[OLD] Nightmare: Rise of the Demons

by Elu

Rating: mature
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Other, Sex, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Human, Princess Luna, Original Character
Length: 97950

A hot-tempered human was turned into a Nightmare from the game Heroes of Might & Magic 5, and then transported to Equestria.

This story is being rewritten. If you're new to this one, I recommend starting reading the rewrite instead – click here.

Mike was an ordinary eighteen years old human, living somewhere in the USA.

One day, he was playing his favorite strategy game, Heroes of Might & Magic 5, with his friend. All of sudden, he was turned into a Nightmare, an upgraded tier-5 creature of the Inferno faction. Hellish unicorn-like equine with hellfire as its mane, and an Aura of Fear as its main weapon.

Mike was transported to Equestria, right to the day of Summer Sun Celebration. Trying to find a way home, he soon finds out that there is none.

He is forced to stay in Equestria, in the land he's never known anything about before. And being a hellish equine isn't the best thing to be there.

An important note. This story was written some time ago when I wasn't as good at writing as I am now. There might be some moments that would make you, well, cringe. I hope that I will be able to edit them to make them look better, but I have what I have to work with. Also, the story touches themes such as religion in a way that some may not like. You have been warned.

If you saw any typo or spelling error, please PM me instead of making a comment. Thanks.
BEWARE OF SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS!
Credits for the cover art goes to the artists of Nival Interactive, and all thanks for such an awesome game, too. Rated M for of profanity and dirty jokes, as well as some clop.

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Published 2016-03-01 15:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-02-16 17:13:33 UTC

Chapter 1: Timor Invictus

Mike yelped as he fell on the hard and unforgiving marble floor. After a loud thud that nearly deafened him, he lay still for a few moments, his eyes closed as he came back to his senses. Rubbing his ringing ears, he opened his eyes. He was a little surprised by what he saw.

"This doesn't look like hell..." he muttered in confusion. After a few moments, a realization hit him. He could talk! What he didn't know was that his mouth didn't move as it should. Instead, he only emitted low growls, not really matching the words he spoke, absolutely desynchronized with them.

Mike discovered that he was in a large spherical room. The walls were painted like cloudy skies at dusk, and a single tapestry hung on the wall; the tapestry showed a large shooting star surrounded by smaller ones, and all of it was on a blue background. The marble floor of the room was covered by a decorated soft magenta carpet. Near the wall, a decorated fireplace was situated, filled with logs; although the fireplace wasn’t burning. There was also a large window, which showed a panorama of a city that Mike didn't recognize yet.

There was a large, comfortable-looking, pillow-like bed of purple color with a large golden pillow in the room's center. Behind the bed, a tall door of dark wood stood, closed.

"Where am I?" Mike asked aloud. however, he didn't receive a response. Instead, he realized that he felt very tired.

Not wanting to burn down the room, he tried to make his flames disappear. Surprisingly to him, they obeyed his will this time, and soon Mike extinguished his flames. With a tired sigh, he dropped on the floor, not having any energy to go anywhere, not caring about anything at all. Feeling the weight of the current events, he slowly released a long sigh.

Dark thoughts clouded his mind. He understood that there was little to no chance that there was a way for him to return home, to return to the life he was used to. It was apparent that he blew his chance when he disobeyed Nightmare Moon and so he paid the price. He knew he did the right thing, but for whom? Definitely not himself, he realized.

A single tear rolled down his cheek when he failed to contain his emotions. His consciousness shut down, he fell asleep right where he appeared in the first place.

Shortly after seemingly defeating the Nightmare, Celestia and Luna returned to the Castle of Canterlot. The Princess of the Night was very tired, so she went to bed right away. Celestia, on the other hand, had dinner first and then went to her bedchamber to enjoy some proper relaxation after a tiring and taxing day. She loved reading books during her free time. After the night's events, she was happy to have some time to herself.

Entering the bedchamber, Celestia sensed that something was not right. There was a scent of recently burning fire that came from behind the door to the bedroom. Warily, the princess of the day walked to the door and creaked it open, a slight frown present on her face. She stifled a startled gasp when she saw a Horse of Tartarus in the room.

Slowly, Celestia walked into the room, closing the door behind herself. She pointed her horn at the infernal equine, preparing to cast a spell as she recalled something that would help her in the given situation. Meanwhile, the Horse of Tartarus was sleeping rather peacefully, unaware of the powerful alicorn that was in the same room with it. The chest of the creature rose and fell rhythmically, its nostrils flaring accordingly.

Unfortunately, Celestia made a wrong step, and her horseshoes clinked against the marble floor. The creature's ears twitched, it opened its eyes, and soon it was staring at the alicorn.

The two stared at each other for a long time. Celestia was afraid to do anything, and Mike was unsure of what to do: he could either fight or stay where he was or maybe even try to flee. Having almost no strength, no will to move, he lay there without as much as shifting. He sighed and blinked, another tear rolled down his cheek. He thought that the mighty alicorn had come to finish him, to kill him. He didn't know how to protect himself from her, all he could do was to ask for a painless death.

"If you came here to kill me, do it quickly," he said emotionlessly.

"I... I... No, I won't." Celestia replied nervously, taking a step back. She didn't expect the infernal creature to speak nor to ask for something as horrible as murder. After gathering her thoughts, she asked: "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter." Mike sighed. "I just want to get home."

"Home?" Celestia tilted her head in confusion, even though she was still wary of him.

"I'm not from here. I want to go home, back to my normal life." the former human replied, the dam in his mind breached as he spoke about something he didn't even know if Celestia knew about it or not.

"...Where is your home?" she asked after some consideration, seeing that the situation wasn't escalating into what she would expect from such a creature. She slightly lowered her guard, her horn no longer pointed straight at the Nightmare.

"Do you know a place called the USA?" Mike asked, then received a confused shake of her head. "Planet Earth?" another confused shake. "Fucking hell..." he dropped his head. "Shit... There is no fucking way..."

"Who are you?" Celestia repeated her question, warily stepping forward.

"Does it matter?" Mike snapped angrily. "It seems like everyone here wants to know or get something from me! First, that Nightmare Moon wanted me to do something for her in return for a way home for me. Yet here I am — I didn't get what I really wanted!" he forced a breath out of his nostrils as they flared. "This is not what I wanted at all! You have no idea what I've experienced today... I don't know who or what I am anymore! Are you happy now?! You got your answer! Now, get out of the way, I want to get home!"

Mike roared, got up on his hooves, and dashed to the door. Celestia yelped and jumped aside, avoiding him. The door was closed a little, but the impact with Mike made it swing aside with a loud and deafening thud.

The several Solar Guards galloped into the room but were quickly knocked aside by Mike as he rammed them without stopping. He ran past them and down the halls, not caring for anything.

Luna was disturbed from her sleep by the loud sounds that came from outside her bedchamber. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she exited her room and went into the halls, confused. Her eyes widened as she saw a galloping Nightmare. It saw her too and narrowed its eyes, sensing that Luna was Nightmare Moon through some sort of connection that the two were barely aware of. A wall of flames rose around Her and the Nightmare, cutting off any chance of escape. Panicked shouts could be heard from behind the roaring flames as the Nightmare slowed down, soon coming to a stop mere meters away from Luna.

The nightly alicorn suddenly remembered the creature. Her eyes shrank to pinpricks, she gulped loudly. She knew that the creature was very angry at her, and with a good reason. Knowing she had little power to do anything, Luna just stood there, seemingly frozen in place despite the flames heating up the surroundings.

"NIGHTMARE MOON!" Mike roared, getting closer to Luna. She tried to back away from him but stumbled and fell, caught up with her own legs as she frantically tried to back down.

"I’m not her!" Luna yelled in fear, cowering. She felt intense fear towards Mike, and she knew that she had wronged him.

"I feel that you are her," Mike growled. "Don't lie to me!"

"I... I... I can explain! My true name, my real name is Luna!" she trembled in terror as the flames and the creature reflected in her eyes. "D-don't hurt me, please!

"If you have something to explain, do it now! I don't like those who invade my head." Mike told her, barely containing his anger. "Take your time, Nightmare Moon."

***

After Luna's explanation of how she became Nightmare Moon and why she acted badly back in the forest, Mike was puzzled. He didn't know what to do, how to act. Surely, Nightmare Moon was bad in his eyes, but her story left him with a difficult choice. He calmed down significantly and just stared at a wall, thinking about her explanation.

"...And I..." Luna spoke, shaking nervously. "I did wrong and I must fix my mistake. I offer thee all the knowledge about Equestria that I and the books have. It will help thee to settle down here... I truly apologize, but the place thou namedst doth not exist. I can't bring thee home, but I can do something else for thee, something helpful.

"If... If thou let me go, I shall help. I can offer thee a job as well, to pay for what I've done in coins. Thou... Well, I mistreated thee, but I still can help thee. I see thou needest assistance, and I can lend thee a helping hoof. Dost thou accept?"

"I don’t really have any other options." Mike thought aloud, then let out a deep sigh. "Princess Luna... I suppose I agree."

The flame wall around the two disappeared, revealing at least twenty guards and a very displeased Princess of the Day who had heard everything that was spoken between Luna and Mike.

"Luna..." Celestia spoke, sighing, her hoof held up as to prevent the guards from taking action. "I hope you know what you are doing."

Chapter 2: Inanna

A day had passed in a relative serenity and calm. During that time, Mike stayed at the Lunar Quarters of the Canterlot Castle. He was given a small room that had nothing but a bed, a chest of drawers placed nearby, and a window on the wall. The door was locked, the outside was patrolled by a squad of pegasi who often passed by the window, glancing inside to survey the strange guest.

Mike didn't mind it as long as they didn't enter the room. He lay on the bed, deep in thought, his posture relaxed. He didn't feel a need to sleep, eat, or even drink. Realization of it dawned on him only later in the day when he finally noticed that he hadn't done anything but lay in one place. It made him curious since there was no way he wouldn't need to eat if he wanted to keep his impressive physique. But even after the food was brought to him, he found no appetite to eat it. The smell of the food was nice but he didn't feel any desire to actually eat it.

However, something interesting happened while he was laying there on the bed. He found out that he could control the fire more than just turning it on and off. Surprisingly, the fire didn't use anything to burn, and if Mike didn't want it to, it wouldn't as much as scorch anything. The fire followed each and every of his command and could even change color from red to orange and to blue.

Aside from this new ability of his he promptly named "Hellfire", there was something else he hadn't seen before. When he wanted to adjust his pillow, it was engulfed in an aura of fiery orange, which surprised him. Apparently, he could subconsciously use telekinesis instead of how he usually had his hands do the task.

A mirror was inside the room, and in it, he could see the same aura dance on his curved horn when he used telekinesis. It was like another kind of fire but it was something else entirely, a new sort of energy he had yet to understand.

A day after the fateful night that changed his future, Mike was invited to Luna's private office to discuss his job assignment. He understood that it was a start and he wouldn't have any other chance anyway, considering his looks. He chuckled to himself, finding it somewhat amusing. Either way, he was ready to accept anything as long as it gave him a solid base for the future.

Once he reached Luna's office, the princess invited him to take a seat opposite of her at a small office table. She was wearing reading glasses and had a quill in her magical grasp as she looked at a piece of paper on the table.

"So... um, well, I am required to fill the paperwork to properly introduce the Night Guard to Equestria once again," Luna cleared her throat, her body slightly tense as her eyes glanced at the infernal equine. "I need thy personal data, that is."

"My name is..." Mike started. Then, he realized that he couldn't recall his name as if something was blocking it. It was at the edge of his mind and yet he couldn't remember it for a reason he didn't know.

An evil giggle echoed in his head.

"Whoever you are, you won't make me take Nightmare as my name!" he cursed internally, his body slightly stiffening. Struggling to come up with any common human name, his mind only received strange names, most of which he didn't remember seeing or hearing at all. Despite how much he wanted to remain himself at least in a name, he had to pick another.

"My name is Andromalius." the Nightmare said, finally. Silently sighing in defeat, he forgot his human name forever. However, the new name he had chosen, for some reason, felt right. "I am eighteen years old, male."

"Eighteen?" Luna asked, surprised. "Thou soundest and lookest... older."

"Is it relevant now?" Andromalius replied with irritation. He internally cringed, knowing that he overreacted to a simple note. However, he had more important things on his mind than a remark. His new name was giving him a headache already. He was adjusting to it, repeating it over and over again in his head, wondering why it felt so right.

"...Alright." Luna cleared her throat again, this time a bit more shakily and forcefully. She took a few second pause as she collected her thoughts. "Birthplace?"

"There is no such place here, so just write down whatever you see fit."

"...Alright." the alicorn nodded, paused, and then wrote something down. "That would be all for now." she glanced at Andromalius again. "My sister and I shall find volunteers from the Solar Guard soon as well. After it is done, the Night Guard will be reformed and brought to light once more."

"There are only three ponies on the list that were brave enough to join." Luna sighed, returning fifteen minutes later with a single piece of paper, exactly three lines on it. Somewhat tiredly, she sat down and placed the paper on her table. "Thou art a part of the Night Guard as well, Andromalius." she looked at him. "I have no doubt that thou art skilled in using thy fire. That is the main reason I appoint thee as my personal guard. Thou shalt accompany me anywhere and protect me from any danger.

"There is nopony else who would agree to do that anyway..." she added quietly, then let out a long sigh. "Legacy of Nightmare Moon isn't easily dispelled even by the Elements of Harmony."

Practically, Andromalius had no other choice but to listen to Luna and do as she says. He nodded to her, proceeding to think about his new assignment. While it might be bumpy at the beginning, he felt it would be very beneficial for him in the long run.

His mind returned to the task at hand. He knew that some just would not accept that a seemingly evil being was just instantaneously turned good, even if it was Celestia's own sister. Some ponies would, most certainly, assume that Celestia was taken under Nightmare Moon's mind control. At least that was Andromalius' understanding of things.

"Alright..." Luna said, breaking the silence. "Thou shalt be given with a mark of mine, a necklace. It will allow thee to go anywhere thou wantest, the guards know this mark and shall allow anyone who wears it to pass without question."

A small necklace was telekinetically moved to Andromalius. It was a chained necklace with a blue crescent moon. It locked itself around the infernal stallion's neck and rested against his chest once Luna let go of it.

"It cannot break," the alicorn continued. "I don't know whether thy hellfire can do anything to it, and so I advise thee to be careful. However, it is certain that none other can take it off, only I and thou can. The necklace is my mark of trust, dost not thou use it for evil deeds."

"Yes, Princess." Andromalius nodded, accepting her sign of trust. He had no idea if he could return the trust yet, but he had no other choice but to rely on Luna. Besides, he needed someone, especially in such a foreign and unknown world he had been thrown into. "But... I don't really know anything. This place, ponies, um, anything." he admitted and then asked: "Can you enlighten me?"

"Well, it seemeth we both need to take a trip to the library."

The Great Canterlot Library was located outside the castle walls, right in the city center. While the castle had the Royal Archives, they contained information that would not be needed on a daily basis or for most ponies. Powerful spellbooks, mysterious artifacts, magical maps of forgotten places, ancient scrolls, all of it was far from common, and some of it could even be dangerous to most ponies.

Before venturing outside the Canterlot Castle, Andromalius had to put on a cloak to hide his fearsome features. Unfortunately, his crooked and sharp horn couldn't be hidden and his fiery eyes were glowing hellishly from under the hood as well, making it apparent that he was no regular pony, not to mention his height which made him stand out of the crowd all too well, for good or bad.

After all the necessary preparation were done, Andromalius and Princess Luna exited the castle and headed straight to the library. Once they were outside the castle walls, ponies immediately turned their attention to the two.

They were followed around by stares and whispers. Most of them were of fear, some of them were of suspicion. All ponies tried to avoid stepping in the two's way, rushing away and making sure they didn't step too close to the duo. Some ponies would quickly bow, mutter a few words, and swiftly hide.

"Princess, ignore them," Andromalius whispered to Luna, seeing how tense she was, especially her ears - they were pressed flat against her head. "If anything happens, I will be here for you."

"They don't accept me as a rightful princess!" she whispered back louder than she intended.

"A thousand years have passed since you were a princess. I suppose they see you as an ancient legend, not a real person..." Andromalius paused, gathering his words. "Besides, your look as Nightmare Moon is rather threatening to them. And... I think you can prove them wrong by being a good princess while still being yourself. You shouldn't be angry at them for fearing you. Instead, you should prove you are not to be feared." the infernal stallion explained. Andromalius was surprised by his own words of wisdom and he hoped he did not cause the opposite of what he intended.

"Maybe thou art right," Luna sighed, realizing that he was at the very least partially right. "It is hard for me to be here again... Everything is familiar and at the same time foreign. This is why I am so..." she paused to find the right word. "Nervous."

Once they reached the library, a big and majestic building in the center of Canterlot, they ascended the stairs and came to the entrance, where two guards were standing.

"Your library cards?" one of them requested, stepping in front of the doors.

"Celestia told me I don't need one." Luna frowned in confusion.

"Sorry, no entrance without a card."

"Now, listen to me!" the princess stomped angrily. "I can send both of you to polish your armor until I can see myself in it like in a mirror! Now, you shall allow me to pass!"

"Better do as Princess Luna says," Andromalius added, turning the attention of the guards towards himself. After a short moment, the guard in front of Luna nodded and allowed the two to pass.

"I swear to the All-Maker, thou hast more authority than I do." Luna sighed sadly.

Andromalius didn't know what to reply and decided to be silent so that he wouldn't upset the princess more than she already was. Instead, he followed her through a short hall to the main building of the Canterlot Library.

"They were acting like they were told to, I guess. A request for the library card is acceptable, I suppose, but shouldn't they've been instructed how to act around a princess?" he said after a while. "Anyway, you need to work on your temper." he paused, understanding that he might have just insulted a princess. "Now, I know you are much, much older than me, and you must feel irritated when someone like me, well... gives you advice, but all I do is trying to help. Since I am your protector, I think I should offer you some from time to time." he paused, waiting for her reaction. One of her ears was turned to him but otherwise, she displayed nothing. So, he decided to continue: "Well, you need to dispell the evil image, um, associated with you." he saw her tense up, and so he quickly added: "I don't say you should forgive and tolerate any rude behavior towards you, but those guards were just doing their job." he paused once again, thinking of a way to explain his thoughts better. "I don't think they wanted to show disrespect to you."

A few awkward moments of silence followed before any of them spoke up.

"To be honest, I do indeed have some problems with my temper..." Luna admitted, sighing in slight irritation. "And I suppose I can't be angry at thee for trying to help."

Finally, the two entered the big hall of the library. It was cylindrical and had two floors, each about five meters high. The large windows showed the panorama of Canterlot and were slightly open, allowing fresh air to come in.

There weren't many ponies in the library at this time of day, and those who were, looked at Luna and Andromalius with wariness and caution, trying to stay out of their sight. The only pony that didn't display any fear and was instead welcoming was an old librarian mare. Her blue eyes looked at the two with interest from behind her glasses, and so she stood up to greet them. Her coat was white, her mane was grayish-blue with a streak of darker blue and tied in a bun. Andromalius noticed a mark on her flank, just like on pretty much every other pony he had previously seen since his arrival to Equestria. Her mark was an open book with a smiling flower in its center.

"Hello, and welcome to the Great Canterlot Library, Princess Luna!" she greeted Luna, wearing an honest smile. "And you..?" she looked at Andromalius, her expression going down slightly but not disappearing completely as she studied him with her eyes.

"He is Andromalius, my personal guard." Luna introduced the hell stallion to the librarian.

"Well, welcome to you too, sir Andromalius." the librarian greeted him, and he politely nodded in return. "My name is Blue Flower. Should any of you need help, just ask me, I will be happy to give you my assistance!"

"Well, I'm looking for something about modern history and customs." Luna stated, deciding to use the opportunity.

"Of course, your majesty! Follow me." Blue Flower bowed and proceeded to lead the princess and the hell stallion to the second floor. After passing a few rows of shelves, the librarian stopped. "Both books are under 'M', your majesty."

"Thank thee, thou canst go now." Luna nodded with a smile, and soon the mare returned to her place on the first floor.

"Princess, I think you should search for a book on the modern language as well." Andromalius suggested.

"I know that mine is a little out of date, yes." the alicorn nodded in understanding. "The Commonlang hath changed over time. However, I need to know modern customs first, as to avoid awkward moments, especially with my subjects."

"Of course, princess." the hell stallion nodded in understanding. "I suppose I need that as well, so let's begin."

After about three hours of studying, Luna learned the basics of modern customs. She was bemused by the fact that she could no longer use her Royal Canterlot Voice to address her subjects, especially those who made her angry, but it was apparent that cultural norms had changed through years after she was banished to the moon. She still had much to learn, no matter how frustrating it would be for the princess.

Andromalius, on the other hand, learned a little about the race of ponies, as well as about their culture. Some things surprised him, other confused, but he hoped that he would be able to adjust to everything someday. He also took a note to read more about the so-called cutie marks, also known as specialty marks.

"It's the longest reading session I've had since my time in school." Andromalius commented in his thoughts, sighing quietly as he closed a book, blinking his eyes, feeling mentally sore.

"Indeed it is." a feminine, sweet, seducing voice sounded inside his head.

"Another voice in my head? I'm going completely fucking nuts..." he complained, silently groaning in annoyance. His ears perked up as he looked around, searching for the one who had this new voice.

"Oh, trust me, dear, you aren't." the voice assured him, changing its tone to a more serious one.

"Who are you, then?" the infernal stallion asked warily and yet with interest as he continued to survey the surroundings.

"Well, I am usually referred to as 'Succubus', but my real name is Inanna." the female voice introduced herself.

"A succubus?" Andromalius asked for confirmation, recognizing the word, although the meaning of it slipped from his mind.

"You aren't the only demon here, Andromalius." she said, evading his question for now. "But you're the first one to be from another world, and the first one to walk freely on the Surface in almost five thousand years." a small pause ensued before Inanna spoke again. "I'm impressed."

"What do you need, Inanna? How do you know so much about me?" Andromalius tensed up.

"To answer your second question: you projected your memories into the demon world. It all looked like one of those things, I think you call them movies. I know everything you do, and maybe even more." Inanna replied with a slight chuckle. "And to answer your first question: well, until the time comes, I will be teasing you with an unending stream of sexual jokes." she giggled. "If you didn't know, succubi are demons that feed on lust. In this case, on male lust. And another thing... I will guide you on your way to become a demon lord, of course."

"A demon... lord?" Andromalius paused for a moment, digesting the information. "This... doesn't make sense." he paused again, gathering his thoughts. "I... I can't rule, it's... it's just absurd!"

"Well, Andromalius..." Inanna's tone changed to a more serious and sad one. "We have been infighting for a very long time... Now, when you appeared out of the blue, we sensed your great power, and even more that is lying underneath and undiscovered. We need a strong leader, someone to unite us, someone to lead us to the better future." her tone became submissive. "We bow to you, and you will become a new Demon Lord, the ruler of all demons."

Andromalius listened, his mouth slightly agape as he tried to take in this sudden revelation. His mind was empty, he had nothing to say yet, and so he decided to let Inanna finish her tale.

"By the ancient prophecy, you are going to be the one that will free us from our prison, and guide us into peace and prosperity. And that doesn't include sacrificing a virgin." Inanna chuckled at her own joke as she tried to make the situation less slightly less serious. "Your human knowledge of demons is lacking any real information, that is." she explained. "We're very different from what you know or think you know. Believe it or not, but we were... mistreated, to say the least. Banished to the underworld because the world didn't want us there." Andromalius could hear the bitterness in her voice. After a few moments, Inanna spoke again, this time more calmly. "We don't want revenge, however. It is pointless, the last being that has done anything to us died a very long time ago. He died for a really stupid reason. It makes me laugh every time. I think he partook an orgy, in which he died of... a heart attack!" she let out a short laugh.

Andromalius couldn't help but chuckle himself, even though he still had a hard time accepting all this information being dumped on him. A prophecy predicting his arrival? It was something from a fantasy tale, something that couldn't possibly be true... Could it? He would need a lot more time to understand what was behind all of it.

"Anyway, building a new relationship will be much more beneficial for us. For example, many succubi would like to know endurance of earth ponies better, and in a sexual way as well." Inanna continued. "However, only I could make contact with you, so I am your only guide and... a mentor of sorts until the time comes. You will only be able to see me and other demons in your sleep, and the only real one will be me. You don't really need to sleep, but your old traits cannot be easily destroyed, can they?"

Inanna finished talking and waited for Andromalius to react. However, his mind was blank as he still processed the information. The fact that Inanna stopped talking only registered after around a minute of silence.

"So... I was just a guy, and now I am to become a demon lord? This is getting way too complicated..." Andromalius shook his head slightly.

"I feel your confusion. Don't run from it, it's justified. You will get used to it, though. Some great things are about to come, and some of them include you." Inanna cryptically said.

"I don't suppose you can tell me, can you?" Andromalius deadpanned.

"I don't know what will exactly come, so nope, I can't. If I knew, I would've told you, trust me." Inanna replied honestly.

"Andromalius?" Luna called the infernal stallion. "Thou hast been quiet for some time. Is something the matter?"

"Look at those magnificent flanks, Andro."" Inanna didn't miss the moment to tease the hell stallion. "Imagine yourself, having her in your grasp... Dominating her, and she likes it so much..."

"Fuck you." Andromalius silently groaned. However, no matter how much he would like to make Inanna silence herself, he couldn't, or at least he didn't know a way to make her stop.

"Oh, I'd like to."

"I fell right into the trap, didn't I?" Andromalius deadpanned again.

"Of course you did!" Inanna giggled. "I'm a succubus, what you call "trolling" is my second nature. I'll leave you be, for now."

"Andromalius?" Luna called again, waving her hoof in front of his muzzle.

"Sorry, princess, I suppose I've zoned out." the hell stallion apologized, returning to the reality around him. "I've been... thinking about things."

"Well, it is time for us to return to the castle," Luna said, standing up and placing the book back to where they belong.

"Yes, princess, I will be close behind."

"Staring at her behind, hmm?" Inanna was right there to tease him.

"God fucking damnit!"

Author's Note

I won't reveal how Inanna looks yet. Wait for the next chapter!

Chapter 3: Succubus Luxuriosus

Andromalius and Luna returned to the Canterlot Castle. The princess had left the hell stallion alone to his devices, and he decided to spend some time alone, to think about everything that happened once more, this time including Inanna and the strange prophecy that apparently included him. He went to his room and locked it from the inside.

For a few moments, his mind was blank as he stood in the middle of the room, staring out the window without blinking. He sighed and went to his bed.

"What a fucked up life I now have..." he thought, getting onto his bed to relax for a bit. "First, I was turned into a fictional creature and brought into this land of... colorful ponies, now a horse succubus says I'm a new Demon Lord!" he paused to let out another sigh. "Ain't that fucking great, a week hasn't passed yet, and I'm already in a skyscraper's high shitpile."

"Don't you worry, dear Andromalius," Inanna spoke inside his head. "You'll have time to adjust. After all, you still have much to learn before you are able to do anything significant. Your power grows, but you need to learn how to control it."

"Oh, you again," Andromalius deadpanned, his mind ready for the onslaught of sexual jokes and whatever else the succubus had brought with her this time. "I have a small question... Why did you tell me all of this?"

"Of course I could've just sent you cryptic images, which you would've likely barely understood, but..." she let out a short laugh. "That would certainly make you more insane than you already are. I don't want to break your mind, after all," Inanna paused to let Andromalius digest the information. As she said the next words, her tone became apologetic: "Sorry for dumping everything on you in one go, I think I should've waited a bit until you got accustomed here."

"Coulda, woulda, shoulda..." the hell stallion rolled his eyes in irritation, realizing that he wouldn't have time to think alone. "Go on, I guess..."

"So, about learning..." Inanna paused to collect her thoughts. "You'll have to learn a ton of things, and that's an understatement. To rule us, you must be good at pretty much everything. Politics, economy, demonology, magic, history, and many other things that I'm too lazy to list."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me..." Andromalius groaned, having an urge to facepalm (or, in this case, facehoof) himself.

"Kidding? Bearing a foal from you will be an honor." Inanna giggled.

"Would you kindly stop with this crap?" the infernal stallion snarled, his nostrils flaring as the frown deepened on his face.

"Until you fuck me, nope," Inanna let out another girlish giggle.

"Even if I became a horse, it doesn't mean I'm ready to fuck one!" he snapped at her, growling, immensely frustrated by the fact that he couldn't get rid of the succubus.

"You'll get used to it sooner or later, Andro," the succubus assured him in a suggestive tone. "Speaking of sex, you'll have to stay away from Luna for a week. She's going to be in a very hard heat. A thousand years of isolation can do that to a mare."

"Heat?"

"Ah, you know nothing about the reproductive cycle of a pony, don't you?" Inanna rhetorically asked. "Well, let me give you a simple explanation. Ponies can be impregnated only on a heat, estrus, week. It happens twice in the summer, at the beginning and the end. Luna had missed the beginning, but her body can't wait for the end. That means she will be very, very, and I mean extremely, horny. Most certainly, she will try to, well..." she stifled a giggle. "Have your penis inside her vagina."

"Fuck..."

"Exactly! This simple act will most likely happen," Andromalius could sense her grin. "And Luna is afraid of it. She doesn't want to tell you about it, she's scared of what she thinks will happen. She thinks that you will leave her because of it. She considers you the only friend she has, the one that in some kind shares her fate. I think it has something to do with Stockholm syndrome."

"How do you know this?" Andromalius asked in confusion. It seemed that Inanna knew Luna better than he did, and he had spent more time with her than she did.

"Demons are masters at seeing others' emotions and thoughts. While your power hasn't awakened yet, I can feel Luna's thoughts through you. Not all, though, only those she was thinking about at the time, and only if you were close enough to her," Inanna explained.

"That is... impressive. How do I learn to do this?" Andromalius asked with interest, deciding to put the annoyance and irritation he had for the succubus aside for now.

"This ability will awake soon by itself. Well, think of it as a passive ability of yours. What you need to learn is magic. While you know some of the destructive magic, you know little to nothing about the neutral one. There is also dark magic, light magic, chaos magic. I think I don't have to explain what all of them do, you already know it.

"So, to properly begin your education, you will have to study at least six hours a day. While you can spend less time on history, geography and such, you need to spend a lot of time learning magic. It isn't simple words and formulas, but a power of your will and of your inner self as well. The magic will crush you if you don't will it to obey.

"So, it's all for now. I will be here if you need me."

Ten minutes had passed since the talk between Andromalius and Inanna. Luna called him to escort her to the throne room, where the day court would be held. Once again, the hell stallion had to put on a cloak to hide his fearsome features as not to disturb the attendees of the court and let it proceed peacefully.

"Feeling nervous, princess?" Andromalius asked, sensing her mood.

"Honestly, yes," Luna replied, then sighed. "It is my first court in a thousand years. Thankfully, I am more knowledgeable in modern etiquette, so it won't be as awkward as it would've been if I didn't venture to the library with thee."

"That was fruitful for me as well, princess," Andromalius nodded slightly. "I'm getting more understanding of your culture, thanks to those books."

"That is good, then." Luna smiled a bit.

Soon, the two arrived at the doors of the throne room. The two guards opened them, letting Luna and Andromalius pass. They were greeted by Celestia, who was preparing herself for the court.

"Hello, Luna." she smiled at her sister. With a more strained smile, she turned to the hell stallion. "Hello... Andromalius."

"Hello, Tia." Luna cheerfully replied to her sister, while Andromalius gave a polite nod. "With our courts combined, everything will be easier, dost not thou think?"

"It is worth a try, at the very least." Celestia nodded in agreement. "Well, the ponies will arrive in about fifteen minutes, so you better prepare yourselves."

The hall was beginning to fill up, many ponies readying themselves for the court. Nobles threw curious glances towards Luna and Andromalius but didn't dare ask anything in fear of possible repercussions. Everyone knew that the princesses were supreme, holding all the power, and questioning them might turn out bad.

"By the power invested in us, let the Court of Royal Sisters commence." the two sisters spoke in unison once everyone assembled.

"I apologize in advance for my style of speaking," Luna spoke, gaining the attention of all ponies. "It seemeth that Commonglang hath changed through time, and I am not accustomed to the changes and additions as of now."

Then, Celestia spoke. "Golden Horseshoe, please step forth before us," she half-asked half-commanded, her voice firm yet soft. She continued once a unicorn stallion dressed in a suit stepped forth: "State your business."

"On the behalf of the Miners Guild, I ask for an increased funding," he said. "We have a shortage of instruments and safety equipment. We will able to provide the kingdom with iron and gold further, as well as with gems if better instruments become affordable to us."

Celestia nodded after a few moments of considering: "Your request will be fulfilled, Golden Horseshoe. We have already received the needed paperwork. Thank you, you may return to your place."

"Thank you, your majesty," the stallion gave a polite bow and went back to his seat.

"Silver Stone, step forth," Luna spoke next, looking at the list of attendees.

A unicorn stallion with white fur and silver mane took a step forward. His cutie mark was a spear and a sword.

"State your business," Luna ordered.

"Your majesty, let me introduce myself first," he spoke, his voice slightly coarse. "I am the previous captain of the Solar Guard, and now I work at the office of Equestrian Ordinance Department," the stallion explained and paused. The princess nodded, allowing him to continue. "I am concerned about creating a parallel branch of our guard, the new Night Guard. Why would that be necessary?"

"The new branch is created to provide the safety of Equestria during the time of night," Luna explained. "Unfortunately, even the best members of the Solar Guard aren't qualified enough to serve during nighttime, so the Night Guard will take their place." she paused, letting the information be digested by all attending ponies. "The creation of a new branch will also allow nocturnal ponies to work at their preferable time of day."

"Thanks for the answer, your majesty," Silver bowed and looked up soon once again. "But I have one more to ask."

"Proceed, then," Luna nodded, gesturing with her hoof, looking at the stallion with interest.

"Well, I was allowed to see the list of volunteers. And I saw a name that was... strange. May I ask who Andromalius is?" he looked at the cloaked stallion that stood behind Luna's seat. The hell stallion remained unmoving, not looking in the direction of Silver Stone, standing still with his body tense. Not knowing what to do, he decided not to do anything provocative, be it a simple glance or a slight move. He had no idea what the nobility of Equestria was like, but he was sure false rumors and possible accusations might follow if he did anything strange by their standards.

"Andromalius is my personal guard, who standeth by my side at all times," Luna explained patiently. "Without his allowance, I cannot reveal his personal information, if thou art asking for that."

"If I remember correctly," Silver continued after a small nod. "Only three volunteered to join the Night Guard as of now. The fourth one, Andromalius, seemingly came from nowhere. I am concerned about it, your majesty. Maybe my question isn't... correct, but what exactly is he? Why is he wearing a cloak?"

"He hath his own reasons. However, if thou wantest, thou canst ask him thyself,." Luna replied, keeping her calm.

"So, Andromalius..." Silver Stone turned his eyes to the hell stallion, looking at him directly. "Will you answer the questions?"

Andromalius allowed himself to look at the stallion. The faces of both were unreadable. The hell stallion's features were hidden well under the cloak, only two fiery eyes looking from under the hood, and the face of Silver Stone was neutral, displaying neither kindness nor hostility. After a few moments of thinking, Andromalius replied with a shake of his head. He was informed that his mouth didn't move like it was supposed to, instead it rarely moved at all, only emitting growls when the words were spoken. So, he decided to stay silent in presence of other than Luna and Celestia.

"Alright..." Silver showed interest and suspicion in his eyes but soon regained his mask of total neutrality. "Princess Luna, thank you for your answers."

"Thou may return to thy place if there isn't anything else thou wouldst like to talk about, Silver Stone," Luna said, looking at him with the same neutral expression.

"There is nothing else, your majesty," Silver spoke, bowed, and returned to his place.

The rest of the court passed rather quickly. Andromalius was watching over the hall, catching a few curious glances or stares here and there. Some ponies were more interested than others, but no one else but Silver Stone asked anything about the infernal stallion.

After the court ended, Luna asked Andromalius to come to her bedchambers for a private talk.

"She sure wants you to bang her hard," Inanna was fast to react to the news.

"I fucking doubt it," Andromalius harshly replied. "Please, stop making these jokes, I'm sick of them already!"

"What did you expect? A succubus is like a mare in heat, but much, much worse. Constant urge to have sex isn't easy to live with, if you didn't know," Inanna giggled.

"I think I don't want to know," Andromalius shivered. By the time he had thought about it, he was already halfway to Luna's bedchamber.

"A wise decision, Andro," Inanna chuckled. "Well, let's see if Luna wants you to sate her carnal lust or not."

Luna was sitting in an armchair, another one was in front of her. Nothing like a table was between the two armchairs. She was slightly fidgeting in place, her ears twitching as she exercised deep breaths.

Her bedchambers were a little smaller than Celestia's but much more decorated. Symbols of the night could be seen everywhere, the colors were black, different shades of blue, and white. The room didn't have any big windows, instead, there were narrower and taller windows.

After long moments of waiting, a soft knock came from the door.

"Enter," Luna said, her voice calm and under control, unlike her body. Unsurprisingly, it was Andromalius who entered the bedchambers after she granted the permission.

"Please, take a sit, Andromalius. I have something to talk to thee about," Luna nervously nodded at the empty armchair.

"She's going to say that you're nightmarishly sexy, dear Andromalius," Inanna giggled. Andromalius groaned silently in response but didn't speak to her, deciding to deal with her once he was done with whatever the princess had for him.

"Yes, your majesty?" he asked her once he took his place.

"Um, there is one thing I want to talk to thee about..." Luna began, her voice betraying her thoughts, stuttering like a schoolgirl talking to her crush. "Uh, what dost thou know about our cycle of reproduction?"

"Just... enough, why?"

"Well, um... Tomorrow my cycle starts, and, um... Well, I shall be very... sexually aroused, and, well, I want to avoid jumping at thee in my lust. I want thee to stay away for some time, Andromalius."

An awkward silence fell on the two as the hell stallion digested the information. It turned out that Inanna was right in one thing, Luna indeed feared to do something wrong.

"I understand, princess," Andromalius nodded, slightly bewildered by the statement but hiding it. To him, Luna was uncomfortably open with talking about it. "And even if you suddenly do it, I won't hold a grudge, and you won't stop being my friend."

"Thou... considerest me thy friend?" Luna asked with a spark of hope in her eyes.

"You treated me like you would treat any pony," Andromalius replied with a slight smile, confident in his words. "You are the one who gave me a chance. You're helping me get accustomed to this world, and I am very thankful for that."

"I... Thanks. I too consider thee a friend of mine." Luna smiled. "OH THE MOST JOYOUS OF OCCASIONS!" she happily exclaimed, jumped and hugged Andromalius. He was taken aback by it but didn't resist. Instead, he hugged her back despite it feeling slightly strange. He indeed called her a friend. He considered her one, and besides, he had no one else in this strange new world. At the edge of his mind, there was something else, a connection to her, and yet he couldn't grasp it, couldn't understand it just yet.

"I will be here for you when you need me, princess," he told her despite his confusing thoughts.

"Please, call me Luna."

"Of course... Luna," Andromalius nodded, his smile widening.

"And now—" Inanna began.

"Fuck off, I'm having a moment here with my friend." the hell stallion cut her off harshly, not allowing her to continue with another sexual remark he was sure she was going to make. "A friend without benefits, I must add."

After everything that had happened, Andromalius went back to his room. The day wasn't tiresome for him, but he decided to take a short nap. The rest of his day was free anyway and he had nothing better to do even if he wanted. Of course, he could read a book but he didn't feel like it yet. He needed some time for himself, even if it was just a simple nap.

Taking his helmet off finally, he rubbed his head with a hoof. His head was bald, lacking any fur or mane at all, or any kind of bony growth like the most of his body was. The helmet was made of dark steel, and when it wasn't heated, it looked like a helmet of old silver. The embedded unicursal hexagram, however, was as red as if it was heated constantly, almost glowing.

Sighing in relief, Andromalius placed his helmet on the chest of drawers, then got in the bed and closed his eyes. He fell asleep a few minutes later.

Andromalius opened his eyes and found himself standing on the black shore of lava sea. There could be seen volcanoes in the distance, as well as more lava. The sky was orange, blotted with clouds of black.

"Welcome to the Hell, Andromalius." a familiar voice spoke from behind. He sharply turned around, readying his magic but instead of using it stopped.

There she was, Inanna, the succubus. Half-lidded, her eyes looked at him with lust that was barely contained inside her. No matter what her intentions were, Andromalius wasn't comfortable with it.

"How did I get here?" he asked warily.

"Don't worry, you are sleeping in your bed at Canterlot Castle." the succubus replied, stepping closer. "This is just what I imagined to show you. Yes, I can get into others' dreams, mostly to molest their owners, sexually of course."

"Alright... So, what do you need from me now?" the hell stallion asked, looking directly at her.

"Fuck me, of course." Inanna chuckled, turned around and raised her tail, allowing him to take a look at her privates.

"God damn you, Inanna!" Andromalius turned his head away from the succubus, his black cheeks flushing with color. "Really?"

"Well, it would be a nice addition, but no." Inanna giggled, then turned around, now facing Andromalius. "You can turn your head towards me, mister innocence."

"Do you know that you are actually annoying?" Andromalius groaned, looking into her eyes, anger present in both his eyes and voice.

"As if your teenage mind actually minds fucking a person of opposite gender." she rolled her eyes. "One day you'll ask for my booty, and you know it."

Andromalius groaned in irritation, fighting the urge to punch her.

"You didn't say no." Inanna winked, continuing to tease him.

"Don't we have something more important?"

"Yes, we do. But we have a lot of time for that."

"Just get to the important part." Andromalius rolled his eyes once more.

"Like my private ones?" Inanna giggled.

"GOD FUCKING... UUUUGH!" the hell stallion facehoofed very hard.

"Alright, we indeed have something important to do." Inanna became more serious much to the gratitude of Andromalius. "At first, I'm going to tell you about different demon sub-races.

"First, and the weakest ones, are Imps. They look like this." Inanna projected an image. The imp looked exactly like those in the HoMM 5 game: small, fat, pink, they had tiny wings, small rectangular eyes, and an annoyingly long tongue.

"They're even uglier than I thought," Andromalius commented on their appearance, which was far more realistic than a decade old game could provide. More realistic than he needed, that much was true.

"They're fucking dumb as well." Inanna chuckled. "Well, I think I don't have to explain anything else about the sub-races' appearance. That game of your you so like to play shows us extremely well, except that succubi are equines, and no demon has seen any of your tier-five Inferno creatures, such as Hell Chargers, Nightmares or Hell Stallions.

"Well, and you can call us all 'un-upgraded'. Those demons with flames look really fine by me, but there isn't anyone that has such flame, only you do. I should also mention that you are the first one to be equine besides succubi and incubi, by the way."

"Incubi?"

"They are stallion versions of succubi. They look almost like us, but they have one shorter horn, and their tails are shorter as well. Their eyes are a little different, too." Inanna explained. "So, that is all about the sub-races for now."

"That is... easy to remember," Andromalius said with some doubt. "Anyways... I wanted to ask you one thing. Your armor is familiar to me, but I don't remember where I saw it..."

"Oh, this?" Inanna pointed at her helmet. "Well, there was a being in your game, I think she's called Biara or something like that. Her armor looks cool and makes me even more sexy. And that symbol of six-pointed star..." she made a dreamy look. "Demons are damn hot with all these accessories!"

Andromalius rolled his eyes, knowing that he should've expected some sort of a suggestive or outright sexual remark somewhere within the conversation even after Inanna became more serious.

"What?" Inanna asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Even Rarity would've said that you look stunning with that helmet of yours!"

"Rarity? Who's that?" the hell stallion asked, puzzled. "Or what?"

"Oh, do you remember those six mares with their magical jewelry?" Inanna asked. Andromalius slowly nodded in reply, looking at her with interest. "Well, one of them, the white unicorn with curly purple mane, has been having a few very hot dreams including you."

"WHAAAAAAAAT?!" Andromalius yelled, his eyes widening. "FUCKING INSANE CRAZY HORSESHIT!"

"You have quite a voice." Inanna rubbed her ringing ears after the hell stallion stopped yelling and was just looking at her in bewilderment. "Ahem. Well, Rarity is a very kinky mare. She has many fetishes, and one of them includes a wild pony-like beast ravaging her until she can't feel her legs. You're just a perfect image for Rarity: seemingly wild, certainly pony-like, big, muscular. And she's been imagining you with a penis of a really good size." she winked. "One that would certainly suit your body's size."

"Oh, unholy fuckery..." Andromalius muttered, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples. "And how do you know this?"

"Well, wet dreams are something that both incubi and succubi can and like to visit to sate our hunger for lust." Inanna chuckled. "And once I find out your dirty fantasies..." she looked at the hell stallion seductively. "You will be fully mine!"

Andromalius shivered. "Thanks, now I won't sleep at all."

Author's Note

Inanna's appearance.

Chapter 4: Nox

The moon was high in the sky, shining onto the land below, casting long and dark shadows from different objects around the world. The winds blew slightly, providing a nice chill after a warm, almost hot day. Most ponies were already asleep, sleeping soundly in their beds, enjoying the night in their own way.

However, one particular being was wide awake, sitting on his bed. Andromalius didn't want to sleep at all. After everything he had seen and heard, he promised to himself that he would not go to sleep, no matter the circumstances. The hell stallion didn't want Inanna to find anything about him, be it his deep sexual desires or anything else, related to the former or not.

Bored to the bone, he decided to spend his time elsewhere. After all, his door was no longer locked from the outside and he could go pretty much anywhere within the Canterlot Castle as long as it wasn't something private like bedchambers or other places that only the princesses had access to. Instead of testing his luck, he went to the Canterlot Garden under the night's cover. He was already getting used to putting on a cloak. He especially didn't want to be seen by a random wanderer at this time of night. It could bring... interesting consequences, after all.

