the hole in the hood and his crystal hoof. Many began to search for a way out of there but every exit was blocked.

Malonex opened his bag, which he carried on his back, and placed the box in the middle of the podium. As he opened it the red light and the black smoke came out of the box. Then the smoke began to gather over the box and a red horn flew out of the box right on top of the black cloud.

The cloud took the shape of a unicorn and began to laugh with his deep voice. "Well spoken my student ."

The princesses recognized to voice and their eyes widen. Twilight was the first one who was able to say something. "King Sombra? How is that possible?"

Sombra turned to the princesses. "Celestia and Luna. It is nice to see you both after thousands of years in ice." His voice was filled with hate, he looked at Cadence and Twilight. "And you two must be the newest princesses, Twilight Sparkle and Mi Amore Cadenza. If I remember it right you two were quiet involved in stealing my Empire and my slaves. You all hoped I was gone didn't you? But the crystal heart didn't kill me, it shattered me. Nearly my whole body was destroyed only my horn was left. I had nearly no energy left so I waited in the frozen lands to regain my strength. After a year waiting I was found by Malonex."

The crowd began to panic and ran around trying to find a way to escape. King Sombra turned to Malonex. "I think we should start now."

Malonex nodded and took the dark crystal out of his bag and levitated it in front of the crowd. The crystal began to spread dark smoke over the crowd, the ponies began to scream in fear.

The complete crowd was covered by the smoke for some seconds till it vanished again. As they all were visible again they all stood completely silent. Their eyes were glowing green.

Malonex smiled at the crowd that was now completely under his control till he saw a yellow point in the crowd. The point walked towards the podium and stepped on it. It was Rising Light and he was surrounded by an yellow aura.

Rising looked into Malonex eyes with a serious impression. "What are you doing Fallen?"

Malonex laughed as he heard this name. "I am doing what my father failed to do and it looks like you are tying the same thing."

"What do you mean? My father was in prison since I was born!"

"Because he killed my father and tried to banish the kind of the shadow ponies form these land forever. And now you come here to end it for him but you don't even dare to say my name!"

Rising shook his head. "No! I am saying the name of a friend that was corrupted by the darkness. A friend who followed the dark path way too far. You don't have to be a part of the darkness!"

Malonex laughed at Risings ignorance. "The darkness didn't corrupted me, I chose to become what I am now! I knew where the dark path would lead me and I decided to follow it to the end!"

Rising still didn't wanted to give up. "Then I ask you to change your decision. I beg you to stop now or I have to stop you!"

Malonex smiled and got into fighting position. "I will avenge my father and darkness will rule over all of Equestria."

Sombra watched the whole scene. He was interested in seeing how this would end.

Rising took of his cloak off, now everypony could see his cutie mark, an silver hammer on an golden shield.

Rising levitated exactly these weapons from his back. He got ready to fight.

Malonex transformed his hoof into a blade.

They stared at each other for some time till Malonex summoned a big black cloud that swallowed them both. Inside the cloud Rising closed his eyes and looked out for the magic aura of Malonex. It moved fast through the cloud and then suddenly charged at him. Rising hold up his shield to block the attack.

As Malonex blade hit the shield he immediately jumped back and attacked from another side. This went on for some time and it became harder and harder for Rising to block the attacks.

As Rising saw that he couldn't win like this he smashed his hammer to the ground and created a giant light shockwave that blew the smoke away.

Malonex now stood directly in front of him. Rising fast summoned five ponies made of light around Malonex. They immediately jumped at the dark mage, who used a spell to impale each of them with big crystals. The light ponies vanished and Malonex levitated the five big crystal spikes into the air.

He threw them all at once at Rising. But they were destroyed by a beam of light before they reached their target.

Rising began to shoot light bolts at opponent. Malonex went into the ground and became a shadow. He crept under Rising and became bigger. Rising jumped away from the black area and a second later the area was covered by a web of sharp long crystals.

Rising looked around to find Malonex but couldn't see him. Then Malonnex suddenly jumped out of Risings shadow and aimed with his blade at Risings head, who could only dodge it because he teleported a step back.

