CoRoNa

Author: Annonymouse
Editor: Me, Myself and Annonymouse...
MLP:FiM is property of Hasbro. This is a free fan-fiction, not to be sold or traded for any money, goods or services.
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A/N: No comments on spelling or grammar please. See my profile for details.
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This is the sequel to fLuTtEr. Warning, Dark rating is kicking in as of this chapter. You have been warned.
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CoRoNa
08
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Through the dark of a moonless, starless night, shadows moved unseen through the streets and between the towers of Canterlot.

A lone stallion on his way home, late night at work, spotted a shadow and lit up his horn. “Who's there?”

One of the shadows turned, a pair of blood red glowing eyes flashed back at him. The stallion felt the magic wrap around his horn and throat. With a sickening crunch, his horn was ripped from his skull in a bloody spray. With his throat wraped so tightly in the magic, he could not scream as he was dragged into the shadows.

The sound of flesh being torn and bones snapping was heard by nopony, then silence. Blood pooled out from the shadows.

…

“Say Swift.” A Pegasus wearing the armor of the Royal Guard turned to his partner, another Pegasus in identical armor.

“Yea Whirlwind?”

“Don't you hate cloud covered nights like this?” Whirlwind asked as thunder rolled through the darkness.

Swift nodded. “I'm just glad they don't happen very often.” He replied as he felt the first drop of rain land on his muzzle.

The pair sighed as the rain started pouring down in sheets.

“Why does Cloudsdale have to schedule such heavy rainstorms like this in the spring?”

Swift simply shrugged as a flash of lightening lit up the sky and the street they were patrolling. He spotted a shadow of movement. “Hold on Whirlwind. Something's not right here.” He stepped forward. “Who's there? Identify yourself?”

There was no sound of a reply.

“Whirlwind, I just saw movement.”

No reply.

Swift turned to his fellow guard. “Whirlwind?”

Whirlwind was standing there, a somewhat odd look on his face. Dark lines seemed to be coming out from under his eyes and his ears. He suddenly coughed, splattering Swift with a dark red liquid.

Swift jumped back as Whirlwind collapsed, dead. He spread his wings and looked around. Somehow, his partner for the last three years had just died, and right after he had spotted a shadow or movement.

“Who's there? Identify yourself NOW!” He tried not to sound scared.

The Pegasus gasped as Whirlwind suddenly twitched and stood up, moving almost like a martinet puppet. He didn't even get out a scream as the undead Pegasus lunged forward and tore out his throat with his teeth.

…

Sweet Dream thrashed in his bed a few times before sitting up, a small scream escaping his throat.

He reached for the pitcher and poured himself a glass of water. After taking a few greedy gulps, the young Unicorn wiped sweat off his face and shivered. Never before had he felt like this before.

Fear?

“Bad... dream?” He whimpered and slid out of his bed and exited his bedroom. He walked down the hall to where Flicker Bolt and Wish Star had their rooms, across from each other. He knocked on Wish Star's door and was a little surprised when it opened almost immediately.

“Dreamy?” Star gasped. “What's wrong? You're so pale.”

“Bad dream.” He whimpered. “Can I come in?”

“Of course.” Star stepped aside and let the other colt enter.

Sweet Dream saw a black mane poking out from under Star's bed covers. “Flicker?”

“Yea, she had a bad dream too...”

“But I sang her a lullaby. She shouldn't be having bad dreams.”

Star shivered. “If it's any consolation... I had a really bad dream too... Blood red eyes, fangs...”

“Me too.” Dream hung his head. “I don't know what that was... Blackthorn maybe? Could he somehow be able to enter our dreams?”

“I dunno...” Star said as he lead his new friend over too the cushions in front of the fireplace. “I saw a shadow, it didn't have wings and it was shaped like a normal Unicorn.”

“Wait... I think I had that same dream.”

Flicker thrashed in the bed and awoke with a scream. “Oh Celestia...” She looked like she wanted to cry. “What... a nightmare... again...” She looked around and spotted the pair of her friends raising from the cushions.

“Flicker?” Dream looked very concerned. “Are you alright?”

“Did you have that same nightmare?” Star asked as he came over too the bed and hugged the filly. “Red eyes and fangs?”

“Not this time... It was a Pegasus, but there was a flash of lightening and I saw a bloody and rotting face. It lunged at me, attacking me, then I think I woke up.” She hugged Star tightly, tears pouring freely from her eyes. “Why would I have a nightmare like that?