While he wanted to go outside Canterlot Castle and explore the world, he couldn't. First of all, he was guarding Princess Luna, it was a job he couldn't abandon. If he did abandon it, such an action would ruin anything and everything going on between himself and the princess: trust, friendship, all of it would be gone. Secondly, his appearance was fearsome, if not outright terrifying to ponies. It was a great hindrance, and he definitely couldn't go anywhere unnoticed. While he was at the castle, he had some help, at the very least. Outside, he would be alone. Maybe not defenseless, but certainly without any companionship which he needed in this new and confusing world.

In a few minutes, he reached the gardens. Even under the moonlight, it was beautiful with many flowers closed for the night, and yet there were some that were blooming, glowing slightly. The animals were hiding in the bushes or on the trees, avoiding the infernal equine. Andromalius, not noticing them, walked to a bench near a small pond and took a seat. He looked at the surface of the water, admiring the mirror image of the moon and stars. He touched the pond, sending ripples throughout the surface, distorting the image.

"Who's 'ere at this time o' night?" a voice spoke to him from behind, making his ears perk up and turn to the speaker.

Andromalius slowly turned around and saw an old earth pony stallion. His fur was grayish-green, his mane was gray. His cutie mark was of a shovel and a plant. Despite looking old, there was still a spark of youth in his eyes as they looked at the hell stallion.

"I am," Andromalius finally replied, hoping that it was dark enough to hide his features. "Personal guard of Princess Luna, if you need specifics."

"Ah, relaxing, right?" the stallion walked around the hell stallion. "'Tis sure tiresome, isn't it? Serving the princess, I mean."

"Not so much," Andromalius replied with a shake of his head. "Princess Luna is..." he paused, thinking for a moment. "Well, I don't think I'm supposed to tell you."

"Nah, don't worry, I'll tell no one. I used to guard Princess Celestia when I was young, after all," the stallion smiled, sitting down nearby. "Oh, and where're my manners!" he slapped himself on the forehead and then extended his hoof. "I am Shovel Knight, nice t'meet ya!"

"Andromalius," the hell stallion introduced himself as well, and both bumped hooves. "So..." he paused to gather his thoughts. "Princess Luna thinks of me more like I'm her friend, not just a guard."

"Well, 'tis certainly no surprise," Shovel let out a soft chuckle. "A personal guard ain't just a guard that protects the body. He's more like somepony that a princess can rely on completely. And it means sharin' her problems as well. Princesses don't have many friends, and they're surely not happy about that."

"I think I understand," Andromalius nodded.

"Well, I s'pose ya do," the gardener shrugged. "I can't tell you how things are now, I'm too old to guard a princess properly. Celestia still comes here sometimes to see me, though."

"Shovel?" a familiar voice of day princess sounded from behind the two stallions. They turned around and saw Celestia.

"Hello, Celestia!" Shovel Knight smiled and went to his princess. They shared a hug. "It feels like years since you've been 'ere."

"I'm sorry about that. The schedule was pretty tight during the recent years," Celestia hung her head in shame, her ears drooping slightly. "But now I have more free time, and I think I can spend more time in the gardens," she smiled, her mood brightening. "It's always nice to have some friendly company after the tiresome day of court."

Unbeknownst to the princess, Andromalius disappeared silently, creeping around her and heading back into the castle. He knew he should leave those two alone, he would be just a third wheel. He was unsure if Celestia liked him, after all, and so, to evade any and all tension between her and himself, it was best for him to leave.

The hell stallion wandered through the castle aimlessly, not knowing what to do. He was bored, he was slightly irritated as memories of Inanna the Succubus went through his head, and overall, he just needed to spend the time somehow.

He noticed there wasn't any guard at Celestia's bedchamber doors. Andromalius knew that sneaking in wasn't a good thing, but he wondered if he could find anything interesting in relation to him.

"Oh, Andro, you're trying to find out Celestia's fetishes?" Inanna was inside his head once again, ready to tease him. "One of her fetishes is a banana one. She loves sucking them like a lollipop. It makes her so~ aroused."

"Did I need to know it?" Andromalius replied and sighed, knowing that there was no way Inanna would stop with it.

"Well, who knows... Maybe someday you'll have a threesome with both princesses, hmm?" she suggested.

"I doubt any of them sees me in that way," he disagreed, his irritation growing.

"I don't know whether they do or not, but better be ready for everything, don't you think?" the succubus giggled.

Andromalius groaned in reply, deciding to silence himself as not to provoke her further and then entered Celestia's bedchambers. They were empty, the lights were off, and the hell stallion knew that the owner was away.

Moving through the dark room, the hell stallion came upon a table. There were many papers on it, some of them in stacks, some just scattered around in an unorganized and seemingly chaotic way.

What caught Andromalius's eye was, however, a piece of paper, which was titled "The thousandth year".

"Hm... I wonder if it's relevant to me," Andromalius thought. He picked the paper using his magic and brought it closer to read.

Twenty-first of June, year three thousand A.F.E.

Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student, is doing really well with her studies. Once again, she surpasses my every expectation in terms of magical study. I shouldn't be surprised, her talent is magic, after all.

However, I am concerned about her well-being. She doesn't have any friends, she rarely talks to anypony. She is entirely focused on studying, which wouldn't be as bad if she socialized in at least some way.

I had a very bad experience some years ago, and I don't want the same happening to my new student.

So, I am going to send her to arrange the Summer Sun Celebration in Ponyville. That village is calm and full of friendly ponies. It will be the perfect place for Twilight to befriend somepony, and maybe even find a special one.

Twenty-second of June, year three thousand A.F.E.

Everything went as I expected. Twilight befriended five ponies, all six became new bearers of the Elements of Harmony and helped to free my dear sister Luna from her madness.

Applejack, an earth pony mare with peach-colored fur and blonde mane, earned the Element of Honesty.

She told Twilight that everything will be fine with her if she let go. I don't know how does that connects to honesty, but it isn't my place to question the Elements' choice.

Then, a being known as Horse of Tartarus tried to stop the rest of the six from getting to their elements. Nightmare Moon made the creature obey her biddings, and sent it to scare everypony away from the castle, in which Nightmare Moon was planning to live and rule from after defeating me.

However, the creature returned to the forest where it came from.

So, only when the creature left, the five got their Elements.

Pinkie Pie, an earth pony mare with pink fur and darker pink, puffy mane, earned the Element of Laughter after cheering her friends up.

Fluttershy helped a lost snake to get out of the castle, thus earning the Element of Kindness.

Rainbow Dash, a pegasus mare with cyan fur and rainbow mane, refused to leave her friends to Nightmare Moon and the Horse. She said that she would never forgive herself if she left her friends. Thus, she earned the Element of Loyalty.

Rarity, a unicorn mare with white fur and purple mane, gave her tail to the bat. The bat looked fabulous, having white fur as Rarity's, but lost all of her magnificent hair because of eating a wrong fruit. The Element of Generosity was thus earned by Rarity.

Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student, earned the Element of Magic after she solved the ancient prophecy.

After freeing Luna from her own curse, I was told about that Horse of Tartarus. Hoping to send it back to the place where I thought it came from, all of us found it and used the Elements.

So, ...

Suddenly, the door behind Andromalius creaked open. He quickly hid in the shadows.

"I know where thou hidest thy most delicious cake, Tia," Luna said devilishly, stepping in and closing the door behind herself. "Dost not thou worry, I shall only take a small piece of it..."

Luna sneaked to a wall and pressed something on it. The wall silently opened, revealing a huge cake in a transparent freezer. She liked her lips, and then took a slice of the cake using her magic.

Andromalius sneaked out of the room and went back to his one.

"Well," Andromalius thought, now back in his room. "Now I know what I was hit with..."

"Elements of Harmony? Those are interesting things." Inanna was quick to start a conversation.

"Inanna, do you ever sleep?" Andromalius wondered.

"I can miss so many carnal acts in my sleep, so nope," Inanna chuckled. "I don't need to sleep anyway, rarely any demon does."

"No jokes about sex this time?" the hell stallion asked, surprised.

"I wait for an appropriate time. You'll have a very awkward boner, and that's when I will laugh."

"God damnit..."

"I am a succubus, what did you expect? Having sex most of the time is natural to us," Inanna explained, fake surprise in her voice. "And I'm the troll master among them all."

"Well, your jokes about sex aren't always needed. Adding sex to everything isn't funny," he scowled at her, hoping that she would get the message this direct.

"Well, maybe you're right, but... Well, my sex drive was and always is higher than heaven, and I needed to annoy someone to cool off. You just happened to appear at the wrong time, that's it. Don't worry, though, I'll keep it down a bit."

"Um... Thanks, I suppose," Andromalius replied nervously, not entirely trusting her.

"You're welcome, Andromalius. Oh, and Luna's heat cycle starts tomorrow if you forgot."

"Shit."

Chapter 5: Daemones Et Concupiscentiis

Five days passed since Andromalius had seen Luna last. She locked herself in her room and refused to go anywhere, staying there during all those days. And each time the hell stallion had to pass her room by, he could smell a very intoxicating smell and hear lustful moans. Every single time he shivered and quickened his pace, yet trying to step as silently as possible so that he wouldn't attract unwanted attention. Having sex with Luna in any way or form wasn't in either his desires or plans.

Today, however, was a special day. Inanna has something important to tell Andromalius. For it to happen, he needed to go to sleep. Dreading the possibilities but understanding the need, he lay on his bed, his eyes closed, and waited to fall asleep.

"Hello again, Andromalius," Inanna spoke when he opened his eyes. The same lifeless land of hell lay around him. "Today, I will speak to you about each sub-race a bit more in-depth. It may perhaps help you in the future. They are a little different in abilities from what is in that game of yours. And I will tell you our history."

Andromalius nodded and gestured for her to continue as he sat down. Knowing what awaited him in the future, he had to listen, to consume all the information and understand it to the best of his ability. Despite still being quite confused on the matter of becoming a ruler, he could at the very least prepare for it since it was pretty much inevitable.

"First, the imps. They are weak, stupid, and very annoying as you know. However, they can make building materials, such as bricks," Inanna continued, summoning an image of an imp patting on a brown brick. For some reason, Andromalius didn't want to know what the said brick was made of. "They don't steal mana, they just don't have the magic to do so. Well, there is no demon that can do that anyway, as far as I know."

The hell stallion nodded once again. Just like in the game, imps would be good as long as there's a good number of them. They became a bit less useful but at the very least they could provide building materials.

"Second, the demon overseers, as you call them. Short but very muscular and strong, especially in their arms, they can do a lot of hard labor that most of the other demons can't. We call them the Builders. They're the strong force, those who do the hard labor for all of us. They build our structures and help to repair the old ones."

An image of the builder appeared as they effortlessly picked up multiple bricks and other things that were at least twice their size and carried them to an unfinished structure.

"Next, the hellhounds. They aren't too different from the hounds on the surface, but they are more aggressive and protective of their owners," Inanna didn't stop, a dog-wolf hybrid of an unknown breed appearing before Andromalius. "Despite looking dangerous, they're very good and kind pets to those who treat them well. Oh, and they don't glow at all, no demon does. Their eyes are solid black, however. And they don't wear chains around their necks."

Dogs were dogs even in hell, Andromalius realized. He let out a small chuckle.

"The succubi and incubi. Well, they can seduce almost anypony, and bend them to their will. We haven't used this power of ours for a very long time, however," Inanna said, this time not summoning any images or projections but instead presenting herself. "All of us have a gray fur and black manes. Only our irises' color differs: mine is aqua blue, for example. And we can use magic, obviously, including some offensive and defensive spells, mostly fire-based."

Andromalius could do nothing but nod in understanding. Things had been going smoothly so far, he didn't think he would have to worry about anything. However, there were still things to talk about and kinds of demons to discover.

"The pit lords. They carry swords in sheaths, not just holding them in one hand all the time. They have armor not only on their arms but on their bodies, wings, and tails as well," Inanna explained, summoning a figure that vaguely looked like a griffon or a hippogriff, although heavily distorted. Cloven hooves, a long leathery tail, a pair of hands, big inverted wings, a sharp muzzle, horns on the head that pointed towards the back and slightly up, and piercing eyes of solid color of orange. They used both legs and an arm to stand as if their back couldn't support the weight if they wanted to become bipedal. "Unlike those in that game of yours, our pit lords can fly, their wings have membranes. They're no magic casters, however."

Andromalius nodded yet again. Pit lords had lost their use as dealers of heavy area-of-effect magic damage but gained the ability to fly instead. It put them lower in the eyes of the hell stallion, but they would still have their uses, he would just have to figure out what they might be.

"And finally, the devils. They are, well, changed minotaurs," Inanna said, conjuring an image of an armored minotaur. "It is well-known that minotaurs are warriors, so devils are as well. As I've said before, their armor doesn't have those useless spikes with skulls. And they mostly carry swords, not those... circular axes, for the lack of better word. And they can't teleport too, they don't have that much magical potential. Instead, they move quickly on hoof and have much more stamina than even an earth pony," she let out a deep sigh, finishing her speech. "Well, that is all about the sub-races. Now, to the part of ruling us all..."

"Uh, one questions?" Andromalius put up a hoof before Inanna could continue.

"Of course, Andromalius," she nodded, preparing to listen to what he had to ask.

"Well..." he paused before asking a simple question, "Why me?"

"Didn't I explain it earlier? Well, let me tell you from the very beginning, then. And, as I promised you, I'll start with history." she cleared her throat. "A long time ago, long before I was born, and long before Equestria was founded, the demons lived on the surface. We were quite different at the time. Our coats were of more colors, for example. Basically, we weren't demons back then, only a different kind of any other race," she explained slightly awkwardly. "Sorry, I'm not a history teacher, I can't really put it well in words. Anyway, that isn't really the beginning, it's more like a simple explanation."

Andromalius nodded in understanding, his ears aiming at her.

"We were no different from other races back then, but all changed when the hate between the three pony tribes raised," Inanna continued, her expression drooping slightly as a frown appeared on her face. "It happened about five thousand years ago, and wendigoes weren't yet awoken," her tone became more dreary and serious. "The war between the three started, pulling in other races: griffons, minotaurs, yaks, changelings. The war lasted for long until the foundation of Equestria happened. That means the war lasted for two thousand years, with small pauses of course."

She let out a deep sigh before continuing.

"There were those who united, who didn't want that war, those who wanted nothing to do with the problems of politicians that pulled all of us into that bloodshed," Inanna explained. "And thus, the Demon Alliance was born. It spoke against the war, it was for its end and for peace to be established. Everyone was growing tired of war and of its destruction. Many fields were burnt, prosperous towns and cities destroyed. Most of those caught between the ambitions of politicians didn't know where to go but we found the way. We traveled to the north, even deeper in the inhospitable land," she paused for a second. "We were considered traitors that abandoned the ways of our ancestors, of our kinds. We were hated for what we became, even if the peace we had among each other was more beneficial than the long-lasting war that raged south of us. Our interspecies relationships resulted in appearing the sub-races of demons, such as succubi and incubi. We weren't called like that back then..."

Inanna stopped completely for a few long moments. Andromalius waited patiently, understanding that it was hard for her to speak about it. After all, wars always impacted multiple generations in more ways than one. He could even sense how much sadness Inanna felt over what happened a long time ago.

"And then, the Purity's Curse came..." she continued quietly. "The most powerful magical race, the unicorns, created a very powerful magical artifact, the Sphere of Purity. It was supposed to 'cleanse' us of our 'filth', thus making us fight each other again," her expression sharpened as fire danced in her eyes. "However, the Sphere was unstable and exploded in use. The demons were sent to Hell, the place of eternal fire and darkness, the underground which barely anyone knew of. We gained new abilities, lost some, and became what we are now. Thousands of years of isolation and the influence of the magic of the Sphere made us look like this: dark colors, black pupils, and wrongly-bent membrane wings."

Pausing yet again, Inanna looked at her own wings. There was no membrane at all, only stripes of skin connected what she still had of her wings. Despite it, no scar tissue was visible, making Andromalius think that she was born like that. Influence of the Sphere, he guessed.

"We the equines were the majority of the demons and we changed while most of our recognizable features remained," Inanna continued her explanation, summoning an image of a regular pony mare and a succubus. Side by side, they still looked mostly similar although the features such as wings and horn were very different, as well as the tail and hooves. "Hippogryphs, children of a pony and a griffon, however, had less luck. They became what are now pit lords. Well, look at them now, they don't have fur or feathers at all, their heads are deformed, they now have those nightmarish tails... The Hell left its mark on every one of us," Inanna ended with a sad sigh.

Andromalius walked up to the succubus and hugged her softly, not knowing what to say. He knew he could say something along the lines of how the sad the story was but he felt it wouldn't be enough. Then, he said: "I haven't ever thought of demons like that."

"I doubt anyone knows the truth besides us," Inanna replied, pressing her head against the hell stallion's neck. "You'll never find anything about us in the books. Only legends are known, and they are very far from the truth," she leaned back. "Discord, the spirit of Chaos, destroyed most books during his reign. And he was the one who told us that none will ever find us. He thought it would be fun, so he gave us that prophecy," Andromalius let Inanna go, allowing her to summon a piece of pink paper with checkered white and black letters.

"It says: 'On the five thousandth year after the Purity's Curse, the Demon Messiah, the most powerful demon of nature unknown, shall appear," Inanna said, looking at the paper. "He the Messiah will walk the earth freely, no restraint will be able to hold him, no force will be able to banish him as his kin was. He shall free those who are under the surface and bring them under his fair rule, and his kingdom shall have no end.'"

"That sounds like something from a fantasy book," Andromalius commented on the prophecy. "It does sound serious, but... something is off."

"Well, maybe someday someone will write about us, about our lives and adventures. Who knows..."

With those words in his head, Andromalius drifted off to a peaceful and long slumber.

Around eight hours later, the hell stallion opened lowly and groggily. It was the late evening, judging by the dim light of his room. Andromalius blinked a few times, getting the sleep out of his eyes. He looked at the clock and found out that he indeed slept for a long time.

"Fuck..." he muttered. "Now she knows all my fetishes if she made her time in my brain. Damn succubi..."

A demonic, lustful giggle echoed inside his head.

"Andromalius~" Inanna sang his name, making him pale despite him being almost completely black. "I know~ and... I thought you had more in you. But I am not disappointed. I didn't want to find out that you are someone that likes something extremely weird, like vore or extremely big teats the size of a head or bigger or something like those. Those just... well, they are unnatural. We succubi enjoy things that can be done in reality. even by the standards of the most perverted succubus."

"And... Who has those fetishes?" Andromalius asked with dread in his mind-voice.

"Well, I haven't heard of anypony that has something like that as a fetish. You're lucky, Andromalius."

"Thank God..." the hell stallion sighed in relief, relaxing for a bit. However, he didn't know what was coming next.

"However..." the succubus said slowly, making him tense up again. "I still know your fetishes~"

"Damnit."

Chapter 6: Carnis Concupiscentiam

Author's Note

I was surprised to find out that more than two hundred people added this story to a bookshelf. And I was very surprised to find out that I have more than a hundred people following my story!

Thanks, I really appreciate this.
EDIT: Almost two years later, I look through this, and see... Why, oh why was this story so liked? IT HAS SO MANY FLAWS AND MISTAKES!

...

At least I'm fixing it now.

Chapter 6: Carnis Concupiscentiam

The seventh day of Luna's heat cycle came. The hardest day for her not to fall for her carnal desires. She was ready to have any stallion, and that meant any, even of a demon nature.

Because of that, the guards at the castle were asked to leave for their own sake. They gladly agreed, they couldn't properly do their job because of Luna's smell, after all. The guards were temporary replaced with females.

And Andromalius had to leave as well. He was allowed to go into the city, but not without his cloak, of course.

So, the hell stallion went outside the castle to have a stroll through the city. And he knew where he could find some information or hear some rumors. The local tavern, the Galloping Pony, was the hell stallion's destination.

He walked through the city with caution, trying not to draw attention to himself. That was proven to be a difficult task; Andromalius was almost twice as big as any pony, and his strange horn didn't help with anything.

"I hate that 'Big Creature' passive 'ability'." he thought with irritation.

"It isn't that bad. It gives you a good view, plus you can still see as if you stood on your two legs as you used to do as a human." Inanna spoke.

"I guess you make a good point, but it isn't making the stares go away." Andromalius rolled his eyes.

"Let them stare. I know you're too sexy for them." Inanna chuckled.

"I don't think they find creatures from hell sexy."

"Oh, you don't know anything, trust me." Inanna giggled. "Some of them are into kinky stuff, including succubi in their natural form."

"Ponies are so perverted..." Andromalius sighed.

"I think humans aren't any better. They just hide their dirty thoughts well. I bet humans are even more perverted than ponies."

"I know, some of them are into some really weird and disgusting shit." Andromalius shivered.

"Like?.."

"You don't want to know." the hell stallion assured her.

"But I do!" Inanna pouted.

"Three words: mares with dicks."

"Fuck this shit, I'm out."

Andromalius enter the Galloping Pony, and immediately all the stares were on him.

"Well, no one's screaming, so that's a good sign." he sighed, then went to the bar stand.

"Hello!" a barmaid greeted him with a smile. She was a unicorn of light-blue mane and black mane. Her cutie mark was a smily face. "My name's Blueberry, what can I getcha?"

Andromalius took a seat at the bar stand and looked behind the mare. There were various bottles of brew, divided into two categories: salty and without salt.

"Is salt like alcohol for ponies?" he asked Inanna.

"You're right, it is so."

Andromalius pondered for a moment, then pointed at the bottle that was labeled Apple Cider. Its price was three bits for a mug. Soon, he was served with the drink he asked.

He'd earned some bits while guarding Luna, so he had money to pay for the cider, and he did pay for it.

Thanking the barmaid with a nod, he left the bar stand, carrying the mug of cider using his magic, and went to the farthest corner of the tavern. Taking a seat at the small table, he let himself relax a little.

All stares ceased, and the lighthearted talk started.

"...and then I had a great time with her! Well, y'know what I mean..."

"...there's a strange smell near the castle...."

"...damn, I could go for a little of hard cider right now!.."

Andromalius groaned silently, thinking that he'll find nothing interesting in the tavern. He, of course, liked the cider, but that was it, nothing interesting.

"You know that new guard of Princess Luna that was seen at the court about a week ago?" a slightly familiar voice to the right of Andromalius spoke. The hell stallion turned his head slightly and saw two unicorn stallions, sitting at the small table. Both of them were wearing white cloaks that hid their features. Only their muzzles could be seen, one of them white, and the other grayish-blue.

"Yes, I do. In fact, he's right here, at the Galloping Pony. He's hardly unnoticeable." the grayish-blue unicorn replied, nodding. "What about him?"

"We've been trying to find out where this Andromalius came from. Unfortunately, there is no result." the white unicorn sighed. "We know little detail. He is supposedly deaf and is certainly mute. He always looks at the one who speaks, and he never speaks, as far as I know. That's why I'm talking about him so freely even when he's not far away."

"Why would princess Luna hire a deaf-mute guard? Is there something we don't know?"

"He could be very well a changeling."

"A changeling? Nopony has seen them for a very long time, and I certainly know that they look much different." the pale-gray unicorn objected.

"But what about that: Andromalius has crooked horn and black chitin. And maybe it's insect wings he's hiding under the cloak."

"Changelings don't have horns on their muzzles, that's for sure. They can't even be this large."

"Well, I know little about changelings, so excuse me if I got something wrong." the white unicorn huffed. "We must find out about this Andromalius more, though. I don't want strangers that close to the princesses."

"That's right. The Solar Guard isn't simply letting some stranger have princesses in his hooves."

The two nodded and ended their conversation.

Andromalius finished his drink, got up from the chair and went to exit. He nodded to the barmaid, then went out of the tavern.

The hell stallion was back in his room, sleeping. He didn't mind Luna's smell too much, considering that his room was almost devoid of it. He had nothing to do in the city anyway.

In his sleep, he was met yet again by the same succubus.

"Well, hello again, Andromalius." Inanna spoke. "You've been getting more sleep recently."

"Because there is no point in having no sleep anymore." he sighed. "You know my fetishes, and I have nothing else to hide."

"Well, you're an interesting person, that is for sure." Inanna said. "Do you want me to list your fetishes?"

"No."

"But I do, just to tease you." Inanna giggled.

"Damn."

"Of course." she chuckled. "So... you most sacred fetish is a deepthroat. Oh my, you sure want to receive one."

Andromalius blushed and looked away.

"Oh, don't be so shy, dear Andro~." Inanna walked closer. "Hiding your desires from me is impossible, you must know it."

"Eh, move on."

"And you want to cum in mouth! So dirty you are..." Inanna winked. "I like it."

"Are you going to bluntly tell me about everything dirty that I have?" Andromalius replied, irritated.

"Of course. I sound sexy, don't I?" Inanna laughed softly. "I doubt you mind my voice, after all."

"I don't." he admitted, still looking away.

"I knew it, Andro." Inanna circled him. "And I know one little thing about you..."

"What is it?"

"You are still a virgin." Inanna giggled as Andromalius's face heated up even more. "Oh, don't be ashamed of it. It is natural to all, even succubi."

"I'm... just... uh..."

"Yes, you've dreamed of sex at the age of fifteen, I know it." Inanna kept circling him, lustfully admiring his features. "However, no girls were interested in you. You weren't enough... bad for them. You obeyed the law, you studied well, you didn't look badass. Through the years, you became more and more frustrated. That is natural, of course.

"I know you dreamed of a slow, yet passionate sex that would give you so much pleasure that can't be received from masturbation. You still dream of it, though."

Andromalius shuddered as Inanna's tail rubbed against the inner side of his right hindleg, just a little lower than his stallionhood.

"And I... I can give you what you want." Inanna looked him in the eyes, lustful look in her ones. "Don't you be afraid, dear Andromalius..."

Suddenly, Andromalius found himself back in his room without Inanna by his side. And he had a raging boner.

"So, dreaming about me, hmm?" Inanna spoke devilishly.

"That was... just a dream?" the hell stallion asked, shifting on his bed.

"Indeed it was." the succubus replied. "So, at least your subconsciousness isn't against having sex with an equine, especially as sexy as me."

"I... I don't think I'm against it at all." Andromalius admitted. "But, that really was just a dream? You didn't influence it?"

"Oh, I would certainly like making your dreams hot and sweaty, but I don't want to rush things." Inanna chuckled.

"I think... I really need to... get laid." Andromalius sighed.

"Oh, finally you understand!" Inanna laughed. "It took you too long, though."

"That is... what you'd been waiting for from the beginning?"

"Of course! You've been under a lot of stress lately, and the best relieving method is..."

"Sex."

"Damn right you are!"

Chapter 7: Magicae Et Natura

Andromalius was lying on his bed, trying to think of anything other than sex.

"Ugh..." he muttered, rolling yet another time. "Luna, damn you!"

Luna's still-strong smell isn't doing him any good either. Andromalius was so aroused he was ready to fuck anything of opposite gender. And his now-favorite succubus wasn't around to finally do what a succubus is supposed to.

"You know, I think you shouldn't have returned to the castle so soon." Inanna chuckled. "You're now hornier than me, and that's impressive."

"God damn, where are you when you're truly needed?" Andromalius groaned.

"Try to jack off in the bathroom." Inanna giggled. "Imagine my amazing butt, and you'll be good."

"I think I'll do just that."

After getting to the bathroom without being seen by any female guards (He wasn't against that, though), Andromalius did what he urged to. Unfortunately, he had to clean the bathroom a little after his not so little grand finale.

Relieved, he went back to his room, humming a happy tune. After all, what can be better than a good ol' masturbation session?

"Damn, my man stuff is bigger now." Andromalius thought, now back in his room.

"Well, you are bigger than you was, and you're a damn huge equine. What did you expect?" Inanna chuckled.

Andromalius sighed.

He'd been lying for some time on his bed before a knock came from his door.

"Dear Andromalius, art thou there?" a familiar voice spoke.

"Luna?" Andromalius replied nervously, lifting his head.

"My cycle ended, if that's what thou art afraid of." she replied nervously. "May I come in?"

Andromalius sat on his bed and replied: "Yes."

Luna slowly opened the door. She was slightly different from when Andromalius has seen her last, and he could quite tell what is different. She entered the room, and now he could see that she became slightly taller, her fur and mane darkened a bit as well. She now looked older.

"Hello," Luna spoke with a sincere smile. "'Tis been long since we've seen each other, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is so." Andromalius nodded.

"Well, what didst thou do while I was... out of work?"

"Mostly studying. I've went outside the castle, too." the hell stallion replied. "Went to the Galloping Pony. It isn't much interesting there, though."

"And what wast thou learning?"

"History, geography, culture, magic." Andromalius listed. "Well, I can say I studied pretty much everything, though there is a lot more waiting for me."

"Well, thou hast changed a bit, as far as I can see." Luna stepped closer. "And what is this?"

Andromalius shivered as Luna touched his bald head with her hoof, then traced it down his face.

"Thou hast grown some fur." Luna said. "I suppose thou art not so different from us ponies as I first thought."

He touched his face, feeling that it indeed became a little less furless. There now were short black hairs that couldn't be seen on his black skin.

"Perhaps thy fire burned it while leaving the skin in place." Luna suggested. "That's why it grew. When was the last time thou used thy fire?"

"I didn't use it since I was taken by you, I think." Andromalius replied, scratching his chin with a hoof.

"That's interesting..." Luna muttered. "However, I came to thee today not only to see thee, but to find out how well were thy studies going. Today, thou shalt have to pass a test."

"What do I have to do?" the hell stallion asked.

"Thou shalt battle Shining Armor, current captain of the Solar Guard."

Andromalius followed Luna as she walked through the halls of Canterlot Castle to the inner grounds.

"Well, captain Armor is certainly good at what he's doing, I was told." Luna spoke. "And since thou art my guardian, it must be determined whether thou canst compete with the best of the best.

"Captain Armor hath a set of defensive spells. His shield is hard to break, as far as I know. His skills with sword are the ones of the best throughout Equestria, and he hath some offensive spells as well. He is a tough one, that is for sure."

"Like one wise person said, 'Do or do not; there is no try.' And I will fight him, and I will come out a winner." Andromalius stated. "I will not disappoint, Luna."

"Dost not strain thyself too hard, dear Andromalius." Luna said worriedly. "'Tis only a small battle. He's one of the best, and being at draw with him is a challenging task. If thou feelest thou canst not win, thou shouldst not try. Dangerous consequences may follow if thou dost."

"I am aware of that, Luna." Andromalius nodded. "And I am sure I can compete. I must do my best for you."

There was a square ground somewhere within the walls of Canterlot Castle. It was four hundred square meters, which purpose is a training ground for the Solar Guard.

In the center of it Shining Armor stood. Surrounding the area, some guards that were free of duty stood, waiting for a battle that was soon to start.

Luna and Andromalius walked out of the castle's insides and went straight to the open area. The hell stallion was greeted with stares.

"Good day, Andromalius." Shining Armor greeted the stallion. "It is a pleasure to meet the one that princess Luna talks so proudly about."

"Likewise." Andromalius replied, walking closer to the captain. They bumped hooves, never breaking eye contact.

Andromalius was ready for the battle. While researching magic, he came up with excellent results. He could cast some spells from the game as well, like Eldritch Arrow or Fireball. It was only a matter of time before he would learn all the spells from the game.

So, he knew how to act and what spells would be useful against Shining Armor. First would be Vulnerability that would destroy his magical armor. Next, Weakness spell must be used. And last, Slow spell.

To strengthen himself, Andromalius would use Haste, Divine Strength, and Endurance.

All those spells would spend little mana, and the remains would be saved by Andromalius for later.

Luna started the countdown, and the two stallions prepared themselves for battle. Andromalius made sure that his battle spells were more or less harmless, doing only stun and low damage. Certainly, Shining Armor would get some bruises and a headache, but nothing more,

When the countdown was finished, Andromalius quickly caster Vulnerability spell. To his surprise, the effect was the same as in the game.

"What kind of magic is this?!" Shining Armor yelled, confused.

Not giving him time to think, Andromalius casted the other two spells on him. Shining growled, then casted a shield around himself to prevent further attacks. Unfortunately for him, Andromalius had already done the damage.

Casting enhancing spells on himself, Andromalius noticed that the stallion picked up a wooden sword and prepared to strike. To captain's surprise, his blow didn't reach its target, but was blocked by a crystal, his sword stuck in it.

Letting go of the sword, Shining used offensive magic, sending a bolt of pink magic at the hell stallion. Andromalius casted an Eldritch Arrow, and it collided with Shining's bolt, creating a rainbow sphere for a moment.

Shining Armor, more irritated and annoyed as ever, went to hoof-to-hoof combat. He used his hind legs to buck Andromalius hard.

Taking a few steps back in surprise, Andromalius used his right foreleg to take a swing at the captain. Colliding with the pink shield, the hoof made a crack on it and sent its owner flying.

"And Luna called him one of the best?" Andromalius thought.

"It's no surprise. Ponies rarely fought since the foundation of Equestria, and that left them soft." Inanna replied. "Besides, the magic you use is unknown in Equestria, and my guess is that everything they have on battle magic is really nothing but shields and magical bolts or beams."

"To me, casting those spells is easy." Andromalius thought, dodging another bolt of magic. "Logic can be applied to them. For example, to make a lighting is just to turn magical energy into electricity, and aim it at something."

"Ponies and logic are things that are barely seen together." Inanna chuckled. "Especially in magic, I must add. There weren't many spells invented even in the last thousand years, as far as I know. Ponies explain everything as 'magic', and don't know that things can have other nature than that. In the prison of Hell, we took our time at studying many things. While your human science is far ahead of ours, we know some things that ponies don't."

"So, they're pretty much stagnant?" Andromalius replied, blocking a buck that was coming his way.

"That is right. But you better focus yourself on a battle. We can discuss science later, alright?"

Andromalius nodded to himself, then quickly became offensive. He used Lightning, then Eldritch Arrow, and repeated. Then, he added his hellfire to Lightning, making it shield-breaking. Stunned and shocked, Shining Armor fell down to the ground.

Andromalius turned around and saw that everypony was shocked, including Luna.

"In the name of my sister..." she muttered.

Andromalius was in Luna's bedchambers, sitting in a comfortable armchair.

"So..." Luna started. She was sitting in front of him on another armchair. "I am very impressed, and that's an understatement. How do you use lightning when you're not even a pegasus?"

"Logic can be applied to everything, Luna." Andromalius explained. "The scientists from the world I came from know many things about nature and how things work. Fortunately, I didn't forget their explanations. It took the scientists hundreds of years to come with explanations, but it was worth it."

"Thou couldst very well start a revolution in magic and natural science, Andromalius." Luna looked at him seriously.

"While I'd like to share my knowledge, I think it will be better if scientists come up with the explanations by themselves. After all, it is their job. If I could give the, an advice, I would say 'Don't try to explain everything with magic. There is more to it.'"

"I will tell them just that, I suppose. Thy reasoning is good, so I shall take into consideration what thou hast just said. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving us a push to the right side, of course." Luna replied. "There was little to no research of nature. I think it will change from now on, after all that thou hast shared with me."

I cannot place an Author's Note on the both sides, so here I am.

Well, there was nothing in the show that wasn't just colorful beams of magic. No fire magic, no earth magic. I thought about it and came up with this chapter.

Chapter 8: Discessum

After his performance with Shining Armor, Celestia wished to see Andromalius personally. He was called to the throne room.

Two guards flanked him and escorted him there.

"Is it really necessary?" Andromalius asked. He could feel the fear from the two guards, though. They were almost two times smaller than him, and both held spears that could only be used by Andromalius as toothpicks.

"Princess's orders." one of them replied.

Andromalius sighed, knowing that he will find out nothing if he's going to question them further.

Soon, the three reached the throne room. The two guards by the door opened it and let them in.

Andromalius entered the throne room. Celestia and Luna were there, sitting on their thrones. Captain Shining Armor stood by Celestia's side, still a little electrified. Occasional small lightnings appeared here and there, making him wince.

"Andromalius," Celestia spoke. "You have used magic that even I know nothing about. What were those spells that you used in your battle against my captain?"

"I've known those spells for quite some time. From five to seven years, I think." Andromalius replied. Celestia's eyes widened in shock, but he didn't let her speak further. "But until recently, I didn't have a chance to use them. They were considered fictional, impossible to use at all."

"How did you learn them?" Celestia asked, her voice was that of steel.

"Applying logic, of course." the hell stallion replied. "That is how I figured out that they can be used here."

"This magic has no place here, in Equestria." Celestia said. "It is too dangerous for everypony. I'm afraid I'll have to restrain your magic from now on."

"Excuse me?" Andromalius replied, confused. Suddenly, Celestia's horn glowed and a magic restrictor ring slid on the hell stallion's horn.

He felt like a part of him suddenly vanishing without a trace. A gentle buzz of magic that he didn't notice earlier disappeared. He felt like another mind was disconnected from him, and a nasty feeling of emptiness replaced the calmness. And a nasty headache came, seemingly breaking his skull in half.

Andromalius blinked, trying to understand what happened. Then, he noticed a ring on his horn.

"Sister, I don't think it's necessary." Luna stated, shifting nervously in place. She noticed a small eye twitch that Andromalius made. His mouth closed and opened, his mind was in a state of panic.

"Magic that dangerous shouldn't be allowed." Celestia replied, shaking her head. Another eye twitch happened. "It is far beyond the most powerful offensive spells."

"Now, listen to me..." Andromalius growled, stepping closer. He tried with all his might to remain calm. "You have no right to decide what I can use."

"I'm afraid I can."

"It is my magic, and I will FUCKING not—" the hellfire raised in him, melting the ring in mere seconds. "—allow anyone to take it away!" he shouted, his fiery mane came, blue flames emerged from his body.

"Guards!" Celestia ordered, panicking. The Fear Aura of Andromalius activated, burning away all the bravery that she had.

The five guards that were in the room rushed to Andromalius, albeit without haste, but he was much smarter than them. He used a magical gust of wind to knock them off their hooves, and then casted Blade Barrier multiple times, surrounding himself completely, cutting off the reinforcements.

Unbeknownst to the princesses, he casted a Confusion spell on the guards.

"Now, you will listen to me, you bitch!" Andromalius yelled, getting closer. The nice feeling of being filled with magical energy returned, his panic subsided, but his anger only grew and grew. He cast Magic Immunity on himself, just in case Celestia tries anything else. "Do you honestly think that I will try to hurt your subjects? Do you think that I will try to take your and your sister's throne? You are fucking retarded if you do, Celestia!"

She just stared at him with fear in her eyes. Luna closed her eyes and prayed that everything ends alright. She knew she couldn't do anything. If she helped Andromalius, the two sisters would be split apart again. If she helped Celestia, all the trust that Andromalius has in her would vanish instantly.

"Magic that I know is mine." Andromalius continued. "It is only my right to use it as I see fit. And I will not try to take over. I will not enslave ponies. I will fucking not try to do anything bad to Equestria, damnit! It is my home now, and who the fuck would like to ruin their homes? Who? No one! I could, of course, use my magic to kill you. I could use my magic to enslave ponies. And I still can, but I won't. Unlike you, I can reason.

"And you say that my magic is dangerous. Because it's fucking battle magic! It is supposed to be fucking dangerous!

"And even the simplest levitation can be used for evil. It can be used to tear anyone apart! It can be used to lift a heavy load, and then drop it on someone! If you're so fucking smart, then you should ban all magic! What can you say now, Celestia?

"Oh, and I know Light, Dark, Chaos, and Summoning magic. Every magic, including the Light one, can inflict direct damage, can kill.

"I knew all those for a very long time. While Luna dealt with her heat, I could simply kill everypony in the castle and take the throne. But I'm not some crazy assfuck, I can reason and use myself for good. I can reason, and you can't. I've heard that you are a kind and understanding ruler, but I see something completely different. Or maybe it is because of what I am? You would forgive your student Twilight Sparkle for destroying half a town if she didn't accidentally kill anypony, but you wouldn't forgive me for using my knowledge of combat to, well, fucking fight! I didn't think I would say that, but you are too stupid for a thousand-years-old ruler.

"I suppose I'm not welcome at this castle any longer. I leave." Andromalius put out his flames, removed the blade barriers, and started walking towards the exit. "Luna, beat some reason into your sister for me. I'm sorry for leaving you, my friend. It was a pleasant time."

With that, he exited. The guards didn't react to him, standing still in the room's center.

After the doors closed, Luna turned to her sister,

"And at this moment thou must know; thou fuckedst up."

Andromalius exited the castle walls, cloak on him with hood on. He knew that there is a train station somewhere, and he wanted to get out of the city before Celestia does anything stupid.

The train ticket costs fifteen bits, and Andromalius had three hundred sixty three. He was thankful for the fact that Luna pays dayly, not in the month's end.

He was sad about the fact that he has to leave Luna, his only friend in Equestria. He knew it would be hard for her, but Andromalius found out her address, and will send her letters if he manages to settle somewhere first.

Successfully getting to the train station, he bought a ticket to Ponyville.

The train ride wasn't eventful, and soon Andromalius reached his destination. He knew that the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony live in Ponyville, but he knew that their Elements can do nothing to him. He knew more magic than any of them, too, so he was sure he was in no danger.

Exiting the train, he saw that there were almost no ponies in the streets. Most of them were hiding, and they were bad at it.

"I guess news about a giant equine with a crooked sharp horn on his muzzle fly fast." Andromalius thought, chuckling. "That doesn't make anything worse, though. The stares are much worse."

"Well, all you have to do is to buy a house here. I don't think it costs much." Inanna suggested. Silently agreeing with her suggestion, Andromalius started searching for a mayor's residence.

And it was easy to spot. It stood right in the center of the village, and was much higher than other buildings.

Entering the building, Andromalius was greeted by a secretary mare.

"Hello! What can I... help you... with?" fear showed in her eyes. She nervously shifted in place, trying to keep a smile on her face. She was obviously intimidated by the presence of such a big and scary-looking stallion.

"Good day." Andromalius nodded. "I was wondering if I can buy a house in this village."

"Well, uh..." the secretary muttered, then cleared her throat, and regained her professional attitude. She knew that if she would be able to sell. "We've got a few houses. It's three of them: one with only one floor, two with an additional second. All of them have basements."

"How much?"

"Sixty bits for one-storey, one hundred for two-storey."

Andromalius, on one hand, wanted just a simple house, but two-storey would be convenient if more people would live with him. Just in case, he decided to buy a two-storey house.

After the payment, he was asked to fill the papers with his personal data. It included his name, date of birth, and gender. The papers Andromalius filled will give him an ownership over the house.

After finishing all the business, Andromalius went to his new house.

"I wonder what can this village give me."

Chapter 9: Somnium De Natura

The secretary told him that his house was somewhere near the border of the Everfree Forest. After getting directions from her, Andromalius exited the Town Hall. He could hear a loud sigh of relief from behind.

"I wonder why aren't they using passports. It isn't possible to buy a house in USA without one." he thought. "Maybe only griffins and such need them, and ponies do not because they have cutie marks? And why wasn't I asked to show one? God damn, do they even know how to properly do things?"

"Perhaps she was too intimidated by you to do that." Inanna suggested. "Ponies are easily scared."

"How do you know all the things?"

"I see your memories like a film. Sad thing is that there is no popcorn in Hell." Inanna chuckled. "But I think you should know that if Celestia is stupid or brave enough to try to restrict or outright destroy you, a village that is right under her nose isn't the best choice to live in."

"I left a little surprise for Celestia." Andromalius smirked. "A Confusion spell that has already activated. Any guards that were in the room has already forgot about my, ahem, performance, so there is no proof that I did anything at all."

"Smart move." Inanna chuckled. "However, I would recommend you to move as far away as possible from Celestia, at least for now. It is only a matter of time before she finds out you are here. And I doubt her subjects would need an explanation for destroying such evil-looking creature as you."

At the same time, Canterlot Castle, the Throne Room.

The five guards that were guarding the throne room felt like something disappeared, but couldn't quite tell what that was. They stood at attention, looking serious as ever, but inside of them confusion reigned. Shining Armor felt like he's been electrified, but he didn't remember why.

Celestia and Luna were heatedly arguing with each other, placing a soundproof bubble around themselves.

"I tell thee, sister, Andromalius did what he could." Luna said. "If thou wast not that stupid, everything would be fine! Who told thee to restrain him without giving him a chance?"

"He is a danger to us!" Celestia argued. "Did you not see his magic? Guards don't even remember seeing him today! And those blade walls? That! Is! Dangerous!"

"Thou actedst stupid and thou got the expected." Luna rolled her eyes.

"Why are you defending him?"

"Because he is my friend!" Luna snapped. "I see that all he needth is understanding. He isn't here by his own will, and he's suffering from it. He is alone in the world he doth not know. It became even worse when thou accusedst him of things he would never do!

"He hath no friends here besides me. He's trying to look tough, but I can see that he needs more. And thou ruinedst everything! He ran away not because he wants to hurt ponies, but because he doesn't want to be thought of like he's an incarnation of evil!"

"...Well," Celestia cleared her throat. "I will give him a chance, but only because you asked me to. However, if he shows any hostility towards our ponies, he will be destroyed."

Andromalius found his new home. It wasn't in the perfect condition, but it was fine by him.

The walls grayed from time, windows were dusty, some of them had cracks. The roof was tiled, but most of the tiles were broken or cracked. Overall, the house looked like it was abandoned a long time ago.

Andromalius entered it, and the first thing he did was a sneeze. There was a lot of dust in the house.

The insides were a little better. There were three small rooms on the first floor: a kitchen, a bathroom, and a guest room. The kitchen had a sink, a table for four ponies, a couple of cupboards, and a coal-powered furnace. The bathroom had a toilet that was a little too small for Andromalius, and a bath with a shower. The guest room had a large sofa, suitable for four ponies of standard size, and a large fireplace with some old logs left in it.

The second floor had a large bedroom with a good-sized bed, suitable for Andromalius, and a big closet that was filled with old pillows, sheets, and blankets.

"You know, a strange-looking equine living in an abandoned-looking building is suspicious." Inanna chuckled. "Watch out for torch-wielders with pitchforks."

"Funny." Andromalius rolled his eyes. "But this place needs to be cleaned, that is right."