Malonex teleported a step back too and then both of them began to prepare a strong beam. Rising began to shoot a beam of light and Malonex a beam of dark flames. As their beams clashed together they tried to overpower each other. As Rising saw that he was losing he stopped his beam and summoned a barrier.

The flames hit the barrier and were blocked by it. Now Malonex began to shoot dozens of energy bolts at Rising, who blocked everything with his barrier.

"You are tying my patience. Time to end this!"

Malonex shoot a red black lightning at Rising. As it hit the shield it began to break. Risings eyes widen that this spell was much more powerful than the others. Malonex shot one lighting after another till Risings shield finally broke. Rising was hit by a lighting and fell to the ground. Rising was complete knocked out.

Malonex turned away from the no longer moving Rising and turned his hoof to his normal form again. "This is over..."

Sombra spoke up again. "Go on with the ritual. We already wasted enough time with this worm."

Malonex nodded and began to draw lines of dark fire on the ground. He created a giant rune on the podium. The box, Malonex and each of the princesses was standing in their own circle of dark fire. The circles were connected by a complex structure of lines.

After he was finished he began to concentrate and closed his eyes. He started the spell and the rune began to burn higher.

The princesses felt their energy slowly being drained away. Cadence was the first one who sunk to the ground. After a short while all four princesses were lying on the ground too weak to move. They could only lie on the ground and observe everything.

They saw as the smoke cloud gather more and more together. Then a horn left the smoke completely and shortly after a head. Sombra slowly began to materialize to his normal form.

Malonex smiled about the progress of the ritual. Then he heard the sound a teleportation and a voice he didn't expect to hear here. "Fallen please stop."

He turned around a saw that is was Bright Side with a small bag on her back. "What are you doing here? You were suppose to be in Ponyville!"

"I left early because I wanted to hear your speech but then I saw these giant crystals at the entrance and teleported here. You need to stop this."

"Bright I will not stop this. I planned this for two years now."

"But I can't let you do that. No pony deserves to be a slave. This king was banished for a good reason! There is still a bit good in you I can sense it!"

Malonex stepped out of the circle directly in front of her. "I give you this last chance. Run back to Ponyville and live your live there. If you do this I will promise that Ponyville will be left in peace."

A tear flowed over Brights cheek "I am sorry but I can't let this happen either!" She teleported behind Malonex and ran towards Rising Light.

She kneeled down to him and began to use her healing magic. Malonex ran after her. "Traitor!"

He reached her and beat her away from him. She fell a few steps away from Rising on the ground. Because of the healing spell and the strike she couldn't stand up anymore. Malonex walked back into his circle to concentrated on the ritual again. He didn't noticed that Brights spell worked and Rising opened his eyes again. He saw Bright lying a few steps away from him. Bright nodded at him and said quietly. "There is still a chance for everypony. Even him..." A last tear fell to the ground before she closed her eyes.

Rising saw that Brights bag was open and saw a white crystal inside the bag. Rising levitated the crystal to himself and slowly stood up.

Malonex noticed him and turned around. "What are you doing there?"

Rising levitated the crystal in front of him and closed his eyes.

Soon Malonex understood what Risings plan was and he jumped at him with his crystal hoof which he turned into a blade.

But it was already too late for him to stop Rising and as he hit the crystal with his blade it shattered and he was knocked away.

As Malonex got up again he saw that the crystal was now glowing extremely bright and it turned to the now half restored Sombra.

Sombra noticed that and began to cast a spell.

The red horn began to glow with dark magic but Sombra didn't had enough magic back yet to stop Rising fast enough.

The crystal began to bombard Sombra with white lightning. The lightning destroyed Sombra piece by piece. After the horn was the only thing left again the lightning destroyed even that but Rising didn't saw a small black smoke cloud that gathered again and fled into Malonex crystal hoof. After the spell was done the crystal lost most of its brightness.

Rising now turned with the crystal to Malonex who was now standing again with a hateful expression. "I should have killed you. At least you can say you finished what your father has begun!"