Dream shuddered. “Why would we all dream about things like that?”

A scream was heard from down the hall. The trio bolted into the hallway and rushed to where Honey Crisp's room was, right across from Dream's room.

Dream knocked gently. “Honey Crisp?”

“Who's there? Dreamy?”

Dreamy pushed the door open and peeked his head in. “Yea, Flicker Bolt and Wish Star as well.” He spotted her huddled in the corner of the room, her blanket wrapped tightly around her.

Honey threw off the blanket and rushed toward the door and hugged Dream. “It was horrible... Ah saw a Unicorn... a shadow, then blood... so much blood. Red eyes, fangs... It was so dang frightenin'.”

“Why are we all having nightmares?” Dream asked, really concerned, mainly because he had been singing all his friends to sleep since he had come to know them. “Even I had one. I never have bad dreams. I can control my dreams... I couldn't do anything in this one.”

“What 'bout th' Princess an' Lucy?” Honey asked. “Are they alright?”

A knock was heard at the door. “Is everypony in here?” It was Elusive's voice.

“Come in.” Honey called.

Elusive and Corona entered the room, both looking very disturbed.

Corona could tell her friends were shaken up pretty badly. “Did all of you have a nightmare as well?”

All four nodded.

Elusive sighed. “I had to shake Corona awake. She was thrashing and crying in her sleep... some horrible nightmare.”

A flash of lightening and a resounding crack of rolling thunder shook the entire room. All six foals found themselves under the bed by the time the thunder had fallen silent.

The wind thrashed the rain against the windows, and at the height of the castle, the winds were fierce.

“Maybe it's this storm” Dream suggested.

Star shook his head. “I... I think something is coming. I don't know how I know, I just do.” His silvery/blue eyes looked around the room, at all the shadows. “I have a bad feeling.”

Flicker crawled up close too Star. “Is it your 'Pinkie Sense'?”

“I don't know... All I know is...”

“I feel it too.” Corona frowned. “We should try to make our way too the throne room. Aunty Luna should be there right about now.”

Elusive shook his head. “Should we be wandering around the halls this late at night? There's a lot of dark halls and there's not much light outside between the towers. If there's something out there, it might be coming after us.”

Corona nodded. “I'll wink into the throne room and look for Aunty Luna. We'll be right back, so keep hidden.”

“Can't you wink all of us?” Flicker asked. “I... I don't want to be left here in the dark.”

Corona used her magic and lit the fireplace, filling the room with an orange flickering light. Warmth spread through the room comforting the foals.

“Okay.” Corona tried to put on a brave face. “I'll go get Aunty Luna now.” She concentrated on the throne room and winked out.

The throne room was oddly dark when Corona appeared, strangely silent other then the rain pounding against the windows.

“Aunty Luna?” Corona whimpered. She had never known the throne room to be empty before.

No, not empty. She spotted movement out of the corner of her eye and turned. Nothing was there.

The young Princess lit the room with her horn and caught movement again in the corner of her eye. Spinning again, nothing.

A flash of lightening lit the room brightly, and the crack of thunder nearly had the Princess scrambling under of of the benches that lined the walls.

“Co~ro~na...” A soft, chilling voice whispered into her ear.

Corona spun around, half expecting nothing to be there.

A dark shadowy form loomed over her, a pale face with crimson eyes glared down at her.

Corona opened her moth to scream, but the shadow engulfed her...

…

Elusive felt a chill run down his spine. “I have a bad feeling about all this. The bad dreams, the storm...” He walked too the window and looked out into the darkness.

A flash of lightening and the crack of thunder clearely outlined some dark looming shape outside on the balcony.

All the foals screamed and scrambled away, the window blowing open.

A rain soaked form stepped into the room, hooves crunching down on the shards of broken glass. The dark form didn't even flinch as hooves were cut by the shards, leaving blood on the marble floors.

“Elements of Harmony...” A hollow voice spoke from within the dark hood of the shadow cloak. “Come with me.”

“Like Tartarus.” Honey jumped forward and slammed her hooves onto the floor. The potted plants in the room erupted too life and entangled the cloak, but somehow the pony inside escaped, jumping clear and landed in front of the fireplace.

An Earth Pony mare was outlined, one that Elusive and Honey recognized.

“Oc-Octavia?” Elusive stepped back. “No, you're a musician. You play in the royal Orchestra. How can you be in the Cult?”

The mare tilted her head, a twisted grin crossing her lips. “Harmony... Elements of Harmony.” She giggled insanely and jumped forward too attack.