He made sure that no one looked at his house at the moment, then used his flames to burn all the dust away. Thankfully, the temperature wasn't high enough to burn wood. In a matter of seconds, all dust was incinerated, making the rooms look clean.

"That was easy." Andromalius chuckled. "Well, I can make windows better as well... Hm..."

He used his fire to melt windows a little, making cracks disappear. Windows looked as good as new now.

"This fire is convenient." the hell stallion thought, looking at the result of his work. It was acceptable to him, so he went to bed. After the tiring day a sleep would be appropriate.

Again, the black lands of Hell welcomed him in his sleep. Inanna was there, waiting for Andromalius to say anything.

"Well, I'm a little tired from this barren land." he sighed. "Let me arrange a change of scenery."

Suddenly, the two found themselves on a lake's shore, surrounded by trees and grass. Birds chirped happily, the skies were blue, the water was clean. Overall, a typical scenery of places untouched by civilization.

"I've never seen this but through your eyes..." Inanna said with awe. "And the touch of grass feels... strange. Strange, but nice."

"I guess you've never been anywhere but Hell, have you?" Andromalius said, then lied on the grass. "I feel bad for those who never saw the sunlight, never felt this air... Nature is beautiful up here."

"It is." Inanna deeply inhaled and smiled. "The air is... different." she sighed. "Sad thing is that it is only a dream of yours..."

"Soon it will become reality for all of you, I promise." Andromalius said. "I just need to figure out what to do."

Inanna was busy sniffing all the flowers, smile of happiness on her face.

"I hope it will be." she said with a sad sigh. "I've only heard about the Surface from elders, and they've heard about it from those who are even more older... Well, we live longer than others. I am a hundred years old, for example. Devils can live up to a thousand years as far as I know."

"And how many demons are there?" Andromalius asked.

"We didn't count, but there is about ten thousand of us overall. Many died in battles against each other, and its not an easy thing to conceive a child for any demon. Some of us can do it any time, but not many children live long enough."

"Why do you fight if you were together since before Equestria?" the hell stallion wondered. "What is the point? Also, have you never tried to find a way out of there?"

"The first generations of demons did. And then panic consumed us, and friends of past became enemies of present... I guess the Sphere of Purity worked, ripping us apart once again." she sighed yet again. "But when you appeared, something changed within us, making us realize our mistakes.

"We've remembered our history, we've remembered who we truly are. You brought us light, right into our dark place of Hell. That is why you will be the new Demon Lord, the ruler of the Demon Alliance that once stood for peace and prosperity for all nations, regardless of their looks.

"I once heard that the word 'demon' is originated from the ancient word of 'daemos', which means 'people' in one of the First Languages. Evil tongues say that the origin is 'daemostus', which means 'destruction'. It is not true, at least no demon wants it to be now."

"I see no evil in you, Inanna." Andromalius spoke. "If it is my destiny to rule the demons, I will make sure that we will be remembered as a peaceful nation. But to do so, I must first free you, and then bring life to your barren lands. What must I do?"

"Truthfully, no one knows." Inanna replied. "There is a big stone door at the center of Hell, and no one knows where it leads. What we know is that it can only be opened from the other side."

"How?"

"The legend says that three items must be found. A Sword of Equinaur, a Shield of Hippogriff, and an Amulet of Alicorn."

"I have a strong feeling that they are the key to your freedom." Andromalius tapped his chin. "Hmm... I guess an equinaur is a succubus without wings, correct? A child of a minotaur and a pony, if being more precise."

"Yes, it is."

"So... Hippogriff is a child of a griffin and a pony. So, an alicorn is... Hmm, a child of all three pony tribes?" the hell stallion suggested.

"Uh, I didn't think much about it, but I suppose you're right." Inanna scratched her chin. "There were alicorns, ponies with both horn and a pair of wings, and strength of an earth pony. A pair was born before our inprisonment, as far as I know. Their fate is unknown, though... Maybe they relate to Celestia and Luna... Hm..."

"There is a strong possibility of that." Andromalius nodded. "But how did all of these species appeared? Well, minotaurs and equines look different from each other, how can a child be born from them? It goes against everything I know."

"When love is strong, nothing is impossible." Inanna said, smiling. She took off her armor and lied on the ground, relaxing. Andromalius discovered that she had a short black mane underneath her helmet. "Ohh, the grass is so~ soft."

Andromalius smiled, took off his helmet, and lied on the ground next to Inanna. The two lied there, enjoying each others' company and the beauty of nature.

"Say, Andro?" Inanna turned her head to him.

"Hmm?"

"How did you make this dream seem so real?"

"I know how it feels like. I enjoy nature, that is why I feel it... deeper." Andromalius said, having hard time explaining. "Like... I don't know, I just don't think of nature like something usual. Well, it is, in some way, but it can be destroyed. I don't want that, obviously. That is why I love it. Nature is beauty and life. It must be preserved."

"When I see what this nature is, I cannot disagree." Inanna nodded, then snuggled to the hell stallion, forcing him to lie on his back. She put her head on his belly. "Mmh, your belly's soft..."

Andromalius nervously shifted in place. He had confused feelings: he was fine with it, he even welcomed it, but the feeling was unfamiliar. Even in his previous life Andromalius was never that close to a woman. And a strange realization came to him: he started liking female equine bodies. He thought that it shouldn't be right, but he understood it cannot be like that forever, he has to adjust. A chance to meet another human in his lifetime is extremely low.

So, he snuggled closer, enjoying the warmth of Inanna's body.

"Enjoying it, aren't you?" she teased, using her tail to scratch one of his hind legs.

"Guilty as charged." Andromalius admitted, blushing. Suddenly, Inanna moved and lied on top of him, belly to belly.

***

"I know what you will enjoy more." she whispered to him sultry and winked. "And this time the dream won't end. This time it is more real." her tail rubbed against the inner side of the left hind leg of the hell stallion.

"Uh..." he turned his head away, his cheeks almost literally aflame. "I... I..." he stuttered.

"Don't be afraid." Inanna moved her tail closer to his privates. "I know you want it, I know you need it. After all, you had a very hard time... And now something else will be hard, hmm?" she teased.

"Inanna, I..."

"Shh." Inanna kissed him on the lips. "No need to talk. I'm enjoying it as you do, dear Andromalius, don't be afraid. You are young an unexperienced... You need a, mmh, guide, don't you?"

She rubbed her crotch against his, eliciting moans of pleasure from him. Her tail rubbed his balls sensually, making him shiver and twitch in pleasure.

"I know you aren't against what I'm doing." she kissed his nose. "You wasn't against that from the beginning..." she kissed his horn, eliciting a loud moan. "And you know I most certainly wasn't." she felt him stiffening under her crotch, peeking out of the sheath.

"Mmh, Inanna..." he moaned in pleasure.

"I know you want your first time to be slow, gentle." Inanna continued, rubbing more intensely. "And I won't blame you if you blow your load too early. No first time is perfect, even of a future Lord."

Andromalius moaned in pleasure, feeling his penis stiffening from her touch. He felt lust rising within himself, and he welcomed it with open arms. He craved the new feeling.

"Mmh, and you know what?" Inanna said, leaning closer. She whispered: "We're doing it outside, and anyone could see us if it wasn't a dream... It arouses me."

"You arouse me." Andromalius said, moaning. "Fucking... ngh... succubus."

"Well, why not you do it?" Inanna teased. "Fuck me, like you want to! A stallion such as you is a very good prize for any succubus."

She lifted herself a little, then used her teal-colored magic to adjust Andromalius's penis against her already wet entrance.

"Now you are—" Inanna pushed against him, forcing him to slowly enter her. "—a full-grown stallion, Andro."

"Nngh..." he grunted, feeling his rod parting her inner walls. "You're so tight..."

"Of course." she softly giggled. "I know you wanted to know how do I feel like on the inside... You get what you wanted, my Lord."

"Say that... nngh... say that again..." Andromalius said as he slowly, inch by inch made his penis disappear inside her. And each inch was filled with pleasure for both.

"My Lord?" Inanna teased.

"Yes..." Andromalius locked his lips with hers, his eyes closed. Inanna wasn't ready for this, but welcomed the new sensation. His forked tongue asked for entrance into her mouth, and she opened it for him. He was inexperienced, yet he tried so hard to make her feel good, rubbing his tongue against hers. She helped as she could, guiding him, and then explored his mouth. She passed two sharp fangs, nearly cutting her tongue. Andromalius responded in kind, exploring each centimeter of her mouth with his long tongue, passing the four smaller fangs she had, two on each jaw.

"Mmh, a stallion that wants her mare to be pleased." Inanna entered his mind. "How noble of you."

Finally, Andromalius hilted inside her, spasms went through his body as he felt the immense pleasure. He moaned into her mouth, trying to wrap his long tongue around hers.

"And I know where you can put your tongue to use." the succubus giggled. "I have no doubt you know as well."

Slowly, Andromalius started moving himself. When his medial ring exited her nethers, he pushed his body forth. While it wasn't easy for him to do so under her, he tried his best. He didn't have a rather fine musculature, after all.

"Aaah..." Inanna moaned into his mouth. Their deep and long kiss ended. "You do it slow but good... Yesss!"

He moved slowly, delivering pleasure to her and himself. He used his tongue to trace it along her jawline. Leaning closer, he licked both her horns, eliciting very loud moans of pleasure. Pleased with the result, Andromalius did it again. Inanna shivered, tightening around him, and a moan came out of his mouth. The lust inside both demons grew.

Feeling his edge slowly approaching, Andromalius quickened a little, now rocking back and forth in a nice and steady rhythm. Inanna rested her head on his chest, moaning into him as he pleasured her. He grunted, feeling each inch of her wet nethers he passed. Pleasure grew inside him, clouding his vision. He licked her horns again.

Suddenly, Inanna screamed in pleasure, clenching around his dick, orgasming. With a loud grunt, he ejaculated deep inside her, releasing his hot seed, not able to bear the stimulation for longer.

The two collapsed and stopped moving. Tiredness is never true in dreams, but they didn't remember that. Nothing mattered for them but each other.

They shared a tender kiss.

"Your horn... stimulation..." Inanna said between hard breaths. "Makes wonders... Damn, no one... ever did this to me."

"You are no better... clenching around my dick... like you were going to... milk me to death..." Andromalius chuckled. "Fucking succubus..."

"You've done it, want to do it again already?" Inanna giggled. "I'm not against it."

"No, I think this is it... for today." he replied. "I hope I didn't came all over myself and the sheets back in the reality." he chuckled.

"No, I assure you you didn't." Inanna replied, resting her head on his chest. "Tonight, you will have sweet dreams... And I left your fetishes for another time." she licked his jaw.

He laughed: "You tease!"

Chapter 10: Amoletum Alicornuus

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 12: Tenebricus Umbra

Andromalius lied next to Celestia, who was sleeping peacefully. He, on the other hand, couldn't. He felt danger, it came from down below, from the frozen depth of the barren, snow-covered lands of the Frozen North. Andromalius felt it and was sure that danger will awake someday and bring destruction and pain. However, the hell stallion could do nothing, he didn't know what the danger was or how to defeat it. All he knew that it is present, and nothing more.

Suddenly, everything changed before Andromalius. He blinked and found himself on a green-covered island that floated in the void of white. There were many other islands: volcanic, tropical, deserted, arctic. The hell stallion couldn't understand what was happening.

"A-ah, the worthy one." a voice echoed through the void, seemingly coming from everywhere. Andromalius looked around but couldn't see the voice's owner. "Oh, let me show myself to thee."

Someone large descended from the sky and landed it front of Andromalius. The creature was a tall alicorn stallion. However, instead of a normal spiral horn, he had two demonic ones, and the wings were membrane. The fur was black, and the mane and tail were fire. The eyes, however, were bright-cyan. The cutie mark of the mysterious stallion was the Alicorn Amulet.

"Who are you?" Andromalius asked.

"My name is Caelinus." the alicorn introduced himself. "I am who created the amulet thou art wearing. I must tell thee, Andromalius, thou art the first one to bear it without falling under the curse."

"What curse?" the hell stallion tilted his head in confusion.

"A curse that I've cast upon the amulet. Any who is unworthy to bear it shall face the curse that driveth them insane. Any who wanteth to use my creation for evil deeds, and others who wanteth to use it for themselves, shall face the curse. That is a safety mechanism."

"I understand, I think. But why am I worthy?" Andromalius asked, stepping closer.

"Thou art the one who wanteth to use the amulet not for thyself or evil, but for the greatest task: freeing innocents from their everlasting prison.

"Let me tell thee the story of my sister and I. Dost not ask questions until I finish. So, it all began many thousand years before this moment...

"There were three ponies of different tribes that loved each other greatly. A pegasus and unicorn mares, and an earth pony stallion. Their love was not accepted by the rulers, so they were banished from their respective tribes. They were forced to starve, wandering across the land, facing hatred from their own kind. That was until the Demon Alliance, a union of all nations, found them and gave them shelter and food.

"Their love for each other grew as they overcame the obstacles and dangers in their way. And on one fateful night, both mares became pregnant. A year later they gave birth to two foals: a brother and a sister.

"The pegasus mare gave birth to my sister and named her Laelia. She had black coat and blue mane, and by the birth she was an alicorn, a pony with horn and wings and the strength of an earth pony. The unicorn mare gave birth to me. My fur was white and my mane was blonde, and I was an alicorn, too.

"The happiness of the family was never-ending, destined to last forever. The foals grew in atmosphere of love and harmony, they befriended many people and were loved amongst others. Their power grew as well.

"But one day, everything came to an end. The war that raged between three pony tribes and other nations came to its peak. Unicorns created a magical artifact, the Sphere of Purity. But I know thou knowest it. So, when all of the Demon Alliance was banished to Hell, only I and my sister remained on the Surface.

"We were hated for what we are, no one welcomed us in their homes. But we didn't fell, we stood together, united. Both of us decided to sacrifice ourselves for the good of all ponies.

"My sister Laelia believed that the hate between the tribes shall be replaced by friendship and love someday. She sacrificed herself and became one with magic, giving chance to anypony to become an alicorn if one is pure of soul and reached great heights.

"I sacrificed myself, creating the artifact thou art wearing. It shall give unlimited power of the first alicorns to anyone who is worthy enough to wear it. And I believe that thou shalt do something great someday and make me proud. Dost not thou let my trust in thee become wrong.

"And before thou askest... My appearance hath changed because of the Sphere. And until my end, I shall appear before others like this.

"So, thou mayest ask questions now." Caelinus nodded to the hell stallion.

"What will happen if I do free all the demons from Hell?" Andromalius asked.

"Their fate shall be in thy hooves. But the future cannot be predicted. Not even the embodiments of magic know what shall happen and what shall not. It is not known whether thou shalt complete thy task or not. But trust me, thou canst change the flow of history."

"Do you know anypony who became alicorns?" the next question came.

"I do." Caelinus nodded. "There were no alicorns for thousands of years. I believe that Celestia and Luna are the first ones since my and my sister's births. Then, Cadance became one. All of them reached great heights in many things. They have pure souls, yet none of them are perfect. But they do many things to make others happy, and never even once they had hurt innocents.

"I believe that Celestia hath problems, those that torture her very soul. Thou canst help her or leave her in the darkness. Thou art something truly different from her... Thou canst... fix her and guide her, even if thou art young. That maketh no differenth, though. Celestia is important, Andromalius. Dost not let her fall, or the world shall face darkness that shall be greater than Nightmare Moon could have brought in her time. Dost not let Celestia become Solar Flare."

"Solar Flare?" Andromalius tilted his head in confusion.

"I said that future cannot be predicted, yet some things can be." Caelinus said. "But there are always chances... Right now, the chance of Celestia becoming her evil counterpart is rather high. Luna was not helped in her time, she became Nightmare Moon. Celestia needeth help.

"I have trust in thee. Now, wake up and face the world."

With a blink, Andromalius found himself back in the dugout. Nothing has changed since he appeared before Caelinus. Celestia was still sleeping, the warmth of both cloaks that she was wrapped in kept her warm and comfortable.

The two were marching through the snowy plains again. Celestia has raised the sun, and it now warmed her a little. The sky was clear and blue.

However, Andromalius felt danger. The feeling crept inside him, resting in the corners of his mind. He tried to shake it off but the more he thought of it, the more scared he became. He often looked around, but everything seemed to be alright. The same white snow, the mountains on the horizon, the cloudless sky, the bright sun. However, there was dead silence. There was no wind, even the sounds of walking on the snow seemed to be muffled by something.

"Celestia?" he broke the silence. He hoped that the talk with break his feeling of danger.

"Yes, Andromalius?" she replied. Her tone was even.

"I always wondered..." he continued. "What is it, living for thousands of years?"

"It is harder than living for a normal amount of time." she replied. "At first, my sister and I realized that our friends and loved ones will die someday, and we'll have to live onwards. It was hard for us. But eventually, we moved on."

The ringing sound appeared inside Andromalius's head. He shook his head, trying to get rid of it.

"It doesn't matter when our dear ones will die, what matters is how will we spend life with them. I and my sister enjoyed our time with friends and loved ones, even if we didn't have many. Yes, we grieved over those who left us, but it is a nature of things. Ponies come and go, nations rise and fall."

The sound continued, Celestia's voice became louder.

"The next thing is stress, our greatest enemy. I and Luna have to deal with all kind of things, and some of them drives us crazy. We always have to take into account many things, have memories of terrible events, and so on. I don't think I can explain it in words, it simply must be understood by yourself. But eventually..."

The sound reached its peak. Celestia's face turned emotionless, eyes staring at nothing.

"We will all die."

Without any sound, she fell to the ground. Andromalis ran to her.

"Celestia?! Celestia!" he shouted, falling down. He looked at her lifeless body in horror. "Oh hell... What happened?.." he started to cry. "No! This can't be happening, this can't be..."

A malicious laughter echoed through the plains of snow, filling his soul with dread.

"No, no, no, no..." Andromalius chanted, tilting from side to side. "This can't be..."

Suddenly, the ringing stopped as Andromalius came to a realization. His eyes narrowed in rage, the hellfire rose from his body, melting the snow around him. His eyes and hooves went ablaze.

"This isn't real." he growled. "Come out!"

A small laugh echoed again.

"Thou art far smarter than I thought." a masculine voice replied.

A dark-gray muscular unicorn stallion appeared before Andromalius. His mane was black and flowed ethereally, his horn was red and curved. His eyes had cat-like eyes with red irises. He was dressed in a red cape and steel armor.

King of Monsters. King of Shadows. Tenebricus Umbra.

King Sombra the Enslaver.

"But if it is not real," he growled. "Can I hurt thee?"

A black crystal fell from the sky on Andromalius. He quickly dodged, the crystal impacted the ground, making everything shake, yet not hurting the hell stallion.

"Celestia and Luna shall be mine, the Crystal Empire shall be mine. And the first step to achieve my goals shall be thy death!" Sombra snarled, then summoned a dark sword. "I shall subdue, enslave, dominate! Thou hast no chance against me, I am immortal!"

"You are immortal only until you face certain death." Andromalius replied calmly. "Do you know who... No, do you know what I am?"

"Somepony I will kill." Sombra snarled, preparing to strike.

"Wrong answer." the hell stallion chuckled. "I am the Nightmare."

The Aura of Fear activated as intense as ever, stunning Sombra. He blinked in surprise, then swung his sword. A shield of fire appeared around Andromalius, blocking the strike. The black sword began to burn, and soon a chunk of it disappeared in flames. Sombra stared at his sword, confusion on his face.

"Thou shouldst not be able to do that! Nopony can protect themselves in their dreams from me!"

"Do I look like a pony?" Andromalius deadpanned. "You're very stupid if you think I am."

"Rrrrarrgh!" Sombra roared, then brought his sword upon Andromalius again. This time, it burned to ashes, not even making it through the hellfire shield.

"A nightmare is called one because it has power in dreams." Andromalius spoke. Then, he shouted in an amplified voice: "Tu eris timeo!"

And the great fear came upon Sombra, forcing him to leave the hell stallion's dream. It ended, and Andromalius woke up.

Andromalius and Celestia marched through the snowy plains, now for real. The princess of the day slept peacefully through the night, her dreams were undisturbed. Sombra was focused on destroying Andromalius and was too afraid to try to destroy Celestia while the hell stallion was around.

The mountains were still far away, but the two marched to them without stopping. Those mountains were of the furthest north, beyond which lies the unknown.

"Celestia, I have met a strange unicorn stallion in my dreams." Andromalius spoke. "And he wants you and your sister dead."

"Was he a stallion of gray fur, black mane, and does he have a curved horn of red?" Celestia asked warily. Andromalius nodded in reply, and Celestia sighed. "That is King Sombra the Enslaver. About a thousand years ago he wanted to enslave the Crystal Empire for unknown reasons. When I and Luna fought him, he cast a curse on the empire, making it disappear with him."

Andromalius frowned. However, he didn't say anything in return. He continued the way to the Regnum.

After five hours of travel, Celestia told Andromalius that she wants to eat. Making another dugout to hide from the harsh wind, he waited for her to finish her meal. Thankfully for her, her food was preserved by magic. If it wasn't, it would've frozen from the cold.

"Andromalius, I always wondered—" Celestia swallowed a piece of apple. "—What do you eat? I've never seen you eat."

"Because I don't." Andromalius answered. "It is strange... Before I became like this—" he gestured at his body. "—I had to eat often to keep myself fit. It is strange to not do it."

"And what did you eat when you were... normal?" Celestia took another bite of an apple. After she ate it, she said: "Please, tell me more of your previous life. If you want, that is.

"I will start with the question about my ration. As an omnivore, I could eat almost anything." he replied. "Fruits, vegetables, meat."

"So, you were a carnivore-omnivore hybrid?" she raised a brow. "I don't know any omnivores but alicorns. We must have meat to get protein for ourselves."

"Humans, those of my kind, aren't exactly carnivores." he shook his head. "We can feed only on green food if we want. We don't have any claws or other natural weapons suitable for hunting prey. We evolved from monkeys, and that is the answer." he paused for a moment. "Well, not exactly monkeys, we just had a common ancestor with them. And they are not omnivores, as far as I can remember."

"That is interesting." Celestia tapped her chin. "And how many humans are there, in the other world?"

"About seven billion, maybe more." he replied. "Well, we're the only sapient race there, after all."

"That is a large number..." Celestia said. "I don't think our world has even a half of it, even if most territories aren't discovered yet. A known part of the land is really small."

"Humans have already been almost everywhere, and that includes the moon." Andromalius stated proudly.

"That is fascinating!" her eyes widened. "But how did humans accomplish such tasks?"

"Development of technology, that's how. There is no magic on the Earth, that is for sure."

"Earth? Your planet is called Earth?" she tilted her head.

"Well, because humans live on earth, as in land, I suppose." Andromalius tapped his chin. "Though, the planet's name is maybe not entirely correct since most of it is water. I think we named it after, well, earth, because it's what we live on."

"I would like to see the Earth." Celestia said. "I wonder how does it look like, how does it smell, what kind of people live there."

Andromalius frowned and didn't say anything. He didn't want Celestia to know who lives on the Earth and what is happening to the planet itself because of them.

"Ugh, will this snowy plain ever end?" Andromalius groaned as the two walked another fifteen kilometers. It was near evening, and the destination was still very far away. The wind was harsh, and the visibility was low.

"No one knows how big is the territory here. Maps of those times are very inaccurate." Celestia replied. "No one has ventured here for a very long time, too. Wait... I think I see something."

There was, alone in the whole cold desert, a small tower stood. It had empty windows, old cracked bricks. The tower was pretty simple in design, looking like a cylinder with a diameter of about fifteen meters and a height of about thirty. And there are remains of glass on top of the tower, suggesting that there was a dome.

"I think I know what it is..." Celestia said, moving closer. "If what is written in the books is right, this must be the Astrological Tower of Hornguard, the capital of the unicorn tribe. The tower was spoken of as a hundred meters tall, standing on a hill... Oh my, there is a whole city buried under the tons of snow!

"It is written that the whole city was circular, about four kilometers in diameter. The walls of ten meters high surrounded the city, protected with ancient spells. I wonder what secrets are hidden under the snow..."

"Well, we have time to find out." Andromalius said. "Besides, maybe this city will one day be restored."

"That is actually a good idea!" Celestia agreed. "Let us get in there through the tower."

Chapter 13: Civitas Mortuus

Andromalius and Celestia entered the Astrological Tower through one of its broken windows. The room they've got inside was round and had two large bookcases. The books were ruined, they couldn't be opened without removing the ice first, and doing it would cause the books to either break, rot or burn, depending on how would the ice was removed.

There was dust everywhere. But no signs of living creatures so far.

"No one has ventured here before." Celestia spoke warily, looking around. "It is far too dangerous to travel here because of the cold. In fact, even your flames should have been extinguished!"

"This temperature is fifty below zero, right?" Andromalius replied. "There are far worse temperatures on the Earth. The record of the lowest is something about eighty. And humans survived nonetheless.

"And I can't exactly feel any kind of temperature, unless its source is very close to me. I don't know, but maybe my skin is too thick or something like that. Don't forget the hellfire. I use it, yet I don't know what it can and what it cannot do."

"You are the most powerful mage as of now, Andromalius." Celestia spoke. She and Andromalius descended the stairs, the horns of both equines glowing bright enough to light the way. The stone stairs were still intact, albeit some cracks could be seen.

"With proper education, I believe anypony could learn such spells. What you need is an understanding of things, why they happen." Andromalius explained. "I know how things work, and that is how I made the spells work. In fact, I can teach you if you want."

"I do think it will be needed." Celestia nodded. "I see that the knowledge mustn't be restricted. It is time for the progress to come, it can serve ponydom good."

"Anything can." the hell stallion added. "It is not the nature of spells, it's how you use them—"

Suddenly, a rustle came from down below. Andromalius stopped and looked into the darkness. Celestia narrowed her eyes, standing in a battle stance.

None of them knew what could be hiding in the ancient ruins. It could be everything from rats to ancient spirits of evil. The more a place is abandoned, the more dangerous it becomes. It is the law of things that cannot be broken.

The dead silence fell, only the sounds of breaths could be heard. Both hearts raced, the adrenaline was in the equines' veins, flowing fast. The smell of danger was in the air, poisoning it.

"Stay on guard." Andromalius spoke quietly. "Follow me, watch the floor and ceiling. If something happens, do not hesitate to say."

Celestia nodded. Andromalius started walking slowly, watching his step. He scanned the area for any danger, yet he could see none. However, he felt cold. It was not the temperature, it was a feeling deep inside his soul. Something immaterial was not right.

After what seemed like an eternity of descending, they have finally reached the bottom of the tower. There was no one there, only dusty old brick walls. Scattered books, broken glass, ancient papers were also scattered around as if a whirlwind went through the place.

"This place starts to frighten me." Celestia whispered, her voice echoed eerily through the empty corridors that lied ahead.

"Maybe we should go back, then?" Andromalius suggested.

"I must know what hides here, so far away from Equestria." she declined his offer, shaking her head. Andromalius slowly nodded in acknowledgment, then continued to move down the hall.

The bottom of the Astrological Tower was rather big: a long, tall hall was there, and by both sides of it doors made of old oak stood, most of the doors closed. Strangely, there were no windows.

There was an eerie blue light coming from behind one of the closed doors, and that one was at the end of the hall. Slowly, Andromalius and Celestia moved there, preparing for anything that could be hiding there.

Faint whispers could be heard, yet none of the two could make out the exact words. A couple loud sniffs were heard, then the eerie light disappeared. Seconds later, the door closed with a loud thud that echoed through the dark.

"Innana, you here?" Andromalius thought.

"Yes, my lord."" the succubus replied in a moment.

"What can be hidden here, in this city?"

"Anything. Unicorns are adept at magic, after all."

"Alright... And where have you been? I haven't heard from you for quite a while."

"I will explain later, okay?" Inanna answered nervously. "I have a lot of things going on in the Hell."

Andromalius nodded to himself, then moved closer to the fallen door. He felt despair and fear coming from behind the empty doorway. A cold crept under his skin, making its way to his very soul.

"I don't like this." Celestia muttered, her horn pointed at the doorway.

Andromalius moved closer and closer, he could see something behind the doorway.

Stepping outside the building, he was shocked by what he saw.

The whole city of Hornguard wasn't frozen into the ice as one would expect. Instead, it was just hidden deep underneath in a frozen cavern that tons of ice made through the ages. A teal-colored half-spherical magical barrier surrounded the city, keeping the ice at bay.

Many houses stood in the city, they all looked rundown and abandoned. Glass windows were broken, walls cracked, wood dried. The prevailing colors of the city were death-white, icy-blue and gray. The grass dried a long time ago, dead trees grew from the frozen earth, ugly and twisted. No living creature could be seen in the city.

There was a large and tall tower right in the city's center. It was surrounded by a wall of black bricks, and the ghostly-green fog sipped from behind the walls. A flame of teal burned on top of the tower, illuminating the area with its eerie glow.

But the one thing that shocked Andromalius wasn't the architecture.

Hundreds of silent ghosts were walking through the city like their lives haven't ended.

Author's Note

A premise of a much bigger chapter! I have plans for the city of Hornguard.

Well, I now return to the previous chapters and try to fix all grammar mistakes and other similar things that I've made. The plotline will not be changed, don't worry about that.

I leave you in waiting:trollestia:

Chapter 14: Natura Stella

Andromalius and Celestia stared in shock at the ghosts of many unicorns. They were walking around, talking, buying things from market, resting, and everything was in absolute, dead silence.

"What is this?" Celestia spoke nervously and fearfully. "Is it what I think it is?"

"Ghost town." Andromalius frowned. "There is a strange thing about them all... If there are ghosts, which are souls, where are bodies, bones? Something is surely not right here."

Then, the two heard a scream full of despair and fear. They shivered and turned their heads to the source of noise. Somewhere in another part of the city a strange white silhouette with light-blue zebra-like marks over its body could be seen, and the creature was not a ghost. It quickly disappeared behind the buildings, leaving the two living equines puzzled and confused.

That scream, however, didn't disturb the ghosts. They were still as alive as ever.

Slowly, Celestia and Andromalius descended the old stairs that led to the city itself. There was a small square with a fountain there with benches around the latter. Near the square a marketplace stood in ruins, yet there were many merchants, and all of them were unicorns, selling ghost items.

The ghosts didn't notice the two, passing through them without effort. There would be a buzz of a busy city, but the ghosts were silent, making the situation more and more unreal with every passing minute.

"This is disturbing me greatly." Celestia whispered, her voice echoed through the empty city. "Why did it happen?"

"An ancient legend says that ghosts are people who can't or won't leave the world they lived in." Andromalius replied. "It seems that the reason is pretty simple here... None of them accepted death. They try to simulate their simple life, even if it is not real. However... real ghosts would've noticed us... No, scratch that, no one from my world knows how the ghosts act around the living people. Maybe they can't see us at all... Hmm, why do we see them? Where are the bodies? There is still something not right..."

"Ghosts are not right!"

"There is something else, I feel it..." Andromalius walked to one of the buildings, noticing something silver on its wall. "Hmm..."

The silver thing on the wall was a small splash of silvery liquid. Andromalius got the liquid on his hoof and licked it. Tasting it, he came to a startling realization.

"Celestia..." he warily began. "This is blood."

"Blood?" Celestia looked at what remained of the liquid skeptically. "That looks like molten silver."

"It tastes strange for a thing made of silver." Andromalius shook his head. "It has something metallic and salty... Like blood. And the only known being I remember has the silver blood is a unicorn."

"Unicorns have red blood, what are you talking about?" Celestia frowned.

"There is one book that says that a unicorn's blood is silver-colored." he explained. "Trust me, nothing can be certain. I already know that anything fictional can become real in a blink of an eye."

The two walked around the town, noticing drops of silver blood here and there. The drops made a trace, which Celestia and Andromalius followed. There were also hoof marks on the dusty ground, making the trace even easier to follow.

Soon, Celestia and Andromalius reached the final destination. The trace led into one of the abandoned buildings. The doors were closed, the windows were blocked. Muffled sobs could be heard coming from the inside.

"Whoever is inside, we must help." Celestia said and moved closer, but was stopped by Andromalius.

"We don't know what is inside, that is the thing." he said. "It can be everything, and it can be a trap. I remember one thing... There were sounds of crying baby in the abandoned toilet. I opened the door to that room and was almost killed, not to mention that I was scared almost to the point of shitting myself. That situation was fictional, though, but you can never be too careful."

"I suppose you're right." Celestia sighed. "But what if someone is indeed in need of help?"

"I'll try to check it out by myself using magic." Andromalius replied. "Hmm... What if I make a spell that acts like an echolocator that bats use? I send waves of magic, and receive them distorted if any sign of living being, like warmth, breath, or heartbeat are present."

"You know, you're smart." Inanna spoke inside his head.

"Uh, thanks, but I guess anyone could figure it out." Andromalius replied. "The knowledge is the key."

"You have plenty of knowledge, then." the succubus stated. "I didn't know that bats rely on that echo thing."

"Perhaps the reason is that humans study a lot."

"Are all humans that smart?"

"I'm not the smartest one, nor am I the most stupid one." Andromalius replied. "There are a lot of people, who are much smarter than me. Now, stop talking, I need to focus on the task at hand."

Andromalius closed his eyes and focused. Feeling the magic inside himself, he made it into waves. He sent them through the walls of the building, and they passed it without effort. He felt the beat, he felt the warmth of a living creature. He felt someone there was breathing shallowly.

Opening his eyes, he told Celestia: "There is indeed someone there. Scared and alone, and there is also something wrong... there are wounds on their body, painful ones."

"Then, we must help!" Celestia stated. Andromalius nodded in reply and walked to the blocked doorway.

The barrier was very weak and made in haste.

"That wouldn't hold ghosts away if they are the case." Andromalius thought, frowning. Slowly and warily, he removed the obstacle. The sobs stopped and some rustle could be heard coming from the inside.

Warily and carefully, the two entered the building. It was dark inside, but the darkness was dispelled by the light of their horns. There was a silhouette in the farthest corner of the room, and it was trying its best to hide. Drops of silver blood traced to it, glowing slightly in the darkness.

"We've come to help." Celestia spoke nervously.

"Get away from me, rotting filth!" a feminine voice replied angrily. "All of you can go burn in Sheogh!"

Andromalius's eyes widened in shock and surprise. He seemed to understand from where the owner of the voice came.

"Celestia, there is something I can handle." he whispered to the alicorn. She looked at him and noticed the serious look on his face. She was confused but didn't ask questions. She nodded.

"Who are you?" Andromalius spoke, his voice calm.

"Who is there? Name yourself!" a reply came in fear.

"My name is Andromalius. My companion is Celestia." the hell stallion took a step forward. "You are wounded, you need our help."

"How do you know?!"

"There are drops of your blood all over the place." Andromalius replied. "If you allow us, we'll help."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"We haven't hurt you, we don't intend to do so." the hell stallion took another step forward. "We don't need you for the rituals of necromancy, we are not the undead. We are living and breathing creatures like you are."

"...Alright, but if you do anything wrong, I will blind you!"

Andromalius slowly walked to the figure in the shadows. The light from his form fell on a female pristine-white unicorn with light-cyan mohawk mane and light-blue marks on her body. There was a blue scarf with a round aqua-colored sapphire in it wrapped around one of her forelegs, drenched in silver blood.

"Better not fuck everything up." Andromalius thought, getting closer. The unicorn turned her head to him. Her sky-blue eyes shrank to pinpricks as she saw the massive figure of the hell stallion before her.

"Demon!" she exclaimed, trying to get away from Andromalius, fear in her eyes. Suddenly, her scarf untied and her wound was exposed. "GAH!"

"I am a demon, yes, there is no denying that." the hell stallion spoke calmly, trying to get the situation under control. "But I will help you. Trust me, I am not a demon from Sheogh."

"All demons are liars!" the unicorn snarled in reply. Suddenly, a light-blue aura wrapped itself around her wounded leg. She yelped in surprise as the wound began to close and heal itself rather quickly. "What did you do?!"

"I came not to hurt." Andromalius emphasized each word. "I will heal you. I am not your enemy, no matter if you think I am."

"Everything is crazy..." the unicorn muttered, sighing. "A Nightmare is helping me... Wait, you do spells? Does that mean that you are a Hero?"

Celestia looked puzzled by everything.

"Perhaps I am." Andromalius shrugged. "But pretty much anyone with a horn can do spells."

"Uh, all right..." the unicorn sighed and closed his eyes as her wound healed. She breathed calmly, yet her heart was still beating faster than usual. "Um, I think I didn't tell you my name... I am Natura Stella."

"Hm, it is translated 'star of nature'." Andromalius thought. "Wait, I didn't learn Latin, how can I understand?.. Magic, of course. Well, I'll leave it as that."

"Nice to meet you, Natura Stella. It should've happened in a better situation, though... So, how did you appear here? Can you tell me?" Andromalius asked.

"Uh, I was sleeping at the Crystal Lake, in Irollan... Then, something disturbed me, I went into the forest. Uh, it's all hazy from there... I think I saw green light, something black, and something... something else strange." Natura nervously replied. "And then, I am here, weak and scared. I was attacked by some skeletons, and they wounded me. Thanks for the healing, by the way... And now I can talk, and I feel like I'm smarter in some way... It is all strange and scary."

"Have you seen anything unnatural here besides ghosts?" Andromalius frowned, thinking of worse things than bags of bones.

"Just that strange light at the top of the tower in the center of the city, why?"

"All of us must be very careful here." Andromalius said. "There is something... weird, strange, odd... something unnatural is here, in this city. Ghosts aren't the worst of things here, and definitely not the strangest."

"What do I do now?" Natura asked. "Where am I?"

"...You're not going to like the answer, Natura." Andromalius spoke nervously.

"Bring it on." the unicorn sighed.

"Alright... I warned you. So, you are not even in Ashan anymore, nor you are in Sheogh."

"...W-What?" Natura asked in disbelief and shock, tears started rolling down her cheeks. "That means... that means I'll never be able to go home?"

"I went through the same thing, I know how you feel." Andromalius frowned. "I've lost my home and went through many changes... But I adapted. I will help you to adapt as well. You are not alone, Natura Stella."

"I... Thank you..." Natura sniffed. "Even if you look like a demon, I don't feel like you want to hurt me... Oh, help me Elrath!"

Unsteadily, the unicorn stood up. Andromalius dried her scarf and wrapped it around her neck, making her feel much better.

"But what do we do?" Natura asked, still shaking a little.

"First, we find out what is happening here. Maybe we'll find a cause of your appearance." Andromalius replied. "Then, my next destination is a city even further into the Frozen North. If you don't want to go with me and Celestia, we'll go back to populated cities."

"I'll think about it." Natura said nervously. "Just... just don't leave me, okay?"

Andromalius, Celestia, and Natura Stella walked through the city to its center. A high tower with a strange teal-colored flame on top was their destination.

The closer they got to it, the bigger the tower became, menacingly towering above all the city. Strange sounds could be heard coming from the inside: a rattle of bones, whispers, wails.

Everyone could say that they have a very bad feeling about this.

Author's Note

Natura Stella's appearance:

Chapter 15: Dominus Mortis

Andromalius, Celestia, and Natura Stella stood before the tower. It was even bigger that they thought: it was a size of a small fortress. It was made in Gothic style, the main color was black. The teal flame that burned on top of the tower seemed to become bigger as the time passed.

Warily, the trio approached big wooden gates. No guards could be seen guarding it. But no matter what the three could see, they were wary and careful, listening to the sounds that were coming from the inside. There were whispers, rattle of bones, and some other sounds Andromalius remembered hearing somewhere.

The trio slowly opened the gates. They creaked, and that sound echoed through the main hall of the tower.

Andromalius and Celestia lighted their horns, illuminating the way. The inside of the tower was dimly lit with green-flamed torches, barely dispelling the darkness.

Andromalius noticed a symbol of spider on the walls. The gears in his head started turning as a memory came to him.

"It simply cannot be..." he muttered. "This is just crazy..."

"Andromalius, what's the matter?" Celestia worriedly asked, walking closer.

"Look at that symbol." he pointed at the spider. "I know what it means, and I know it shouldn't be here..."

Natura's eyes shrank to pinpricks as she looked at the symbol. She whispered quietly: "Lords of Death..."

Celestia looked puzzled, trying to understand what the two were talking about.

"Celestia," Andromalius spoke. "The spider is a symbol of the Necromancers, the followers of Asha. They shouldn't be here."

"Necromancers?" Celestia frowned. "Those who raise dead for evil purposes? And who is that 'Asha'?"

"It depends on what is evil." the hell stallion replied. "Necromancers are mostly searching for the way to become immortal. They fight the forces of chaos, and that is not doing evil deeds... Fro a certain point of view, I suppose. And if a certain Lord of Death is here, it's better to be on his good side." he paused for a moment, letting the information sink in. "Asha is a goddess that created the world of Ashan. Necromancers worship her aspect — a spider."

"I think you'll have to tell me the whole story someday."

"Of course I will." Andromalius nodded.

Suddenly, someone emerged from down the hall. It was a tall pony, shrouded in old dark cloak, scythe in hooves, and blue glow coming from underneath the hood. A rattle of bones could be heard as many skulls that were attached to the cloak hit each other as the creature moved closer to the trio.

Andromalius quickly recognized the creature. It was a Wight, an incarnation of Death itself. Its harmful touch can take lives.

Celestia and Natura just stared at the Wight in fear, unsure of what to do.

"Stand behind me!" Andromalius said loudly, preparing to battle. "Don't let it touch you!"

The mares did as asked, hiding behind the hell stallion. Using his magic, he created a fireball and sent it to the Wight. A loud explosion occurred, harming the creature severely. It stopped for a second, then continued moving towards the trio with increased pace.

Another fireball quickly came, completely incinerating the Wight, leaving its deadly scythe lying on the floor.

"What was that?" Celestia asked, shivering from fear.

"It was a Wight." Andromalius explained. "If it touches you, you are dead."

Suddenly, a loud and recognizable voice sounded: "Who dares entering the tower? You will stand before me and explain your actions!"

Suddenly, a lot of undead troops entered the hall: skeleton warriors, ghosts, zombies, and a pair of archliches. Andromalius understood that he and the mares had no chances against them, there were too many troops to battle.

Natura collapsed, fainting.

Celestia and Andromalius were led through the tower to the upper floor, the hell stallion carried Natura Stella on his back.

The upper floor was a large circular hall that had an old throne stood, a tall bat pony stallion sat upon it, dressed in clothes of dark-gray. His fur was pale-gray, his mane was black. A red spider symbol was on the stallion's forehead.

Andromalius immediately recognized the stallion, even with all the changes.

"Well, well, a demon." the stallion's eyes narrowed, looking at Andromalius. "What do you and your companions need here? Who are you?... Hmm, something tells me that you—" he pointed at Andromalius. "—aren't what you seem."

"I am Andromalius." the hell stallion introduced himself. "Before we start, may I guess who you are?"

"You may try, Andromalius." the necromancer looked at him with interest.

"You are Arantir, the High Lord of Heresh, the commander of undead armies that hunt down the demons and banish them back to Sheogh." Andromalius couldn't help but smirk, seeing Arantir's reaction. The necromancer was very surprised.

"Indeed you know me." he spoke, then cleared his throat. "Very well, then you know how I looked before I became like this." he gestured at himself. "So, what are you all doing here?"

"Searching for answers." Andromalius spoke. "Something here is not right."

"I am not the reason for this city's state." Arantir shook his head. "The ghosts were here for a long time, longer than a thousand years. Their bones make good warriors, though."

"Unearthing graves is a great crime!" Celestia spoke, stepping forward.

"The dead can serve better than the living." Arantir disagreed. "The souls of dead don't need their bodies. And you are?.."

"I am Celestia, the Princess of the Day and the Diarch of Equestria." she introduced herself.

"A ruler?" Arantir looked surprised. "What is a ruler of a country doing so far away from her castle?"

"It's none of your business." Celestia said through the gritted teeth.

"Celestia, calm down." Andromalius told her. "I can handle this."

Taking a few deep breaths, Celestia calmed down and nodded.

"So," Arantir continued. "Maybe one of you have an explanation for my current situation. Andromalius, do you have any idea?"

"No, High Lord, I don't." the hell stallion shook his head. "Before I appeared here, in this world, I was a human as well."

"Are we not in Ashan anymore?" Arantir raised a brow. "I see no lies in your words, but can it be possible?"

"I am not from Ashan, nor am I from here. This is entirely different world, and certainly it is not a part of Ashan."

"Hm, that is a surprising discovery..." Arantir scratched his chin. "Well, that explains why I can't teleport back to Heresh and why are all those books written in a very strange language I can't understand."

"That is the language of unicorns. It is dead for thousands of years, no one speaks it now." Celestia spoke. "This city is long gone by now. It was standing on the highest hill, but now it is buried under tons of snow."

"So, a city of dead." Arantir concluded. "It still can't accept its demise, and so can't the citizens. That is truly interesting...

"So, I need information about this world. Care to provide me with necessary books? I don't want to make a bad... first impression, so to say."

"The nearest city is far away, and the road is dangerous." Celestia answered. "But we were choosing whether to continue our journey or to go back... Well, seeing that she—" Celestia gestured at the unconscious unicorn. "—is very scared of this place, and you need information, my suggestion is that we all go to the living lands. Andromalius?"

"That is reasonable." the hell stallion nodded. "High Lord," he addressed the necromancer. "This world is much different from Ashan. But to go back with us, you have to go alone. The citizens won't like an army of the undead marching through their lands. Even I alone can make a great fuss."

"That is very understandable." Arantir chuckled. "But if what you told me is a lie, your death will be painful and your soul shall have no rest."

Now, the four equines were walking towards the Astrological Tower. Natura woke up shortly after Andromalius and Arantir had a conversation. She was afraid of the necromancer at first, but seeing that the hell stallion trusts him Natura decided that she better trust Andromalius's judgement.

"This is all interesting..." Arantir spoke, looking at his wings, folding and unfolding them. "The wings, that is. What am I now?"

"A lunar pegasus." Celestia answered. "There are only about three hundred of them, and they live in isolation. You look a little different, though. All lunar pegasi have slit-pupil eyes and long fangs. You, on the other hoof, don't."