Rising shook his head. "No I don't know what my father did but I know what Bright said! I will not kill you as long as there is still hope for you Fallen!"

Rising began to cast another spell this time light chains left the crystal and flew directly at Malonex. They grabbed him at his hoofs and horn and began to drag him towards the crystal.

Malonex got slowly dragged more and more towards the crystal, even if he tried to resist as hard as he could. As his first hoof touched the crystal he was sucked into the crystal, leaving only his dark cloak behind. The crystal turned from white to an dark gray and it was now filled with black smoke.

Rising walked to the dark crystal that still was controlling all the ponies in the crowd and destroyed it with an light bolt.

Rising looked around and saw that the crystals the entrance went back into the ground and a few guards ran to the podium.

Rising began to give them orders. "Bring the civilians away and make sure if anypony is hurt. And brig the dead guards away."

The guards nodded and began to escort the crowd away. Nest Rising turned to the princesses. The four alicorns slowly got up and walked to Rising. The sun rose to his normal high and the moon was slowly lowered. Twilight was the first who had a question. "Where is Bright?"

Rising walked to the place where Bright was still lying, he kneeled down and held a hoof to her forehead. He closed his eyes and began to heal her. After a few minutes he stood up. "She is alive and will wake up in a few hours but we have to get her away from here the darkness that was spread here isn't healthy for her."

He stood up and took Bright on his back and began to walk away. The princesses followed him and they walked to the castle where they put Bright in a guest room.

Later they were in the throne room and discussing what happened. Rising told them that he destroyed Sombra and that he imprisoned Malonex.

Lune was the first who asked him. "Where is Malonex now?"

Rising took out the crystal and showed him to the princesses. "He is trapped in there and Fallen hopefully too. I will give him his physical form again when I found a place where he cannot harm anypony. I will still let him chained to the crystal so he can't regain his full strength before I free him."

Twilight still couldn't believe what has happened this day. "How could this all happen? Ten ponies are dead!"

Nopony said anything till Celestia face changed to a determinant expression. "I don't know how it could came to what happened today but I will make sure that something like this never happens again! Guards!" A few guards ran inside the room. "Spread the news that dark magic is now highly illegal. Anypony who practice it will be imprisoned and if they resist the guards are allowed to do everything needed to stop them. All items of dark magic will be given to the magic council."

The guards bowed and nodded. After they left the room again Celestia turned to Rising. "I trust you that you make sure that Malonex never again cam hurt anypony."

Rising nodded. "Yes your highness."

After that Luna spoke to Rising. "We have to inform every magic hunter that dark mages are the highest priority."

They all agreed and Twilight got an idea. "Maybe I can create a prison for Malonex, the question is only where?"

As she asked that they heard somepony entering the throne room, it was Bright. "Make the prison in Ponyville. I should have seen that Fallen has changed and I will make sure that he becomes himself again."

Rising walked to her. "Are you sure? Do you really want to see every day what your brother has become?"

She nodded and looked asking at the princesses. They all nodded and Twilight said. "You are the best pony to reach this goal Bright. If you think you can handle this challenge I am sure I can create the prison in Ponyville."

Bright nodded resolved and Rising walked to her. "Then I will help you to bring my old friend back."

The other alicorns nodded and. "Then this is settled. Malonex will be imprisoned in Ponyville and Bright and Rising will try to reform him."

They all began to plan how to make their next steps, they decided that from now on a few guards will be needed in Ponyville and everything that belongs for Malonex will be locked away to make sure that these dangerous items can't be used by anypony.

None of them knew what was happening inside the crystal. Malonex was already thinking about his next step too till he heard his masters voice. "I think it is time for your plan B."

Malonex responded to his master. "Yes but it will take a long time."

Bright, Twilight and Rising spent the night in Canterlot and in the next morning Rising packed a few things and the three took Risings carriage to fly to Ponyville. Malonex carriage was taken and locked away for safety.