Dream and Elusive caught her with their magic, levitating her off the floor.

“Something isn't right here.” Flicker jumped forward and bucked the floating mare, sending her crashing too the floor, limp. “Why would someone so famous be part of an evil organization like the Cult?”

She then through back too her time in the ruins, where she was often forced to create magic items.

This mare, now raising too her hooves in an unnatural manner, had one of the metal rings around her neck. “I... I recognize that ring on her neck. We have to get it off her without hurting her.”

Wish Star nodded and rushed in from the side. His rush was blocked as the mare turned and rammed her head into the young Pegasai's chest, sending him flying back and against the wall.

“Dream... Sweet Dream...” She turned to face the Unicorn, her face sporting a gash where one of Star's hooves had caught her cheek. “I want you...” She lunged forward.

The foals scattered, allowing Octavia to slam into the bed.

Blankets glowed and wrapped tightly around the mare, trapping her and causing her too fall too the floor. The mare screamed in rage and struggled, biting at the blankets in an attempt to tear free.

Flicker jumped on top of the dark Gray mare and bit down on the back of the ring around her neck. She focused her talent and channeled the magic outward, dispelling the enchantment.

Octavia's eyes went wide, she screamed and wrenched her neck around to face the wingless Pegasus.

The sound of bones snapping and the shocked and pained expression on her face frightened Flicker, then she fell limp, her neck twisted around at an impossible angle.

…

A cloaked form gasped and let out a cry of pain.

“Tatsujin Ningyou, are you alright?” A gravely voice asked, not in concern, but with a somewhat insane tone. “Did one of your playthings break?”

“Shut it Pierce.” The cloaked pony glanced up. “Controlling the living is not easy. Now that she's dead...” A dark chuckle escaped the stallion's lips.

“Aww, Tatsu, are you going to really scare those foals now? I wish I could be there to watch.”

…

“Sh-she's dead...” Elusive examined the mare. He had always loved listening to the music this mare created.

“I...” Flicker stepped back, a look of horror on her face. “I didn't mean to kill her...”

Wish Star hugged and tried to comfort his fellow Pegasus. “Shh, it's alright. I don't think it was anything you did.”

Honey lifted something off the floor. “Certainly not.” She showed a fine thread, like a spider web. “Ah think she was bein' controlled by magic.”

At that moment, the thread flared and burned away, and the corpse twitched.

This caused the foals to scram and scramble away, spread out through the room.

Octavia twitched again, then started raising from the floor, the blanket falling free.

Her head lurched and lifted, but was still twisted too the side in an unnatural way.

Her eyes rolled around, starting to become white and milky, blood dripped from her lolling mouth. An unearthly moan escaped her lips, and she stared shuffling slowly toward Sweet Dream and Honey Crisp. Dead, sightless eyes kept locked onto the pair.

…

Corona groaned and tried too move. She found her hooves bound by black ropes. No, not ropes, wires.

She looked around frantically and spotted the dark form. “Who are you? Are you with the Cult?”

“Shh. You'll ruin the show.” A somewhat familiar voice spoke from within the shadows of the hood.

“I know that voice... V-Vinyl Scratch?”

“Guilty.” She finished attaching some wires together and turned to face the Princess. “Now, go ahead and use your magic to escape.”

Corona glared at Vinyl. “What did you do?”

“I may have wired your horn to those wires and some magical crystals. If you try to use your magic, you may just really hurt yourself as raw magic courses through the wires. I wonder how your flesh would smell as it burns.” She cackled and started dragging the Princess toward the closed window.

Corona could see it was open a crack. That must have been how this mare had gotten into the throne room. “Please, Vinyl, don't do this. I've had you at all my birthday parties. I love your music.”

The mare twitched oddly. “P-Princess... help me. I can't control myself.”

The Princess gasped. “No... But what can I do?”

“Ring, neck...” She said before twitched oddly again. “Silence!” Her voice changed too a deeper tone. “You are nothing more than a sacrifice. We'll slowly carve your heart out and use you to bring back out King.”

The voice was off, almost masculine.

Corona knew this was going to hurt, a lot. Her magic flared, flames wrapping around her body, burning away at the wires as the magic lashed back around her. The raw magic surged through tiny crystals and around the filly. She felt her skin burn. She could smell it.

Vinyl was thrown off balance, but managed to spin around to watch the now flaming pony stand up.

“You burned away the wires. Impressive.” The white Unicorn cackled. “But not good enough.” Her magic flashed and slammed into Corona, throwing her off her small hooves.