"Perhaps it is because I wasn't born a necromancer." Arantir suggested. "And... Hmm, basically I was turned into something that represents the night, and that is a lunar pegasus. Perhaps I would've been just a pegasus... I was always interested in them, but the pegasi kind is extinct in Ashan, as far as I know."

"Why are they extinct?" Celestia frowned.

"No one knows, that is the thing." the necromancer replied. "They just... disappeared without a trace. There are legends and myths, though.

"Say, Andromalius, does you world have them, the pegasi?"

"They are but a myth." Andromalius shook his head. "Most of what you have seen is as well."

"Really?" Arantir raised a brow. "I find it hard to believe."

"The hardest thing to believe is the fact that humans are the only sapient race in my world." Andromalius said. "No elves, no dwarves, no demons, there is no magic at all."

"That is interesting. If it would be possible, I'd like to visit your world."

"You'll be very surprised to know that it is much different to yours. I think I'll tell you about it if you want since there is no known way back for me." Andromalius sighed sadly.

"That would be certainly great. I'm looking forward to it."

"I think I'll join you as well." Celestia spoke. "I'm very interested in hearing about your worlds."

"I just... would like that as well." Natura spoke quietly. "I love interesting stories, that is."

As the four reached the top of the tower, it became colder. Arantir pulled a hood on, and Andromalius had to give his cloak to the shivering unicorn. And together, the four went to the lands of living.

"Hm, that is why my scouts didn't return." Arantir said, looking at something in the snow. "They froze to their, huh, death."

Thankfully, there was still a trace of Celestia and Andromalius left on the snow. It would help the four to reach the green lands sooner.

Author's Note

Arantir's appearance:

Chapter 16: Deam Prophetiae

For two days Andromalius, Celestia, Natura Stella, and Arantir marched through the snowy plains, and soon they would come to the settlement of miners. But, unfortunately, the lands of King Sombra drew closer and closer. Fear seeped into Celestia and Natura as they walked, and the latter didn't understand why.

"Andromalius," Celestia walked closer to the hell stallion. "Do you feel that?"

"King Sombra is near." he nodded. "But we are the force of four, we'll make it."

"I felt something is wrong as well." Arantir added, nodding. "Who is that Sombra?"

"An evil king of Crystal Empire. He enslaved it, and then he made the empire disappear with him when he was defeated." Celestia explained.

"That is a cruel act." Arantir frowned. "Will this Crystal Empire ever return, free from the chains of evil?"

"Only when Sombra does."

"Why wasn't he destroyed?" Arantir wondered. "Most of times, magic of a caster can be dispelled by their death, if they didn't sacrifice themselves to cast the spell first."

"This isn't our way." Celestia replied, shaking her head. "Killing is the last resort."

"Then, I have to understand your way." the necromancer nodded. "I respect your choice, and I shan't make you accept mine. If you follow the way of peace and no violence, so be it."

Celestia expected Arantir to tell her about his way and why it is better than hers. She was surprised to hear the exact opposite. She got more respect for him.

Suddenly, something appeared at the horizon. The four narrowed their eyes, looking at the black blot in the sky. It quickly closed the distance, and soon the four could clearly see it. It was a dragon made of black crystal, with glowing red eyes. It roared maliciously, flying closer.

Celestia was the first to react, and a bright yellow beam emitted from her horn, hitting the dragon in its chest. The beam reflected from the crystal surface, nearly hitting Natura.

"Spread out!" Andromalius yelled, sending an Eldritch Arrow at the dragon. Its body blocked the spell, however. "Fuck, magic-resistant one..."

A dark breath of fire came from the dragon's mouth, melting the snow where the four stood just a moment ago.

"None of you shall leave the North alive!" the voice of Sombra sounded from the dragon's maw.

"So, that is Sombra?" Arantir wondered.

"No, this is a crystal dragon under his control." Celestia quickly explained, dodging the fire that came from the dragon. "They were created by him a long time ago. I thought none existed by now."

Arantir unfolded his membrane wings and flew up. Summoning a deadly sphere of green smoke in his hoof, he aimed at the dragon. Releasing the sphere, Arantir hit the dragon, making it groan in pain as the sphere vaporized a part of its crystal armor as it went with a hiss.

"Hm, if that attack is not magical, that means my fire will do as well." Andromalius thought. Then, he shot a beam of hellfire from his horn, hitting one of the dragon's wings. The beam made a large hole in the wing, making the dragon limp in the air, roaring in pain.

Natura hid behind Andromalius, unsure of what to do. She couldn't attack the dragon that was high in the air. All she could do was praying to Elrath, the dragon-god of the Light.

Celestia was flying, trying to distract the dragon from those who could attack it. And the two human-turned-equines did a very good job at that, green spheres and hellfire beams were high in the air.

Getting hellfire and green sphere to the face simultaneously, the dragon roared, and then fell to the ground, shattering in the air. Soon, there were just shards of crystal scattered on the snowy plain, purple smoke emitting from them as they dissolved.

Arantir landed and folded his wings and said: "Huh, those wings are useful after all."

The two reached the train station in no time. The weather has become significantly warmer, and Natura Stella took off the cloak and returned it to Andromalius. He was the most "special" in appearance between the four of them, so the cloak was necessary for him.

They stopped at the train station, waiting for the train to arrive. According to the schedule, it is to arrive in ten minutes. There was no one on the platform but the four equines.

"What are we waiting for?" Arantir asked. "A carriage?"

"A train. It is a coal-powered vehicle that moves along these railroad tracks." Andromalius explained.

"Hm, like a trolley? They aren't powered by anything."

"Well, a train is much bigger and more advanced than a trolley. You'll see."

"Fascinating technology." Arantir looked at the tracks. "It can be used in Ashan as well. Why, even armies can be moved by a train! It is faster than moving on horses anyway..."

"On horses?" Celestia asked.

"I was a human, a bipedal creature." Arantir explained. "Humans use horses as mounts. We can't move fast without magic. And to your knowledge, horses aren't sapient in Ashan."

"Hm, who is sapient, then?" Celestia asked with interest.

"Humans, elves, dwarves, demons, dragons, some other creatures" Arantir listed. "Well, there are a lot of creatures that are smart but not as sapient. And I guess that you know nothing of those five races I listed. When I get to a serene place, preferably a library, I will tell you if you want, princess."

"I am looking forward to it." Celestis smiled a bit and nodded.

"Andromalius," Arantir addressed the hell stallion. "What about the technology in your world?"

"It is far more developed than what I see here." Andromalius replied. "For example, nearly all of us can communicate with each other instantaneously, no matter in what part of the worlds we are, as well as send each other images, instantaneously as well. This like a giant worldwide web that connects lots of people."

"That is fascinating!" Arantir exclaimed. "With all the knowledge that your humans possess... How many are there humans anyway?"

"Last time I checked it was about seven billions."

Arantir's mouth went agape, as well as Celestia's and Natura's. "Seven... billions? How many is that?" the necromancer asked. "I feel like it is even greater than a million, and that number alone is big enough."

"A billion is a thousand times greater than a million, actually." Andromalius explained.

"In the name of Asha..." Arantir's eyes widened.

The four stayed silent for the rest of the time before the train arrived. About twenty ponies exited it, throwing curious glances at the four equines that stood at the platform.

Andromalius, Celestia, Natura Stella, and Arantir were on their way to Canterlot. Celestia hoped to talk with her sister about the adventures, Arantir hoped to find a library and study, Natura Stella just wanted some peace after everything that happened, and Andromalius was eager to continue his journey further into the Frozen North, but he would like to see Luna first.

Luna was in her office, doing some paperwork. The days without Celestia were lonely for her, and the amount of work was astounding. The lunar alicorn thought of how could Celestia handle this alone for a thousand of years.

Suddenly, a letter came to Luna, signed by Celestia. The alicorn eagerly opened it and read:

Dear sister Luna,

That time I've spent outside was pretty much interesting. I am eager to tell you all the details!

I've met two ponies in my travel with Andromalius, and they are very interesting companions. I ask you to arrange guest rooms for them.

Andromalius is coming as well. He'd been nice to me, and I think our relationship won't be as strained as I expected it to be. I now understand him better, and I can say that he is a nice and caring person on the inside. I misjudged him at first, but now I learn how to accept those whose mindset is unlike ours.

There are also bad news about a certain unicorn of gray by the name of S.

I will tell more once I return to Canterlot.

Sincerely,
Celestia

Luna smiled as she finished reading the letter. She frowned at the mention of Sombra, but decided to leave it be until Celestia returns.

Luna was also glad to hear that Andromalius is coming. She was hoping to see him and to have a friendly chat with him.

Andromalius, Celestia, Natura Stella, and Arantir were on their way to Canterlot. The unicorn was sleep, her head on the hell stallion's shoulder. Arantir was having a chat with Celestia about traditions and customs of ponies, and Andromalius was embarrassed a little by the unicorn's behavior.

He was thinking about how the things will go. He was sure that he'll continue his way to Regnum, the ancient city of demons, but he was unsure of many other things. He didn't know what he can consider fictional and what not.

"Andromalius?" Inanna spoke in his head all of sudden.

"Yes, Inanna?"

"There are good news." she said cheerfully.

"What are they?"

"Well, you now have the artifact Amulet of Alicorn, right? It seems that it not just gives you magical power, but also a new ability. The Amulet has strengthen your connection to Hell, and now you can summon demons, up to about half a hundred at once."

"So, like the Gating ability in the Heroes five?" Andromalius asked.

"Exactly like in that game of yours." Inanna confirmed. "So, after summoning demons, your amulet would need to recharge. You can, of course, force your magic into the amulet, but that would weaken you more than if you let it recharge itself."

"That's pretty useful, I think." Andromalius replied. "But how do I summon?"

"Use your amulet, of course, and your will. Well, what about we try it later, when you get to Canterlot? You can try to summon me, for example."

"I suppose I'll try."

Finally, the four arrived at Canterlot. The city was crowded at that time of day, ponies were everywhere. They noticed the four strange equines, and only one of them was recognized — Celestia. Ponies bowed to her, allowing her and her companions to pass through the crowd without effort.

"I don't like attention." Natura Stella spoke, trying her hardest to stay calm. Her ears were flat against her head. "I like calmness of forests and lakes more than this."

"How do you fight, then?" Andromalius asked.

"Only stallions join the army." the unicorn replied. "If a mare has to fight, she will, of course. But nobody likes it much..."

"This city is... strange." Arantir spoke. "It reminds me of cities in the Griffin Empire, but this one has a lot of magic in it like in the Silver Cities where wizards live."

"The Griffin Empire?" Celestia turned her head to Arantir.

"You have a country by that name, judging by your tone." the necromancer replied.

"No, we don't, but there was the Griffin Empire about eight hundred years ago. Now, there are only divided Duchies throughout the former empire's lands. Most of them has closed their borders recently, though. Rumors are that the empire is being restored to its glory." Celestia replied.

"The Griffin Empire I know consists of Duchies as well." Arantir replied. "Who live in those lands? Griffins?"

"They do." Celestia nodded. "They are as sane as we, ponies, are."

"Hm..." Arantir went silent, deep into his thoughts.

Luna waited patiently in the dining hall of the Canterlot Castle. She arranged everything for the four she was expecting.

Andromalius, Celestia, Natura Stella, and Arantir entered the dining hall, and they were greeted by Luna.

"Hello, sister," Luna smiled. "Hello, Andromalius. Hello to others as well."

Celestia nodded to the necromancer and the unicorn, and Luna looked at those two with interest. She also noticed their body paint: red spider on Arantir's forehead and light-blue lines on Natura's body.

"I am Arantir, the High Lord of Heresh, your majesty." Arantir bowed. "Glad to meet you, princess Luna."

"I am Natura Stella, your majesty." the white unicorn bowed a little awkwardly, not used to the presence of royalty at all. "Um, nice to meet you..."

"Likewise." Luna replied. "So, let's take a seat."

Celestia took a seat at the head of the table near her sister, Andromalius sat near Luna, Arantir took his place at Celestia's side, and Natura Stella sat near the hell stallion.

"Well, sister," Luna turned to Celestia. "I guess thou hast a story to tell."

"Wow..." Luna was able to say once Celestia finished the story about her adventures. "That is one hell of an adventure, Tia."

"I know." Celestia chuckled, then took a sip of her tea she was served with. "I wouldn't believe it if I wasn't there myself. But how is it here, in Canterlot?"

"Dull." Luna sighed. "One word — paperwork."

"Ouch," Celestia winced. "I guess I shouldn't have left. There is just too much paperwork for one person."

"No, I'm fine, really." Luna shook her head. "There is something that ponies invented... I think it's called coffee. Oh, that glorious beverage! It makes me feel so good in the mornings."

"Too much caffeine is bad for the health, Luna." Celestia frowned. "How much did you drink?"

"A cup of it a morning, why?" Luna tilted her head.

"Phew, and I thought you became a caffeine addict!" Celestia laughed a bit.

"No, not at all!" Luna chuckled. "And it seems we forgot about our guests." she turned to the three other equines. "So, do you have coffee in your world?"

"I do." Andromalius nodded. "I don't like it, though."

"Coffee is known in my world as well." Arantir added. "It is very expensive as it is hard to grow the needed ingredients for it."

And so the pleasant conversation went for hours. Knowledge of simple things were shared, jokes were told. No one noticed that evening came. Once they did, all guests were provided comfortable guest rooms in the castle, and Celestia went to her bedchambers.

It was midnight. Arantir couldn't sleep, a question he wanted to ask bothered him. He tried to meditate, he tried to read books, but nothing brought him so needed relaxation.

"O Asha, the creator of all," he addressed his goddes. "I am your servant, but a question eats me from the inside. What do I need to do here? The world of Ashan needs me, the Demon Messiah will rise, and I need to be there to destroy him and end that unholy prophecy."

A lone spider crept from the dark corner of Arantir's room.

"What use do I have to you here?" the necromancer continued.

"Arantir, the High Lord of Heresh, hear my words." a whisper sounded in the room, heard only by the necromancer. "The prophecy will be complete whether you want it or not. In the end, you would be dead for certain, my loyal servant. Only the Demon Messiah himself will decide how the wheel of fate turns.

"However, there is still hope that this world, which is the world of ponies, griffins, yaks, minotaurs, changelings, and many other creatures, will not be destroyed. There is someone that would need your help in the future. And he is no other than the future Demon Lord."

"Andromalius?" Arantir tilted his head. "Is he a future Demon Lord? Is he dangerous?"

"He is Andromalius, yes. Dangerous? In a sense. He is not what he thinks, and he is not what you think he is. I need you to help him in his need. You don't need to be his guide, he is independent in mind and will not allow anyone above him."

"I must not ask questions, but how would helping him serve you, Asha?" Arantir wondered.

"I have my own motives. The great war will come upon these lands, and you will a great part in it. Ensure order and peace here, Arantir."

"Your will is my own, Asha."

Author's Note

And so, the next few chapters in the future of the story will mainly focus on Arantir and necromancy.
Every chapter that has Arantir in it I will post a ponified creature of Necropolis faction. Here's skeleton:

Chapter 17: Ne Improbis Nox

Author's Note

Clop again. *** marks beginning and end.

Chapter 17: Ne Improbis Nox

It was night in Equestria. Andromalius was in the guest room he was provided with. It wasn't too big, but had a decently-sized bed, a chest of drawers, on which the hell stallion's helmet was placed, a wardrobe, and a door that led to the bathroom. The room's floor was covered by a soft white carpet, which was decorated with a golden pattern. There was also a window on one of the walls, which showed a great outside scenery.

"Well," the hell stallion thought. "Inanna, how do I summon? What do I have to do?"

"I am not certain, but I suppose you could try willing the amulet to obey you, and then think of transporting me here. I don't know how long would I stay, though."

"Alright..." Andromalius closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. He reached out to the Alicorn Amulet, he felt it. Slowly, he grasped it with his mind. The amulet started glowing slightly. Focusing more, Andromalius thought of Inanna. The amulet started glowing brighter and brighter. Willing the amulet to transport Inanna here, the hell stallion grunted.

With a bright red flash of light, Inanna appeared before him, stunned a little.

"Ow, my head spins..." she muttered before falling on the floor.

"Success!" Andromalius exclaimed, but then remembered that it is night. He said quieter: "Well, what do I do with you now?"

Inanna stood up, mischievous smirk on her face. She looked lustfully at the hell stallion, her tail swinging left and right.

"Oh, you know what I can do, don't you?" she sad sultry.

"It was your plan all along, right?" Andromalius deadpanned, blushing a little.

"Well, a night of naughty fun is never bad." Inanna chuckled, walking closer to the hell stallion. "Besides, I wan to know you more personally. What kind of person are you?"

Andromalius was looking at the floor and saw dark hoof marks on the white carpet.

"Uh, I think you should shower first." he pointed at the stains.

"Shower? Well, I think I'll take it, but only if you join as well." she smiled at him with lust in her eyes.

"I... I suppose I will..." Andromalius blushed, then turned to the bathroom, Inanna followed him. They entered the bathroom, and thankfully it was big enough for both of them. Getting into the tub, Andromalius turned on the water and adjusted its temperature, getting it comfortable for him and the succubus.

She took off her armor and walked in a tub. As the water touched her, she shivered in pleasure.

"Oh, I didn't know water would feel so good..." she muttered. She closed her eyes and let the water wash away all of the infernal dirt and dust. "Well, there is no water in Hell anyway."

Andromalius got a sponge and soap, and started rubbing the dirt and dust out of Inanna's fur. She moaned slightly each time he moved the sponge over her body.

"I haven't felt like this before, and I like it." Inanna said. Her fur became whiter as the dust was washed away. "And don't you forget to clean every part of my body, Andro."

He blushed a little, but kept rubbing her nevertheless. Her fur on her back already became pale-gray, her mane became dark-pink.

"I didn't know I am colored like this." Inanna looked at her body. "I was always gray... Oh, well, now I know I am not!"

"Your mane is dark-pink, not black." Andromalius added. "In my opinion, you look much better with your natural colors."

"As in more beautiful?" Inanna looked at the hell stallion with her teal-colored eyes.

"Certainly." he nodded. Seeing that her back, head, neck, wings, and sides became clean, he said: "Now I need you to lie on your back."

***

"Hmm, sex in the shower? Doesn't sound bad to me." Inanna giggled, her half-lidded eyes focused on Andromalius, especially on what is hidden between his hind legs. Then, she lied on the tub's surface. She rolled, getting on her back, and spread her hind legs wide, allowing the hell stallion to see her crotch.

"I don't think I'm against it either," Andromalius chuckled nervously, her eyes fixated against his will on her winking pussy. "But, uh, I need to finish cleaning you first."

"Of course." the succubus replied sultry. "Go ahead, then."

Andromalius nervously rubbed her belly, eliciting moans of pleasure from her. She moaned louder and louder as he moved closer to her nethers. His eyes were locked on her teats. The were unlike those of human females.

"Found something you like?" Inanna teased, her tail wagging on the floor excitedly.

Andromalius kept cleaning and didn't answer. When everything was clean, he lunged forward and licked one of Inanna's teats, eliciting a loud moan of pleasure from her.

"Oh, Andro~" she muttered. Satisfied with the result, the hell stallion licked her another teat, doing circular motions on the nipple. "Oh, damn... You nggh... Oh!"

He smiled a little, knowing that he delivers great pleasure to her. He moved lower and stuck his tongue inside her vagina. She gasped and humped his face out of instinct, forcing his muzzle to go deeper into her. Still able to breathe, he inhaled her intoxicating smell. It was nice to him, but just a bit too sweet. Her taste was good for him, even if a little strange. Thrusting his forked tongue deeper inside her, he moved it circularly.

"You... naughty!" Inanna yelled in pleasure, holding his head with her front hooves, forcing him down. "Nngh... I like it!"

Accidentally, Andromalius hit a spot in her pussy, making her scream in pleasure. He hoped that the walls were soundproof.

"YES!" she yelled. "Do it again!"

And he did, using his tongue to bring ethereal pleasure to her. Suddenly, she came, coating his muzzle in her juices. He gladly licked them off his own face and swallowed.

"Ugh... It is like you weren't a virgin just a couple of days ago..." Inanna said breathlessly.

"Well, I knew some moves, that is." he replied. "And I love experimenting."

"Good thing you do. Now the experience is even better!" Inanna giggled. "But you are still unattended..." she looked at his rock-hard erection. "Time to make your dreams a reality, Andro~."

Pushing him softly, she made him lie on his back, his eyes fixated on her. He understood what she wanted to do to him.

"You want to watch me doing it, hmm?" she teased. Andromalius replied with a shameful nod, ears flat against his head, cheeks on fire. "Have it your way~."

She inched closer and closer to his dick, breathing in musky scent of the hell stallion. Her eyes were on his, and his were on hers. Slowly, she licked up his throbbing shaft, eliciting a grunt from him. Planting a small kiss on the tip on hit dick, she licked again.

Suddenly, she opened her mouth wide, and quickly half his length disappeared inside her maw.

"Nngh!" Andromalius moaned. "Oh, damn..." his eyes rolled as he experienced great pleasure. "It is even better than I thought..."

Inanna giggled around his dick, making vibrations pass through it. Slowly, she went down, swallowing more of his dick. She passed the medial ring, and slowly was moving towards the base. She never broke eye contact.

As she reached the base of his dick, he humped her out of instinct. Thankfully for both of them, equines don't have gag reflex.

Inanna used her tongue to give even more pleasure to him, wrapping it around his dick, moving it up and down. She bobbed her head up and down, completely swallowing his length with each repeat. He shivered and spasmed in pleasure, moaning all the way.

He felt himself nearing his edge, and it approached him fast. When he was about to cum, he used his magic to stop her head, only the first few inches of his dick inside her mouth. With a loud grunt, he came. Inanna's eyes widened is surprise as her mouth was filled with hot white seed.

Finishing, Andromalius released her head from his grasp. He forced her mouth to open, and saw results of his work.

Inanna looked at him still lustfully, not moving an inch, mouth wide open. Andromalius, suddenly, pushed himself into her mouth again, forcing his seed to travel down her throat as it was pushed by his dick. He pulled out of her, and his erection was still hard. Inanna swallowed the rest of his cum.

"Oh..." she exhaled. "You're maybe as naughty as I am!" she chuckled. Then, she noticed his still rock-hard erection. "And you're ready for more!"

"And you?" Andromalius asked.

"I'm always ready, my Lord!" Inanna replied, getting on her fours. She turned to him and moved her tail out of the way. "Plow my fields and plant your seed!"

The hell stallion eagerly stepped closer, then pushed. Lubed by the spit, his dick easily entered her as he pushed. Hilting inside her, he moaned, feeling the warm tightness around his length.

He began rocking back and forth at a steady pace. The succubus moaned under him, enjoying the pleasure. He bit her ear slightly, eliciting a loud moan.

"I need you harder and faster!" Inanna cried lustfully. "Do it!"

He obeyed, increasing his pace, slapping against her. Their tails wrapped around each other in ecstasy. The two equines moaned in pleasure as Andromalius fucked the succubus hard. He used his long tongue to lick her demonic horns. Her body spasmed in pleasure, tightening around his dick with each lick of his tongue.

He felt his edge approaching too fast. He increased his pace, still trying to contain himself. He wanted everything to last long enough for the succubus to cum for the second time on that night.

Suddenly, Inanna shuddered, spasming in pleasure, tightening around his dick as she came. Not able to hold himself any longer, Andromalius came as well, a wave of pleasure went through his body as he did.

Breathlessly and tiredly, Inanna dropped on the wet floor, panting.

"Oh..." she muttered. Andromalius used the sponge to clear the mess they both made. "I think my hind legs are sore now... You're a fucking machine, Andro!" the succubus giggled. "And you said that there would be just a shower to clean me... Well, it went better. And you became less shy about sex! That is a turn for better."

"You're not bad yourself." Andromalius replied. "But we need to clean ourselves after our session, don't you think?"

***

After finishing showering, the two demons were lying on the bed, resting.

"So," Inanna spoke up. "You didn't answer the first question; what person are you?"

"I don't think there is much to tell..." Andromalius replied. "I don't really remember half of my life."

"Really?" Inanna's ears perked up. "Tell me more, please."

"Well, until the age of ten, I don't remember much about my life." the hell stallion explained. "The images are in blur, and the only thing that I clearly remember is a starlit sky, unobstructed by anything. But the star pattern... It is certainly different from what I've seen in my world. Perhaps its just a strange memory of a dream... Really, I don't know. My father said that I hurt my head pretty bad and that is why I can't remember much."

"Can you tell me about your father?"

"Well, I only saw him about four times a year. He's a politician and a businessman, as far as I know, and that is why he's always so busy."

"How can a father be good if he doesn't spend much time with his child?" Inanna frowned.

"He always had someone to help him raise me. Lots of people helped me to become what I am. Though, they are strange in some way... My father said that most of them are my relatives, though."

"Your father is a mysterious figure." Inanna stated.

"Perhaps." Andromalius shrugged. "It doesn't matter now anyway..." he sighed.

Inanna hugged the hell stallion softly and whispered in his ear: "I'm always here with you if you need help."

"Thanks..." Andromalius sighed again. "It's just a lot of stress lately... Artifacts, prophecies, fiction becomes reality, no way home. That is just dumped on me simultaneously. I don't really like it, but I have to cope with everything."

Suddenly, Inanna kissed him deeply on the lips. The hell stallion was surprised by her action but didn't resist. After a few moments, they parted slowly.

"Don't be sad, Andro." Inanna spoke softly. "You know you have friends here. Luna is your friend, Celestia is slowly becoming one. Natura Stella certainly has something for you as well... And I love you."

Andromalius was taken by surprise with this statement.

"You... love me?" he asked nervously for confirmation, afraid that he misheard her.

"I do. Who told you succubi can't love?" Inanna brushed her lips against his, then whispered: "You are smart, strong... sexy and powerful as well." she giggled. "I doubt there would be a mare who wouldn't fall for you, regardless of your appearance."

"I... I don't know what to say." Andromalius shuddered a little. "I didn't really consider this."

"You were under a lot of workload lately." Inanna replied. "You didn't have time, don't blame yourself for that."

"Still... It's the first time I experience something like this." the hell stallion said nervously. "Maybe... Maybe I love you back... I don't know! I've never experienced even a crush! I don't know how it feels..."

"Well, we'll find out whether you love me back or not." Inanna nuzzled his cheek softly. "Now, rest, dear Andromalius. You need it."

The hell stallion closed his eyes and rested his head in between Inanna's horns on her head. He was fast asleep, snoring softly and soundly.

Chapter 18: Nox Secreta

Natura Stella couldn't sleep at that night. She has been hearing strange and rather loud sounds coming from the other side of the walls of her room.

"Elrath damn..." she muttered, getting up. Groggily rubbing her eyes, she yawned.

Natura walked closer to the wall and put one of her ears on it. Having rather good hearing since birth, she quickly understood what those sounds were. Immediately, a blush appeared on her face. She heard two lustful voices, and only one of them she recognized.

"Andromalius." she thought. "But who is his partner?.. I hate my curiosity!"

An awkward moment had happened earlier in her life because of the unicorn's curiosity. Natura Stella was never a heavy sleeper, so she often woke up during the nights. One day, she saw a rather intimate moment between her parents.

Even unicorns, those creatures that aren't considered sapient on Ashan, had their customs and traditions. One could say that they act like humans sometimes. And peeking into others' relationships and private moments were not a good thing to do.

However, Natura was never good at obeying rules. After that little incident, she picked up a habit of watching or listening to others doing rather intimate things undetected. She understood that what she does is wrong but she couldn't help herself.

And this time, she was going to try to see what Andromalius and his partner were doing.

Silently, Natura crept out of her room. There was a lone guard in the hall, and he was asleep. The unicorn walked to the door of the hell stallion's room and slightly opened it. Thankfully for her, Andromalius was in the bathroom and she wasn't seen.

The unicorn entered the room, closing the door behind her. She noticed a wardrobe, and it was empty. Grinning to herself, Natura hid inside it, leaving the doors opened just a little, providing her enough view of the bed.

And then, she noticed a strange set of armor by the bed. The armor was made of dark steel with something else colored gold. There was a helmet, and it had four holes: two big and two small.

"Hmm... Four holes... Two for ears, two for horns? Who is the night's visitor of that stallion?" Natura wondered. "Oh, and he isn't doing that with a princess... Oh my..."

A few minutes later two equines came out of the bathroom: Andromalius and Inanna.

"A succubus!" Natura nearly gasped in shock. "Horns, tail, wings... Absolutely the same! What is she doing to him? No... Hm..." she looked at Andromalius. "He doesn't have that dull and lustful look I was told everyone under the control of succubus has. Is he doing it willingly? Wait, he's a demon as well!"

Natura Stella listened. After Inanna confessed her feeling towards Andromalius, the unicorn nervously shifted in place.

"Succubi can love?" she was surprised. "Does that mean this one isn't evil?"

She kept listening to the conversation. Shortly, it ended, leaving only Inanna awake. She was looking directly at the wardrobe. Natura stopped breathing. Her heart was racing, she felt like it was too loud. Sweat rolled down her face as her eyes were focused on the succubus.

"You may come out." Inanna spoke softly. "I am not going to hurt you."

Natura gasped rather loudly, falling from the wardrobe in surprise. Hitting the floor, she groaned in pain. She nervously turned her head towards the succubus.

"Grand entrance." Inanna rolled her eyes. "Good thing is that Andromalius is a heavy sleeper." she moved her head slightly, moving his as well.

"Who are you?" the unicorn asked.

"My name is Inanna, and I am a succubus." a reply came. "While you might think succubi are evil, we are certainly not. We don't suck out the life from our victims... We suck something else." Inanna licked her lips. She giggled as Natura blushed hard. "So, this particular stallion is special, and not only to me."

"What?"

"Andromalius is not what you think." Inanna replied. "But I won't tell you who he is exactly. I know not a lot more than you. And I would like him to make a decision whether he'll speak to you about himself or not."

"Uh... I don't get it." Natura stood up.

"You'll find out soon enough." Inanna rolled on the bed, getting from under Andromalius. She stood up. "So, now it is my turn to ask some questions. Are you comfortable with that?"

"I guess..." Natura nervously rubbed her left fetlock against right cannon.

"What do you think of him?" Inanna pointed at the sleeping hell stallion.

"Uh... What kind of question is it?" Natura tilted her head. "Well, um, he saved my life from danger. I don't think I could've get out of that city by myself. And even if I did, I would've frozen to death. And, well, I am thankful for what he did, even if he looks... strange."

"I see..." Inanna muttered. "But there is something deeper..."

"No, I don't like him that way!" Natura stomped angrily. "Not in the slightest! Well, he might look kinda handsome in some way... No, no no no, I don't like him like that!"

"Tell yourself that." Inanna chuckled. "You know, I can share him."

"Ugh!" Natura facehoofed. "I tell you, I don't like him that way!"

"Yeah, and that desire to see him making love to someone wasn't fueled by your own desire to be with him?" Inanna winked and giggled.

"I peek at those moments all the time!" the unicorn yelled. Realizing what she did, she blushed. She never meant for her secret to be shared with anyone.

"Well, that is one of the rarest fetishes I've ever heard of." Inanna giggled. "But, if you really want that..."

"Uh..." Natura's blush intensified.

"Don't be scared, it isn't bad having something like that." Inanna smiled softly. "Each and every one of us has secret desires that one is afraid to share even with their loved ones. Even Celestia and Luna have some desires even I can call strange."

"I don't think I want to know..." Natura muttered.

"Your choice." Inanna nodded. "However, do you still want to see Andromalius in his—" Inanna chuckled. "—full glory?"

"I... I guess..." Natura couldn't look at the succubus, too shameful of herself.

"Then you have to wait until the morning. You better go get some sleep until then." Inanna winked. And like a wind, Natura was gone.

Midnight, Great Canterlot Library.

Arantir was studying in the library of Canterlot. He had a lot of subjects to cover: history, traditions and customs, magic, geography, biology, and so on. He had at least twenty books lying on the table he was sitting at. About fifteen books had already been read, yet there were still five books Arantir hasn't read yet. It was the first time in ages since he was so deep in the books, and that was even before he started conquering Heresh. The land of Equestria and beyond fascinated the necromancer, the knowledge that was at hand would be useful even back on Ashan, and the history was just as interesting as Ashan's. Arantir ignored everything, focused on reading, hungrily consuming the knowledge the books provided him.

There were also a pair of stallions, a unicorn and a pegasus, walking around the library, having mischievous smirks on their faces. None of them looked like goody-four-horseshoes either. The librarian was at that moment sleeping on her chair, and the two stallions were definitely using it to their advantage.

One of them passed Arantir, stealing a book he was about to read. Chuckling, the stallion continued moving, the book in his magical grasp.

"You put it back." Arantir said through gritted teeth. "I am reading."

"So what?" the unicorn mocked. "Are you going to call the guards? We will be far away before they are here."

"You better not know what will happen." the necromancer replied, getting up from the comfortable armchair. He wasn't very pleased in what was happening. "Now, return that book."

"There's two of us." a voice came from behind. Arantir turned around and saw the pegasus standing there. "There is nothing you can do, trust me. Oh, and don't rely on that old hag." he pointed at the sleeping librarian. "She can't do shit. Besides, she is a heavy sleeper."

"And you're just some crazy bat-fuck hybrid with a stupid spider on your—" the unicorn mocked, but was cut short as he was lifted up, green mist around his neck.

Yelping, his friend rushed to him, but was soon caught in the same mist.

"You will not insult Asha in my presence." Arantir growled. "You should learn some respect."

He sent the unicorn to the floor, making a rather loud thud. The pegasus found himself inverted and glued to the ceiling by his hooves.

"In case you didn't know," Arantir continued. "I am the High Lord of Heresh, the land of necromants. I can turn you into mindless and rather smelly zombies. Or do you prefer being incorporeal ghosts, forever bound to this place? Weak skeletons? Your choice, truly."

The two stallions' eyes widened in fear, their legs shaking.

"However, I am no judge in Equestria. I will hand you to the guards."

"My father will not leave it like that!" the unicorn yelled.

"No one outranks the High Lord. Besides, I know both princesses, and I am on good terms with them." Arantir replied calmly. "I have seen a lot of people like you. You think you can do everything and you will come out of the water dry? I will prove you wrong."

"I don't think thou hast to, Arantir." a feminine voice sounded. Arantir turned his head towards its source and saw the princess of the night herself. "I have seen everything. No father can help those two."

"I leave them to you, your majesty." Arantir released both stallions, bowing to the princess. They cowered, trying to hide from the angry alicorn.

"I despise those who stealeth books, especially from places where everypony can borrow them for free." Luna walked closer. "Books are knowledge, and those who doth not value it is unwise. I think these two would require some correction." she frowned. "Anyway, thanks for not hurting them. I shall take it from now."

After Luna took care of the two hooligans, she returned to the library, and saw Arantir there, studying as if nothing happened.

"How long hast thou been here, High Lord Arantir?" she asked, taking a seat near the necromancer. "And how dost thou know our language?"

"I've been here since I left the castle." Arantir relied, keeping his eyes on the books he was reading at that moment. "There are a lot of subjects for me to cover. And the translation from your written language to mine didn't take long. I am surprised we use the same speaking language, though."

"Art thou not planning to return to your world?" Luna continued asking.

"Asha has use for me here." Arantir replied. "And Asha uses all."

"Asha?" Luna tilted her head. "Thou keepst mentioning her. Who is she?"

"Asha is the Primordial Dragon of Order, the creator of life. She has six children: Elrath, the Dragon of Light; Malassa, the Dragon of Darkness; Arkath, the Dragon of Fire; Shalassa, the Dragon of Water; Sylanna, the Dragon of Earth; Ylath, the Dragon of Air. They are the Elemental Dragons." Arantir explained. "Asha has a twin brother: Urgash, the Dragon of Chaos. Many years ago, a battle between the two took place. Asha and her children won, Urgash was banished into the very core of our planet; his creations, demons, were banished under the surface. However, Asha was greatly weakened, and buried herself in one of the three moons.

"I serve her, I worship her. It might confuse you that I have spiders as a symbol, but one of Asha's aspects is one. I restore order on Ashan, I destroy those who bring chaos to our world. I am her tool, and I gladly serve her. Asha uses all."

"So... basically, thou dost good for the people of Ashan?" Luna asked curiously.

"It depends on what is considered 'good'." Arantir replied. "In many eyes, I am no more than taker of lives. Yes, I would do anything to keep chaos away, even sacrificing thousands of lives. But what would you do, princess, if there is a danger that can destroy all life and bring Ashan to an end? One might even use necromancy..."

"I... I think necromancy isn't that bad." Luna stated nervously. "Of course, it is considered immoral to use the dead..."

"You are interested in the art of necromancy?" Arantir raised a brow, interested.

"I am." the lunar alicorn admitted. "The undead troops tend to be more obedient, sometimes more efficient. Though, my sister never liked this art of raising the dead. I still don't understand why."

"There are a lot of reasons for all living to hate those who use the dead. However, no necromancer thinks about morale." Arantir chuckled. "Though... Would you like to learn necromancy?"

"I cannot simply start learning it! I am the princess, after all... Everypony would stop respecting me, some would like the throne to be taken away from me. That will make me bad..."

"Necromancy doesn't make anyone bad." Arantir shook his head. "It makes its users look bad in the eyes of others, but it is only you who decide how to use the necromancy. You may use it for good or evil."

"That is the reason I am interested in it in the first place." Luna nodded. "So... Yes, I would like to learn how to raise the dead. Secretly, of course."

"I am going to stay in this city for a while, so that will do." Arantir nodded. "Your training will begin on the next night. For now, I must prepare. You should be prepared as well."

Chapter 19: Potentia Daemonis

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 20: Magister

After Arantir gave Andromalius the new weapon, he volunteered to train the demon in the art of swordmanship. While the weapon itself provided maximum damage and was universal in combat, the training was still needed. So, the time of the meeting was set. After the demon teaches Twilight battle magic, a lesson with a necromancer will take place.

So, Andromalius went to Celestia, who was waiting patiently in another part of the castle. The weapon was put in his room for storage.

The hall Celestia told Andromalius to meet her in was circular, about a hundred meters in diameter, and pretty tall; one large column supported the dome-like ceiling in the center of the hall. There were training dummies, as well as wooden replicas of different weapons. In that hall, the Royal Guard was trained by highly qualified masters of martial arts. The hall had narrow windows to avoid being broken during the training. Large tapestries hanged on the walls, each one represented a symbol of the Guard: a shield, half white and gold, half blue and black, and in the center of the shield was placed a stylized image of celestial bodies that the two regal sisters controlled.

Overall, the hall was perfect for training: it had large space and no big obstacles.

When Andromalius entered, he was greeted by the solar alicorn.

"Hello again, Andromalius." Celestia said. "Twilight is coming soon, as well as her friends; they will watch her. While she is away, can you tell me a plan for the training if you have one in the first place?"

"A plan for the training is a must." Andromalius replied. "The first thing will be theory. While I am no teacher, I came up with a material that I will teach her. And I'll start from basics. But before I start, she will show me the skills she already has. A prelude it will be, and I'll learn what she can already do. And I have many lessons to teach her..."

"Is it dangerous?" Celestia asked warily.

"No harder than a slap. Mostly humiliating, slightly painful, but not overly so." the hell stallion answered. "Don't worry, I have it under control. She will not be hurt too much, but no pain — no gain."

"I... I understand." she nodded slowly. "But if she will be hurt during your training session?"

"I have good healing magic. As well as a spell that brings dead back to life." Andromalius replied. "But I don't think it will come to that."

"A spell of resurrection?" her eyes widened. "Such a spell exists?!"

"Of course." he nodded. "But I didn't have a chance to use that yet. And I hope I won't have to."

"Well, you eased some of my worries..." she sighed. "But try to be not too hard on her, alright?"

"I promise she will be fine."

Twilight Sparkle and her friends were walking through the Canterlot Castle, a guard guided them to the hall where Andromalius and Celestia were waiting for her.

"Okay, I get it that the princess wants to teach ya something new," Rainbow Dash spoke, flying lazily. "But she also said that it will be that Andromalius guy she's told us about earlier. And he's gonna teach ya battle magic. That's cool and all, but I'm a little worried about what will happen. He's some sort of an anti-hero type, no?"

"I am nervous about everything as well." Twilight replied. "But I trust princess Celestia, and I won't let her down."

"But he's scary." Fluttershy spoke. "Um, I wouldn't like a scary teacher to give me lessons..."

"Well, maybe Twilight knows a tad bit 'ore than 'im, who knows?" Applejack said. "Maybe she's already better than 'im and doesn't need a teacher. Hey, he's been here for a few weeks, and Twilight's been learning fer years! 'Tis sure she's better than 'im."

Agreeing with her, the ponies continued their way, idly chatting. Soon, they reached the big double doors. The guards opened them for the mares, letting them in. Inside the hall, Andromalius and Celestia waited for the six.

"Hello, Twilight Sparkle." Celestia greeted her protege warmly. "Hello to every one of your friends as well."

As everypony greeted each other, Celestia continued: "Well, Twilight, you know why you are here."

"Yes, I do, princess, but, um, I'm a bit unsure about this..." Twilight started nervously. "You want him—" she pointed at the hell stallion. "—to be my teacher? Princess, forgive me, but why can't you teach me?"

"I know too little compared to Andromalius." the alicorn replied. Murmurs were exchanged among the five friends. "And he's a rather nice person once you get to know him. Trust me, everything will be fine." she said warmly, putting a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.

While the student and the teacher talked, the other five ponies were looking at Andromalius. Rainbow Dash looked brave, wearing frown on her face, trying to look threatening. Applejack was wary of him. Fluttershy was hiding behind Applejack. Rarity was trying hard to hide her blush, looking away from everyone. And Pinkie Pie wore her usual grin on her face, slightly bouncing in place.

"...so, let us start." Celestia declared. "Now you speak, Andromalius."

He cleared his throat: "So, Twilight Sparkle, your lessons begin now. Celestia, please hide others behind a barrier."

The princess nodded, her horn glowed, and a golden dome appeared around her and the five mares.

"But before we start with the theory and basics," the hell stallion continued. "I want to know how well you are in battle already."

"Um... I've never been in any fights." Twilight stated nervously.

"Try your best. Don't be afraid to use much power, I can endure." he stood in a battle stance. "On three. One..."

Twilight nervously shifted in place, getting ready. Every other pony watched the unicorn and the demon.

"Two..."

Twilight's eyes narrowed, her horn started glowing.

"Three!"

With a loud grunt, Twilight released a beam of magic, aiming it at the hell stallion. It evaporated him completely. The lavender unicorn blinked in surprise while her friends stared, mouthes agape. Only Celestia smirked.

"Don't trust your eyes." a voice of Andromalius echoed through the hall. "You have many senses. Use them!"

Twilight focused, trying to find the source of voice. However, the echoes seemingly came from everywhere. Suddenly, she felt like someone was behind her. She quickly turned around, only to face Andromalius. He shot an Eldritch Arrow at her, hitting her square in the chest, sending her flying across the hall. With a grunt and a thud, Twilight landed on her side. However, she wasn't hurt badly, the pain was minimal.

"Be quick to react." Andromalius spoke, getting closer to the unicorn. "Do not think, do not reason. It takes time. Instead, you should act like a machine, without a thought or hesitation, on instinct. Otherwise, your enemy will be much faster and will get you before you can protect yourself."

She rose from the ground, then shot another beam of magic at her teacher. This time, the beam returned to her, and she barely dodged it.

"Mirrors are magic." Andromalius smirked. "A shield can act as a mirror—"

This time, Twilight sent a big ball of magical energy towards the hell stallion. It just went around him, exploding violently somewhere behind him, making the whole hall shake.

"Or like a rock that separates the river—"

Twilight grunted, sending the most powerful beam at Andromalius. The shield blocked it completely, forcing the hell stallion to take a few steps back.

"Or like an indestructible obstacle." Andromalius finished.

"How..." Twilight panted. "How do I win?!"

"Do you know what knowledge is, Twilight Sparkle?" the hell stallion asked all of sudden.

"Knowledge is... books?" she looked at him quizzically.

"Knowledge is power!" Andromalius declared. "To gain power, you must learn. And learning is done in two steps: theory and practice. I hope you took a notebook with you, because you are going to learn many things, some of which contradict to what you already know. You have some time to prepare.

"Princess, be so kind, bring a desk and a chair here, and both should be comfortable for Twilight. Comfortable sofas would be suitable for her friends as well if they wish to stay with her."

Celestia nodded and went to her guards to ask them to bring the necessary furniture.

The five friends of Twilight stared at Andromalius, mouthes agape.

"He won..." Rainbow Dash said with awe in her voice. "With only one attack!"

"Oh Rainbow Dash, I hope you never see how he really attacks." Celestia replied, overhearing what the rainbow-maned pegasus had said. "That is a little... scary, to say at least."

"So," Andromalius spoke. Twilight Sparkle was ready to learn, having a quill in her magical grasp. She was sitting at the desk, while her friends and princess Celestia were sitting on a comfortable sofa. Uninterested in theory, Rainbow Dash was already half asleep. "Forget everything that you've learned about the nature of things."

"But these are fundamental! Everything is based on magic, everypony knows it!" Twilight objected.

"Let me tell you something, Twilight." Andromalius said. "From where I came, people used to believe that everything around them is either magic or deeds of a higher power. But through centuries of studying, our scientists discovered how things really happen. It isn't magic, it can be logically explained.

"So, why do you think you can stand on the ground? Why don't you just fly through the air?"

"Magic binds everything to the ground." Twilight replied, sure in her statement.

"It is untrue." the hell stallion shook his head. "Tell me, how much does the planet weighs?"

"Um, it cannot be measured by normal means, obviously, but my guess is that our planet weighs billions of tons at least."

"There is a law of physics. Bigger the mass, bigger the gravity. That means that even you pull something towards yourself, but the force with which it happens is really small. That means that this planet pulls you and everything else to its core, which is even heavier than you can imagine. That is why a planet's shape is always sphere-like and doesn't have the upside and downside.