They reached Ponyville at noon and they saw that some buildings were destroyed. Twilight friends were helping to rebuild everything. Rising and Bright walked directly to the castle to think about what they are going to do till the prison was build.

Twilight walked to her friends to tell them what happened. They greeted her with a smile. "Twilight we are so happy that you are back. What happened at the celebration? The sun and the moon were at the sky at the same time."

Twilight looked at her friends and began to explain. "Well..."

Meanwhile far away in Manehatten. Two ponies lifted their heads and the young mare spoke to the old stallion. "Could you sense that father?"

The father nodded and turned to his daughter. "Yes it was a great darkness. I think it is time to go my daughter!"

She nodded and they both looked to the west of Equestria.

Author's Note

Well this is the end of my first story.
I hope that you enjoyed reading it and if you want to know what destroyed Ponyville read the story of my brother The effect of the Wooden Heart.

Chapter 6 A school day

For a week now Fallen could study without any interruptions.

He made great steps forward with is projects. Bright nearly finished her studies on healing magic.

Only Twilights fighting lessens didn't went that good. She didn't chose a main weapon yet and still couldn't defeat the ten shadows.

Rainbow Dash came to the training whenever she could. She on her side made great progress, she learned to use her speed better in combat and already won many fight against Twilight.

One day their task was to fight against twenty shadows, only equipped with simple daggers. The fight lasted some minutes but after some time both, Rainbow Dash and Twilight, were lying on the ground with swords against their throats.

"This was even worse than your last fight! If you two ever want to win a fight you need to be more creative."

The shadows disappeared and the mares sat on the ground. They let their heads hang. They were covered in dust and bruises.

"Since this is the third time you failed you will fight thirty shadows next time we train!" None of them responded anything. "But I think this is enough for today."

Bright came, like every time after training, and gave everypony something to eat.

While eating Twilight had to say something. "I am sorry to say that, but I can't come to the training tomorrow. I am going to the school to make a lecture about magic. Tomorrow are many other ponies going to the school to teach the foals about something."

Fallen nodded. "I suppose that you can both take a break from the everyday training."

They heard somepony entering the arena.

It was Spike and he had a letter in his claws. "Twilight you got a letter from princess Celestia."

Then he saw the food. Bright laughed as she saw his expression. "I made you something to eat too." She levitated a sandwich to him.

Twilight took the letter from Spike and started reading it. "That is bad."

Bright raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Celestia need me to come to a meeting tomorrow. It is an important discussion with royals of other countries."

Her reaction to the letter confused Bright. "And what is so bad about meeting other royals?"

"The problem is that I promised Cheerilee to make this lecture tomorrow and there is no other pony in Ponyville that has enough knowledge about all kinds of magic."

She buried her head in her hooves. They all said nothing until Bright had an idea. "Fallen can make this lecture!"

"What!?" Everypony else stared at her, only Fallen said nothing. "He is an high mage after all and I bet he could prepare himself in one day."

Twilight thought about it. "I could ask Cheerilee if that is okay but are you sure that this is a good idea." Bright just nodded at her.

Then Twilight looked at Fallen who didn't said anything until now. "Is that okay with you Fallen?"

"Since I have nothing to do tomorrow, I can do it but then I have to talk with the teacher first."

Spike stood up. "I can show you the way right now."

Fallen grabbed his cloak and put it on. "Lead the way."

The three mares were still sitting on the ground as the dark mage and the dragon left the arena.

Twilight rubbed the back of her head. "I still don't know if this is a good idea."

As they arrived at the school the foals were outside.

Spike talked to Fallen. "Cheerilee should be inside the classroom. I have to go back now."

Spike walked away and Fallen walked towards the school. As he went inside the classroom he saw Cheerilee sitting in front of her desk, sorting some papers. She looked up as she heard somepony coming inside the room. "May I help you?"

"You must be Cheerilee. Twilight send me here to tell you that she can't come tomorrow because of an important royal meeting."

"That is sad, many students were already exited to see her at the school visit day."

Fallen walked inside the room. "Well if you allow it I would take her place and make the lecture for her."