Spreading her wings, Corona managed to regain control of herself. She countered with a series of spells, not meant to harm, but to disable.

The Unicorn weaved through the spells toward the Princess and jumped into the air, slamming her forehooves into the smaller form's chest.

Being still wrapped in flames, Corona watched in horror as the musician's forehooves were burned away too the bone in an instant.

Vinyl collapsed too the floor, screaming and wreathing in agony.

Corona landed and rushed over. “Oh no... what have I done?” She looked down at the crying pony and noticed the strange ring around her neck.

She watched as the ring flickered and started glowing. The mare's pained look remained, but against all odds, she rose to stand on her horribly burned hooves. “That was not a nice thing too do.” A flash of her magic and Corona felt magic wrap around her horn and throat, lifting her painfully off the ground.

The mare started floating Corona toward the window again. “Try anything again, and I'll break your horn right off.”

Corona's eyes were wide with fear.

…

The foals kept moving around the room to keep away from the moving corpse.

“Don't let it bite you.” Star cried out. “Or you'll become a zompony too.”

“Starry, that's silly. Ya won't become a... whatever it is ya said if she bites ya.” Honey countered, and noticed that Octavia only seemed interested in going after Sweet Dream. “She only after Dreamy. We gotta to protect him.”

Dream shook his head. “Pin her down. I think I can save her.” He felt sick to his stomach. Octavia was a renown musician, even among the common pony. He didn't want to see her dead, not like this.

Elusive nodded and used the blankets to entangle the mare again, once again pinning her down.

Flicker, Wish and Honey jumped on top of her, the smell of fresh blood filling their nostrils.

Dream lowered his horn and lit it up, the light and magic flowing over and through Octavia's trapped form. There was a sickening few snaps and cracks as her neck straitened, her eyes cleared up and slowly slid shut.

The Unicorn continued to pour his healing magic into the body, and nearly jumped out of his skin when the mare's eyes snapped open and a scream escaped her throat.

The trio of ponies that were holding her down scrambled back, frightened by the sudden scream.

Octavia's chest was heaving as she gulped down air, gasping for breath. “I... What happened?” She finally managed to calm down. “Oh Celestia... there was so much pain... I... I can't remember after the ring was broken, only pain...” She curled into a ball and cried.

…

“Holy crap...” Tatsu's eyes were wide. “They... By the Tyrant King... They brought that mare... back too life...”

“Impossible. Magic to restore life cannot exist. We know all magic there is.”

“Sweet Dream... Amazing. He used his 'healing' and repaired her broken neck, then forced her body to start working again. He did it before any brain damage could occur.” Tatsu looked at Pierce. “We have to catch him, no matter what the Price.”

“We can always go with the backup plan.”

“Are you fucking insane?”

Pierce answered with a maniacal grin that held no sanity whatsoever.

…

Corona watched the window come closer. She locked her eyes onto the ring around Vinyl's neck. It was a horrible risk. She didn't know if this mare had the magical strength to actually break her horn, but she had to risk it.

Her magic suddenly flared around her horn, causing Vinyl's spell to break. She fell too the floor, landing on her hooves. Her magic reached out and wrapped around the mare's neck, and concentrated on the ring. The magic surged and shattered the ring, but also protected the mare from the shrapnel.

Vinyl screamed and collapsed, cradling her now useless hooves too her chest, crying in pain.

Corona was not sure what too do for a moment. “Wait... Sweet Dream. He can heal her, I'm sure of it...”

She rushed too the throne room doors and pushed against them to open them. A horrible jolt of electricity ripped through her and threw her back, sliding almost all the way back too the throne.

Corona twitched uncontrollably as the current coursed through her body for a few more moments, then passed out.

…

Luna walked through the halls of Canterlot Palace. As beautiful as this place was, it was a little too bright for her tastes. She would have preferred there be some lovely obsidian or black marble here and there.

But it had been Celestia who had designed and built this city alongside their little ponies. She rounded the corner and came within view of the throne room.

Instantly she noticed something was wrong. The Pair of Royal Guards who always stood guard were not present. That, and the doors were closed, and seemed to be smoking slightly.

She transformed into a field of starlight on a black field and seeped into the room. Instantly she felt the magical charge in the door, but her form was uneffected .

Once inside, she could see through the darkness, and spotted a total of four forms.