"Hm..." Twilight mused. "I think you are right... Nopony before could explain why is our planet round."

"While I am certainly no teacher, and I wasn't the best student back in my school, and I didn't have a chance to finish college, I still know many things."

"But how is all of it connected to the battle magic?" Twilight asked.

"When you understand the nature of things, you understand what you do, you can explain it. Thus, everything becomes easier." Andromalius explained. "I bet you've never seen any spells like those I used in the battle."

Twilight nodded.

"That is because I've created them, at least practically. I knew them before, but I didn't know they can be used." he continued. "The first one I used was Phantom. That is a spell that creates a replica of a caster. The replica is just an image, a projection, not a real person. Like a mirage in the desert, if that is easier for you to understand."

"But creating spells is very difficult!" Twilight replied. "Starswirl the Bearded himself created only about five!"

"I don't think he knew more than you do." Andromalius replied. "But he tried, at least."

"Tried?!" Twilight exclaimed. "He's the strongest wizard the ponydom, no, the whole world has ever had!"

"I don't say what he created is false. I say that he knew just as much as you do. And many things are still left unanswered for you. Be patient, everything will be explained. And maybe you will become the greatest wizard the whole world has ever had."

Twilight smiled widely, and instantly became ready to listen and learn.

"So, today I will talk about how to use battle magic, it's sections and uses. The nature of things comes along the way." Andromalius cleared his throat. "So, battle magic is mainly used to severely damage your opponent, or even to kill."

Twilight gulped nervously, writing down what Andromalius said.

"But that doesn't make anyone evil." he continued. "It all depends on how you use it. You can murder, torture, plunder. Or you can protect yourself, your family and friends from danger. And even resurrect those who died."

"What?!" her eyes widened. "That means we can bring back to life many great ponies!"

"Sadly, no." the hell stallion shook his head. "From what I know, the spell can only be used on those who died recently. I haven't had a chance to use the spell yet, and I hope in never comes to that."

"But it's still useful!"

"Of course." Andromalius nodded. "But the spell doesn't make anyone younger or more beautiful. I don't even speak about the mind of who was resurrected. They might face insanity because of what they've been through. Feeling the death's hands on your neck snapping it is a very scary thing, I believe.

"But enough of the dark side. So, there are many offensive spells, and most of them are connected to elements of nature: fire, air, water, earth. They deal coherent damage, obviously. So, the being that is made of fire is immune to it, for example.

"There are also four sections of magic: light, dark, destructive, and summoning magic. These are not mainly offensive, but mostly strengthening allies or weakening the enemy, depending on the nature of spell.

"Light Magic is mainly focused on raising various statistics of those on whom the spell is cast. Dark Magic is focused on lowering the luck, morale, and overall pretty much anything that is included in Light Magic. Destructive Magic's title speaks for itself, obviously. And the last one, Summoning Magic. It is used for summoning spirits of nature to help you in combat, as well as to create temporal obstacles or annoyances.

"We will start with Light Magic. But, I think the break is needed. Try to process the information I gave you, Twilight." Andromalius ended his speech.

Andromalius excused himself and exited the hall, leaving the mares alone.

"Wow..." Rainbow Dash spoke. "Even I became interested in the stuff he's said. He knows a ton of stuff about this! I really want to see the exam he's going to give you, Twilight. That will be one heck of a battle!"

"Well, it's a lot to take in, actually." Twilight Sparkle replied. "He's said that fundamental things we know are wrong! He created these spells he used! I can't really believe that, but the facts are true, he does know much more than I do."

"I still remember that moment when I angered him." Celestia spoke. "It still scares me sometimes... But I understand him now. I thought he was gaining power to take control, but it turned out that he's learning because he wants to protect himself and his friends. And even back then he had much power... I don't even want to think how powerful he is now. Good thing that he's sharing the knowledge."

"Good thing that he's on our side." Applejack said.

"He is not entirely on our side." Celestia shook her head. "He has told me who he is and what he'll become. He shares some similarities with us, but his mind is very different from ours. He is of another kind, and I can't reveal more information without his permission."

"So, he's important?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, very much so." Celestia nodded.

Suddenly, Andromalius returned to the training hall, Inanna walking by his side. She wasn't wearing her armor, though. Everypony stared at her in surprise.

"Hello," she spoke. "I've heard that this handsome stallion—" she nodded at Andromalius, flashing her toothy smile. "—is teaching battle magic. Mind if I join?"

...

Rarity fainted.

"Bravo, Inanna." Andromalius deadpanned.

"What?" she looked at him innocently. "Can't I make a grand and sudden entrance?"

"Ugh..." the hell stallion facehoofed.

Chapter 21: Magicae Et Animo

Celestia narrowed her eyes at Inanna. Taking in her features, she made a conclusion.

"Well, hello to you, Inanna the succubus." the alicorn spoke a little warily.

"Good day, princess Celestia." Inanna made a polite bow. "You may call me just Inanna. I'm not into any titles anyway... And is she—" the succubus pointed at unconscious body of Rarity. "—going to be alright?"

"It happens not for the first time," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "And, um, who are you?"

"Well, you can say I'm Andromalius's adviser, kind of." Inanna replied. "And a companion... of many kinds." she winked.

"Alright, what is going on in here?" Twilight asked, free from her stupor she had been in for some time after Inanna's entrance.

"Apparently," Celestia started to explain. "Andromalius is a very special person, not just someone who got here by accident, or so it seems. He has destiny here, and many aid him, like Inanna. If he wants, he'll share the details."

"I don't want to sound suspicious, but I wish to stay silent for now." the hell stallion replied. "I can just say that a great destiny awaits me, and it will be something that I truly didn't expect at all. And Inanna... she's been with me almost from the beginning. I will tell more later, I promise."

"A tad confusing if ya ask me." Applejack sighed. "Ah expected this visit to be less... dramatic and confusing."

"More ponies — more fun!" Pinkie Pie said cheerfully.

"I am sorry, but I don't like more ponies..." Fluttershy muttered while hiding behind Applejack.

"Inanna, I still don't understand why did you need to meet all of them at once now." Andromalius turned to the succubus. "I am trying to teach here, not to make things more and more complicated."

"I like when it's confusing." Inanna replied with a grin, to which the hell stallion facehoofed. "Oh, don't be like that... I just want to know how you teach."

After some idle chat that lasted for about five minutes, everypony calmed down, and Twilight was ready to learn more. She was fine with Inanna, especially when Celestia accepted the succubus.

Rarity woke up and was fine, yet she excused herself to the restroom.

"So, Twilight," Andromalius spoke. "I was wondering... Why do I hear only a few objections? I thought you'd be rather protective to what you've learned from others."

"I was told that all teachers know everything better than me." she replied. "Well, my parents told me not to question a teacher."

"I don't want to sound rude or anything, but your parents are wrong." the hell stallion shook his head. "Say, have you ever been wrong?"

"I have." she admitted.

"And if you become a teacher, will you never ever be wrong again?"

"Uh..."

"Exactly." he nodded. "It doesn't matter what you are, a teacher or a student. Both can be wrong or right, and the status has to do nothing with it.

"Now tell me, why do you think that magic binds everything to the ground? Talk, prove your point."

"Well," Twilight cleared her throat nervously. "In ancient times, about ten thousand years ago, it was discovered that magic pierces everything: the air, the ground, the water. Unicorns could control all of those, even if only partly. So, it was concluded that everything is based on magic."

"That is rather logical." Andromalius replied. "So, do unicorns manipulate gravity?"

"Yes, in many ways actually." she nodded. "One can make it turn upside down for themselves, for some time. Levitation is a perfect example as well. The first one is a really difficult spell to accomplish, though, and it requires much energy from the user.

"And... What do you think of it, Andromalius?" Twilight asked.

"I have a theory about that..." he scratched his chin. "I didn't study magic much, but my guess is that it is another form of energy, which obeys different laws from those I know or changes the known laws. The research is needed to prove my theory right or wrong, but I have no time for that, sadly.

"What I will tell you might be wrong in some ways, actually. As I've said before, there is no magic from where I came. Keep it in mind, and don't you think that everything I tell you is an absolute truth."

"But how can you teach if you don't know what's right or wrong?" Twilight asked curiously.

"And that is progress." Andromalius chuckled. "Teachers are proven wrong through the time, and I don't think I will be different. Old knowledge is proven wrong, new is created. That is how the progress has come to be."

"Those are wise words." Celestia chimed in.

"I didn't know you were this smart, Andro." Inanna chuckled. "For a teenager, you are really smart."

"Uh, teenager?" Twilight replied, then turned to the succubus. "Isn't he older?"

"I am chronologically eighteen years old." Andromalius said. "I have no idea of my biological age, though."

"I am nineteen." Twilight blinked. "You are younger than me... And you teach me!" her eyes widened. "This shouldn't be scientifically possible!" and she fainted.

Everypony stared at the scene, and only a lone and hard facehoof was heard.

It was decided that it was it for Twilight, and the next lesson will take place on the next day.

So, Andromalius went to Arantir, who was in the room he was provided with. The necromancer was there, ready to teach the demon the art of swordsmanship. The weapon of the demon, Potentia Daemonis, was carried by Andromalius.

"So," Arantir spoke when the two were ready to start the training. "I by no means am a master of swords. I prefer magic, but I know someone who can teach you far better than I. Come."

Arantir cast a spell, making a magical archway open to the castle of Hornguard. He and Andromalius went there, and the portal closed behind them. The two appeared in the throne room of the castle. Two archliches guarded the throne, they were looking at Andromalius with their empty eye sockets.

A vampire walked into the throne room, carrying a sword in his magical grasp. Red split-pupil eyes were fixed on Andromalius, the face of the vampire was emotionless.

"He—" Arantir pointed at the vampire. "—will teach you how to wield your weapon properly.

"Fortunately, vampires gained some kind of telekinesis, allowing them to use their skills of combat even without hands or arms. So, don't expect the training to be easy. All vampires had decades or even hundreds of years to master their skills."

Andromalius used telekinesis to hold his new weapon tightly, bringing it in front of himself.

"My name is Harold." the vampire introduced himself. "I have been fighting demons alongside High Lord Arantir for many years... And I find it interesting that I am going to share my skills with one. I know my Lord to not argue with his decisions, for he knows what is best for all of us.

"So, tell me, what so you know about vampires."

"You are eternally young, but your body is empty." Andromalius replied. "You traded your life for eternal youth, thus able to live for many years. And these years you've spent on mastering the art of the sword, becoming too fast for your opponent to retaliate."

"Good. It seems you are fairly well-equipped with knowledge." Harold nodded, smiling a little. "So, what do you know about fighting with swords?"

"I admit I know nothing." Andromalius replied. "I wasn't really interested in swordsmanship until recently."

"It will be harder for you, then." the vampire pointed his sword at the demon. "Remember these three lessons: move fast, strike strong, mind your surroundings. These are the keys to succeeding in battle, coming out a victor."

This time, Arantir spoke: "The training cannot be completed unless at least a year is spent in training. I don't know whether we have so much time or not."

"What do you mean, Arantir?" Andromalius turned to the necromancer. "Why don't have we a year?"

"Because I was told by none but Asha herself that a great war will fall upon these lands." Arantir explained. "I don't know when it'll come, but I know is that it can be sudden as the war of Queen Isabel was. Peace is a fragile thing, and it can be broken by a single touch of evil."

"So what do I do?" the hell stallion asked. "If it comes, I must be prepared."

"Indeed you must." Arantir nodded. "And I have a way to help you. There is an old and powerful spell that I've used a few times. It is called "Serenity". When cast, this spell provides time and calmness of mind. This way, a caster can spend years studying while in reality only a few days pass. I've used it when I had to gain knowledge in short time.

"The spell preserves the sanity of a caster and anyone they want to "bring along", so to say, and it is so up to five people at once. If I cast such a spell on you and Harold, I and he will be able to train you in arts of might and mind. I see you have much to learn, and we have the knowledge to teach you. So, do you agree?"

"How much time will pass?" Andromalius asked.

"One year there equals one full day here." Arantir replied. "But I will be able to cast this spell only once in a real year, for it is very draining."

"I agree but I have to warn someone first."

"Of course," Arantir nodded. "Take your time."

Andromalius didn't go anywhere. Instead, he used his connection to Inanna to tell her the news. She accepted them, and told Andromalius that she'll be able to teach Twilight some basic fire battle magic while he is gone. The succubus told Andromalius that he can take his time, she'll be waiting for him.

"I am ready." Andromalius spoke.

"Good." Arantir replied. "Your true training begins... now."

Author's Note

Yes, this chapter is a lot shorter than a usual one, but have no fear! The next one will be long enough for satisfaction.

So... I've got news for you. I am pausing writing this story. I will, however, write and update other stories. I have some ideas that popped up in my head, and before I forget them, I'll write.

Remember! I will never abandon a story that is liked by many. There are three hundred people who follow this story, and I will disappoint none of them. Yes, you'll have to wait some time for the story to continue. But it will be worth the wait.

You now have time to think of what is accomplished by Andromalius so far. Will he succeed? What war is everyone talking about? Where the hell is the Shield of Hippogriff, the last needed artifact? Will Hell become Heaven? All questions will be answered.

Chapter 22: Suscitat Mortuos

Author's Note

I'm back at writing this story of mine! And with the return, I have something special for you...

Music I made by myself!

So, warning to real musicians who do the best: I am no professional, I don't even know how to read the notes, nor did I study anywhere to make what I made. So, if you get earbleeds, I'm really sorry.

Anyway, I would like to hear your opinion, dear readers. After all, I would like to know how my music is to others.

Chapter 22: Suscitat Mortuos

It was night in Canterlot. Most ponies were asleep, most lights were out. The night was darker than usual, the sky was blotted with dark clouds that obstructed the moon. The castle was quiet, only clop of guard patrols' hooves could be heard in the silence of the night.

However, the lunar alicorn was awake, waiting for someone in her room. And that someone was Arantir.

He moved through the castle to Luna's room. Guards glanced his way, but all of them were told that he is allowed entrance there. So, guards gave him no problems as he passed them, not even looking anywhere but forward. His mind was still partly focused on keeping the spell under which Andromalius and Harold were. It wasn't hard for Arantir to do so, though, as he has done that spell a few times before.

After a while, Arantir knocked at the door of Luna's office. After he was allowed entrance, he entered the room and closed the door behind him. The room was dark, only a few candles provided some light, and Arantir was able to see Luna's silhouette.

"Good evening, High Lord Arantir." the lunar alicorn greeted him.

"Good evening, princess Luna." Arantir made a polite bow. "So, it seems you've made up your mind about necromancy."

"Yes, I did." Luna nodded. "And I am ready to listen and learn. I have a bad feeling about the future, and I think it shall be better if I learn some new tricks by then."

"That is reasonable, for I know that you are completely right about the future." Arantir nodded. In much darker and quieter voice, he added: "There will be war, princess."

"War?" Luna asked warily. "Who against whom? What is the reason?"

"Asha has told me only this fact. Nothing more is known to me." the necromancer replied. "So, you want to learn. Good. Then, you need to show me a place where the dead still lie, buried without ritual. Battlefields, for example."

"I think I have one in mind. It is very ancient." Luna frowned. "Those were dark times... Times of murder and destruction. Unicorns, earth ponies, and pegasi fought against each other. It was the first and the last battle they fought in Equestria three thousand years ago..."

***

Arantir and Luna stood under the moonlight in what seemed to be just a large field. Standing on a huge rock, they saw the field completely. They could feel the pain and suffering coming from the ground and the air, as the green blades of grass were once drenched in blood of one kind that fought against itself in hatred. These dark emotions still lingered in the air, in the earth, and in the water, poisoning the once pure fields.

"This is a perfect place to begin." Arantir spoke. "There are many souls trapped here. They are still willing to serve, to kill or protect. They will eagerly serve you if you send a call."

"And... what must I do?" Luna asked warily. She was afraid of this place. Her ears were folded, her body was tense. She felt the darkness in the air, such darkness that her night does not create.

Arantir used levitation to take off something that was around his neck. That was the Amulet of Necromancy, a small wooden coffin with a symbol of a spider. He levitated it to Luna.

"This is the Amulet of Necromancy. Wear it, and your first time will be easier, and your power will grow faster." Arantir told Luna as she put on the amulet.

"I feel strange..." she said, touching the amulet. It reacted to her touch, starting to pulse barely noticeable. "Darker than usual."

"Because the amulet is charged with the Dark Energy, a kind of magic that allows you to raise the dead." Arantir explained. "Your will is strong, you will not be consumed by the amulet. Instead, it will help you reach higher and higher in the art of necromancy.

"So, allow me to demonstrate first."

Arantir stood on his hind legs, closing his eyes and unfurling his wings. Invisible gust of wind swirled around him, green mist seeped from his front hooves. He opened his eyes, which became fully toxic-green. From the ground in front of him, the earth began to treble. Soon, a hoof in rusty armor pierced the ground from underneath, scaring Luna, making her take a step back. Soon, a unicorn battle mage stood before the two. Judging by the bone structure, the unicorn was a stallion. He was dressed in rusty light steel armor and tattered cloak with a purple symbol of magic — six-pointed star. The eyes of the unicorn were glowing green, the smoke of same color seeped from his mouth like a drool of the insane.

"He who stands before me is a slave to my will from now on." Arantir spoke, standing back into normal position. "He is willing to serve, and no more does he see any difference between unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies. His soul became just a desire to serve, to obey, to have him used. He has no mind any longer, no personality. All of that was destroyed a long time ago.

"So, princess Luna, shall you try or did you rethink your decision?"

"I shall try." Luna nodded, then closed her eyes. She stood on her hind legs, her wings unfurled, one of her forelegs straight, as if the hoof wanted to grasp the whole field. Luna reached out to the field, her magic worked with its. However, her horn didn't glow — her eyes did as she opened them. Then she felt it: hundreds of souls drenched in ancient blood, swirling around the field. She heard their calls, heard their pleas, heard their desire of servitude. Unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies alike desired to be under her command, for they felt she was the one rightful ruler to lead them into battle once again.

So, they rose from their battle-graves. Clanking with their rusty armor, holding their weapons with their mouthes or in their remains of magic, they rose from the dark ground, and all were looking at Luna with endless devotion, endless desire for eternal servitude to her and only to her from then on.

Heavily armored earth ponies, fast and agile pegasi that somehow still had their wings, unicorn battle mages, all of them stood up to see their new mistress. And Luna watched them with shock in her eyes as they rose, their eyes glowing midnight-blue.

"This is astounding!" Arantir exclaimed, looking over hundreds of ponies Luna has risen. "It is the first time in years since I've seen a beginner raising so much dead at once!"

"I... I heard their call, I answered it." Luna replied shakily and nervously, her eyes returning to normal, her heartbeat increasing. "And... I fear it!"

"Princess, you have no need to be afraid." Arantir assured her. "They are yours, their un-lives are yours, they are your eternal servants, they are your fearless warriors... I see a great potential in you, Luna.

"And don't even think that you became evil the moment you raised the dead! It is absolutely not true. You answered their call, you gave them what they wanted, you fulfilled their desire. You didn't force your will against theirs. You are their rightful mistress."

"We exist... to serve thee, mistress Luna." the undead spoke in perfect synch. "Guide us, command us... Bring us to the battle so we being thee glory... We are willing to serve... Take us, make us thine!"

"I... I..." Luna stuttered. "I just..."

"It is sometimes hard emotionally." Arantir walked to Luna, who was about to faint. "Take it easy and slow. Take a deep breath, calm yourself down. There is no danger. There is no evil. There is serenity, princess."

Princess Luna nervously sighed, still keeping her eyes on the army of the undead. After a few minutes, she calmed down enough to speak.

"What do I do with them now?" she asked Arantir.

"They are now your personal army, princess Luna." the necromancer replied. "Do as you see fit. But if you want to hide them, find a dark, lifeless cave. I suppose there are plenty of those around.

"Until the time comes, hide them from the living. Find other fields of battle, raise more troops for your army of the undead. I suppose there are plenty of those who will serve you gladly even in death."

"I... I know it must be done, but... It's harder than I thought." Luna admitted. "It's like it drains life energy."

"The first time is always exhausting, princess." Arantir nodded. "But worry not, your mind or soul won't change. Yes, you will become less emotional, but you should have your friends around, it will fix the situation. Remember, the darkness that you control can be used both for good and evil. Remember that, keep it in your mind."

"I... I will." another shaky sigh escaped her lips. "Thanks, Arantir. But, well, I didn't think thou art a supportive person."

"You remind me of someone I had under my wing." Arantir replied. "She was such a good learner. She had so much talent..."

"May I ask who art thou talking about?" Luna asked.

"Her name was Ornella." the necromancer replied darkly. "She was once a student of mine, a very clever student. She was a princess like you, princess of vampires. But, well, Asha had a use for her life, for Ornella had to face her final death to serve a greater purpose."

"She... died?"

"She did." Arantir nodded. "But doing so, she allowed me to complete my mission and destroy the facade, to show the truth. Her life was not wasted." he looked at the sky. "But enough of this. Let us return, for the dawn is coming soon. I suppose you have much to do, princess."

Chapter 23: Animis

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 24: Revelationis

Day after day, week after week, Andromalius trained intensely, learning many things about swordsmanship. A warrior must be able to adapt to any situation, and so one must learn stances, styles, ways of attacking, and of course, ways of defending oneself. A fight is simple: you either live or you die. You can survive without getting a single scratch or you might just barely crawl out of the battle, holding onto your dear life with whatever limbs you managed to save. The purpose of training is to minimize damage to oneself and maximize it against whoever you combat.

Fortunately for Andromalius, things went relatively well. He wasn't skilled in bladed combat before but he had potential, one that Harold proceeded to make into reality. The hell stallion, at the very least, had strength, both physical and magical, allowing him to endure way more than a regular fighter would. Even if he couldn't outperform his opponent initially, his stamina and endurance allowed him to tire them out until he could make his move.

And so, a year passed in the magical time bubble. The training was soon to end, and the hell stallion would finally return to the real world.

"Very well, Andromalius," Harold spoke near the end. "You have shown yourself quite well."

"Thank you," the hell stallion nodded, releasing a sigh, "This was... quite an experience," he looked around, noticing ripples akin to those caused by wind on water, and then returned to the vampire, "Thank you for teaching me, Harold."

"Thank you for being a good student," he smiled proudly in response, "It's been a long time since such a dedicated student learned from me. In fact, you did better than most I've taught in my lifetime," he praised Andromalius, "You have acquired necessary skills for combat and improved them through time. More importantly is that you've made a connection with your weapon," he gestured at Potentia Daemonis, "Each and every blade has its own history, and it can influence the blade, as well as its user. This weapon's true owner is indeed you. I saw the progression — at first, you acted very warily, as if you and your blade were strangers meeting for the first time. Later, however, your relationship with it improved and you started acting like one."

"So... Am I ready?" Andromalius asked, some uncertainty left in his voice.

"It depends on what you'll be fighting against," Harold replied, "The chances of them having the same skill as mine are extremely low; from what I can see, but you can never be too careful. Spend some time training yourself every day, and your skill will grow. This way, your victory will be ensured. So, in a sense, you're never truly ready."

Andromalius nodded in understanding. The spell that held him seemed to end as the hell stallion felt something unnatural... Like he was being revived, brought back from the dead. He felt energy coursing through him, filling him to the brim with life. A certain feeling appeared in his head, a pressure that was uncomfortable and yet not painful.

"The spell ends now it seems," Harold noticed, looking up. The ripples intensified, a buzzing sound appeared in the air. "Well, go on. I suppose High Lord Arantir is waiting for you."

As the last word left his mouth, the time seemed to come to a complete halt. Harold was in the middle of blinking, his mouth didn't close. The fire of the candles on the walls continued to glow but also froze in place, making a surreal scenery. Specks of dust in the air stopped as well, and only the hell stallion remained in motion.

Andromalius looked around, confusion evident in his eyes; he was silent, afraid to speak. There was something in the air, something strange; yet it was oddly familiar. Like a distant memory from the childhood, a blurry moment lost in the passage of time. Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name. No, it wasn't his human name he had long forgotten, it was his new, demonic name.

"Who are you?" Andromalius asked warily, his eyes darting around, his ears swiveling, trying to find the source of the mysterious voice. Breaking the silence with another question, "What do you need?"

"You will recognize me once you see me." The voice replied, in a sickly moment, everything around the hell stallion started to shift and bend, twist and turn, transforming into something familiar. Sickly-orange sky, black blots of clouds, lifeless dark plains with lava lakes and rivers, volcanos in the distance. The air filled with scents of smelting metals and burning sulfur. Molting and melting rock and stone found in the area. It felt similar to what he has once seen.

Andromalius knew what this place was, but his silent question was not about it but about the reason that he was there. Hell, it was a place for a demon, a prison for many. And yet, why was he there now? However, all his questions were silenced when he finally saw the owner of the mysterious and familiar voice.

It was a big dragon of dark-red. It had seven heads, ten horns, and on the horns, ten diadems. Each head represented a different being: a lion, a leopard, a wolf, a bear, a crocodile, an owl, and a human. For a moment, Andromalius was frozen in place, looking into the face of the human head. His eyes widened when he took in the features, realizing whom they belonged to. It was a person he did not expect to see. Not there, not then.

Stuttering, the hell stallion tried to speak, and yet no words came out of his mouth. He stared at the Beast, his mouth agape, his thoughts in a rush, his mind was trying to find a reason, something logical to hold on to, and yet it was failing miserably.

"You recognize me," the Beast said, a hint of sadness in its voice.

"F-father?" Andromalius said in a hushed voice, his eyes fixated on the face of the Beast. It couldn't possibly be true. It must've been a nightmare, there was no logical explanation to find. The mind of the hell stallion was overloaded, not letting him say any other word as he helplessly opened and closed his maw.

"I am," the Father nodded and sighed, "I've been avoiding it, but now I realized... It's time I reveal the truth. Please, son... listen to me. I know it must be hard for you, I can sense how you feel. I am sorry, but this is the only way I could find to let you know."

Andromalius continued to stare at the beast; his mouth opening and closing as he tried to come out of the stupor. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. Blood was pumping through his body and head, deafening him, thousands of thoughts going through his mind at once, each crazier than the other, driving him insane. There was a small part of him, a reasonable part; it demanded that he listened.

"...What, uh, what is all of this?" he finally asked, his body shaking slightly. Soon, more words choked out of his mouth, "What... what the fuck?"

The Father waited patiently for his son to calm down. He knew it wouldn't happen too well, and so he had to be patient in order to make sure that Andromalius understood everything he had to say.

"Ahem," the hell stallion cleared his throat, realizing what he had just said in front of his father, monstrous as he looked, "So... a dragon with seven heads and ten horns... Something from the Bible, right?" he mused, grabbing onto a straw of logic. "So, what is written there is truth? Are you a beast that came to people and told them to worship you?"

"The history is written by the victors." the Father started. "To answer your question — no, the Bible isn't exactly true. You should also remember that it's a book of many authors, it's a collection of different stories. Rewritten, translated multiple times, and so it doesn't resemble what it originally was."

"What is your true name, then? Your history? F-father, why didn't you tell me anything?" Andromalius asked, his voice cracking slightly as he tried to keep himself calm and yet feeling the blood rushing through his body, filling it with adrenaline, making it shake.

"I was afraid it would hurt you. I must admit, it's partly because it would hurt me." His Father replied, "If I did tell you, for example, a year ago — what would you say? I'm sure you wouldn't understand or you'd think that I'm insane, and... as a father, having my own son call me insane would hurt even me," he paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, "However, you have seen many things you probably thought were impossible. Your mind is stronger, too. You are ready to hear what I have to say," another small pause ensued, "I am called by many names: Belial, Behemoth, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, Sathanas, Lucifer... Different people gave me different names, but the one that is true... is Lucifer."

Andromalius nodded almost automatically, trying to process the information. Some of it went straight through his head, and yet he managed to gain a basic understanding of things. At the very least, he now knew what his father's true name was.

"My history is a little bit complicated, I'm afraid," Lucifer continued, seeing that his son was ready to hear more. "I was born a long time ago, even before the coming of Jesus Christ. That was... a few thousand years ago. I don't remember the exact date, and besides — it doesn't matter," he paused for a moment, "So, I was born in Heaven, a place where basically all 'good' guys live... That's a simple version, explaining it in detail is difficult and as of now, unnecessary," he paused yet again, "Heaven is a place created by someone who calls himself God. He, along with many others, was gifted with great powers beyond belief. Making life out of nothing, destroying anything at will... That was what he could and still can do...

"...He wanted what's best for humanity, he wanted to help it grow and prosper, possibly becoming what people call 'utopia'," his voice became slightly lower, filling with a mix of sadness and sorrow. "Unfortunately... things became worse. The power he had, It drove him mad. At first, it wasn't noticeable, but it increased and increased until it was apparent," Lucifer hung his heads, looking down at the ground. "He decided that he will help people only if they worship him. And so, he sent his son Jesus Christ on a mission to spread his word. However, there were many against him, against the cult of personality that God made. I was as well... and you see what became of me."

"Wait--wait!" Andromalius stopped him. He shook his head slightly to clear it, attempting to digest the information. "So... Heaven exists? Why hasn't humanity seen it yet?"

"It is a different dimension entirely. It's not on Earth, and only a selected few can even know where it is," Lucifer explained. "Until God decides to show Heaven to others, it will stay hidden. There are many things beyond the reach of most of humanity, and this is one of them."

Andromalius nodded, allowing his father to continue his tale.

"So, I spoke against God and his methods, tried to reason with him even. Remind him of the ideals we shared before," he continued. "I was sent to the ground as a mortal because of it. I've never had as much power as God, I couldn't possibly stand against him. I lost my wings, I lost most of my powers, and yet I was determined to change things to how they were and how they should be," he looked away for a long moment. "I went against God again, as a mortal. But I failed, and was imprisoned in Hell until the end of times, turned into this monstrosity you see now...

"...Yes, I am Satan himself... the King of Hell... A king of my own prison, to which I am bound until no end," he finished with a somehow soft voice.

"I... I..." Andromalius sighed, then swallowed nervously, his emotions going out of control, "But I've seen you!" he gestured at him, "You are human!"

"Pitying me, God allowed me to walk the earth once in a season," Lucifer explained patiently, going slow as not to overwhelm his son, "We met once a season, son. Four times a year."

"And... Who am I? What am I?" Andromalius asked, his mind flooding with many questions, "What is my true name?"

"Your true name is Andromalius. The name you chose for himself in Equestria is your true one, your current body is how you were born," he replied, "It felt rather natural when you saw it for the first time, didn't it?"

"I was born... Like this?" the former human couldn't believe his ears. "I can't understand! I was human this whole time!.. Or not? I don't know!"

"You were not," Lucifer shook his heads, "The answer to your question lies in your distant memories. You can't remember the first ten years of your life, can you? I can tell you why it is so. But first, tell me what you do remember."

"I... I remember the starlit sky," Andromalius began hesitantly and nervously, "With thousands of stars... In the patterns I've never seen on the Earth..." he slowed down when he finished the sentence, "Am... am I... an alien?" he asked, stuttering.

"In a sense, you are," Lucifer nodded in confirmation. "Those ten years you've spent in your true form, learning many different things. And... Equestria is not just a random place among thousands of different worlds. You were born not on Earth, but here... in a sense," he let out a deep sigh. "I know this will be a difficult one to accept, but... You were born on the moon which Luna controls. And Luna herself is your mother."

A silence fell on the two as Lucifer finished. Andromalius stared at him in disbelief and then sat on the ground quietly. He never knew his mother when he was on Earth, and finally hearing about her made him happy but also shocked. It seemed impossible, and yet the facts were there, he just needed to accept them. He did feel a certain connection between Luna and himself, and he was never able to put it together until now.

"I know it is hard for you right now, but—"

"How did all of this happen?" the hell stallion asked, interrupting his father, "How was my birth possible? How can Luna be my mother? It all makes absolutely no sense!" he raised his voice in denial. The facts were there for him to accept, but such a task was difficult if not downright impossible at the moment. It all indeed seemed like a nightmare, one worse than his own physical form.

"One can say that two lost souls met each other on one fateful night," Lucifer sighed softly, "I remember that night clearly... I was in my human form, weakened, knowing what my fate was — to rule my prison. However, I found something interesting... I discovered that I had some of my power left, a fraction of it but it was there. I delved deep into it, trying to find the answers, to find the solution to my hopeless situation. And then... I discovered many worlds, all interconnected through ways I can't understand even now," a small pause ensued, "And in one of them, I met her. Nightmare Moon, as she called herself back then. It was the second to last decade of her imprisonment. She was lost, desperate, craving for love. What we had at first was rough, but soon, it felt like we knew each other for as long as we were alive. One thing led to another, and... you were made."

Andromalius listened closely, still having it hard to believe in. However, a small part of him assured him that it was the truth, one he had to accept completely.

"I don't think Luna remember much of what we had now. Her Nightmare form... it damaged her, and even I couldn't fix it completely. And yet, I'm glad she is healing. She still has that connection with you, one that only a mother can have, and I'm sure that both of you will build a good familial relationship."

"How do you know it?" Andromalius asked, his voice becoming quiet as he calmed down again, regaining the control over himself.

"I don't think you'll understand," Lucifer replied, shaking his heads slightly, "This is too complicated to explain... I just know."

"So, why was I human?" the hell stallion continued asking questions as they all boiled in his mind, begging to be let out, "And why am I not living on the Earth right now? What forced you to transport me to Equestria?"

"Your human form was made just so you would fit among other humans," Lucifer explained, "The Earth was an ideal place for you to grow into a strong individual. Equestria has gone soft in its many years of peace, unfortunately. Humanity has much more knowledge than any other community I know, too."

Andromalius nodded for what seemed like a hundredth time, having nothing else to add at the moment.

"Now, I need to tell you something very important," Lucifer continued, "A year ago God found something out, he became suspicious of me. There is a prophecy, and it was said that my son, the 'antichrist' as God calls him, will be God's end. He started searching for you, and that is why I was forced to transport you to Equestria, where God wouldn't find you. He didn't know of other worlds, so I thought Equestria would be a perfect place for you. Yes, it is much different from what you used to know, however, I knew that there were those who needed you... The demons."

"But why don't free the demons that are from your Hell?" Andromalius wondered. "What's the difference?"

"God would destroy you in a moment if he found out," Lucifer replied. "You are powerful, your potential is great, perhaps even greater than mine, but God... He is much more powerful than us both. Besides, if demons return on the Earth... The consequences will be the most destructive," he paused. "However, you can help those in need here in this world. You are the one to guide them to peace... But don't fall like God once did. Stay true to others, be a good ruler, and harmony that is known to reign in Equestria will prevail.

"Truth be told, I have a very bad feeling about God... It's possible that he discovered this world. At the very least, it's a possibility that I cannot ignore. You must prepare for it... There might be war. A conflict, a destructive one has a high chance of happening.

"So, I will grant you a gift soon, my son. It will happen as soon as you free the demons and restore the Demon Alliance. Good luck, Andromalius. I am afraid I have to go."

"But there are so many questions I want to ask you, father!" Andromalius protested. "I haven't seen you in so long... Why do you have to go? I can help you!"

"Maybe someday, my son." Lucifer sighed. "Maybe..."

Author's Note

I am well aware of the controversy this chapter caused when I originally wrote it. You've read an edited version, which is hopefully better. In any case, here is the remaining Author's Note almost how it was back when I first wrote it:

I know some people may yell at me for being a blasphemer of some sort, but hey, you are all free to believe in anything and anyone you want. But I can and will write about anything I want. I am a writer, and this is my interpretation of Christianity. I am no believer, but I sure do love supernatural stuff. So, if you are offended by what I wrote, you are completely free to stop reading my story. But you cannot insult me or force me to write what you want.

So, I hope at least some people enjoyed what I've written. None of you expected such a turn, right?

Looking back at it now (more than a year after I wrote it), it's not the best twist. In any case, it was written, and all I can do is edit it to be the best it can be.

Chapter 25: Beledal

Author's Note

As someone requested, here are Andromalius's new stats. I'm not doing Inanna this time as nothing really important changed.

And here are artifact stats. Text only, with images of said artifacts.

Potentia Daemonis, translated as "Demonic Force" from one of the First Languages, is an ancient bladed weapon of the demons. Made from strong and durable materials, it will remain as sharp as when it was first sharpened. Having three blades, the weapon is extremely deadly if wielded with skill. Adds 12 points to Attack of the wielder.

The Alicorn Amulet is a very powerful magical artifact. It was made by the sacrifice of Caelinus, the first male alicorn. Thus, the artifact can think by itself, defining who is worthy to wear it and who is not. The unworthy ones fall under the curse that drives them more insane the longer they wear the artifact. Adds 20 points to Spellpower and 30 points to Knowledge of the wearer.

Chapter 25: Beledal

Andromalius's mind was in disarray as he walked through the castle of Hornguard to the portal that will take him back to the Canterlot Castle.

Arantir was leading the hell stallion, and noticed how the latter was quiet and thoughtful, but decided not to talk about it. After all, the necromancer had something else to take care of.

After Andromalius was teleported back to the Canterlot Castle, he walked to his room. As he entered it, he was greeted by Inanna.

"Hello there, Andro!" she said, smiling. "It's been kinda dull here without you..." she noticed the expression on his face. "What happened?"

Andromalius took a seat on his bed and sighed and said: "A lot."

"I... see." Inanna nervously shifted in place, scared by his emotionless voice. "Can you tell me?"

"Well, a lot was dumped on me in one go, just like when I just appeared in Equestria." Andromalius replied. "It turned out that I was never human in the first place. I was a demon all this time. What you see is my true form, my real self.

"And... I found out who my real parents are." he nervously cleared his throat. "My father is the most powerful demon back on Earth, and he was considered fictional. At least, I didn't know he was real... no, I didn't know he is something more than a human, more than a politician... He is the king of Hell."

Inanna listened to him, not interrupting.

"And about my mother... My father told me once that she is very far away and that I may never see her... I never knew who she is before, but now I know. She is... Luna." he sighed. "I am still learning to accept it. It is very hard.

"I've learned many things. What happened to me, me being "turned" into a demon, it's not a coincidence nor an accident. It never was. My father had to do this, to save me from the one that would kill me just because of an old prophecy. The reason of my appearance in this world is simple — I am hunted by a God, who wants to destroy me before I even try to destroy him. If he didn't find out who I am, I might be still living on the Earth, not knowing of anything that happens between worlds and dimensions and living a simple life.

"And here I come... Dimensions and worlds. There were many things that I considered fictional. Demons, magic, unicorns... They all were a product of human minds, myths... But it seems that either ideas just don't come up randomly or maybe the humans themselves create worlds from their minds. That is a discovery that shocked me most.

"I... I never knew my life would take such a turn. I never expected it, I didn't even think of it before coming here! But as I found out, nothing is as it seems. Fictional worlds become reality, I am turned into a being from a computer game, I meet fictional characters... That is insane, but I'm trying to hold myself together. I still have so much to do, even if I am not ready for it."

Suddenly, Inanna jumped on him and hugged him tightly, surprising the hell stallion. But he was happy she did it, he hugged her back.

"It'll all be alright, Andromalius." Inanna spoke quietly and gently into his ear. "I can see how hard it is for you. Remember, I am always here to help you in your time of need. Let it all out."

"I know you do all you can to support me." he replied. "And I thank you for it. I don't know what would happen if you weren't here. So, I am happy to be here with you, Inanna. You are the support I'm the most grateful for."

***

Some time later.

"So," Inanna spoke to Andromalius when he calmed down. "You mentioned that your mother is Luna. I guess there is a problem..."

"A problem?" the hell stallion raised a brow. "I know that someday I'll have to talk to her about the relationship between her and me, but... Is there anything else I'm not aware of?"

"Yes, it is." Inanna nervously rubbed the back of her head. "You see, um... Celestia told me that she has some kind of feelings towards you. She wanted to find out what they are, and I, well, I suggested her to, y'know, have sex with you. But as it turns out, she's your aunt."

"Oh." Andromalius blinked. "If I and her had sex, that would be... very, very awkward."

"It would be." the succubus nodded. "And she still feels shame about treating you bad. She wants to make it up to you, in any possible way. Sex is, well, one of those."

"I suppose I should go talk to her before anything stupid is done." Andromalius stood up from his bed. "There isn't anything else you would like to tell me, is it?"

"Well, there is one thing... Natura Stella is interested in you. But I don't think she's your relative, so don't worry about that." Inanna chuckled.

"I see... I'll talk to her later as well."

Celestia was sitting in the throne room. A court has finally ended, and the princess could have some rest before having to deal with anything else.

Suddenly for her, she was told by a guard that Andromalius wishes to see her. Surprised by this, yet knowing that it may be something important, Celestia told the guard that the demon is allowed entrance.

"Hello, princess." Andromalius said as he entered the throne room. "May we talk in private?"

Celestia was worried as his tone was rather eerily strange for her, so she said: "Guards, I request you to leave the room."

After all guards exited, Celestia asked: "What is it, Andromalius?"

"There is something I must tell you." he took a step towards her. "As I found out, here is some truth uncovered that concerns both you and I, as well as your sister. It is really important that you know what I'm going to say."

Celestia nodded.

"Alright, do you want a short story or the long one?" the demon asked.

"The short one." the princess replied.

"Well," Andromalius cleared his throat. "You, I, Luna, we all share the same blood... We are relatives."

Celestia got into stupor for a few moments, processing the information. "How is that possible?" she finally asked rather nervously. "As far as I know, we were born in completely different worlds."

"It is complicated." he replied. "Our worlds seem to have some kind of connection... It seems my world, this one, and Ashan, all these worlds are connected somehow, in a very strange ways. So, traveling through dimensions, worlds, is possible. Also, I wasn't born in the other world.

"As I found out, my father is not the one man I knew all my life... He has a secret life he kept away from me. That is life of a very powerful being. He is the king of Hell. About eighteen years ago, he discovered that there are multiple worlds he can travel to, including the one we are currently in. So, that was time when he found Luna in the form of Nightmare Moon, all alone, imprisoned on the Moon. My father and your sister were lonely, and, well, that is how I was made. Your sister is my mother."

Celestia was very shocked by what Andromalius said.

"But... But how don't I know this?" she asked in a shaking voice. "Why didn't Luna tell me?"

"As my father told me, Luna is forgetting the years of her imprisonment for her sanity's sake, and all memories were mixed together, making a blur, something like that... Luna doesn't remember she is my mother, she doesn't remember my father."

"Were those times she had with you father happy?" Celestia warily and suddenly asked.

"I don't know." Andromalius admitted, not surprised by the sudden question. "But knowing my father, they were. I could've asked him but we didn't have much time. Besides, there are still a lot of questions I want to ask him other than that."

"It must be very hard for you to accept all of this." Celestia said.

"It is." he nodded. "But I cope with that, at least try to. I don't know what waits for me in the future... I am unsure about my past as well. I don't know what is true and what is false..." he sighed wearily. "I am tired but I must keep going."

Celesti stepped down, walked to the demon, and hugged him tightly.

"Andromalius," she spoke gently, stroking the back of his neck. "I need you to now that you can always rely on me and Luna... Maybe I and you didn't have a good relationship back then, but now I trust you completely and I want bygones be bygones. You are my nephew... Even if you weren't, I would care for you nevertheless."

"I care for you too..." Andromalius smiled, then hugged her back. "Aunt."

"You go have some rest, Andromalius." Celestia said, letting him go. "I'll talk to Luna."

Andromalius returned to his room where Inanna was already waiting for him.

"How did it go?" she asked as he closed the door after he entered the room.

"You don't know?" Andromalius looked surprised. "Aren't our minds connected?"

"It seems that spell Arantir cast on you really messed something up." Inanna replied. "I'm sure everything will return to normal soon, but it seems we're disconnected for a while."

"Well, that is alright then." the hell stallion nodded. "So, everything went rather fine. Celestia was shocked by the revelation but accepted it nevertheless. She also went to talk to her sister about the relation between me and them."

"Everything turned out fine in the end, right?"

"More or less so." Andromalius took a seat on the bed. "But it doesn't make anything less shocking. Anyway, I have more to do than that."

"What is it?"

"I am going to become the Demon Lord." Andromalius stated matter-of-factly. "I know a lot, but I still have some questions, and most of them are about the political system. Can you tell me?"

"Hmmm," Inanna scratched her chin. "I'm not into politics in any way, but I know the one who is. You still have your amulet that can summon us, remember?"

"Yes, but this is not the place for this." Andromalius nodded. "So, I'll have to teleport us elsewhere. But better leave a note first, in case anyone needs us."

Andromalius and Inanna appeared in the abandoned castle in the Everfree Forest. The succubus stumbled and fell, her eyes literally rolling in their sockets.

"I hate teleportation..." she muttered. "Did we have to?"

"No one saw us." Andromalius replied, picking the dizzy succubus up and placing her on his back. "Ponies will react badly if they see us, remember? We kinda out of ordinary here. Anyway, just rest until I find a perfect place for us."

With that said, Andromalius headed into the old castle.

"As far as I know, this place is still abandoned." he told Inanna as he walked through the halls. "No pony will dare to go here. Creepy ruins, they say. A perfect place for us to arrange a meeting. But I have to be careful, this place is sure filled with traps."

The hell stallion walked warily, looking out for the traps that may wait for him anywhere. He lit his horn to see better in the dark, lighting his way. The old stone halls were silent save for occasional wind, rats, and spiders. The stone under the stallion's hooves made no sounds whatsoever, so silently he stepped. None can be too careful, especially in such old castles as this one.

***

Some time later.

Finally, Andromalius found the perfect place for the meeting. It was a small round hall, about ten meters in diameter, with no windows and only one exit. Old papers filled the place, but otherwise it was absolutely empty, save for the chandelier in the center of the ceiling.

The hell stallion closed the door behind him, using his magic to lock it so no one could enter. Then, he lighted the chandelier, filling the room with soft orange light. He cleaned the paper, putting it in one pile and teleporting it somewhere outside. Then, he summoned three old chairs and a round table.