"That sounds like a great idea but do you know enough about magic for this?"

""I am an high mage and member of the magic council, so magical knowledge is no problem."

Cheerilee was surprised. "Well this is perfect I will tell the students that you will come instead of Twilight. Your time is at the afternoon at the last lesson of the day. May I ask of what magical aspect you are high mage."

"I am a master of dark magic and I have to ask you that you ask your students to get an agreement from their parents. I am not allowed to talk about my magic to foals without the permission of the parents."

"Sure but did I understand you right? You are a dark mage?"

"Yes." Fallen turned around and left the classroom, not letting Cheerilee ask him another question. Outside he began to walk back to the castle.

The next day Fallen worked at his experiments. Twilight was already gone to the meeting and Bright went to Canterlot to meet some of her friends.

Fallen made progress with the dark crystal but not as much as he would like. As it was time to go Fallen grabbed his cloak and a box with an item for the lecture. He left the laboratory and walked outside the castle. He walked towards the school.

At the school Fallen saw many adult ponies that already made their lectures about something.

He walked inside the school and sat down on a chair that was in front of the door of the classroom. He closed his eyes and reached out with his magic. He could sense that there are only one or two unicorns maybe a few pegasus and mostly earth ponies in the room.

He also sensed a strange magic aura from somepony who was standing in front of the class right now. After some more waiting he heard the door opened and Spirit Wood came out of the room.

"Hey, you must be the next ... oh it´s you Fallen, long time not seen!"

"Yes." He raised an eyebrow at the Timberwolf besides Spirit. This was the first time Fallen could get a closer look on a Timberwolf. "Interesting pet."

"Thank you, I think? What are you doing here I thought Twilight would come after me."

"She is in Canterlot at an meeting with royals of other lands and I replace her."

"Ok then I wish you luck with them. I must go now." Fallen didn't respond and Spirit walked away.

Cheerilee told him to come inside the classroom.

While he walked inside Cheerilee talked with the students. "The the next and last pony is going to talk about the main aspects of magic. How about you introduce yourself and please take the cloak off."

"It would be a pleasure." He took of the cloak and placed the box aside of him. Some of the foals grasp as they saw the crystal hoof and his horn. "My name is Fallen Dark, I am a high mage of Equestria and I will explain a little bit about magic today."

Cheerilee sat down in front of her desk and watched Fallen. "Please begin with your lecture Mr. Dark."

He nodded. "So since I don't know exactly how much you already know about magic I must ask a question for the start. What are the big main aspects of magic?"

Some fillies and colts lifted their hooves. Fallen just randomly pointed at one of them. The foal immediately spoke. "There is neutral magic and light magic!"

Fallen was disappointed to hear that answer but not surprised. "I already expected this answer. That is mostly true but you forgot dark magic. Light, neutral and dark these are the main aspects. Most spells belong to neutral magic. There are many smaller and bigger aspects within neutral magic with different modification. Maybe you already wondered what the differences of the different kinds of magic are.."

He looked around to see if anypony has a clue.

"The main differences are the way how to use it. Neutral magic is cast through the concentration of a mage and can used for nearly everything. The other two kinds are very different, the first is the well known light magic. It is cast through emotions like happiness and love, it is used to create harmony and peace. Dark magic is cast through hatred and fear and is mostly used for curses and destruction. Even if light magic is often used for good and dark magic for evil, that doesn't mean that it is impossible to use them for the opposite. "

He waited a bit so everypony could follow his explanation. "Light and dark magic often have counter spells for each other. For a light spell often exists a dark spell for the opposite use or a spell to destroy the light. This also works the other way. Light and dark are often used against each other because their users often question the techniques of the other one."

Now that he had covered the simplest basics he started with the real lecture. "For the first half of this lecture I will talk about artifacts of light magic and answer first questions. In the second half about dark magic artifacts. Before I begin dose some of you already know some artifacts?"

Again many students lifted their hoofs. Fallen choose rand. "The elements of harmony and the crystal heart."