The pair of Unicorn Guards corpses lay in the corner, slightly hidden from view. There was also a fallen, cloaked figure, curled into a ball and crying. The smell of burned hair and flesh filled the room, and wisps of smoke rose from the pony.

And then she saw the small form of her niece, laying unconscious on the floor.

“What has happened here?” She gasped. Her horn flared, lighting all the lamps in the chamber, then she sent out magical flares and activated the alarm.

It took under a minute for the royal guard too arrive outside the throne room and disarm the spell that was placed on it. They rushed in and quickly assessed the situation.

Two Royal Guard, dead. Princess Corona, injured. Princess Luna standing protectively over her. A currently unidentified pony laying on the floor, looking burned, and wearing a rather evil looking cloak.

“Arrest that pony.” Shining Armor commanded and pointed at Vinyl Scratch. “Princess Luna, what happened here?”

“I am unsure. It would seem this pony, I do recognize her, had attacked the young Princess.”

Shining Armor frowned. “Is the Princess going to be alright?” He took note of the burns on her body. Electrical burns.

“I will take care of her. For now, send guards to check on the other five Elements of Harmony.”

“Yes Princess.”

“And send messenger to alert my sister. It would be wise that she know what is going on.”

“Yes Princess.” Shining Armor bowed and got to work.

…

Octavia accepted a glass of water and gulped it down greedily. “Th-thank you.” She hung her head. “I'm so sorry I attacked you. We were attacked by two ponies. They were so strong with their magic. Even Vinyl...” Her eyes went wide. “Oh Celestia... They got Vinyl as well. We have too...”

The door flew open with a loud boom and six royal guard burst into the room.

“Seize her.” The command came from Shining Armor as he entered the room. “You have a lot to answer for, Octavia Baseheart.”

“I...” Octavia didn't even try to put up a fight. “I will come peacefully... Have you found Vinyl Scratch? She was with me in here. I think she went to set up a trap in the throne room.”

“A trap?” Armor felt his internal warning bells going off. “I believe you for some reason...” He looked at his subordinates. “Be gentle with her. I think she was enchanted to act against her will.”

“Yes Captain.”

Shining Armor teleported into the throne room and saw three ponies standing there.

Two he knew very well. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The third pony was ensconced in a black, wreathing cloak, but his burned legs and hooves could be seen.

“Who are you?” He stepped forward and froze. He had just stepped into a magic circle on the floor and was suddenly struck by electricity. He screamed and collapsed onto his side, magical chains wrapping around him.

The dark pony laughed. “Shining Armor. An honor to meet the brother of the former Element of Magic.” He walked past the oddly still forms of the Princesses and towered over the fallen Captain. “How did it feel to learn of your little sister's death? I bet it hurt, didn't it?” He snarled and snorted. “You deserve worse than what you are going to get, what you are about too see. You took Princess Cadence away from me. I was going to marry her, did you know that? But no, you, being in the Royal Guard, being the big brother of that annoying pest Twilight Sparkle.”

“P... Pokey Pierce?” Shining gasped, unable to move or even use his magic.

“Yes, Pokey Pierce.” He threw back his hood, revealing his horribly burned face. “Ain't I just the vision of beauty?” He laughed.

“What happened too you? Are you in the Cult of the Tyrant King?”

“In it?” Pierce laughed. “In it? I helped create it so many thousands of years ago, before Equestria was even created, when the three nations of ponies were at each others throats. When all three races of ponies were united under the rule of our glorious King. But no, he had to be assassinated. The three races broke apart and feuded with each other for so long before they finally found and created Equestria.”

Pierced pushed his burned hoof down on Shining's head. “And in all this time, when your two little Necromancer Princesses stole our secrets and transformed themselves, using that magic and the Elements of Harmony to become immortal Alicorn. They defeated our minion, Discord. They became the rulers of Equestria and created this false nation.”

Hate dripped off Pierce's tongue as he continued. “And you know what?” He kicked Shining in the ribs. “We finally have had enough. These two little fakers are going too fall, here and now. Soon the Tyrant King will be restored.”

Pierce spun around and walked back onto the raised throne dais. “Celestia, Luna. I can't say it's been a pleasure.” From within his cloak he produced a pair of objects.

Shining could not see what they were, but what they did made his stomach tighten.

The Princesses, somehow trapped and frozen in some powerful spell, were helpless as they were sucked into the artifacts.

“Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are dead. Long live the Tyrant King.” Pierce burst out laughing before vanishing in a flash of light.

…

To Be Continued...

AN: Tatsujin Ningyou translates as Puppet Master.