"Where did you get these from?" Inanna asked, standing on her legs, no longer supported by Andromalius.

"Saw them on our way here." he replied. "Thought it may be useful. So, whom do I summon this time?"

"It is one of my friends. He is a Pit Lord by the name Beledal." Inanna said. "As far as I know, only about a hundred of his kind survived through the years. I know that most of them are elite scouts, while five of them are actual Lords. Anyway, you can ask him any other questions you have."

"How do you know him?" Andromalius asked.

"Well, he's been a friend of our family for as long as I can remember." Inanna replied. "I remember how he played with me when I was just a filly..." she smiled at the memories. "I don't know how he got himself to become a leader of our clan, but that is what you can ask him."

Andromalius nodded, then closed his eyes, concentrating. His horn and the amulet glowed red, and in a few seconds a being appeared in a flash of red light.

Beledal turned to Andromalius, holding a broken sword in his armored hand. Then, his expression turned to one of surprise.

"It is an honor to finally meet you, my lord." Beledal bowed, relaxing. "However, I was rather surprised when you teleported me here. All I could do is to grab what's left of my sword. I thought I was being attacked!

"It seems there are serious matters at hand. Why did you summon me, my lord?"

"Well..." Andromalius nervously cleared his throat. He was shocked to see the exact "replica" of what he saw in the game. Even the wings Inanna told must have membranes didn't have ones, and the shape of the sword was too familiar. Even the armor that protected the hands looked the same, including the image of skull in the shoulder pads. But Beledal wasn't much bigger than Andromalius himself, much to the latter's surprise. "I want to know the political system better, and as Inanna said, you know a lot about it. But first, tell me about yourself. And take a seat, please"

"As you wish, my lord." Beledal replied, nodding, then sat on one of the chairs. Andromalius and Inanna took their places, and Beledal started: "Well, my name is Beledal, and I am the one called a Pit Lord.

"So, my kind was known as hippogriffs. Well, until the Sphere turned us into what you see before yourself... Anyway, I must tell you more of our system before I talk about myself.

"The system we had not too long ago was rather simple. There were five clans. Pit Lords were heads of those clans. Each clan had two generals, which were minotaurs only, now known as devils. As we mostly fought during the past, there's nothing more to the system as nothing more was needed. I cannot say for other clans, though, as they might have some kind of lower system before.

"So, as most of my kind, I was a scout. Fast, agile, and fierce in battle, I carried knives, shortswords and this sword you see, though it was whole. Through many battles, cracks appeared on it, eventually breaking the sword in half. On that day, I lost my wing membranes." he moved his wings a bit, then winced in pain. "It was after that moment I decided to go into politics."

"In my opinion, you're too big to be a scout, Beledal." Andromalius replied.

"Wings gave me a lot, and they've taken the biggest part in my success as a scout." Beledal explained. "However, after I decided to go into politics, I haven't taken part in any battles or scouting missions at all, as I was mostly dealing with all sorts of information and trying to solve many problems that my clan had.

"But then you came into our world, and all Pit Lords decided to create the Council, trying to do everything together so that our nation becomes better in the future. And... If I may ask, when are you coming? The tales of the Surface Inanna have told us are breathtaking. We are waiting for you, my lord."

"I haven't found the last artifact yet." Andromalius replied. "But be sure, I'll be there for everyone."

"Thank you, Andromalius." Beledal bowed. "I am happy to hear it from you. I've never seen the surface before... Can you show me?"

"I can, but we must stay hidden." Andromalius replied. "I don't know what ponies may think if they see us."

"I understand you, my lord." the Pit Lord replied. "But I'm simply dying to see the surface for the first time in my life!"

***

"That is..." Beledal's jaw dropped when he saw the green of the grass and the blue of the sky. "That is... I cannot even describe it!" he inhaled deeply. "It is so much different from what I'm used to see... to hear and smell... Thank you, my lord, for this is wonderful!"

"Indeed it is." Andromalius nodded. "Don't worry, Beledal, it isn't much time before everyone can taste this air and see what you now see. For as long as they can, as much as they can.

"And I need a lot of information to be a good ruler. I need to know how much people will I rule, amount of resources, what problems we have, what solutions are suggested to them. Beledal, I ask you to collect as much information as you can, and feel free to add anything you see as important."

"As soon as I return, I will start doing what you asked of me, my lord." Beledal nodded. "Everything will be perfect, you'll see!"

Chapter 26: Quis Ascendit Sexu

Andromalius and Inanna walked through the castle, as Beledal departed a while ago. The air still had a faint smell of burnt sulphur, though, as it appeared with the Pit Lord.

"What are you thinking about?" Inanna asked with interest. "You've been silent for awhile now."

"There are many things I have in mind." Andromalius replied, stopping. "I can't stop wondering why so many things are the same through completely different worlds..."

"I saw your world through your mind." Inanna said. "I noticed that there are few things that are truly the same."

"You didn't live there as long as I did." the hell stallion sat on a stone bench that stood near the window. "So, there are still many things noticed. For example, the language. How is that one language — English in particular — is spread through these three worlds? Every single word, every single rule... the same. I don't understand why."

Inanna sat near him and listened.

"Then, there is this... I don't know how to describe it..." Andromalius scratched his chin. "There could be many possibilities, but forms of life are the same as well, the only changes I see are those with mind. Some creatures I know shouldn't speak speak as good as me. I accepted everything, but... I still can't get used to it. It's been... Hm, I don't even really know. Two months? Three? All I know is that autumn is here, as I can see leaves of trees becoming yellow, orange, or red.

"I have never looked at the calendar since I appeared here. I... I had so much to do, and I think I just lost the sense of time. I never want to sleep or to eat. My biological internal clock is completely broken and now nonexistent. It's like it's always today even if I do sleep."

"It was different when you were a human?" Inanna asked.

"It was." Andromalius nodded. "I had a schedule, at least. Waking up at seven, then collage at eight thirty, then going home at two fifteen, and going to sleep at ten. Not even considering the time when I had breakfast, lunch, dinner, and supper. Everything was bound with time. But now... I don't feel time. And who knows how long will I live? Most humans live about seventy years, give or take ten."

"Succubi can live forever, as far as I know." Inanna replied. "My grand-grand-grandmother Sianna lived more than a thousand before she died. But, as you know, everlasting war raged in Hell, and that means rarely anyone lived more than a hundred.

"Some lived less than forty, in case of hippogriffs and equinaurs. Succubi, incubi, and devils were given almost infinite lifetime... We just don't know how long can a real life last. Demons died of wounds, illnesses, but never of old age."

"Aren't equinaurs, succubi and incubi the same?" Andromalius asked with interest.

"Not exactly." Inanna shook her head. "Equinaurs are, well, purer than any of my kind. They look more like a mix between a pony and a minotaur, without almost any other addition like fangs, tails like mine, black pupils. But since then, races mixed even more, and Hell's influence grew, twisting us further, even more than the Sphere of Purity already did. After the blood of equinaurs was influenced by Hell, we earned immortality. For a price. Now, we need to feed on lust, otherwise we'll just perish.

"As of me... Don't worry, with you around I will always be—" she licked her lips "—sated."

"I don't even doubt it." Andromalius chuckled. "And judging by your playful tone, you want me to... feed you."

"I would love to." Inanna leaned closer and kissed his cheek.

"I doubt you want to do this on the cold and hard bench." Andromalius stood up. "I think there may be bedrooms here. We don't have to return to Canterlot, especially considering your state. I know you want me as soon as possible."

"Yeah, y'right." Inanna giggled. "So let's find something warm to lie on."

Some time later, the two found a bedroom with a rather large bed. After cleaning it from dust and spiders, Andromalius came to a conclusion that it will suffice for their activities. To make it even better, he lit a small fireplace that was situated in the room. Fortunately for him, it had lots of dry wood to burn.

As the soothing warmth filled the room, the two demons lay on the soft bed, face to face.

"Never thought we'd to that in an abandoned castle." Andromalius chuckled, relaxing.

"Well, it is you who loves experimenting in bed." Inanna replied with a smirk. "So, why not change the scenery? Besides, abandoned castles have something to them... Something romantic."

"They do." Andromalius nodded. "So, it's two of us here, all alone in this old castle..."

"Yeah." Inanna kissed him softly on the cheek. "So, before we begin..."

"I thought you are eager to start." the hell stallion raised a brow.

"I am, but what is better than a heart-to-heart talk between partners before they have sex, mmm?" Inanna chuckled girlishly. "Say, do you have any... secrets? Something that you're ashamed to admit?"

"I..." Andromalius averted his eyes. "I suppose I have something... You see, well... Um... Do you know why I rather easily accepted the fact about having sex with, well, those not of my species?"

"I'm listening." the succubus replied. "I remember you once told me that you don't want to fuck any non-human."

"That wasn't exactly true." the hell stallion nervously cleared his throat. "You see, well, other... beings with minds like human, they... They aroused me more than actual women of my kind."

"Oh?" Inanna raised a brow. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is." Andromalius nodded. "I... Well, I often thought of having a relationship with, well, someone that is sapient but not human. It irked me how would that turn out, will I be able to get through the differences between her and me... Well, I found you. I'm not exactly too different from you, but you aren't a human." he moved closer to her. "And... And I think I love you."

"You do?" Inanna asked for confirmation.

"I do." he nodded. "You are the one who was with me from the start. Even if you can be annoying sometimes, it's fun to have you around. All kinds of fun, if you know what I mean." he winked, then kissed her nose. "So, yes, I love you. You care for me, you help me, and, well, you're of opposite gender. Attraction was soon to come." he chuckled. "I... Well, I never had any feelings towards anyone before. I don't know how to describe it... When I see you, I feel something inside myself. It's like fire, soothing and warming." he paused for a moment. "But it is also the fire of passion: hot and wild."

"It's rather romantic." Inanna smiled. "You're melting my heart with your fire, Andro~"

With that being said, Inanna moved closer to Andromalius until their muzzles met. They kissed deeply with their eyes closed, melting into each other, expressing in the kiss every bit of love they had for each other.

After the long-lasting kiss ended, Inanna asked: "So, I remember you once said that you like experiencing, right?"

"Mh hmmm." Andromalius nodded, nuzzling her affectionately.

"I was thinking..." Inanna smirked at him. "Some say two is better than one... What if Natura Stella joins us? I doubt she would mind. Besides, that was already planned. Or do you want it to be just between the two of us?"

"A threesome may not be actually that bad." the hell stallion replied. "Back on Earth, many men actually dream of threesome with two beautiful girls... I wouldn't mind at all. If Natura is okay with it, that is."

"Then it's settled." Inanna nodded. "So, I know you can cast some really good magic. Something like a portal-doorway, maybe?"

"Piece of cake." Andromalius chuckled. His horn glowed, and a moment later a magical doorway appeared near the bed. The doorway opened, revealing Natura's room. Somewhere in the background, lusty moans could be heard.

"Oh my, it seems she is awfully... busy." Inanna giggled. "A little bit awkward for her, but..." then, she said louder: "Natura! It's me, Inanna!"

A yelp was heard, then a rustle. Soon, Natura's face appeared in the corner of opened doorway. Her face was red, she was a little bit sweaty. She blushed as she saw Inanna and Andromalius. The hell stallion even caught a whiff of something rather nice to smell.

"Um..." the unicorn uttered. "I guess you, um, want me to, you know..."

"Well, considering Andromalius lying on a bed here with me, yes." Inanna nodded. "You ready?"

"Um, I suppose I am." Natura nodded shyly.

Inanna gestured for the unicorn to come in. After Natura entered, the portal closed.

"Where are we?" she asked, looking around. "This isn't Canterlot."

"This is an abandoned castle in the middle of the Everfree Forest." Andromalius explained to her. "Don't worry, the place is fine. No ghosts, no skeletons, nothing but ruins, dust, and some spiders. And that was cleaned in this room."

"Um, why here?" the unicorn asked.

"I had some business to attend here to with Inanna. After that was settled, we thought of doing... well, I guess you know what." Andromalius explained. "Besides, Inanna was refused once, and she is more eager than before. So, Natura, are you sure you're ready?"

"Uh, yeah." she nodded shyly. "But may we start with something... light?"

"Of course." the hell stallion nodded. "Get on the bed."

***

Natura slowly moved towards the bed, then climbed on it, keeping her light-blue eyes away from the stallion's gaze. She awkwardly sat at his side while Inanna was on another.

Suddenly for Natura, Andromalius kissed her horn soft, eliciting a gasp from the white unicorn. She blushed even harder than before, becoming redder than a tomato.

"You liked it?" the hell stallion asked gently. He wanted to be nice with the unicorn and not force her into anything she didn't want to.

"Um, it felt nice, but, uh, strange." Natura replied. "Um... may I do the same in return?"

After Andromalius nodded, she kissed his horn in return, albeit awkwardly and gingerly. The hell stallion smiled in encouragement, making her feel better.

Inanna just watched. She always loved seeing the unexperienced and shy finally doing something sexual. The succubus even wrapped her tail against her own hind leg and bit her lower lip to contain her own moan as she fed on the lust. The sheets under her became wet rather quickly.

Softly, Andromalius kissed Natura's cheek.

"Um, I saw some elves doing that once or twice..." she said. "They also did this."

Unexpectedly for both demons, Natura locked her lips with Andromalius's ones. Inanna almost started clapping.

Andromalius, however, just returned the kiss. It was rather sloppy, due to the fact that the unicorn did it for the first time. She acted gingerly and slowly as if she was afraid the whole thing will disappear or turn to worse.

The hell stallion pressed his forked tongue against her teeth, asking for entrace. Natura allowed, and the two tongues connected. The unicorn moaned as did Andromalius as their tongues rubbed against each other, and soon his tongue, being stronger and longer than hers, started exploring the new territory. The teeth of Natura were that of a herbivore for sure, as there were no canines at all.

Some moments later, Andromalius let her tongue inside his mouth. She eagerly explored the demon's mouth, getting into its every corner, checking both fangs.

Andromalius felt himself hardening and peeking out of the sheath.

The sloppy kiss lasted rather long, but Natura had to part to breathe, she needed air.

"You have... nice fangs." she stated awkwardly, panting. "And this felt good... It should?"

"Yes." Andromalius nodded. "How do you feel?"

"Better than most times." the unicorn replied. "I didn't know even this can feel so, um, good." she blushed. "Um, what do we do now? I want some, uh... real action, that is."

"I know something that will make you feel even better." Andromalius winked. "Lay on your back and close your eyes."

Natura did as asked, rolling onto her back and closing her eyes. Slowly, she parted her hind legs, revealing her slit to the hell stallion.

Andromalius moved his muzzle closer to her crotch, then took a long sniff, tasting the scent. It was something that reminded him of the smell of a wet grass and earth. Tentatively, he licked the stomach of the unicorn, making her shiver and gasp in surprise. Her eyes opened a bit, allowing her to see the stallion's face centimeters away from her vagina. She didn't yet know what Andromalius was planning to do, but she was eager to find out.

Then, he moved his muzzle even closer to the slit, opened his mouth and let his tongue explore the depth of Natura. She shivered at the touch of his snake-like tongue and moaned in pleasure. She has never seen anyone doing what he did to her, but she didn't plan on stopping him in the slightest. She liked the sensation, even if it was rather strange for her.

As he worked his tongue inside her, tasting the walls of her love canal, the eyes of the demon were fixed on her face, taking in the expression she made. It was of surprise and pleasure of the same time, and that satisfied him, encouraging him to do better.

Natura, suddenly even for herself, used both her front hooves to press Andromalius's muzzle against her wet nethers. She wanted him to give everything he could to her. And he obeyed, thrusting his tongue even deeper inside her, using circulate motions to stimulate her, giving her pleasure she could only dream about before.

Inanna was watching both of them and noticed that Andromalius was fully erect by that moment. She couldn't wait to use that to her advantage, as she could feel fire burning in her nethers. She wanted him.

And Natura came with a cry of pleasure, coating his muzzle in her love juices. She sighed in relief, feeling her tension going away from her. She relaxed, letting his head go.

Andromalius used his tongue and magic to clean the juices off his face and into his mouth, and happily swallowed them.

"I... I..." Natura panted after her orgasm. "Um, I've never experienced anything like this before." she confessed. "And... now I think... Uh... I think I want more." she giggled. "Now I want..." she noticed the long dick Andromalius had. "I want that—" she pointed at it "—inside me. I... I like your tongue, but I want to know how it is — be..." she blushed. "Fucked."

Andromalius turned to Inanna.

"You join?" he asked.

"As if you needed to ask." Inanna grinned in reply. "Do you have any idea of a pose we should use?"

Andromalius looked at Natura, who was still lying on her back, and back at Inanna. An idea appeared in his head.

"I know." he smirked. "You need to lie on her, belly to belly."

"Oh, it seems you have an idea." Inanna replied sultry, then did as asked. Natura wasn't against that in the slightest, even if her face was centimeters away from that of the succubus.

Then, Andromalius raised himself, and used his magic to adjust his penis, bringing it to the slit of Natura. He decided to begin with her.

The unicorn felt the slight touch of his head against her entrance, and she shivered. She knew that there was no going back.

"Be ready for the best sex in your life." the succubus whispered into her ear. "He is the best one, trust me."

Andromalius slightly moved forward, slowly inserting his dick into Natura. Her inner walls were tight, even tighter than Inanna's, and warm and wet. The unicorn moaned, feeling him filling her love canal, stretching it with his rod. It was slightly painful for the unexperienced unicorn, but she knew she had to tolerate the pain if she wants pleasure.

Some long moments later, Andromalius's dick completely disappeared inside Natura's love canal, pressing against her womb. Then, as slowly as he entered, Andromalius pulled from her. Natura wasn't about to let him go, so she locked her hind legs behind his backside and pulled, resulting in him hilting inside her again, eliciting a rather loud moan of pleasure from her.

Natura, surprised by her sudden outburst, blushed deeply. However, she didn't let him go. Instead, she slightly loosened her grip on him, allowing him to pull just enough until his medial ring exited, and then she pulled again, bringing him back. Even if his legs were much stronger than hers, he didn't even think of resisting. He wanted Natura to feel that she was in control, that he was there to please her, not the other way around.

Andromalius started working faster, increasing his pace little by little, until he was rocking back and forth in a steady rhythm. Natura's eyes rolled back, her mouth opened, her legs loosened. She was in heaven, and she liked that. The shyness she had earlier disappeared completely, replaced by lust for the hell stallion. It was just what she needed.

Andromalius, however, knew that Natura wasn't the only one in need of a good fuck. So, he pulled out completely, and immediately shoved his dick inside Inanna, eliciting a moan from the lusty succubus. With her, the hell stallion allowed himself to be harder and faster, and more forceful. He fucked her until she heard a whimper from Natura, who pleaded for him to fill her again.

And he did, often changing between Inanna and Natura. The unicorn, however, couldn't contain herself and soon came even harder than before, coating the stallion's dick in her juices. He, however, didn't stop, and then used the new lubricant to increase his pace even more, driving both mares insane from the pleasure they both got from Andromalius.

Soon, Inanna fell into a state orgasm, and yet Andromalius was still going non-stop. Then, he thought of an idea.

He stopped for a moment, pulling out completely, then teleported himself so that his crotch was above the heads of two mares. He lowered himself, and Inanna understood what he wanted. She opened her mouth, and soon the hell stallion started fucking her throat, albeit slower than he did with her vagina.

Natura was surprised by the sudden change, finding his balls just above her eyes. But she also thought that if that helps him cum, she will opened her mouth. And she did.

Andromalius noticed that, and switched from Inanna to Natura, and the latter used her tongue to stimulate him. As he slowly entered her mouth and then her throat, he used his magic to please both mares at the same time, using the holes he's just left unattended to.

Natura, as the hell stallion hilted inside her mouth, used her tongue to work the shaft. After Inanna noticed a bulge that appeared in Natura's throat, she started to lick it, stimulating both the unicorn and the hell stallion.

Slowly, Andromalius started to throat-fuck Natura, yet keeping his pace rather low. He felt how her throat was tight and warm, how she worked his tongue to please him. His peak neared, as well as his orgasm.

A session of oral didn't last long. Noticing himself nearing his end, Andromalius pulled. When only the head of his penis remained in Natura's mouth, he came to a release, filling her maw with his semen. Then, he pulled out, and his dick was taken in Inanna's mouth, who used her tongue to milk anything else that was left.

Soon, all three equines were lying on the bed, resting from the good session of sex they have just shared together.

"Andro," Natura addressed the hell stallion. "Your, um, semen tastes... nice." she blushed.

"Semen has protein, and that helps us grow strong." Inanna chuckled.

"Will you be discussing my cum for the rest of our time here?" the hell stallion asked jokingly.

"Well, what else can mares discuss after a good sex?" the succubus asked. "A good-quality semen say a lot about the stallion... And... Well, Natura, my congratulations. You were rather good, especially considering that it was your first time. How did you take his dick that deep?"

"Um," Natura averted her eyes. "I wanted him to feel good, that is. Return the favor he, um, did when he... licked..."

"I know he did feel good. He absolutely loves when mares take him deep." Inanna replied with a knowing smirk. "So... I suppose we stay here for a while. Enjoy each other's presence."

"I agree." Andromalius nodded. Then, he noticed a few stains of some love juices the mares left. He used his magic to clean them out of the sheets. "Besides, I think you both need a good rest after this."

"Yeah, a good sleep I wound't mind in the slightest." Inanna yawned. "I fed on the lust... I think I need some time to stop feeling myself so... full."

Natura just nodded, and then all equines snuggled closer to each other. They closed their eyes and soon fell asleep.

***

Chapter 27: Servitium Secretis

Andromalius woke up, and yawned. He had a nice, restful sleep devoid of any dreams, good or bad. He still remembered what he experienced just before he went to sleep, and that brought a grin to his face. He was no more ashamed of what he can do — and does — with mares. He knew he'd done everything he could to make both Inanna and Natura satisfied. And there was something between him and them... something greater than just companionship. He knew Inanna has deep feelings for him, and he was rather sure Natura has something to him as well.

He raised himself a little, when felt two breaths on his body. He turned his head to the right and saw Inanna, who was still sleeping soundly, smiling in her sleep. Her long tail was wrapped around Andromalius' right hind leg, keeping him safe and secure.

On his left side, Natura Stella lied. Her face expressed the same as Inanna's, and, unsurprisingly, had her own tail wrapped around Andromalius' another hind leg.

Thus, he was trapped between the two mares. Not that he didn't like it, though. He didn't want to go anywhere anyway.

So, he let himself relax, setting his head back on the old, yet soft pillow. And he let his mind wander...

Andromalius knew they all were in the castle that stands abandoned in the Everfree Forest. But that added something romantic, not a sense of fear or tension. He'd learned a while ago that the castle once belonged to the royal sister of Equestria, and lies abandoned because the two fought there, and Celestia was unwilling to repair or even to live at that castle any longer.

Thus, Andromalius thought that he maybe will repair the castle someday, as a gift to his newfound relatives, to strengthen their relationship. Celestia and Luna are reunited, why should their castle stay in ruins? Of course, it is filled with bitter memories of sad past. But the past cannot be changed, and all should look to the future, the better and brighter future. The past cannot be changed, yet the future can be built without the mistakes that were made before. Burying the past is never an option. Yes, the future is built from the mistakes of the past, but why not have the past rebuilt? The castle of royal sisters had seen many happy memories the sisters shared together, so why would it be ruined because of one, even if rather big, mistake?

"Mmhm..." Inanna muttered, then opened her eyes. She turned her head and faced Andromalius. "Mmm... You awake already. That explains the slight buzz in my head."

"Hm?" Andromalius quirked a brow.

"It seems our minds reconnected." Inanna yawned. "Oh gosh, it became rather loud, and I was sleeping so peacefully..."

"You can go back to sleep, Inanna." Andromalius slightly nuzzled her. "I'm in no hurry to get up. Natura's still sleeping, too."

"I'd absolutely love to, but," Inanna yawned again. "It seems Beledal has everything ready and is eager to show you."

"You connected with him as with me?"

"Not exactly." Inanna shook her head. "His telepathy skill is really underdeveloped. He can only send short messages, and only weak ones that sound like a bee buzz... Annoying, but not that they really are. He connects to me only about important matters.

"And besides, one can easily go insane if connected to too many minds at once."

"Well, it seems work's calling." Andromalius sighed. "Time for me to become the Lord, in all of its aspects. Including the paperwork, which I'll try to make into something short, yet comprehensible."

"You've got now a ruler's mindset, hm?" Inanna chuckled.

"Fun 'n mares is a good thing, but nothing comes without a responsibility." Andromalius replied. "I don't want to just, well, lie on a mountain of gold, surrounded by the most beautiful mares that are ready to do whatever I desire. Yes, that would be nice and all, but why then should I be a ruler, someone who is responsible for a whole country? Were I a businessman, that would be right. But I am a ruler, and that means I must take care of the citizens of my country."

"What you say sounds right." Inanna nodded. "It seems you'll be a good ruler."

"I won't be spending money for luxuriates, that's for sure." Andromalius said. "I don't need them. Besides, I don't want everything I have to be covered in gold. That would look rather bad and distasteful. Besides, I have more matters at hand than just filling my bank account or something like that."

"Ugh..." Natura Stella muttered, awaking. "What're you talking about? I was sleeping so... Mhh, warm pillow..."

"Sorry..." Andromalius grinned sheepishly. "But, well, I have some business to do, it seems. You two can rest here, I will return shortly."

With that said, Andromalius carefully got up from the bed and exited the room.

"What were you talking about?" Natura asked, raising herself from the bed a little.

"Well, Andromalius is a ruler, and he was discussing with me how he's gonna do it all." Inanna replied.

"He's a ruler?" Natura quirked a brow. "I didn't know that."

"Now you do." Inanna flashed a wide grin.

"What kind of ruler is he? A prince, a king?"

"A lord." Inanna replied. "There is no higher title in Hell."

"That's interesting." Natura frowned. "But... Hell? What country is it?"

"That's not a country, it's just, well, a place." Inanna answered. "Hm... Something like Sheogh. I think you know what that is."

"Is Hell a prison as well?" Natura asked. "Why were you imprisoned there?"

"Oh, that's a story to tell." Inanna chuckled. "Well, we have some time before Andromalius returns, so I'll tell you this story..."

Andromalius summoned Beledal in the same room as before. This time, the Pit Lord didn't have his armor nor sword, but a piece of paper in one claw and a ball point pen in another.

"Good to meet you again, Lord Andromalius." Beledal bowed.

"Likewise, lord Beledal." Andromalius politely nodded. Then, he looked at the pen. "Hm, is it a... pen?"

"I'm surprised that this is your first question, my lord." Beledal looked surprised as well. "But I'll answer it nevertheless. Yes, it is a pen. You see, we have no means to make quills in Hell, yet we had to write... Thus, the first pen was invented about four thousand years ago, as all quills, basically, ceased to exist. Pen is quite more useful, even if it looks dull compared to good-quality quills.

"Pens were later invented by minotaurs of the Surface, as far as I know, so these writing instruments aren't exceptional to inhabitants of Hell, I suppose. And as far as I know, minotaurs are the most technologically advanced race in the whole world. Big cities with tall building they call skyscrapers, some advanced technology that is used in them known as fones... or is it pronounced as phones?

"But where was I... Ah, yes, I have some news for you, my lord! Forgive me for my blabbering, it seems I became old..."

"It's nothing." Andromalius shook his head. "Anyway, what are those news?"

"Well, we've written a book that contains information you would certainly need in the future, my lord." Beledal replied. "But it was decided that we can't show you the book until you will be safe."

"Am I not now?" Andromalius asked.

"Well, the Council decided that until you are behind tall castle walls, the information you may carry will be in great danger." Beledal explained. "I tried to tell them that no castle walls will be better than what you can do with magic, but, well, I failed, my lord. Old habits, I suppose... Information, especially that in books, was guarded better than tons of gold. 'Tis true that who has information has power."

"But I am a ruler, can't I order them to give the book to me?"

"You're not officially Lord yet, so no." Beledal shook his head. "Paperwork, that is what they so much like."

"And you?" Andromalius stepped closer.

"I? I prefer simple solutions, my lord." the pit lord replied. "I don't like anything that makes something more complicated than needed. I know well that you are our Lord, no matter what is written on the paper."

"Why is that your opinion differs from others'?" Andromalius inquired.

"Other pit lords became ones from birth, unlike me." Beledal explained. "In my clan, one needed to prove that they own the right to lead the clan."

"Hm... It sounds rather familiar to me." Andromalius tapped his chin. "Anyway, why did you bring paper?"

"To prepare the needed paperwork in advance, my lord." the pit lord replied. "You will be founding a new bloodline, Royal Bloodline. Thus, there is some information needed. I already know your name, yet I still know nothing else.

"So, in order for everything to be, well, in order, I need you to answer my questions."

"Sounds simple." Andromalius shrugged.

"Well, what is your family name and who is your parents?"

"The question about my parents... It is rather complicated." Andromalius nervously shifted in place. "As far as I know, there was no marriage."

"I fail to see what the problem is." Beledal quirked a brow.

"Well... I ask you to keep that information hidden from prying eyes until I allow you to show it."

"Will be done, my lord." Beledal nodded. "But, may I ask, are you so nervous about this?"

"Because my mother is Luna." Andromalius explained.

"Oh... Now I see what the problem is." Beledal chuckled. "If this informations is revealed not by herself but by others, it will cause a great scandal. I will refrain from publicizing this information until you allow me to, my lord."

"Thank you." Andromalius nodded. "So, my father's name is Lucifer. My family name is..." he stopped for a second. Suddenly, something appeared in his head, as if someone whispered it into his ear. "Lux."

"Hm... From one of the First Languages, "Lucifer" is translated as "carrier of light", and "lux" is translated as "light". You surely have an interesting family history, my lord; one does not simply bear such powerful family name."

"Powerful?"

"They say that one's destiny depends on how one call oneself. Those with dim or common names will most likely live uneventful life, and those who happen to bear great names... They can change the course of history." the pit lord explained.

"That is really interesting... I should keep that in mind." Andromalius tapped his chin. "Anyway, there were other questions you wanted to ask me."

"Yes, my lord." Beledal nodded. "Your date of birth and birthplace, what are they?"

"Thirteenth of December, year... Hm..." the hell stallion frowned. "Year 2982 After the Foundation of Equestria. Birthplace — the Moon."

"This one or of another world?"

"This one."

"Alright..." Beledal finished writing. "It seems that it's all, for now. Now I need to return, my lord."

Andromalius returned to the room where Natura Stella and Inanna were waiting for him while chatting with each other.

"How did it go?" Inanna asked as the hell stallion closed the old door.

"He asked me a couple of questions, that's it." he took a seat on the bed. "And I suppose we should return to Canterlot. I realized I yet have much to do. And I would rather hurry."

"Why?" Natura asked. "Well, Inanna told me who you are, but... Why hurry? Is there anything happening soon?"

"I know that a really bad thing can happen." Andromalius answered with a frown. "Yet it is unknown when... Better come prepared."

"I really have... no idea what's you're talking about, and..." Natura nervously rubbed her hooves. "I've never met any ruler before. You certainly know something we common folk don't... But, anyway, I, um... I want to know you better, to understand you. And even if we did... you know what..." she blushed, then cleared her throat. "I don't yet know you as a... person, right. And I, well..." she nervously cleared her throat again."I would like to know you better if it's... okay."

"It's perfectly fine." Andromalius replied, putting his hoof on her shoulder. "We should talk, I understand. But we should return to Canterlot anyway... I have some things to do there, too. And then... then we will talk, alright?"

"Okay." Natura nodded.

Andromalius conjured a portal, but it disappeared as soon as appeared. He blinked in surprise. He tried again, but with no success. He frowned.

"It seems something is blocking teleportation." he stated, then turned to the two mares. "Be on your guard and follow me closely. If something wants to get us, we won't separate under any circumstances."

Natura Stella gulped nervously, Inanna just nodded. Her horns started glowing slightly with hellfire.

"I am ready." Inanna said. "Whatever it is, I'm prepared."

"I..." Natura's horn started glowing white. "I think I can do some—"

In a moment, the light from her horn became so bright it blinded both Inanna and Andromalius.

"Fuck!" Andromalius yelled, starting to rub his eyes.

"Sorry!" Natura blushed deeply in embarrassment. "Never used that before..."

"Ugh..." the hell stallion facehoofed, still blind. "Hm... Try to hit me."

"Why?" Natura looked at him as if he was insane.

"If I'm right, the blindness will go away." Andromalius answered. "Now, do it."

Natura walked to the hell stallion and slightly slapped his muzzle. He shook his head, vision returned to him.

"Never thought that would've worked." he chuckled. "Inanna?"

"Just do it already, I see nothing!" an irritated reply came.

Andromalius slightly slapped Inanna, and she was able to see again.

"Natura," Andromalius turned to the unicorn. "If you ever use that again, do it when you're sure you won't blind any of us."

"Okay," she replied, still blushing. "I will."

The trio carefully walked through the abandoned castle, heading to the exit. Everything was silent, nothing but the clop of hooves could be heard.

Andromalius noticed five pony silhouettes ahead, he stopped. He had a bad feeling about this.

"What do you need?" Andromalius asked, his voice reverberating through the hallway.

One of them stepped forward...

(Keep reading while listening)

Andromalius looked closer and saw that all ponies were unicorns, had heavy steel plate armor, and each breastplate had a stylized symbol of the sun alike Celestia's cutie mark. He came to a conclusion that they are a special force, not the regular guards.

(Organ comes into play)

"Stop right there, demon!" the stallion that stepped forth declared. "We know of your foul deeds!

"First, we kept an eye on you. Celestia taught us not to judge anyone by their appearance. But I knew all along that you'll bring nothing but evil! First, you demonstrated your destructive power, and then, suddenly, Celestia forgave you. You took her under mind control!

"We hoped that it was not true, just a mistake on our side... But when you brought a necromancer to Equestria, to our home, let his foul teachings corrupt princess Luna... And you said our dear princesses are related to you. It is a filthy lie! No longer could we stay away from this!

"Thus, by the power our princess Celestia gave us, we shall destroy thee and everyone thou hast with thyself now, for they can't be helped nor healed! Thy evil deeds, thy corruption must be stopped once and for all! We shall not listen to anything thou say'st, for everything thou say'st is untrue! Show at least some honor and die fighting!"

Andromalius frowned. He understood that there is no way he'll convince them that he never did any evil to Celestia nor to Luna.

The ruby in the Alicorn Amulet glowed, and a weapon Potentia Daemonis was summoned, ready to be used. Andromalius grabbed the weapon with his magic and prepared to fight.

Natura Stella and Inanna prepared as well.

(The pace of song increases, drum beat changes.)

The five stallions charged, each having a longsword in their grasps. Before any of them could reach Andromalius, one of them was hit by Inanna's fire bolt. He stumbled, and fell, unconscious.

Andromalius charged into battle, and immediately sent one of the stallions flying across the hallway.

The demon dodged and blocked all the incoming attacks from the remaining three, being as fast as lightning.

The hell stallion used the blunt end of his weapon to strike one of them down, rendering him unconscious. Another one was sent to the wall by the Lightning spell Andromalius cast.

There was only one left.

(Song slows down)

"Drop your weapon, I don't want to fight you." Andromalius stated, lowering his weapon, but not enough to open himself for attacks. "I didn't want this battle. I didn't do anything to Celestia nor Luna. This needs to stop."

"Thou shalt return to Tartarus, foul abomination!" the solar stallion replied through gritted teeth, glaring at the demon, and then attacked.

(The pace increases again)

The two engaged in a fierce battle. Both were quite fast, sending a hit after hit to each other faster than an untrained eye could see.

Natura and Inanna could do nothing to help Andromalius, they feared they would only distract him or worse, hit their lover but not his enemy. They could do nothing but watch.

But the stallion was being overpowered by Andromalius. Having much more stamina and strength, both physical and magical, the hell stallion could move faster and strike harder than his opponent. Andromalius also enchanted his blades with shocking spells, yet they, somehow, had no effect on that particular stallion.

Suddenly, Andromalius missed a hit. The blade of his opponent cut both demon's lips vertically. Thankfully for the demon, nothing worse was done.

Andromalius used telekinesis to push the stallion away, and then used the blunt end of his weapon to hit him right in the head, knocking him out.

The battle, as suddenly as it began, was over.

(The end of song)

"Andromalius!" Inanna galloped to the hell stallion, Natura followed. "You're hurt!"

"Nothing's bad." he shook his head. Some blood seeped from the cut and dropped on the floor. "Easily fixed."

His horn glowed, and the wound began to close. In a few moments, nothing but some fresh blood remained, staining the lips.

"Good thing I learned this Regeneration spell..." Andromalius said, then licked his lips, removing the blood. "Let's collect some stallions... I'll have to talk to Celestia and Luna. Who are they, anyway?"

"We are... Their Majesties Secret Service..." one of the defeated stallions replied suddenly, the coughed out some blood. "Kill me, torture me, whatever you may want, demon, but I will never surrender! I... *cough* have sworn on my honor!"

"I didn't want to hurt any of you." Andromalius shook his head, walking to the stallion. "I never wanted to corrupt anyone or anything."

"L-lies!" the stallion growled. "You just... killed him!" he pointed at the stallion Andromalius sent to a wall with Lightning. There was a small pool of blood under him.

"I never thought it would come to this." Andromalius sighed. "But... I think I can do something... Hope it works."

His horn glowed. He concentrated hard, and... Suddenly, the seemingly dead stallion inhaled sharply, then coughed.

"Ugh..." he muttered. "Why... why did I feel so cold?"

"You were dead." Andromalius replied bluntly. The first stallion just stared agape, not entirely believing his own eyes. "What is your name?"

"Will Helm..." he opened his eyes. "Oh, no..."

The other downed stallion started to groan, slowly coming back awake.

"No, I am not going to hurt you." Andromalius shook his head. "But we will have to talk seriously, all of us. But until then—" small circles of hellfire appeared on each horn of the defeated stallions, nullyfing their magic. "I can't allow you to do anything. I can only help you heal." the hell stallion's horn glowed, and they were engulfed in a soft gold glow. Then, the demon created a portal to Canterlot Castle. "Natura, Inanna, go find the princesses. They should also be here. I need to make some things clear..."

Chapter 28: Inquisitio

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 29: Simul

Author's Note

There is some dark content in this chapter. Nothing graphical, just disturbing and, for some of you, maybe even hard to read.

I know that some of you may tell me that dark content wasn't needed. But I can tell you that this kind of things can happen to anyone. You just don't want it to happen to yourself. Obviously, no one does.

But Andromalius had a life. Like you, like me. He is alive, at least in my head. And that means he could've experienced things others didn't. Any life is unique, including his. Someone lives a life full of happines, another one lives a life of darkness, and yet another may have something in between.

I'm just trying to keep everything as realistic as possible. Including treating my characters like real people.

Chapter 29: Simul

Andromalius walked through the halls of Canterlot Castle, trying to subdue his anger and suppress memories he didn't want to remember. Even his face showed the emotions that were burning inside. Some guards shivered as the hell stallion passed them by.

Soon, he saw Natura Stella and Luna walking alongside talking to each other.

"Andromalius!" Natura noticed him first. "I told Luna what happened..." she stopped. "You... don't look so fine, to be honest."

"I know." Andromalius replied with a slight growl in his voice. "I want to talk with Luna."

"O-okay, I just be gone to my room, then, if you needn't anything else." Natura nodded.

"Have some rest, you need it." Andromalius said, and Natura left him and Luna alone. When the unicorn was far enough, the hell stallion addressed his mother: "Mother, I want to talk with you."

"I want to talk with you too, son." Luna nodded. "Come with me."

***

Luna and Andromalius locked themselves in the princess's bedchambers. Both took a seat in front of each other.

"I..." Luna cleared her throat. "I remembered these times we spent together while I was still Nightmare Moon. I don't know how could I forger those times!"

"It's not your fault." Andromalius put his hoof on her shoulder. "You were having a very hard time there, alone on the Moon for a thousand years."

"I know, but..." Luna sighed.

"No buts, Luna." Andromalius shook his head. "Your remembered that, it is what important."

"Alright. Also, what is with your father? How is he?" Luna asked. "I haven't seen him for a long time."

"Do you know who he is?" Andromalius asked, and the mare nodded. "That is the reason. I doubt he'll be able to escape his kingdom-prison. And even if he tried, he would either come out dead or there'll be much worse consequences."

"I understand." Luna sighed sadly. "But I still hope that I'll be able to see him again..."

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the two.

"So..." Luna cleared her throat. "There's something in you. You don't look so well, son. What is on your mind?"

"A memory that still hurts." Andromalius replied in a grim tone. "I... I couldn't help my friend in her time of need."

"Please, tell me." Luna looked at him in worry. "Maybe I'll be able to somehow alleviate the pain."

"I... I'll try." Andromalius frowned. "It hurts to remember. Well...

"It was a long time ago. Three years have passed since then. I had a friend called Sofia. She and I liked to spend time together, to have fun. She was my old firiend, she was the first one who befriended me.

"But good times ended. One day, she was walking from the school alone. She was caught... and raped. By one of the classmates that confessed his feeling for her but got rejected. When I found that out... I beat him to a bloodied pulp. I would've killed him right there, but someone pulled me from his barely breathing body.

"He was sent to prison for the rest of his life. But that didn't make anything better for Sofia." Andromalius sighed. "She was scarred for life. I tried to cheer her up, to make her feel better, but she pushed me away. She started to fear men. She even hid from me, fearing that I hurt her as he did.

"A few weeks later I... I..." Andromalius' eyes teared up. "I was walking through the forest, and... and..." a tear rolled down his cheek. "I saw her. She... she..." another one followed. "She was hanging there... with a rope wrapped around her neck." the hell stallion paused. He inhaled deeply and continued: "I found a note on the ground. She wrote that she did that because she couldn't live with the fear of being raped again." he exhaled shakily. "I... I cried on my knees for hours. I don't remember much, only a blur of images: me, crying under the tree; me, crying with her family, standing at the funeral; me, no longer able to cry, walking home empty...

"A few months later I locked that memory deep inside my mind." he continued in a much steadier, calm voice. "I managed to continue living, trying to act like nothing happened.

"Today, I was told that I am evil and will commit acts such as... rape." Andromalius closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "I barely could contain myself. If Artemis continued to talk about that like it means nothing to me, I would... rip him apart." he opened his eyes. "He woke a memory that I don't want to remember."

Suddenly, Luna leaped forward and hugged her son tightly.

"If I was there, I would do everything to help you, Andromalius." Luna whispered into his ear.

"I know, mother." Andromalius didn't contain his tear–stream any longer, crying freely. "I know..."

"What do you feel?"

"Mostly anger." he replied. "Sorrow... Fear..."

"I know what will help you, Andromalius."

A few minutes later.

Andromalius and Luna stood before heavy double doors. They were made of oak, reinforced by titanium plates in the weak points. Two guards were standing by the door.

"This, my son, is a room that will help you with the emotions you feel." Luna spoke. "Inside, you'll find many different objects. The objects that you can turn to dust.

"This room was made long ago for me and Celestia. Sometimes, when it seems any of us are going to take our emotions on someone, we go to this room. There, we smash and break everything until we feel we're good. You can unleash your emotions, and destroy everything you can get a hoof on. You will feel better after you do that, trust me."

"I think I need that room." Andromalius grinned maliciously. "I don't want to suppress myself any longer."

"See you later, then." Luna nodded, and opened the heavy doors.

Andromalius walked into the room and the doors closed behind him.

An hour later.

Arantir was walking through the halls of the Canterlot Castle to Luna's quarters. Suddenly, he heard unusual noise.

Frowning, the necromancer changed his path and turned into another hall. The noise that disturbed him sounded from the doors at the end of the hall. Two guards that were stationed by them didn't look good. They were trembling and sweating, barely holding their stoic expression.

Arantir started walking there to ask the guard about the noise.

Suddenly, the heavy doors bursted open, were thrown off their hinges, and were sent flying across the hall by a tremendous force.

The necromancer avoided being hit, conjuring a shield around himself. The heavy doors bounced off of it and crashed to the floor, shaking the whole castle.

With a thunderous roar sounding from down the hall, a bolt of pure hellfire hit the doors, instantly melting and burning them, turning them into a small pool of liquified metal with specks of ash.

Arantir looked at the end of the hall and saw Andromalius walking out of there, roaring flames behind him.

"Is there a reasonable explanation for this?" Arantir asked.

"It's personal." Andromalius replied in an eerily calm voice. "But there is. Anyway, I want to speak with you." he walked closer. "About Luna."

"If you wish." Arantir nodded. "But let's find a more private place for this."

Meanwhile, the two guards looked into the room. By that time, everything burned down completely. Some pools of molten glass and metal, charred stones, and a thick layer of still hot ash was what remained in the room. There were also a lot of cracks on every surface.

"Hey," one guard said to another. "And they say there's nothing worse than angered princesses."

"Yup. Also, remind me to request a relocation."

"Same here."

"So," Andromalius spoke after he and Arantir were in the necromancer's room. Both of them were sitting on the armchairs, face to face. "I found out you teach necromancy to Luna."

"I do." Arantir nodded. "Is there a problem?"

"I need you to explain how it came to this." the hell stallion replied. "I was attacked, and the attacker said I've brought a necromancer who started teaching Luna necromancy."

"I know necromancy is considered evil almost everywhere." Arantir replied calmly. "However, I do no evil. I teach her because she asked me to. She wants to be ready."

"For that war you were talking about?"

"Yes, it is so." the necromancer nodded. "She is still feeling nervous about this, though."

"Well, then, can you guarantee her safety?" the hell stallion narrowed his eyes. "Can you guarantee my mother will be alright?"

Even if Arantir was surprised, he didn't show it.

"I will do everything to make sure she will be alright." he told Andromalius.

"Good." the hell stallion nodded. "Because if not... I will make sure that you suffer worse."

"Threatening me, now?" Arantir quirked a brow.

"I'm warning you." Andromalius replied. "I don't want to lose my family." he stood up and turned to leave. "Maybe you even know how it feels." he turned his head to the necromancer. "I know you've lost someone who was dear to you. Ornella was her name."