"These are the most famous artifacts. Can somepony tell what the difference between the uses of these artifacts is." Fallen looked around but no one made attempt to lift the hoof.

"That is a shame. Cheerilee can you tell the difference?"

"I am sorry Mr. Dark I don't have any idea what you mean."

Fallen rubbed his forehead. "Seems like I have to do everything from here. So let me begin with the function of the crystal heart, you probably all know that it is powered by positive emotions of the crystal ponies and get activated by the current crystal princess, when it gets activated it creates a energy shockwave. On normal ponies it will have no effect besides giving them a crystal coat, this a reflection of the light magic that hit them. The fact is that it mainly a weapon!"

The whole class mumbled about the statement.

A white filly raised the hoof, Fallen thought he had met her before. Fallen told her to speak. "If the heart is a weapon why was it made?"

Fallen sighed, he hoped no one would ask this. "The main use of the heart is to work against dark magic and dark creatures. When a dark mage is hit by the shockwave he can't use his magic for some time and will be very exhausted. If a creature of darkness is hit by the shockwave it will die or at last get strong wounded and nothing but that is the purpose of the heart!"

Everypony looked at him like they couldn't believe that he heart is made to kill something, even Cheerilee stared at him.

Fallen went on talking. "Next come the elements of harmony. To use the you need a pony for each element or a pony who fits for more than one of them. Between these ponies must exist a strong binding of harmony. They can only be used to bring harmony. That's why they are the perfect weapon against a creature like Discord, who is the spirit of chaos, but they can't be used against normal creatures, not even these of the darkness."

As he said that many fouls raised their hoofs but Fallen already knew what they wanted to ask.

"You all want to know how it worked against Nightmare Moon and Tirek if what I said is true, right?"

He smiled as everypony lowered their hoofs and looked at him.

"The fact is it is useless against natural creatures and creatures of light and darkness. It only worked on Nightmare Moon because princess Luna wasn't supposed to be a dark creature, she was suppose to be the light in the darkness of the night, not the darkness. Tirek is rather simple to answer, because of his magic stealing he created an unbalance in magic or with other words he destroyed the harmony of magic. Now are there any questions?"

Somepony screamed in the room. "Why can't the elements destroy dark creatures, I mean they are evil and destroy things."

Fallen chuckled a little about this naive statement. "Because darkness has a rightful place in this world and is a part of harmony. Or do you think that you have the right decided what should be a part of this world and what not?"

Fallen could hear a quiet "N-no." from the foal who asked the question.

"I thought so. Are there some more questions?"

No one said anything. "Then to the next point. Are there any questions about the high mages or me that you want to ask? I can't tell you the names of the current high mages or how much there are."

He looked around and picked a orange filly he think to remember from somewhere. "I heard that each high mage focuses his magic on a special kind, so what is yours?"

"You know more than I expected and to answer your question, I am a master of dark magic."
No pony said anything and no hoof was raised anymore.

It took some time till on yellow filly raised the hoof. Now he remembered where he know these tree fillies from. 'These are the fillies that tried to spy on me.'

He pointed at her and she began to talk. "Ah just wanted to know what happened to your hoof!"

Fallen lifted his hoof. "Oh. This, well it was one of my early experiments to replace living cells with dark crystals and you can see it worked perfectly."

Fallen looked around for more questions but there were no more questions.

"I now need to see the agreement of your parents." Fallen walked through the class and looked if everypony had an agreement.

As he stood in front of the class again he took the box. "Since everypony has an agreement, I can start now with artifacts of dark magic."

He opened the box and pulled a sphere out of it.

The sphere looked like it was filled with smoke and some small, green lights. "This is the sphere of tortured souls. As you can see there are many small lights in it, these are captured souls. A strong dark mage can take the soul of an dying pony and put it inside where they feel endless pain. A dark mage can summon them and ask them anything he wants, the souls answer any question if they can."

Cheerilee began to feel nervous as she heard what in this sphere is and wanted to end this. "Maybe this is enough for today."