Arantir didn't know what to say, just staring at the hell stallion as he exited the room. After the door closed, the necromancer continued to sit in silence.

"Ornella..." he whispered, and a lone tear rolled down his cheek.

Celestia returned to Canterlot along with five members of Secret Service. She dismissed them, and headed to Luna's quarters.

When she came to the big door, she knocked twice.

"Come in." Luna replied, and Celestia entered. "Hello, sister!" she greeted her, then noticed a stern look the solar alicorn was giving. "Is... everything alright."

"No, it's not." Celestia replied, closing the door behind her. "I need to talk with you, sister. About you and Arantir."

"So, you found out." Luna frowned. "Well, let's talk, sister. You first."

Celestia sat on an armchair and looked into Luna's eyes.

"I know that we discussed it a long time ago, but it seems it needs to be talked about again." she sighed. "Luna, you know what is necromancy."

"I know." Luna interrupted. "I also know it's dangerous. But I have a reason for learning such an art."

"An art?" Celestia was shocked. "That is absolutely not an art!"

"Tia, please, calm down." Luna remained calm, even if that was hard for her. "I have an explanation, a reasonable one!"

"I'm... listening." Celestia inhaled and exhaled, calming down.

"Arantir told me a very important thing." Luna sighed. "Do you have a feeling that... something is happening? Something really bad."

"I have." Celestia nodded. "Tension in the air, some things that happen around the world. Griffin Kingdoms closing their borders, strange incidents happening more often... It leads to something."

"It does." Lune nodded. "It leads to war."

Celestia looked shocked. She cleared her throat and asked warily: "Did Arantir tell you that?" after getting a nod as a reply, Celestia asked: "Why does he think so?"

"He told me his goddess told him." Luna answered. "Asha told him."

"Asha, yes..." Celestia frowned and scratched her chin. "Hm... It still irks me like I know who she is."

"She is a Primordial Dragon of Order, as Arantir told me." Luna replied. "She created his world and it's her will he follows. But Asha is also a spider."

"Yes, a spider!" Celestia widened her eyes. "I remembered something! When you were absent, these first few years... One night, when I couldn't sleep, I heard a voice. A strange voice that came from nowhere. It told me that someday, a great danger will threaten the peace our land has known for centuries. That day, I thought it was about what you and I defeated together, someone like Sombra or Discord.

"Maybe it wasn't about them. I know that Sombra is getting back — his power grew enough to summon a Black Crystal Dragon. But I remember another thing...

"While the voice was talking to me, I notice a speck of black on my muzzle. But when the voice disappeared, that speck crawled away. It was a spider."

"Maybe the warning Asha gave us is the same you received that day?" Luna warily said. "Maybe that is why Arantir appeared here. He is her worshiper, a powerful one. Maybe Asha wants to help us prepare? But why would she care about our world?"

"There's a proof that at least three worlds are connected: ours, the Earth, and the one from which Arantir came. Maybe if one world falls, so will others." Celestia suggested. "So, we must prepare. I no longer forbid you learning necromancy. If whole worlds are at stake, we would need even the undead warriors.

"But Luna," Celestia put a hoof on her sister's shoulder. "Promise me you won't hide it if something is wrong."

"I promise." Luna nodded. "We must stand together, sister. Together, we are stronger. Together, we will overcome anything."

Chapter 30: Per Gelu

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 31: Seran

The group marched through the snowy and cold planes of the Frozen North. Gladly, no one felt cold, thanks to the warm and comfortable clothes they had.

The sun began to set, the temperature lowered to almost fifty degrees Celsius below zero. Thankfully, there was no wind, the weather wasn't too harsh. But there were dark clouds far behind the group. Dark clouds that shouldn't have been there in the first place. Andromalius noticed that a while ago, and figured out it was something dangerous.

However, the group must find a shelter for the coming night. Andromalius knew that the temperature will become even lower, and that situation would be very bad for others, including Inanna, who didn't have natural protection from the biting frost like Andromalius.

Everyone walked in silence, as any word spoken would give the precious warmth away. But even in this cold, depressing scenery, the spirits were up, thanks to the Cape of the Lion's Mane Twilight Sparkle was wearing. Every pony believed they can make it through to the destination of their journey.

"So, what do you think?" Inanna spoke inside Andromalius' head.

"About what?"

"About everything."

"Hm..." Andromalius thought. "We've just started, but I already have a bad feeling... Did you see those dark clouds far behind us? That's where I encountered Sombra. I don't like that. He may already know we're here. If he attacks..."

"You've defeated him. You can do it again." Inanna assured him.

"If he doesn't learn from his mistakes. But we'll be ready for him if he strikes." he replied. "And I'll also have to protect all of you in your sleep. You'll be vulnerable to Sombra's magic unless I am still seen by him as dangerous to mess with."

The group noticed a strange object partly covered in snow. It was something made of stone. Andromalius changed the group's route, leading them to that object.

The group found it was a building covered in snow. Only the top of it was peeking from under the blanket of snow.

Andromalius used the hellfire to melt the snow, gaining access to the wooden door that was still fairly intact. He warily opened it, trying hard not to break it. Inside, there was a stairway that led further down. The group descended the stairs and found themselves in a square room without much furniture: only two wooden chairs and a table were there, and some very rusty weapons not suitable for fighting. There also was a lone window, too narrow for the snow to fill the room through it.

Overall, the place wasn't too bad.

"Well," the hell stallion spoke. "I guess it is our shelter for the night. Make yourself comfortable, ladies."

He went to light the remaining torches to make the room warmer. Thanks to the nature of hellfire, even the smallest fire can warm much, not consuming too much fuel either.

Soon, most of the frost that covered the room in some places disappeared, leaving small pools of water, which were quickly dried by Andromalius.

The group allowed themselves to relax. Ponies could take off their clothes, thanks to the warmth the hell stallion provided, and started unpacking their sleeping bags. The bags were made of good material that kept warmth, and the enchantments they had also gave an extra good feeling to the bags.

However, ponies still didn't want to sleep. They had a lot of question to ask Andromalius.

"Andromalius," Twilight Sparkle addressed him, gaining his attention. "Princess Celestia has told me you need help. But with what? I'm fairly sure you are much powerful than any of us here, including me."

"I must find an artifact." he answered. "An ancient artifact that I'm not aware of his whereabouts. At first, I was going to take only Inanna with me." he frowned. "However, Celestia insisted that I should also take you. She believes that the power of the elements you're wielding can help me."

"But you also have... something." Rainbow Dash pointed at the Alicorn Amulet. "Isn't that thing some kind of element, too?"

"That is—"

"The Alicorn Amulet." Twilight Sparkle finished for him, narrowing her eyes. "I remember seeing it in a book. Isn't it supposed to drive its user mad?"

"Apparently, not me." Andromalius replied. "I suppose the amulet isn't unlike those artifacts you're wearing, ponies. As each of them requires a certain personal trait to work, so does mine. However, your artifacts just won't work if a wrong person takes it to use. Mine punishes for it."

"Nerd talk..." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, receiving a glare from Twilight. "What?"

"Ahem." Twilight cleared her throat, returning to Andromalius. "Well, it makes sense, actually. But... What does the amulet do?"

"As far as I know, it just increases the power of spells and the amount of mana. I don't know how many times, though. Maybe twice, maybe ten times. But overall, the artifact is really powerful. Maybe not as powerful as yours, but it lacks a serious con — inability to be used without other artifacts of the same kind. Mine works pretty fine by itself."

"But what's with the design? It is too dark, in my opinion." Rarity interjected.

"Design matters not as far as the thing in itself is useful." Andromalius replied, earning a huff from the fashionista. "Swords are perfect examples."

"Do you have a sword?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I really like swords!"

Andromalius nodded, then summoned his weapon.

"This?" Rainbow Dash's eye twitched. "It looks so impractical!"

"Ya know them swords?" Applejack turned to her rainbow-maned friend with a surprised look on her face. "Ah know ya're a fighter, but that..."

"Yeah, I know swords and how to use 'em." Rainbow Dash replied. "My father is a weapon expert, duh. Studied them more than Twilight's time spent on books, actually."

"Oh, so, Twilight's a book nerd, and you're a swords nerd?" Pinkie Pie giggled. "That's interesting!"

"So, Rainbow Dash," Andromalius said. "What's your opinion on my weapon, then?"

"Let's see." the pegasus gestured for the hell stallion to give her the weapon for examination. "First of all," she took the weapon in her front hooves. "It's too damn heavy. Something about seven kilograms. Using that as a club? Yeah, that would do. Fencing? Nah.

"So, the next thing is the blades." she looked at the three blades. "Why the hay so many blades? Those ones perpendicular to the main don't make sense. Especially seeing that they're sharpened. It's just impractical weight.

"And then, the balance. Where it is?" she used one of her hooves to discover the point of balance. "Near these three blades. Yeah, maybe this weapon's good for smashing stuff and swinging around like a cavespony, but for fancy fencing — nah. Too unbalanced, too bulky, too heavy, and that's it about it. Overall — totally not cool.

"Tell me, did you actually use this piece of junk in a fight?"

"Once." Andromalius nodded. "Got a cut on my face, though. Didn't react in time"

"Oh..." Rainbow Dash facepalmed. "You could lose your head there, quite literally. You got lucky, that's it."

"What do you suppose I should do, then? I still need it."

"You should either get yourself a new weapon or reforge this one into something more useful. Like that thing." she pointed at the nearby rusty longsword. "If that thing wasn't so rusty, it would've shown you how much better it is against yours."

"Care to enlighten me theoretically?"

"Well, first of all, I must mention that you're really strong. Muscles and everything, including magic stuff." she waved her hoof. "But the thing is, strength's not as important as being fast and precise." she explained. "Why would you need more power when you're faster than your opponent? They won't be fast enough to react, and that is what you want.

"A strong hit usually can be parried or dodged. The momentum the weapon like yours has will make it move further before you can bring it back. This isn't the thing with weaker strikes. And weak strikes aren't less efficient than strong ones..."

Fluttershy turned to Pinkie Pie and whispered: "I know it's really hard to believe, but Rainbow Dash has her own lecture mode."

"...So, lemme give you some advice, Andro." Rainbow Dash said. "Throw this junk away and get yourself a good longsword. If you like big stuff too much, get a greatsword. Really, this weapon you have is really not practical."

"Actually," Inanna appeared in Andromalius' head. "This weapon was forged just to intimidate the opponents. It never intended to be practical."

"Why didn't you say it earlier?"

"I thought you'd discover that by yourself."

"Ugh..." Andromalius urged not to facehoof. "But can I safely reforge it?"

"Yeah." Inanna replied. "I doubt we'll discover a forge anywhere here, though."

"So..." Andromalius frowned. "I guess if you're right, I'll have to reforge this weapon someday."

"Actually," Twilight spoke. "If my suspicions are true, we're in the famous Guard Tower, an outpost on the hill in the Valley of Horns. It is written in ancient books that weapons were forged here, in this very tower we're currently in. It also used to have a huge military camp nearby, the largest one in the unicorns tribe's lands, actually, so, if we can find the forge, we can reforge the weapon right away!"

"We don't have a blacksmith here." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Books can't give you the skill either."

"I have an idea, Andromalius." Inanna was once again telepathying with the hell stallion. "You can summon a blacksmith from Hell. We've got a lot of them there. Also, they're good at what they do. I know one, he's one of the best — Seran, the incubus. These mares would like such a company, too."

"That's not a bad idea, I suppose." Andromalius agreed, and then said: "I know how to solve that problem."

"You're the blacksmith?" Rainbow Dash replied. "Sorry, but with the knowledge you have, I doubt you can make anything that won't shatter in a few hits. That needs a professional."

"I'll solve the problem. Let's go find that forge first."

The group descended a few floors down, finally coming into a rather large room. It had an anvil, many wooden crates around the room, some rusty instruments lying here and there, and a few other things that had rotten by that moment completely.

"And we can will this?" Rainbow Dash snorted. "Come on, this is totally not suitable for anything! Rusty... and everything!"

Andromalius walked to the crates and opened one of them.

"You better come look at this." he told the pegasus. She walked to the crate and looked into it.

"Well, I was wrong, okay." she said, inspecting the oiled blades that looked pristine. "Hm, these blades aren't that long for you. A toothpick, perhaps, not a sword. C'mon, let's see what other crates have.

Everyone opened a few other crates. Those crates had blades of different length and shape, they were also made of different metals. Some crates had oil bottles stored within, others had wood for handles, and a few had some fake leather.

"Oh my!" Twilight Sparkle beamed. "These things are very ancient, but they look pristine! Any museum would like to have that!"

"Without oiling, the blade's will get rusty." Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Good thing that this oil they have here is really good. Magically enhanced, maybe... Anyway, all this stuff can be used to arm... At least two hundred ponies. Including you, Andro.

"But we have another problem... There're no good instruments here. Unless we get someone with actual instruments, these blades won't be that useful."

"Andro, I've arranged everything. You can safely teleport Seran here, he has the instruments and skill, even while being rather young." Inanna thought to Andromalius.

"I have a blacksmith, actually." Andromalius said.

"I see no one." Twilight noticed.

"Are you hiding him in the pocket?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Nah, of course not! You don't have pockets!"

Andromalius chuckled at that, and then his amulet glowed. A few seconds later, an incubus was teleported into the room. He had jet-black short spiky hair, gray fur, pale-gray eyes, and one curved horn bent like Inanna's ones. Unlike the succubus, his wings had membranes, and his tail was shorter and had a spear-like end. He had a cart full of different instruments with himself.

"Hello, ladies and a gentlecolt!" he greeted everyone while ponies stared at him mouth agape. "Yup, I'm a blacksmith. Well, no time-wasting, I'll get to work right now. Shouldn't keep Andromalius waiting, now should I?" he turned to the hell stallion. "Well," the incubus was almost two times smaller than Andromalius. "Considering your size, you need a greatsword or a polearm. What you'd like?"

"A greatsword, I suppose." Andromalius replied.

"You're a weapon expert?" Rainbow Dash asked Seran.

"Yup." he nodded. "Know plenty about stabbity slashitt smashity shootity stuff. Polearms, swords, sabers, bows, crossbows... Maybe I can even assemble a ballista or a catapult. Don't know, no one ever asked me to do that kind of stuff."

"And what can you tell me about swords?" the pegasus asked another question.

"Well," Seran grinned. "If the pommel is unscrewable, you can use it to throw at your opponent to end him rightly."

For a second, Rainbow Dash looked surprised. But then, she started to laugh, and the incubus followed. Others just stared at them with confusion.

"Yeah..." Rainbow Dash wiped away a tear. "You really are a sword expert."

"How does that determine a sword expert? And what is a pommel?" Andromalius asked.

"Well, a pommel is that thing on the opposite end of the sword. Not the sharp end." Rainbow Dash explained. "And there is a joke going around... An old minotaur manuscript — minotaurs invented swords and fencing, by the way — depicted a swordstaur with a pummel in his hand, which he then threw at his opponent. It was written that a good combat tactic is to unscrew the pummel, throw it at the opponent vigorously, and then use the sword to end him rightly. And that was an ancient prank."

"Unicorns, who first got fencing techniques from minotaurs, thought that the pommel-throw is an actual technique. It wasn't that effective, as you may guess." Seran added.

"But anyway, a good sword is a sword..." Rainbow Dash grinned.

"With unscrewable pommel." Seran finished, then chuckled. "Hm, I would like to know your name, lady."

"Name's Rainbow Dash." the pegasus puffed her chest. "The one and only!"

"Nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash. I'm Seran." he bumped his hoof with hers. "The one and only, too." he turned to others. "Alright, time to get to work. Everyone out, I need space to work."

"Lemme stay with you." Rainbow Dash asked. "Never saw the sword-making." she said, and then added: "Also, I may polish one. Gotta start with something, I suppose."

"Well, you can be of help." Seran nodded. "Others — shoo, now!"

Author's Note

That's how Seran looks like:

Also, I'm going to use more realism with things like swords and fencing. After I started learning fencing, I facepalmed so much at the fantasy weapons that aren't really useful or entirely not useful in real life. Really, that gave me a headache.

So, what will happen with that bulky, heavy things I made as a weapon? You'll see.

Chapter 32: Regimen

Author's Note

ATTENTION!

This chapter doesn't feature any action or character development whatsoever. It just explains a few things.

I guess some of you might wondered what Andromalius will do once he is a ruler. He has something planned. Some great-scale plans, to be precise.

You may skip this chapter entirely if you're not interested in reading about country development.

Chapter 32: Regimen

Andromalius and the rest of the group, excluding Rainbow Dash, rested. The hell stallion was waiting for his sword to be made, and others just made themselves comfortable.

Twilight Sparkle was lying on her sleeping bag, reading a book. Applejack was trying to get asleep, but often glanced at Andromalius. Pinkie Pie was already sleeping soundly in her sleeping bag, and Fluttershy was lying with her eyes fixed on the hell stallion with clear fear in them. Inanna was just lying on her belly, relaxing.

"Andromalius," the succubus addressed Andromalius telepathically. "What ideas do you have? Like, what are you going to do once you take the throne?"

"Actually, I though a lot about it." the hell stallion replied, looking at her. "I have many ideas... Though, to properly show them to you, we should be in a dream. There, I'll be able to conjure whatever image I need to show you. Besides, the bearers of the Elements shouldn't know about my plans. And I doubt they have any interest in it anyway. Besides Twilight Sparkle, maybe."

"Alright, let's do it."

***

A few minutes later, in the realm of dreams.

Andromalius and Inanna stood in the green field, surrounded by plants and trees.

"So," Andromalius cleared his throat. "I have many different ideas and plans... I'm going to show them to you.

"First of all, the government system. In my personal belief, there must be a ruler that has complete control over everything, and has his bloodline established as dynasty. Those who are being prepared to rule from their birth are the best rulers. However, it all should be done right, otherwise we'll get everything messed up.

"So, as a ruler who has all control, I'll be able to do anything that I need. However, before making any decision, I will study the subject at hand. Ask specialists, those who have been doing their job longer than I do mine. Thus, I'll be able to make efficient decisions." Andromalius explained.

"This seems rather logical if done right." Inanna nodded. "But I thought humans prefer democracy. At least, it seemed so from your memories."

"Well, I have some thoughts about that, too." the hell stallion nodded. "Remind me, how many of demons are there?"

"About ten, maybe twenty thousand... No, that is only my clan." Inanna tapped her chin. "Actually... I don't really know. Such information was always kept secret. My guess is that there are about four hundred thousand demons overall."

"So, there will be one large city." Andromalius replied. "Although... How many floors does an average building have?"

"I think three."

"That will be a rather large city to control." the hell stallion scratched his chin. "I guess that there are numerous towns scattered throughout Hell?"

"Yep." Inanna nodded. "Something like that."

"Alright, then, talks about democracy will have to wait a bit before I figure out how to unite all towns efficiently." Andromalius cleared his throat. "So, enough of the politics, for now. Let's talk about the people.

"I need to create efficient social infrastructure that will provide everything necessary to create a thriving society: educational system, medical system, labor system... Pretty much everything.

"So, the educational system — it must provide knowledge for everyone, absolutely free. Those who are willing to study and are reaching great heights in it should be rewarded. And choice must always be given. Some would like to create technological wonders, others would like to delve into the historical subjects, and some would like to create art. Education must be forced, but not too greatly. There must be a basis of each subject taught to everyone, and then they will decide where they see themselves."

There were created images of educational establishments with happy teachers that found themselves liking teaching their students; different auditories with equipment that would help to study subjects better; happy students that willingly go to receive knowledge.

"Yeah, we don't have anything like a good educational system." Inanna sighed. "You make a good point."

"The medical system must also be free for everyone. Curing any and all illnesses is a must, treating every ill person equally is another must, never minding their financial or social state. All lives matter. Also, people must be taught basics of first aid: how to stop bleeding, how to reanimate, those things."

Andromalius summoned images of pristine hospitals with friendly nurses and doctors, the most advanced equipment ever seen, quickly recovering patients that had no complaints to make.

"Well, we do now this and that about medicine." Inanna nodded. "Though, we do need more."

"So, about labor system. There must be laws made about labor, including banning child labor, slavery; creating a set of laws that would protect both the employer and employee; work ethics, and so on."

He summoned images of happy workers who had decent pay to afford travelling, hobbies, and being happy overall.

Andromalius cleared his throat.

"There are many subjects that I must cover." he sighed. "It's rather weary... So, about industry as a whole.

"Anything must be made by standards, which will ensure the quality of the products. Any and all facilities, factories, etc. must be ecological. It doesn't matter in Hell, as there isn't much ecology in the first place, but we must not ruin the surface. Pollution increases chances of getting sick, it ruins the beauty of nature and turns it into something as lifeless as Hell itself. It must be prevented at all costs."

Andromalius summoned images of big factories that produced much smoke that clouded the whole sky in its grayness.

"There must be laws created about treating nature right, too. No animal cruelty, no mindless usage of resources, no wastes; everything must be done perfectly and as less damaging to nature as possible. It will be hard, yes, but the result is worth it."

Everything returned to its colorful and peaceful state.

"It must be that everyone understood why such laws are made. Thus, they won't blindly follow them with fear of breaking them, but they will understand that a bright future is build through the use of such laws. They aren't made to restrict but to guide everyone into something better.

"There must be connections established between my country and others: safe travel and trading routes, cooperation for the betterment of each country, eradication of all discrimination between each and every one."

An image appeared — a pony, a minotaur, a griffin, a changeling, a zebra, a yak, a goat, a demon, a horse — all sapient beings stood together, and connections between them were seen: partners, friends, lovers. And none had any hate or fear in their eyes.

"So, I want to creat utopia." Andromalius finished his explanation. "No one has done it before me. And I will, no matter how hard it will be. I heard that utopia is unreachable. But I heard that from humans — time to find out how wrong they were."

Chapter 33: Tenebrae

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 34: Expugnatio

Meanwhile, at Hornguard.

After her meeting with Celestia, Luna went to Hornguard, where Arantir was waiting for her.

During the last night, the alicorn of the night moved the undead army she raised to the ancient city and hid it there. With the army hidden from anypony's view, Luna was finally able to relax.

Luna entered the throne room of the castle. Arantir was sitting on the throne, three books were slowly circling around him as he was reading them.

"Hello again, princess Luna." the necromancer greeted her.

"Hello, Arantir." she replied with a small nod.

"I called you here for the matters of most urgency and importance." he said, setting down the books. He stood up from the throne and walked down to Luna. "As you probably already know, there is a great danger. Most important is, that danger is not only threatening us, but our friend Andromalius. Maybe even the whole world."

"You figured out how to help Andromalius?" Luna asked.

"Yes, indeed." Arantir nodded. "Sombra believes that this barren land is his and his alone. We shall distract him by revealing this city. We shall melt the ice and snow, thus signaling him of our coming, making him notice us. He doesn't expect it. In fact, I certainly know that he is unaware of my and my army's presence here. He will be very, very surprised... And caught off guard. We shall be able to mess with whatever plans he has for Andromalius, thus giving our friend time to prepare a strike of his own. And then, Sombra will be defeated. I have faith in Andromalius, he is strong-willed."

"If it is so, we must act immediately." Luna nodded.

"Rightly said, Luna." Arantir replied. "We go now."

***

Arantir and Luna were standing on one of the towers in the center of the city. The undead army stood on the ground, patiently waiting for their commanders' orders.

"Now, follow my lead." Arantir's eyes started glowing green. "This is a powerful spell, and we need perfect concentration. Clear your mind and feel the energy rushing through you..."

Luna slowly inhaled, her horn started glowing.

"You feel the energy — it is warmth. It gathers together... And now, you unleash it, turning the ice and snow into water." Arantir said and opened his eyes; they were completely toxic green.

A sphere of mixed green and blue started glowing around the duo, and expanded, faster and faster. As it reached the ceiling of the cavern the city was in, the hard ice began to thaw, soon melting into water that started dropping upon the city like rain.

The sphere expanded further, turning more and more ice into water. Soon, a part of the sky was revealed. The water rushed down, streaming through the streets of the ancient city, and then went down the drains into the depths. Soon the whole city was free from the ice, standing proud among the cold lands. The pools of water that were left started to freeze.

"Well," Arantir spoke. "Sombra will notice us soon. We better prepare for the battle."

In the Darkest Realm.

"It seemeth thy friends are coming to save thee, Andromalius." Sombra spoke to the hell stallion. "How unfortunate that they shall be dead soon... I leave thee here to wait. As we all know, there is nothing more cruel than making someone wait when their friends are in danger. Oh, I shall bring them here for thee to see their last moments."

"They'll destroy you." Andromalius growled.

"Hm hm," Sombra chuckled darkly. "We'll see..."

The undead armies of both Luna and Arantir have taken the defenses Hornguard had. Fortunately, most towers and walls were still intact, and some even had working ballistas that haven't rotten through time.

"Feeling nervous?" Arantir asked Luna. She nodded in reply. "It is natural. But we have our armies. They are ready to die for the cause. And rest assured — they fight well, even in the state like this. Sometimes, they were better than the living."

"I hope you're right, Arantir." Luna sighed shakily. "I... I almost lost my sister to him. I mustn't fail now."

"And you shall not." Arantir assured her. "Remember what I taught you. You now know some battle magic that will come in handy soon."

The ground began to rumble, a big cloud of black smoke appeared on the horizon, covering the snow like a blanket. The sky began to turn orange, distant booming of thunder could be heard.

"He is here." Luna said, narrowing her eyes at Sombra's form.

"I am coming for you!" Sombra's snarl echoed through the snowy plains. "Your struggle is futile, ponies!"

"He doesn't yet know whom he's dealing with." Arantir said. "We have a few surprises up our sleeves... And I would have so much pleasure turning him into a dung-beetle once this ends."

"I cannot say I disagree." Luna replied.

"Oh, so..." Sombra spoke, coming rather close to the city, yet not enough for its defenders to reach him to attack. "You have a necromancer on your side? Oh how the mighty have fallen! Calling to the powers of dark to defeat me? Where is your power of love and friendship now? You have an army? I have my own, too..."

A large army of crystal creatures appeared from behind the dark smoke, and started marching towards the city. There were many dark crystal ponies, distorted figures, and a few black crystal dragons.

"You cannot win!" Sombra taunted. "My army shall shatter your puny bones into ashes that shall be buried after your inevitable defeat!"

"Luna, take the second exit of the city." Arantir told. "He might try to attack from there, and we must be ready for this. Relocate your army, I shall remain here."

"I'm on it." Luna nodded, and took off into the sky.

Using her magic, she telepathically ordered her troops to relocate. Her army started marching through the city.

Soon, Luna landed on a big tower that stood in front of the second gates. She could already see the dark army trying to get closer. However, her own troops were ready to fight, standing behind the gates, on walls and towers.

"Well, here it goes..." Luna muttered, remembering her leadership skills. She knew her present army is the most obedient, and yet she was not sure how to command it. So, she sticked with the way she used to. Though, nothing was spoken but telepathically ordered.

The troops arranged in different formations, preparing to defend the city at all cost, even their... un-lives.

Andromalius and Will were walking through endless crystal halls. Something changed, though, and they've noticed it.

"I feel... something." Will looked around. "Like something around us... changed."

"Sombra left to fight." Andromalius replied. "Perhaps something changed with his departure... It's like some pressure was lifted off of us. Perhaps, his presence makes this world even darker. Without him, some things just don't work like he wants them to."

"He hath never left before." the crystal pony shook his head. "Did he even have to? It's his world... Inside his head. Nopony can leave their heads, right?"

"There's something we don't know, then. We need to investigate... Who knows what we'll find." Andromalius replied. "Maybe he's just fooling us... You never know."

As Sombra's army was coming closer and closer to the city, the defenses began to do the work. Ballistas started shooting at the coming army, sometimes shattering small crystal figured but mostly missing. Luna and Arantir were throwing spells at them, but most were deflected completely due to the magic-reflecting nature of crystals.
The crystal dragons were high up in the sky, searching for something to destroy with their dark fire. They couldn't be reached by ballistas nor magic could harm them. They were the rulers of the sky with no one to bring them down.

"You have no dragons at your side!" Sombra laughed, taunting his enemies.

Suddenly, the sky above Hornguard began to turn into something different... As if a giant knife cut the space itself. Soon, there was a great big hole, showing night skies and two moons. A roar came from the hole, and a black dragon flew in. It wasn't a regular dragon — it was Spectral Dragon, a bone dragon. Not only all its bones are from different dragons, they were and influenced by powerful dark magic, making them completely black. Using its skeletal wings, it descended and landed on the highest tower. The green eyes of the creature scanned the surroundings.

The Avatar of Death was summoned.

The dragon roared again and took off to the skies, beginning his hunt on the crystal dragons. Its green eyes glared at the prey.

One of the crystal dragon tried to attack the Avatar, but the hit was evaded. As that crystal dragon flew close to the Avatar, the latter bit into the side, and ripped a large chunk of crystals. Quickly, the Avatar bit into one of the crystal wings, shattering it with strong and sharp teeth. The crystal dragon cried in agony, falling to its death.

"'Tis but one dragon, and I have an army of them!" Sombra snarled. "My army is infinite! You and your undead dragon shall fall before me like many others have!"

Andromalius and Will still walked through the halls, trying to find anything that can help them defeat Sombra. Soon, they came to a large door made of dark wood.

"I know this door." Will frowned. "I don't want to touch it."

"Why?" Andromalius asked.

"If I do that, the sensation that cometh next won't be pleasant." he shuddered. "It's like... Everything inside starteth to melt and... It's like I'm pulled in all directions at once." he took a step back. "Never do I touch this forsaken door again."

"Maybe Sombra has something there that will help me defeat him." Andromalius tapped his chin. "Will, wait here, I'll try to enter."

The hell stallion warily approached the door. Hesitating a little, he pushed the door. To his surprise, nothing happened to him and the door opened. However, he couldn't see what's inside.

"If I don't return and Sombra does," Andromalius turned to Will. "Consider me dead and try to fight on your own."

"I'll... Alright, I..." Will stuttered. "But I shall be completely alone... I don't want to. Thou art the only one alive I've seen here in many years."

"Sometimes, it takes a sacrifice to win." the hell stallion replied. "It may be inevitable... However, everything must be done to evade it. This is how victories are made."

"Maybe thou'rt right. And I haven't seen anypony like thou before." Will replied. "Even if thou lookest... strange, it dothn't mean thou art a bad pony. Thou art the only exception I've seen to the universal rule — bad looks equals bad attitude."

"Judging a person by the looks isn't reasonable." Andromalius shook his head slightly. "The reason such people act bad may be based on how they were treated. It doesn't matter whom you're treating bad — you shouldn't expect them to be kind to you once they grow up enough to fight for themselves.

"There is a simple chain of logic. Action — reaction. It's a rule to treat others the way you want to be treated, and visa-versa."

"Uh, I think thou'rt right." Will scratched the back of his neck. "Though... Maybe not entirely. So... Good luck, thou needest it there."

Andromalius stepped through the doorway. It was even darker than in other halls. As he entered, the door closed behind him.

He felt that the place was putting much pressure on him. It wasn't silent — something like whispers could be heard. There were also silhouettes in the corner of his eyes, and yet he couldn't see them clearly.

Andromalius knew that whatever lies ahead is way dangerous than anything else he's encountered before.

Chapter 35: Praeludium Ad Umbras

Andromalius was looking around. The place he was at disturbed him. It was different from everything else he has seen in Sombra's dark realm. When he walked through the halls while being taunted by the King of Shadows, he felt more secure than here. He felt like he touched something he should've left alone.

"Too far thou hast gone..."

Andromalius stopped and prepared to fight. He looked around, and yet there was nothing but crystal walls. He knew he heard something, and he felt the threat in what was spoken. He was very afraid, and yet he knew something must be done to stop Sombra.

Summoning his sword, the hell stallion continued his way deeper inside the darkness. He lighted his horn, yet not much was uncovered. The darkness was thick almost as smoke, Andromalius could barely see anything even with the rather bright light he summoned.

He walked carefully, listening closely to the surroundings. He could hear faint whispers, some distant thumping, and even screams. Everything put pressure on Andromalius, making him feel less and less confident with each step he took deeper into the darkness.

Suddenly, a door emerged from the darkness. It was tall and wide, blocking the way. Andromalius touched the door, and in a blink of an eye he was at the other side, the door behind him. He blinked in surprise, trying to realize what has just happened. Seeing no logical explanation, he aimed his awareness on the surroundings.

He appeared in a dimly-lit hall that had two large windows. They showed dark skies, buildings of black crystals down below, and many shadowy silhouettes walking in the streets of a city. They walked aimlessly, without a goal, lifelessly. Often they would fall or disappear, only to appear again somewhere around. Some of them were standing still, looking up at Andromalius, sending shivers down his spine.

"This must be the Crystal Empire, the country Sombra made disappear with himself." Andromalius concluded. "Though..." he narrowed his eyes. "It isn't real. Maybe... maybe it's how he sees it? It is some kind of... distorted vision, perhaps. Strange..."

He walked further when he noticed someone staying by the next doors. It was a shadowy figure of a unicorn stallion with glowing red eyes.

The stallion stepped forward, summoning a saber. Andromalius warily looked at him.

"Thou shalt walk no further, pony." the shadowy figure spoke in an emotionless, monotonous voice that distantly resembled Sombra's. "Thou shalt now die."

Suddenly, the hall around them transformed into a large arena that was cut from the outside by a high round wall of black crystal. A freezing rain fell down from the dark skies, instantly forming ice on Andromalius' body. The hell stallion ignited his hellfire, making the water turn into vapor upon impact with his body.

The shadowy figure slowly approached Andromalius, walking steadily and yet warily. The saber was pointing at the demon.

Quickly, the figure teleported right in front of Andromalius and swung his saber. The hit was blocked by the demon, and the figure teleported backwards, avoiding counterattack. Andromalius used his magic to send a lightning bolt at the opponent, only for him to turn into smoke, effectively dodging.

"Powerless and weak like a dying bug on the roadside." the shadow said, seemingly mocking and taunting the hell stallion for his effort at destroying the figure.

Andromalius frowned, and then performed a series of teleportations to appear behind the opponent, and struck. The blade went right through the body, leaving an open wound from which purple liquid splat the lifeless ground. The figure growled, and moments later the wound closed, leaving a noticeable scar. By that time, Andromalius teleported away to a safe distance.

The figure stood, staring at the hell stallion emotionlessly. Suddenly, three red lightnings struck from his horn. Andromalius summoned a magical shield, and it protected him, deflecting the lightnings, one of which hit the figure. He was thrown to the ground with a noticeable hole through the chest. The wound closed soon, but the figure had obvious problems trying to stand up. He teleported, reappearing on the ground, and he was standing again.

"Thou believest thou canst defeat me, get out of here, and live happily ever after?" the figure taunted. "Thou canst not."

"So... is that door the exit?" Andromalius wondered, preparing his next attack.

The figure moved, teleporting somewhere. The hell stallion didn't wait a moment and instantly teleported to another location. He saw the figure striking the empty air, missing Andromalius.

The demon summoned spikes from under the opponent, and they went through the figure, completely impaling him. He struggled to get off of them, and turned into smoke, reassembling nearby. Andromalius expected this, and exploded that area, scattering the figure in a chunks of crystals. Surprisingly for the demon, they reassembled again.

"A pony shall soon be burried." the figure taunted, walking to the demon. "The skies weep."

Andromalius raised his sword to fight, but was suddenly knocked off his hooves. Lying on the ground, he summoned a magical shield around himself, and saw how the figure tried to break through it, pounding like a beast in the cage. He struck and struck, trying to get through the barrier, and Andromalius felt the power behind the strikes. He teleported away and allowed the shield to fall, accidentally leaving his sword behind.

Appearing behind the figure, he realized the loss of his weapon and snatched the saber. As his magic touched it, Andromalius was almost knocked out by a loud scream that appeared inside his head. The scream was horrible, far worse than one of agony, far worse than one of hatred — it was everything. The fear, the hate, the anger, the agony — everything got into Andromalius' head, rendering him unable to fight as he released the saber and held his head, trying to make the scream go away.

"Goodbye, pony." the figure slowly raised the saber to land a final strike that will end Andromalius. The voice was clear as it got through the scream.

The hell stallion was still stunned, and was completely defenseless. He just stared at the saber as it hung above him, ready to bring a fast end to him.

Realizing the imminent end of his life that would bring much pain to others, including those he loves and those he is supposed to save, Andromalius growled terrifyingly and loudly, getting on his hooves and bucking the figure, sending him to the ground, forcing him to drop the saber. Quickly, the demon went for the throat and bit into it, and then teared a large chunk off of it. Using his massive forelegs, he snapped the figure's neck with a terrible crack. The figure knocked Andromalius off and stood up, healing the wounds the angry demon left.

Andromalius went for the final thing he had — he summoned the ancient weapon of the demons, Potentia Deamonis, and struck the figure with it. The figure was pierced through the head. He turned into statue-like crystal thing, and started to fade into black smoke, his mouth opened in a silent scream.

As the figure disappeared, Andromalius subdued his anger, and stood up, picking up his sword.. He was in the hall, and there was no one between him and the door he knew he had to enter.

"Not today." Andromalius growled. "And never."

He inhaled, waited a few seconds, and exhaled. He calmed down and made his flames disappear. He calmly looked around.

It's not over until I say so."

Andromalius frowned. He decided to return the sword back into the amulet and to leave Potentia with him. Then, he opened the door the figure was guarding. Behind it, he saw something that surprised him. It was Crystal Empire in all its glory: blue skies, lots of crystal ponies around, and bright colors. Nothing seemed out of place... until Andromalius noticed a gray figure in the crowd. It was smaller than anypony else, kept its head down, walking on shaking legs. The crystal ponies didn't seem to notice it, but some stared at it as it passed, and others avoided it altogether.

"Is it... young Sombra?" the hell stallion wondered, moving closer to the figure. "Is this a memory? I must investigate... No matter how much I hate Sombra right now, I need to find the cause for all of this."

Coming rather close to it, Andromalius could finally see that it was a colt. He had dark gray fur, long black mane, and dark-green eyes that kept looking at the ground. The most noticeable feature of the colt was his horn which was curved and had no spiral. There was also a simple red scarf wrapped around the neck. He walked, not noticing anyone at all. And that led him into trouble — he bumped into someone.

"Hey, look where thou'rt going!" a pony said angrily, scaring the colt into running away.

"So, this is a place of Sombra's memories." Andromalius concluded. "No wonder he guarded it... And it seems that even in his world, Sombra isn't in full control, otherwise he wouldn't even allow his memories to be seen.

"Also, maybe I'll be able to find out what led him to his current... state. Maybe... maybe I can even help him. Even if he is evil and violent, there may be a way to convince him to at least try to take a different approach, to make a new life. If he wasn't damages too badly in the one he lived through, though... So, I shouldn't destroy him outright. Even if I don't like him, I should see everything from his perspective, too. My emotions must be thrown away for some time, least I destroy everything because of my anger, and it will be unreasonable."

So, Andromalius followed the colt further. Sombra often looked back, scared by the pony he bumped into. Soon, he was away from the bustling streets, hiding in an empty alley. He sat by the wall and started to cry, burying his face into the scarf.

"Where am I?" he whispered to himself. "Who... Who am I? How did I get here?" silencing, he kept crying quietly.

Andromalius sat near him and looked at him. The colt didn't notice the demon, still shedding his tears, staining the scarf. Only now the hell stallion noticed how skinny Sombra looked, how he was shaking. He looked like he hasn't eaten for days and was suffering because of it.

Soon, everything faded into nothingness, leaving only darkness and Andromalius in it. Another crystal hall appeared. It was rather brightly-colored and didn't look as threatening and lifeless as other halls, although there were small shards of black sticking out of the walls.

"It is symbolism..." Andromalius concluded, looking at the shards. "This memory is perhaps the first one Sombra has of his life. And it didn't start good... If I am right, this hall symbolizes Sombra himself. The bright colors... the good that he had inside from the beginning started to turn black because of what he experienced as a foal. Maybe I am wrong... More memories may shed light onto the situation. I need more information to make any more conclusions."

Finishing his line of thoughts, Andromalius went deeper into the depth of Sombra's world. He was determined to see the truth.

Author's Note

This chapter is rather short but I didn't want to reveal everything at once.

Chapter 36: Primum Signum

At Hornguard.

Sombra was advancing into the city. While Luna and Arantir still could raise the dead to fight on, walls crumbled, and the stream of dark crystal figures was endless as they stormed the ancient city. Arantir and Luna stood side by side, constantly raising troops and boosting them with magic. The two surrounded themselves with impenetrable magical shield which protected them from any harm.

"I doubt we can hold for long..." Luna said. "This whole area is—" she placed a well-aimed shot at a coming crystal dragon, breaking one of its wings "filled with darkness Sombra uses to his advantage. The hatred that reigned here for so many years—" she paused for a moment to raise a few tens of skeletons that immediately returned to combat "hasn't disappeared yet..."

"We shall hold this city." Arantir replied. "However much power Sombra has, we shall still stand. Andromalius is working, he must be. Whatever he does will bear consequences soon... It will turn the tide of—" he cast a spell that placed some mines on the field of battle "battle."

"And if not?" Luna asked with uncertainty in her voice.

"A battle such as this couldn't go unnoticed." the necromancer answered. "If I am correct, reinforcements shall be here soon." he added.

"Reinforcements?" Luna quirked a brow.

"Your sister should have noticed the events by now. If anything, she will be here soon to fight on our side."

Meanwhile, at Canterlot Castle.

In the inner courtyard, Celestia and fifty troops stood, all bearing steel plate heavy armor and carrying various weapons with them: halberds, spears, crossbows, and swords. A couple of ballistas were present as well.

"This is the time when you, Equestrian best defenders, are needed." the solar alicorn spoke to the soldiers. "While our citizens think they are safe and secure, the yet distant danger looms over our kingdom. The darkness of the worst kind — the evil darkness. It is filled with anger and ravenous hatred, it wants to leave not a single city of Equestria standing, it wants to destroy us. We cannot sit here waiting for our doom. Instead, we shall fight.

"I carefully chose you, and I am sure you are the best among the best. You shall help me defend Equestria and its citizens from evil. I'm not going to sugar-coat it — some of us may be severely hurt or even die today. But if we do not fight, the darkness will seep further into our lands, consuming and corrupting everything it can lay its claws on: our homes, our families, our friend.

"So, today we fight for the safety of our country and our citizens. Now, come with me, and fight well."

A portal appeared behind Celestia, and she entered it first. The troops followed her without hesitation, disappearing one by one into the portal. As the last soldier marched in, the portal closed, leaving the courtyard empty.

Andromalius stood inside a circle of crystals he found himself in, and that was a big surprise for him. One moment, he was walking through a hall. Another — he is standing inside the circle, right in its center.

Shifting in place, he looked around. His heart was pumping fast, his legs were shaking from the adrenaline, and he breathed out puffs of smoke. His fiery eyes scanned the surroundings, carefully examining each corner. He readied his weapon, but hasn't yet seen any reason to jump into action.

"Hello?"

Andromalius quickly turned around and faced young Sombra. However, it was not the demon Sombra was looking at. Andromalius frowned and looked around, expecting to see something else. But there was nothing but black void filled with static.

"A-anypony?" Sombra called, warily stepping forward, and his voice didn't have any echo. It was quiet, as if the darkness itself swallowed the sound. "I... I... Where am I?"

"Is this another of Sombra's memories?" Andromalius thought. "It makes no sense so far..."

The shadow pony walked inside the circle, looking for something or someone. His legs were shaking, his breath was shaky, and his eyes darted around like crazy. A few minutes later, the vision disappeared, and the hell stallion found himself in another hall. Frowning, he walked through it to the next door.

Suddenly, chains wrapped around the door, and a big lock secured them. Loud metallic screech appeared, almost deafening the hell stallion.

Andromalius stumbled as he felt immense anger and fear as if they were his own. He wanted to smash, incinerate, vaporize, destroy everything he sees. The emotions stunned him and blurred his sight, he felt like thousand burning needles were piercing his brain in attempt to fill it with poisonous hatred. Visions flashed before the demon, too quickly for him to understand. And then everything around him faded, and two eyes appeared. Sombra's anger-filled eyes. They looked at Andromalius as if trying to burn a hole into him, to tear him apart, burn the parts, and scatter the ashes.

"Get. Out." the king of shadows spoke, sending shivers down Andromalius' spine. "Now."

The demon felt a strong grip taking hold on him, and then he was thrown out of the dark realm, and he appeared back where he teleported his friends away.

The weather was cold, the harsh wind of the Frozen North was blowing. But there was nothing lurking around, no evil to ambush Andromalius. It was surprisingly calm.

"We shall meet again, Andromalius." Sombra spoke inside the demon's head. "Until then, live. And may our paths not cross again."

In the last sentence, Andromalius felt fear coming from Sombra, as if it was not a threat but a plea. As his presence disappeared from Andromalius' head, the demon stood up.

"He somehow discovered that I was in his memories." he concluded. "What will happen now?"

The skies turned back to normal, the black crystal figures disappeared, and there was nothing but ringing silence among the ruins of Hornguard. The battle was devastating — many undead troops met their final death, some living reinforcements Celestia has brought has suffered injuries, including broken bones and harsh, scar-forming wounds. Some walls, one tower, and a couple of houses were completely destroyed by the battle, lying in a pile of broken bricks and dust.

The living were healing themselves, those who were severely hurt were being carefully taken care of. Overall, it became quiet, only hushed whispers could be heard as if their sayers were afraid of something.

Luna, Arantir, and Celestia stood together, looking at the horizon, seeing no signs of Sombra. None of them were harmed, only tired from the hard battle. It has been a long time since the alicorn sisters took part in battle, and this one was especially hard for them. Unlike Arantir, who was standing without even a sign of tiredness.

"Is he gone?" Arantir asked.

"Merely retreated. Why, though?" Celestia frowned. "What did Andromalius do to him to make him run away like this? It is unlike Sombra."