Fallen shock his head. "No, there is a little thing I wanted to do before this ends."

"But I don't think the foals are ready for thinks like that."

Fallen turned his head to her. "This is not your choice. With these agreements the only ponies that are allowed to stop me from going on are the foals." He looked around the quiet room. "And they don't look like they want me to stop my lecture."

Fallen turned back to the class. "So, I will now summon a soul and you can ask them anything you want."

Fallens horn began to glow and his eyes turned green whit purple mist coming from the corner of his eyes.

A green transparent pony came out of the sphere and fell to the ground. He stood up, his legs where shaking a little bit. He looked confused at the classroom.

Fallen stood behind him and held the sphere in his hoofs. "You can ask him now and you will better answer or else..." He held the sphere closer to the ghost.

The ghost backed away and nodded.

The first question came really quick. "What is your name Mr. Ghost?"

The ghost lowered his head. "I don't have a name anymore."

"Why that?"

"This is the effect of the sphere. It first destroys your free will, then your personality. I once was a pony but the sphere destroyed everything that I was."

"Oh..."

After this no one dared to ask anything. Fallen stepped forward and spoke. "Since no one asks anything I will now show you the affect of the sphere."

He turned to the ghost. "Why did you died?"

"I was executed for my crimes."

"What crimes?"

"I murdered my brother."

"Why?"

"I don't know anymore, but I regret it."

"As you see he answers any questions even if he is ashamed of the answer. Now a new question, what happens inside the sphere."

The eyes of the ghost widened as he heard the question but didn't hesitated to answer. "Inside is nothing but pain. Every part of the body, inside and outside, hurts and your greatest fears are constantly shown in front of your eyes. You hear voices whisper the sins of your live in your ears, constantly reminding you why you deserve to suffer..."

Fallen stepped in front of the ghost. "As you can see it is a horrible place. This sphere was used as a punishment for criminals. This pony here was the brother of a king and comes from the same place as the sphere. It comes from a land far away of Equestria and was found in an ancient ruin. The other souls stated that the sphere was created by the dark magus of the king. The king used it to destroy any resistance against him but as you heard, he still died and his magus punished his brother for it."

Cheerilee was too shocked to say anything while the class just sat there in silence.

"So that is everything I wanted to show you. It is time to get back in the sphere." The ghost just nodded while Fallen started to cast a spell to put him back in to the sphere but somepony screamed. "Stop."

Fallen stopped and looked around the class. "Who said that?"

"Ah was it!" It was Apple Bloom. "You have to free him he has done everything you said. It is not fair to let somepony suffer so much."

Fallen looked around and rubbed his chin. "Then you all will vote if he should be freed or not!"

He walked to the middle of the classroom still holding the sphere. "Everypony who thinks this pony should be freed now lift their hoof!"

All fillies, colts and Cheerilee lifted their hoof. "Looks like you are lucky today. You are free."

Fallen used a spell to free the ghost. The only thing the ghost did was looking at the class and let out a quiet. "Thank you all." Then the ghost faded away.

The school bell rang and the foals walked outside the room. After everypony was gone Cheerilee talked to Fallen.

"Mr. Dark what was that suppose to be?"

"A lecture."

"I will report this to the princess!"

"I did nothing illegal, I had the agreement of the parents and you gave me yours yesterday. I must say you have taught these foals good. This is a good test result."

This confused Cheerilee, she didn't know what test he meant. "What do you mean?"

Fallen chuckled a little bit. "The whole thing at the end, that he is going back in the sphere, was a test. I wanted to see what bigger is there fear before me or the sympathy to the tortured soul."

"Does that mean you would have freed him even if no one said anything?"

"No I would have put him back in the sphere where the pain would go on for him." Fallen put the sphere back in the box and walked outside the room but before he left the room he said on last thing.

"It was a pleasure to make this lecture. I wish you a good rest of the day."

He walked away and even if Cheerilee was silence Fallen still could sense her fear towards him.

Author's Note

If you want to know what Spirit had to say at the school visit day check out my brothers story Wooden Heart

I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.