"It doesn't matter." Luna wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her horn was hot and red from all the magic she had to cast in combat. "Sister, we need to return to the castle. And nopony must speak of this battle to anypony else — our country won't accept us fighting with a necromancer at our side."

"We will have to talk about many things, sister." Celestia sighed, and then turned to her loyal soldiers. "Troops, gather everything, carefully lay the wounded on the stretchers. The battle is won, and we must return to Canterlot. Until I give command, none of you talk to anypony about what has just happened. The wounded must be treated in the Guard Hospital and not be brought outside the castle grounds. If families are interested in their well-being, tell them it is nothing major and that their members will return to full health soon. Unfortunately, we cannot tell the truth yet, as we all know how bad our citizens may react to these horrible news. I trust you, and I hope you trust me, too."

Andromalius stood in the open, breathing slowly. After the encounter with Sombra, he had to take a break before doing anything. His thoughts were in disarray, he still felt the sticky sensation of evil trying to take over him.

"Inanna, can you hear me?" Andromalius thought.

"Andromalius, I'm so happy to know you're alive!" the succubus immediately replied, and Andromalius felt happiness. "I knew you could do it! Whew, I'm glad Celestia and Luna took action..."

"Um, what did they do?"

"Well, teleport us back to yourself, we'll tell you. We can't wait to see you!"

Andromalius cast a spell, opening a portal to Canterlot. Soon, six ponies and one succubus went through it, and Inanna hugged the hell stallion quickly.

"I was so scared!" she admitted. "I am so happy to see you!"

"Me too." Andromalius hugged back. After the two parted, he asked: "So, what happened when I was away?"

"I certainly know that Luna went somewhere to distract Sombra so that you'd be able to do something." Inanna answered. "Twilight has seen Celestia doing something, too." she looked at the lavender unicorn.

"Um, yeah, I did." Twilight nodded. "Princess Celestia gathered a bunch of troops and some... ballistas, I think, and then teleported everypony somewhere. I've not seen anything like this before. Is it full-scale war with Sombra?"

"I don't think so." the hell stallion replied, shaking his head slightly. "I... I don't actually know what to think of Sombra. It seems he is a complicated... person. I've seen some of his memories. They are the key to why he became like this. I wasn't able to look deep enough to understand, he sensed my presence and threw me out. I think he fears me... He won't attack again for a long time. I suppose he is afraid of revealing himself."

"Um... I think I follow. You should tell the princesses about it." Twilight suggested. "As quick as possible." she added.

"I can send them a mental message, I suppose." Andromalius nodded, and then formed a message in his mind and sent it to the princesses. He knew he shares a connection with them, a special one. "Done. Now, maybe they will find out more than I did."

"That is... something. Nevertheless, I am glad that this is over. All of us were worried about you!" Inanna said. "Now, we'll just continue our way, right?"

"Yes." Andromalius nodded. "We still have a lot to cover. And maybe there's something else dangerous lurking in the north... We better be ready." he sighed. "Although, I think we have to spend another night here." he added. "I am tired... Not physically but mentally. My thoughts are in a mess... I suppose Sombra did that to me. So, tomorrow we move out." he finished his speech, sighing again.

Author's Note

It's been some time since the last chapter. I just didn't have enough inspiration to write this one, and the end is still kinda abrupt. But here it is nonetheless.
It was short, but I am glad it is finished. With it out of the way, I can return to the main plot.

I also decided that I won't reveal Sombra's full story right now, only some hints. And I think it would be stupid to just make Andromalius defeat him. After all, not everything is centered around the protagonist. Besides, there will be at least one sequel... You never know what will happen.

Chapter 37: Magicae Disciplinae

Author's Note

Finally, I came up with a new chapter. The story continues! Enjoy!

Chapter 37: Magicae Disciplinae

The group was preparing the place for stay. The same place they spent the previous night at was their shelter again. It was beginning to dusk outside, the night will fall soon.

Andromalius ordered everyone to sleep downstairs, deeper into the tower. He blocked the exit, casting a few protective and detective spells that will greatly help him if Sombra or any other evil being comes for them.

While everyone except him were setting everything up downstairs, he just sat in the center of the upper room, meditating. He was fixing his mind after chaos that Sombra has wrecked there, and was preparing mentally for the next day.

Inanna came from behind him, walked around him, and looked him in the eyes.

"Is everything alright?" she asked with worry, sitting down next to him. "I feel that your mind is in a complete disarray. I can't even understand what you're thinking about."

"I... I am scared." Andromalius admitted. "Just think of this..." he looked at Inanna. "Sombra, this pony who is called 'monster' by others wasn't born like this. I've seen some of his early memories; he was confused and afraid. He was no threat. Yes, he looked different, but that was it. And... It pains me to know that something — or someone — made him into a monster that he is today.

"I know that monsters aren't born — they are made." he sighed. "If you treat someone like a monster... Sooner or later they'll snap, and the chances are they will become monster or commit suicide, and both are terrible things to happen to anyone.

"I must do something to prevent such things from happening again." he said. "Seeing how Sombra was broken into that... monstrosity, I see that there are many problems to solve in this world. As a ruler, I must not let monsters be made. I will see to it that no one will have to suffer like Sombra did, and I can tell he did suffer greatly. I don't know if he can be redeemed, I highly doubt he has hope for that anymore. But even if he stays a monster, I will at least try to prevent anything like this from happening again to anyone else."

Inanna was speechless. She completely agrees with the hell stallion, and he knew it.

"That is why my mind is a mess." Andromalius said. "I'm trying to... uh, to just... comprehend everything."

Inanna hugged him tightly, and whispered into his ear: "I know it may sound silly, but everything will be alright."

"I know." Andromalius nodded. "It is just... well, it's hard for me. I don't know why I care so much now, I've seen many bad people before. But..." he bit his lower lip slightly. "I feel responsible for the world now. I have much power... Power to change everything to the better. Maybe it's right that with great power comes great responsibility. I can't just stand aside and do nothing while I have the power to change everything for the better. I... I'm not selfish. While some might say that I should care only for myself, I disagree with this. If there is no one to help those in need, will it not make the world worse? Letting others be murdered, tortured, fooled, broken... It's not what I want. I can prevent bad thing from happening, and I should. I must." he sighed deeply. "Even if I have to struggle for years to change the world, I will still do this. Sitting and doing nothing will not help anyone, even me."

Andromalius looked down on his hooves.

"Hey," Inanna softly touched his chin and made him look at her. "I will be with you until the end. You believe you can change the world — I believe it, too. Combined, all of us will change it for the better." she moved her head closer to his. "This is time we stand together against the odds, no matter what tries to drive us apart, away from each other." she made a small smile. "I am happy to be with someone like you." she closed her eyes, and kissed Andromalius on the lips, expressing all her feelings towards him. He closed his eyes and kissed her back. They both knew that they can overcome whatever is thrown at them. They knew their union is unbreakable and solid, it will last forever.

And they sat in that room, embracing each-other in love and care. Love they hoped to spread across the worlds.

In the morning.

Andromalius and Inanna were lying together on the upper floor of the tower, resting. He was slowly stroking her mane as she lied on him, half-asleep. Both of them were lying on a soft cloak that Inanna wore out in the core.

The hell stallion woke up and yawned. He got up from the comfortable spot and looked at Inanna. He smiled at her, and then decided to check how others were doing.

He went downstairs, and saw that most ponies were still sleeping. However, Twilight Sparkle was awake, reading a rather old-looking book. She noticed the hell stallion and lowered the books. She stood up and walked to him.

"Um, Andromalius..." she started. "Well, I want to continue the training." she stated. "What you told me about magic... It showed me that there is much more I must learn about it. And, since we're on a dangerous adventure, I thought that I really need some additional training. Um, don't get me wrong, but we're not in a hurry as, well, there's no countdown, right?"

Andromalius nodded, and said: "Very well, I agree with you that our training must be continued. I do believe you have a lot to learn. And I can teach you some useful spells that would help greatly if something like recent events happens again. However, we should do this outside the tower. We don't want to damage it, after all, what if it goes down?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." Twilight nodded. "Though... I think I should tell my friends about it, too. I don't want them to think that I disappeared. Some of them, is, um..." she glanced at Fluttershy. "Prone to panicking."

"Don't worry, I suppose Inanna could stay here to be ready to assure your friends that you are fine."

"Yep, I can do this." Inanna replied in his head.

"Yes, she's on it." Andromalius nodded. "So, let's go."

"Um, how do you know that she's ready?" Twilight tilted her head.

"Telepathy." the hell stallion replied, walking up a stairway. "Now, come. We've a lot to do."

***

The two got outside the tower. The weather wasn't too cold, there were clouds covering the skies, and absolutely no wind. Nevertheless, Twilight was wearing the Cape of Lion's Mane that was gifted to her by Arantir. It provided her warmth and comfort.

Andromalius walked good fifty meters away from the entrance to the tower and cast a spell, forming a dome roughly eighty meters in diameter with his position as its center. Immediately, it became much warmer, but not too much for the snow to start thawing.

"So, I think we should do something practical." the hell stallion suggested. "The first useful thing you need to know is how to make a shield. While offensive spells are good, they cannot protect you from what your enemy might send at you. Good defense must always be a top priority."

"I, actually, can cast a shield. My brother taught me, and he can make a shield that can cover whole Canterlot! Well, he never did it, but I know he has the potential to do so." Twilight replied.

"Show me, then." Andromalius nodded.

Twilight Sparkle formed a violet translucent shield of magic around herself. Andromalius put it to a test, sending a bolt of low-voltage electricity to it. The shield effectively absorbed the bolt, and Twilight didn't even wince. Then, the demon sent a fireball at her. The ball of high-temperature substance hit the shield, and melted the snow around it, and yet the shield stood. The unicorn looked a bit scared but otherwise unhurt.

"Is it safe?" she asked, her voice a bit muffled from behind the shield.

"Perfectly." Andromalius nodded. "However, if you feel uncomfortable, we can do it the other way.

Twilight removed the shield, but noticed that she was standing on a column made from snow and ice. Most of the snow around her was molten by Andromalius' fireball.

"Uh..." she gulped. "Let's do it the other way. I... don't really want to become liquid."

She jumped over the newly-created chasm. Andromalius ignited his horn, and a moment later a clone of Twilight appeared.

"Huh?" the real one stopped in her tracks. "Did you just make a... clone of me?"

"It can be said so." Andromalius replied. "More like a phantom. She is just like you, but if harmed, she will disappear without any consequences. She's also bound to my will."

Twilight tried to touch her clone but found that her hoof went right through it.

"You can't also touch her that way." the demon added. "She's like a ghost but the one that can be harmed."

"That's... interesting." Twilight replied, walking around her clone.

"Alright, stand near me." Andromalius commanded, and the unicorn made haste to stand by him.

Twilight's clone turned around and faced the two, and formed a shield around itself. Andromalius cast a set of powerful offensive spells — thunderbolts.. The fifth broke through the shield but didn't get the clone, and the shield was brought up again.

"Impressive." Andromalius stated. "You have one hundred percent magic immunity under the shield unless spells are shot at you in rapid succession. You aren't tired at all, too. You have a great potential, Twilight."

"Thanks..." she blushed from the compliment. "So... does it mean the shield is good enough?"

"Yes, it does." the demon nodded. "We should get to the offensive spells now. There's a bunch of them, and you should be able to cast all of them. Well, let's begin with three basic spells.

"The first one is Magical Arrow. It is self-explanatory. You use your magic to create an arrow-shaped energy bolt, and send it at the enemy."

Andromalius removed Twilight's clone and placed a few fake imps instead.

"Those are for target practice." he stated. "Now, try to do what I've just told."

Twilight lighted her horn, and soon a magical purple arrow was formed. She sent it at one of the imps, effectively disintegrating him.

"This is the easiest spell, and the least powerful of all." Andromalius explained. "I'm not surprised you did it on the first try.

"Now, let's try one of my favorite." he grinned for a moment. "The fireball. It is area-affecting spell. You just use your energy to make a big ball of fire, and hurl it at the group of enemies." he made some imps in close proximity to each other. "It is turning energy into heat. It should also be easy."

Twilight easily made a fireball, and sent it at the imps. Upon impact, it made a small explosion that destroyed the imps and left a crater full of water. Slowly, the crater became deeper and deeper until the process stopped when all heat was spent.

"Wow... that is something powerful." Twilight said. "It felt like... I've just thrown a mini-sun at them."

"As far as I know, the sun consists of hydrogen, which is one of the elements that make air, so, you're pretty much right." the demon nodded. "And its devastating effect is what I love the fireball for. Well, it is useful up until you fight magic- or fire-resistant creatures.

"So, you've just succeeded in learning two basic offensive spells. There's one to go, and it is quite powerful.

"The thunderbolt, or lightning. It is powerful, but you have to keep it under control if you don't want a chain reaction. So, you should concentrate your energy, heat it to the temperature of plasma, channel it, and then discharge it instantaneously. I don't know the exact mechanism of this, though. All I know is that lightnings are made of very hot substance... At least that is what I remember."

"I think I can do this." Twilight nodded. "Pegasi create lightnings all the time, and I partly know how it happens... I should give it a try from the unicorn side."

She concentrated, lighting her horn. Its glow slowly changed between purple and blue, and then a lightning struck from the clouds. It hit an imp, but went out of control and spread on others. Andromalius cast a shield just in time, protecting himself and Twilight from getting hurt.

"Ugh, it just doesn't want to listen!" Twilight complained. "I mean, I did something, but it went out of control as soon as I made the lightning."

"You should learn how to control it better, then." Andromalius replied. "Do it a few more times." he said, conjuring some imps.

Twilight cast the spell, and this time it spread only on three of them. She groaned, and then made another discharge. However, it happened in a form of a ball, exploding violently, disintegrating a lot of snow. Thankfully, Andromalius kept the shield up, and the two were unharmed.

"You don't want emotions to control your spells, Twilight." he said. "I feel you are frustrated, but it doesn't mean you have to let your feelings do the job. Calm down, and try again."

Twilight nodded. She slowly inhaled, and then exhaled. She repeated it four times. Finally, she calmed down, and prepared the spell. A lightning struck from the skies, obliterating an imp. Twilight grinned and jumped in place.

"I did it!" she exclaimed. "Yes, I did it!"

"Good job." Andromalius couldn't hide his smirk. He knew he'd react like that if he was her. "So, the basic offensive spells are covered. You can combine them with each-other, creating a powerful combination. For example, if you combine fire with lightning, you'll get something that can break shields pretty easily."

Andromalius cast a shield around an imp, then performed the said spell. The shield was broken through, and the imp was destroyed.

"Wow, that is powerful!" Twilight responded. "How did you come up with everything?"

"A little bit of mind work, some knowledge, a lot of willpower, and experiments during actual combat." Andromalius listed. "Once I discovered that there is magic, I knew I could make fictional spells work. So, knowing how they possibly work, I willed them to be cast. First times weren't as easy as casting such spells now, but it all paid off in the end. I can actually resurrect the dead back to living with no bad consequences. Well, besides some minor mental trauma. Experiencing death isn't something to just dust off." he frowned slightly.

"Yes, I remember you've said that you can resurrect those who died. And... I did some research on it." Twilight said. "It is written that using magic to return somepony from the dead is impossible. There is necromancy, of course, but it alters the resurrected, making them... different, darker. Not fully alive, I suppose. And they depend on caster's mana. If it runs out, they die again. Besides, the body doesn't return to it's pre-death state, and still rots, sometimes causing enormous amounts of pain to the resurrected." Twilight flinched. "Ugh... That is disgusting to even read! I am glad I've never seen it, necromancy is banned in Equestria."

Andromalius decided not to tell her about what Luna's been studying for awhile now.

"I think the difference is that I can resurrect those who have died very recently and their body hasn't begun to decompose yet." the hell stallion scratched his chin. "I've never tried necromancy, but as far as I know, it uses magic to raise those who have completely died, and can no longer sustain themselves. That is a major difference between resurrection and raising the dead, I suppose."

"Andromalius, you could hold lectures at the Canterlot Academy of Magic." Twilight smiled slightly. "You find explanations very quickly and can lay them out for a wide public. I mean, you talk rather... simple, I suppose. I think even those who've never studied magic will be able to understand you."

"I doubt I am fit for a teacher." Andromalius shook his head. "At least, not when I have a whole class of students to teach. Individually — yes, I suppose I can. But anything beyond that... No, I don't think so.

"I suppose we return to the tower. Others might've awoken by now. We should continue moving northwards. I, of course, will continue teaching you. But we can do that on the move. I don't have to waste time by just sitting here and doing nothing most of the time."

"Well... I think you're right about that." Twilight nodded.

Andromalius removed the dome he'd cast earlier, and the two went back to the tower.

Chapter 38: Pater

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 39: Sperantes

It was snowing slightly in the morning. Everyone was waking up: the ponies and the succubus stretched their limbs and prepared to continue their journey. The packed their things, getting ready to go. Their destination was still far from them, and they were determined to reach it.

Andromalius watched as everyone gathered their belongings and prepared to depart the icy cave that was their shelter for the night.

Now, a new presence was among them, unbeknownst to anyone but the hell stallion. It was a barely noticeable black smoke following the group. Only Andromalius could see it because he knew what he was looking for.

"Inanna, my father joined us." he thought bluntly, delivering the news to his telepathic companion.

"Oh!" the succubus blinked in surprise. "I guess it is good. I mean, I don't even know him enough to say anything, so... Yeah. But I'm glad your family reunites, Andro." she smiled at him.

"Good morning, lady." Lucifer's soft and deep voice appeared inside the demons' heads. "I am now free to accompany you two in your journey. It's been a long time since I was here last."

"Um, nice to meet you, I guess..." Inanna awkwardly replied. "Uh, but why can't I see you?" she looked around.

"I don't want to startle any of your friends, and I am working on my more or less pony-like appearance." Lucifer replied. "Also, some things from my previous, monstrous appearance might show up. I try to make it a minimum." he explained. "I doubt a tall as mountain, ten-headed seven-horned dragon-like beast would look fine among your group, now would it?" he made a small laugh. "I might as well stay in my current form."

A few hours later.

It was midday: the sun was shining bright, doing nothing to warm the lands it shone upon. The group was trotting steadily. The snow beneath them was hard enough to let them move faster than they normally did.

The mountains that they saw on the horizon grew closer and closer by each hour. And still, they were far away. Journey on wings would've taken less but, unfortunately, not everyone in the group had them.

Ponies felt that it became warmer than before. Unbeknownst to them, Lucifer warmed the air, making the journey much more comfortable for everyone. He was glad he could help his son achieve his goal.

"Son, those ponies, are they your friends?" he asked Andromalius.

"I don't think so." the hell stallion shook his head. "We are more acquaintances than anything else."

"Friendship is important. Did you make any friends here?"

"...No, I didn't." Andromalius replied. "I have no time. Besides, who'd befriend me? I can feel that these ponies are still afraid of me, even if only a little. They were sent with me by Celestia. And... is there any reason for us to become friends? Soon, I'll be the Lord. Ponies and I... we don't share anything in common to become friends. We are merely working together."

"Why do you think you have nothing in common? You don't know them well enough to say that." Lucifer argued. "They'll warm up to you if you stop being so cold to them.

"I understand that you don't see them as someone you'd like to spend time with. But son, I didn't want such a life for you. I wanted you to be able to choose. And now, when you are pulled by your new responsibility, you feel it is truly yours. You forget what I was trying to teach you. Don't be someone you are expected to be. Be yourself.

"I know have a task to complete, but does it stop you from having nice things once in a while? Friends can support you in your time of need or just provide you company. Even Celestia and Luna, busiest ponies in Equestria, have friends. A few of them, yes, but still friends. They don't lock themselves up with responsibilities. They know they need company. But you try to deny it, you try to deny something that is natural.

"You will burn out if you continue doing what you do. The tension building inside you will lead to disaster one day. You need to take at least a week of rest."

"Once this is over, father." Andromalius sighed. "Once I complete this, I will have some rest. Right now, in the middle of the frozen desert, is not the best time."

"On this, I agree with you." Lucifer replied. "But always remember that work isn't the only thing in the world."

***

Evening.

Everyone was settling down in a small cave. It was on top of a rocky hill that is now buried deep in the snow. After Andromalius melted some ice and snow inside the little cave, it was ready for the night.

"Andro, I think I am ready to present myself." Lucifer spoke inside his son's head.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely. One of them, the purple one, can already sense something, and it makes her nervous." the devil replied. "Besides, I sense tension in your group. You haven't told them the truth, have you not?"

"It wasn't me who wanted them to follow me." Andromalius shook his head slightly. "Also, I don't know how they'll react to this. They might freak out... I guess I should do this, and if any of them wants to return home, I'll send them back."

"Listen, everyone." Andromalius spoke up. Everyone excluding Inanna turned to him. The succubus was observing from the corner of the cave. "I.. I have something to tell you. We are not just searching for an artifact. In fact, the reason is much more complicated."

Everypony listened to him closely.

"First of all, forgive me for being dishonest with you." he spoke, pressing his hoof against his chest. "I think I just didn't want to trust you. I am still unsure about this... So, if after anything I say you'll decide that you should leave, go for it. If you decide to stay, then stay. I am not going to push anyone, no.

"So..." he scratched the back of his neck. "There is a lost piece of history. Five thousand years ago another country exited, one even further than the Frozen North. While hate reigned between the pony tribes, that country flourished with peace and love, much like Equestria today. All kinds of people moved there: ponies of all tribes, minotaurs, griffons... All of them united under one flag and spread peace. And they called themselves the Demon Alliance.

"While the word 'demon' is thought of as one depicting bad people, it is actually derived from a word that means 'people' as in whole. I believe that later that word was twisted into something absolutely evil.

"So, others considered the demons traitors to their own kind. Those people who thought so were too hateful to accept friendship and love. They valued pureness of blood over anything else, even their friends and family."

Unbeknownst to anyone but Andromalius, Inanna helped him remember what she's told him, adding some facts along the way.

"The most magically-powerful of all, the unicorn tribe created an artifact they called 'Sphere of Purity'. It was a powerful artifact, one that was supposed to 'cleanse' those who have taken another way, to bring them back.

"Once activated, the Sphere wrecked destruction upon the demons, driving them into darkness. Only a few remained, drastically changed by the power of the artifact. And then, they were gone. Records erased, survivors hunted down and killed..." his voice grew sorrowful. While he wasn't there to witness it, he had the heart to understand that what was done was no better than any genocide.

"And now... Now I am on a quest to bring that country back. To make word 'demon' good again, and to build a better word that will have no place for hatred. That is why I need another artifact — it will open the gates that hold demons prisoners. I want them to see the light again after so many years. I want them to be able to see nature for what it is, to meet people, build friendships and love...

"Surely, my look is not something widely accepted as 'good', but on the inside I know that I am not what I am seen as. I do want to spread love and friendship... however stupid or utopistic it sounds to many people. I want to make worlds better. Yes, not only this world. Other worlds, too.

"There are many worlds out there. I was born here, grew up in the other one, and now I am back here again. And I know that now I have power to change things for the better. I have the chance to change the universe. And I'm not going to waste it."

He finished his speech. He closed his eyes, exhaled. A few moments later, he opened them. Before him, ponies stood, looking at him.

"Wow, a big guy with lots of feelings." Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Y'know, I was wrong about you. You said right about demons n' stuff. Ya know, I can really see what you're saying, and that's awesome! I dunno why you hid it, though. Now, I like you more, you big stallion!" she made a small laugh. "Come on, girls, show him some appreciation!"

Suddenly, everyone jumped at him, and soon he was under a big pile that hugged him. He laughed, feeling tears in his eyes.

"What did I tell you? Friendship is good." Lucifer chimed in.

"Yeah, pardner, ye'r something." Applejack said to him. "Ah mean, I don't like yer dishonesty one bit, but at least ya did things right, even if't took ya time."

"Thanks... Maybe that's what I've been missing?" Andromalius wiped a tear off his face. "Maybe that's why Celestia sent you with me. To help me learn how to trust people. I'm still sorry for keeping you in the dark. You were and still are helping me, and I wasn't trusting you."

"That's a noble cause you have, Andromalius." Rarity said. "Why, I'm surprised you kept this hidden so long from us. We can understand you, no matter how you look like."

"Rarity's right." Fluttershy chimed in. "Um, I think there's a lot more kindness in you that I expected." she giggled, blushing.

"This dramatic reveal was fun!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Y'know, you must have a party once this is over! Oh, I can get so many ponies for you to get to know! Or them to get to know you! Ponies really need to make more fun stuff with demons! Well, there once was some kind of demon-pony in my dreams. Y'know, cloven hooves, leathery tail, strange horn, fangs, that stuff. He was searching for something... I don't remember, but I hosted him a party! And I found out he was really nice and fun and kind and stuff, and now I hang out with him every night!"

"Glad to hear that even now ponies can make friendships with demons without actually meeting them." Andromalius replied with a smile. "Even if I don't know you much, Pinkie Pie, you sure seem like someone to be able to cheer up a grump king!" he laughed. "And, speaking of kings..." he stood up, and ponies followed "There is someone who encouraged me to share my feelings and thoughts, to trust you. He is my father."

A black mist appeared behind the hell stallion. With a flash of reddish-white, an alicorn stallion roughly Andromalius' size appeared.

"Good evening, everyone." Lucifer spoke.

A moment of silence ensued. Everypony eyed him. He had horn that was white at the base but changed to red at the point. It was shaped like Andromalius', but situated on the forehead, not at the bridge of the muzzle. Lucifer's fur was white as snow unlike his son's charcoal black. His raven-like wings were mostly white but faded from the base to the tips into black. His eyes were dark-green. His mane was rather short but slicked back like his human hair. A pair of fangs peeked out of his mouth. His fetlocks were fading to dark-gray at the bottom. He also had a long leathery tail covered in white fur. Overall, he looked much less of a demon than his son, and yet intimidating and at the same time soft.

"Wait a second..." the devil summoned a mirror and looked at himself. "Gah! I thought I'd look better."

"You look better than me, father." Andromalius rolled his eyes. "Trade me your look if you don't like it."

"Nah, I'm fine with it." Lucifer shook his head, and then turned to the ponies. "So.. I am Lucifer, Andro's father. Nice to meet you."

"You look less a demon than your son." Twilight noticed.

"Well, I had time to work on my appearance." Lucifer replied. "Besides, the genes... Anyway, everything is a bit complicated in our bloodline. At least now I look younger." he looked at his flank. His cutie mark was a mix between a red pentagram and black inverted cross. "What a nice mark I have! Certainly didn't have it planned. At least it looks good."

"Truth be told, you look quite dashing, mister Lucifer." Rarity said with a pinkish tint on her cheeks.

"Thank you, truly!" Lucifer bowed, making the blue-maned unicorn giggle. "But please, don't call me 'mister', I am old as it is." he laughed.

"Well, after this day, I bet everyone is tired. I sure am." Lucifer yawned, changing the subject. "This transformation has taken it's toll on me. So, I guess we should have some rest. Tomorrow will be a new, greater day!"

"Didn't know you have such an optimistic father, Andro." Inanna chuckled.

"Neither did I." the hell stallion replied with a shrug. "I guess I'll get to know him better now."

Author's Note

Satan: that is how you draw your first alicorn OC. You give him demon stuff on his flank, crooked red horn, fangs, unusual tail, fades on the wings. Not to mention you make him as big as Celestia, even better if he's able to look down on her. Edgy. And that is something rather close to my first alicorn OC that, thankfully, didn't see the light. Let's just say I was stupid. Very stupid.

So, gentlemen, you surely didn't expect Satan to be a nice, caring, and fun guy. Well, time to know Our Lord better. Not to mention that he is indeed a good guy. Just look at this:

So, hail Satan, and a have a lovely day! I really should've done this chapter by Friday 13th.

Chapter 40: Tribulationes Ante

Meanwhile, at the Canterlot Castle.

Natura Stella was waking up from the peaceful sleep she was in. Knowing that Andromalius was in no danger, she had few worries on her mind.

She was staying at one of the guest rooms in the castle. She didn't know what to do — she was in a different world from hers, and confusion still clouded her mind, if only a little. Natura knew she cared about Andromalius, the one who saved her from the undead. She knew she could ask Celestia or Luna if a need arises. But that was it — she didn't know how to keep herself busy. She didn't know how to read, and she was afraid to ask for assistance. She thought that she would be laughed at.

And yet she knew she had to do something. So, she decided to take a walk to the gardens to clear her mind and think among the trees and animals.

Natura always loved nature. When she still lived at Irollan, the green surrounded her: the trees, the grass, the flowers. Animals were kind to her and often gathered around her out of curiosity. She would often sing to them, a song without words or meaning. She was used to that peaceful life, just enjoying everything nature could give to her. The scent of fresh, wet grass; the smell of different flowers; ambiance of the forest; its habitants and visitors. It was serene, and life was simple for an Irollanian unicorn like her.

When the necromancers came, everyone was terrified, including her. She was in panic, she didn't know what to do. And when she was transported with them, ripped off from her family and nature, into the cold, gray, and lifeless city deep underneath the ice where no light shone. She was broken and alone, not to mention wounded. Gladly, she was saved by none other than a demon, someone she feared the most. But the demon didn't live to the terrible expectation. Instead, Natura found peace and comfort near him. And, eventually, even affection.

She trotted through the castle, occasionally catching glances of guards that were still not quite used to her. She didn't mind it, though. In fact, she didn't even think about that as she made her way to the garden. Her mind was occupied by different thoughts.

Soon, Natura reached the Royal Garden. She came through the decorated gate and found herself a place to sit on. It was a simple log that was beautifully carved into a bench, and yet it remained its nature.

She sat and looked around. The leaves on the trees began to turn to their autumn colors: orange, red, and yellow. The grass was still mostly green save for a few spots here and there. The animals were moving around the garden, not worrying about the winter yet. They glanced at Natura with interest and a bit of wariness. She radiated with something that attracted the creatures, and they soon found her presence to be calming.

A nightingale landed on a nearby tree next to the unicorn. After taking his place, the nightingale began singing his beautiful song. Natura smiled at him, relaxing on the bench. That situation reminded her of home, of countless times she spent in the forest, listening to the wildlife.

Soon, some squirrels appeared out of the bushes, curiously looking at the unicorn. One of them had the bravery to move closer, and hopped up on the bench. Natura glanced at the squirrel but didn't do anything. The squirrel, seeing no threat from the strange unicorn, climbed onto her back and nested there, eliciting a smile from Natura.

"Good day, Natura." a familiar female voice spoke. Natura turned her head and saw princess Celestia walking through the gates. She looked very tired: her ethereal mane had a messy look to it, it's flow was much slower, and there were barely noticeable bags under her eyes. She was walking tiredly, without much regality she usually has. And yet, a small motherly smile was on her lips. Celestia joined the unicorn, sitting next to her. She sighed in relief, letting her body relax on the bench.

"You look tired, princess." Natura spoke up. "Um... I know what happened, and I really wish... Um..." she blushed in embarrassment, trying to lay out her thoughts right.

"I understand what you're trying to say, and thank you for your care." Celestia nodded. "Everything becomes so complicated... That is why I came here in the first place — to rest for a bit." she sighed. "The recent week was weary on me and my sister." she frowned. "And... A great many things have changed since the summer." she looked at the animals that surrounded the two. They were sitting quietly as if listening. "There is Grand Galloping Gala in a few days, and I doubt I can be present." she sighed again, and then admitted: "I am so tired. After a fierce battle that was tiring on its own, I returned to see that I need many other things to deal with. Would it not be my state at that moment, it wouldn't be as tiring as it has just been."

Natura listened, not interrupting the princess.

"Questions have arisen about my guards' state after I sent some of them to the hospital with serious injuries. Thankfully, no lasting damage was done to anypony." Celestia continued. "But their families are worried. They don't know what happened to their sons and husbands, and I'm afraid to tell the truth." she looked down. "Don't get me wrong, I want to be honest with my subjects and to defend them, but..." she paused for a second, her ears folded. "I've been softened up by the peaceful age we had, and I don't know if I can protect my little ponies from impending danger that looms on the horizon." she looked at the sky. "Occasional villains returning from the past, that is something I might be able to deal with. But if anything comes in large numbers... I don't know. There is so much to be done. I have my personal student, and I have faith in her but will she be able to rule one day alongside me?"

She paused.

"Sometimes," she continued after a short break. "I question myself: should I let younger ponies take the throne and responsibility? I've been a ruler so many years. My sister says that we will make it, but... I guess I grew old." she chuckled softly. "I'm sorry, I must bore you with this... speech."

"No, not at all!" Natura shook her head. "It is good for anyone to spill their thoughts from time to time. I, um, rarely do that, but... Well, it's because I've nothing to worry about most of the time. Um, used not to..."

"And how about now?" Celestia asked. "Do you have anything to talk about? If you want, of course." she made a small smile.

"Um... Yes, I suppose I have..." Natura rubbed the back of her neck, ruffling some hairs of her mohawk pale-blue mane. "Well, um... I just..." she tried to come up with a way to tell her thoughts. "Before appearing here, I was pretty much a... normal unicorn. I mean, I didn't speak. Not in the way I now do." she tried her best to explain. "I was living in the forest among other unicorns, and... Well, life was peaceful. But all changed one day, I guess you know how." Celestia nodded. "And now I worry if something bad happens to me or Andromalius... I worry that I won't be able to adapt to this world, too. In the name of Sylanna, I can't even read!" her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"I understand your worries." Celestia nodded. "Many strange things have happened recently. In the past few month, to be precise. I'm afraid it leads to something even greater, bigger than us... However good or bad might that be.

"I hope we'll gather someday and have a friendly chat, without a worry in the world. I don't think it'll happen anytime soon, though..." she sighed. After a few moments of silence, she added, "But I hope everything will turn out alright."

Some time was spent in silence. Neither Natura nor Celestia knew what to say, so, they just sat on the bench, resting.

"Um," Natura spoke up. "Can you tell me more about Andromalius? I... don't know him that well, to be honest." a slight blush appeared on her face. "He said that he wants us to know each other better, but he's so far away right now. I'd talk to him if not, um, that."

"Well, I know little about him, unfortunately." Celestia replied. "Only recently I've found out I am his aunt." she earned a gasp from the unicorn. "Very surprising, isn't it?" she giggled. "So, yes, he's Luna's son. Our family is a bit complicated, I suppose."

"Who is his father?" Natura asked with interest.

"It gets even more complicated here." Celestia made a small laugh. "You see... his father came from another world, and he's a demon. And not a demon of your world, too." she looked at Natura, and saw her jaw dropped. "Yes, our family is strange, to say the least. I guess none of us could settle for a simple life.

"Frankly speaking, I know nothing about Andromalius' childhood or adolescence. He's spent... ten years of his life on our moon, and eight years in his father's world. I suppose even Luna doesn't know him that well since he was away from his mother for the most important part of his life." she frowned. "And ever since he appeared here he did nothing but struggled to achieve a goal. First, he studied our world to make sense out of everything, to adapt to the sudden change he's gone through. He chose to ignore everything else: the stares that followed him around, my suspicions... He didn't have much choice whom to talk to or trust. Emotions built up inside him, and once I made a mistake, a big one at that, we had a fight. Gladly, it didn't end in anything too bad. I fear to imagine what he'd do if I decided to fight him. He hates it when he is restricted or when he's told what to do, I learned that the hard way.

"Then, he set on a mission to free those who were wronged. A noble cause to show himself as a hero, but heroes rarely have rest, and if they reach the end of their journey..." Celestia frowned, sadness in her eyes. "They might not see anything else at all. Not the peace they were fighting for, not the love they defended or earned..." her frown deepened and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't want Andromalius to end up like that. He is very kind at heart, and I am afraid that the cruel world will get him as it already got many others. I wish that our family stays together and live happily, but... I have no idea if that will happen at all."

A few moments were passed in silence. Celestia took deep breaths, and then continued.

"I think he struggles with accomplishing goals because he isn't sure what he'd do if there is none. He's taken a responsibility on his shoulders so that he won't have to deal with trying to live a simple life when ponies fear him because of his looks. He might fear he will never be accepted by us ponies.

" I don't know about how he lived before but I don't think he was like this. And... it pains me to see that he is always on the move. It's like... he's afraid of having friends or family. He's afraid of what'll happen if he tries to settle down. Maybe we scare him, too." Celestia hid her face in the crook of her foreleg. "Oh how stupid I was..." she whispered, and a tear dropped from her muzzle. "None of us treated him right because of his appearance. Only Luna warmed up to him, but... He didn't make any friends. I don't even know what he thought about Lu-Lu. I hope that there was something more than just seeing her only as his protection. I don't know, I didn't have a heart-to-heart talk with him.

"Maybe he shares some of his inner feelings with Inanna the succubus but I don't know. I just wish I had time to talk to him as a family member. I wish to let him out everything he wants to talk about but hesitates to. I wish he had a happy life."

She finished her revelations, and looked at the skies.

"After he achieves his goal, I shall talk to him." she said. "We must strengthen our bond as a family."

The silence fell upon the two as they sat there, each in her own thoughts.

Hours later, midnight.

It was dark in the throne room of the Canterlot Castle. The only light coming through the windows did little to reveal what was hidden inside. It was perfectly still and silent. An untrained eye wouldn't notice anything out of ordinary.

At that night, Luna gathered a few ponies from her Night Guard. She sat on the throne, looking down. There, five Night Guards stood, all the same: grey coats, bright-orange slit-pupil eyes, and fangs peeking out of their mouths. All of them had leathery bat-like wings. Their polished grey-purple armor reflected the pale light of the full moon, and their glowing eyes looked upon their princess in respect, unquestioning loyalty and devotion to their country and nighttime ruler.

"I have summoned you here to tell you something very important." Luna spoke in her regal and strong voice. It reverberated through the throne room, creating an eerie atmosphere. "I believe that what we fear most is unfolding. The darkness of worst kind, the one that threatens our subjects with untold pain and horror. The evil awakens, and with it many great things shall come, both good and bad.

"We are standing on the edge, at the beginning of something that will change our world forever. There is nowhere to run or hide. Enemies shall reach us sooner or later. And yet we must prepare, not flee in terror of things to come. A war will soon fall upon our lands, I sense it. My sister senses it. Our powerful allies sense it, too. So, we must prepare for the impending horror and death that the war will bring to our home. We shall defend our country and the peace that reigned for hundreds of years. We shall stand and fight, and we shall prevail!"

She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I have received terrible news." Luna said. "I believe that there is growing tension in our world. It is supported by the facts: first, the Griffin Empire has returned."

Ringing silence fell upon the ponies' ears. However, none of them replied to the statement.

"It is not only the union of kingdoms as it might seem at first." Luna continued. "It is something far more sinister... The spies have reported that unusual activity happens there. They talk about the propaganda of griffin superiority, that there is a great part griffins take in something... something yet unknown. Something evil grows there, soon to be unleashed upon the world.

"It was reported that murders occurred at our borders. The killers came and went as the wind, leaving no trace to follow. There were no survivors to question either."

Luna frowned, her eyes filled with sadness over the loss.

"They have attacked multiple settlements where ponies and griffins lived in peace, together in harmony." she continued, speaking with sorrow in her voice. "The official ambassador from the Empire states that it is merely a band of thugs. And yet, those thugs act with military professionalism, sewing seeds of fear and doubt within both griffins and ponies. Griffins suspect us, ponies suspect them. This destabilization might lead to something far more terrible than what has already happened. It might lead to war, something that hasn't happened between our countries for almost a millennium. My sister and I hope it won't come to that, but I am afraid that it is inevitable.

"Thus, we need to build our forces. We need an army. A strong army that will defend our home and drive the invaders away and back to where they came from. Follow me, Night Guards. I have chosen you as the best tacticians our country has. All of you have shown much professionalism in handling day-to-day routine and solving dangerous situations quickly and without hesitation, using everything you have in your vast arsenal of skills. You are the best of the best, and I need your help.

"I believe it is time for you to see our protectors, our new army. Loyal, fearless. They are the embodiment of the darkness, both good and evil aspects of it. However, fear not — they are here to protect us.

"All of you have it inside yourself: good and evil. All of us balance on the blade's edge between darkness and light. We get our strength from it because we have no fear of the dark and what it has within. We are the dark. I know who you are: once low-life criminals, and now fearless and loyal protectors of our great country. You have risen from the mud to become who you are today.

"And now, come with me. Come and see what you shall soon command."

Lune stood up and summoned a portal. She walked into it, and her Night Guards followed without hesitation. They marched into the portal, their pace steady and their eyes aimed forward.

***

The Night Guards and Luna appeared on one of the towers of Hornguard. The city was silent, and no light but the moon let its streets be seen. The wind howled, picking up black crystal dust from the streets and carrying it around until settling it somewhere else.

"Behold our greatest asset in fighting the evil." Luna spoke. "They have fallen in battles a long time ago, and now they came back to fight for us, for our country. They are the undead. From now on, you will be trained in commanding those troops that you see down below."

The Night Guards walked to the edge of the tower and looked down. They saw thousands of glowing blue eyes staring at them from the ground. Obedient as they are, the undead soldiers stood, waiting for commands. Stiff as stone, still as a monument, they awaited.

"From now on, you are the Shadow Guard." Luna said to the Night Guards. "That unit was disbanded as soon as I was banished from the face of our world. Now, it is time to rebuild it. Many families have vowed to me. Through centuries, they remained loyal to me. Now, their descendants join me to fight evil again. Today, they reunite again to defend the light using the dark."

Tens of bat ponies flew from everywhere to the tower. As they landed, they bowed to their princess, presenting themselves to be ones to obey her every wish and command.

"We have returned. Enemies, fear the night's wrath, for it is filled with fury over your crimes!"

Author's Note

If you want to see new chapters more frequently, please consider supporting me on Patreon. Frankly speaking, I find my time being consumed more and more by the college to the point where I have just a few hours to write anything before going to bed. I hope that I will fix that with your help, dear readers.

Chapter 41: Finis Harmonia

A large meeting was being held in the throne room of the Canterlot Castle. Many royal guards were gathered there by their Princess of the Day. There were a few nobles among the crowd as well. Celestia herself was sitting on her throne, her radiant lavender eyes looking at the gathering, and a deep frown on her face.

She stomped twice with her forelegs, gaining silence. Everypony looked at her as she rose from her throne to speak to her subjects. She inhaled deeply, preparing to speak.

"Ladies and Gentlecolts," she addressed the crowd in a royal manner. "I believe it is time for our meeting to commence. It is time to talk about the future... and possible horror it might wreck upon us."

She was listened in the complete silence without anyone daring to interrupt her.

"The darkness looms over our kingdom." she continued. "I have called you all to tell about it. I know you well: you are the most loyal protectors Equestria has. You are the best of the best, from soldiers to generals.

"In my speech, I must address the horrible events that shook me to my very bones." she made a small sigh. "I believe some of you have already heard about what happened at the borders with the recently-reformed Griffin Empire." she surveyed everyone before continuing. "Murders have happened."

Gasps were heard in the crowd as ponies took in what their princess said.

"Something that hasn't happen for hundreds of years, years of peace." Celestia put her hoof up to silence the murmurs that were about to start. "It is terrible and weighs down on my heart heavily..." she paused. "There is indirect evidence that suggests the Empire is involved in this. While I don't know for sure, it might mean that a new war with the griffins will come soon. I do whatever I can to prevent this, but it seems like all my efforts are futile." she paused for a few seconds, collecting her thoughts. "If an agreement won't be concluded, if everything goes to waste... We must have backup. It is time to reform our army and reinforce the borders with fortresses. A necessary precaution we must take to ensure the safety of our beloved citizens. I have already failed almost a hundred of them... I will make everything possible to evade further losses.

"Thus, we must stand together, stronger than ever, in the face of the impending danger that will try to erase us from existance." Celestia stomped. "But we shan't let that happen! We shall defend our great country, and we shall come out victors!"

Loud applause sounded in her support. Once again, Celestia raised a hoof to bring silence upon the room.

"I trust you, my dear ponies." she said slowly. "And now... This is a hard decision to make, but... execute order eight." she said, and sighed heavily. The crowd was deadly silent, staring at her with disbelief. "In the name of Equestria, we must do this." she paused, and then muttered to herself: "The peace seems to end..."

Luna tiredly limped through the castle of Hornguard in search for her room with a comfortable bed to host her tired body. After arranging the return of her Shadow Guard at night and helping with repairing the damage from the battle with Sombra during the day, she was completely drained of energy. Not to mention that she used her magic to control the undead warriors.

She entered an ancient bedchamber she could call hers and found what she was looking for. Slumping onto the queen-sized bed, she made a long, tired sigh. She looked at the nearby chest of drawers where she found a few books lying on top of it. Those were the books Arantir expected her to read and study.

"Power comes not only from practice, but from theory as well." his words echoed in her head. "Even for someone like you, you know little about the art of raising the dead. These books will help you with learning and perfecting the necromancy. You have one of the greatest potentials I've ever seen, princess Luna. You can become perhaps even more powerful than me."

With those words still in her head, Luna drifted off to so much needed sleep. Her heavy head hit the pillows, her eyes closed, and she finally relaxed.

***

Arantir was sitting on the throne, a book in his magical grasp. It was one of the ancient unicorn books that remained in the castle, and the necromancer was deciphering the unknown language.

He smiled to himself — his apprentice was learning quickly and yet efficiently. He expected Luna to become one of the greatest necromancers to ever liver. Her power grew, and it didn't go unnoticed by the High Lord. He saw what she's done to make the undead army in her possession stronger, and much more deadly. Arantir knew that the war was coming, and all possible preparations must be made in order to defend and, if needed, attack.

One of his loyal advisors, an archlich stood by his side.

"What shall we do once this is over, my lord?" he asked in a deep voice. "Shall we move to search for a way back to Ashan?"

"I believe that Asha will tell us what to do, Kudur." Arantir replied. "I doubt our mission here will be over once the threat is eliminated. No..." he frowned. "I believe that the aftermath of a big war will be ours to handle as well. And even then... The future is unclear and unpredictable, as it always is.

"We must wait. Observe. For now, I know that this world will soon fall into chaos. There are certain signs... Tension grows all across the world, I sense it. Something will be unleashed soon, and I believe it doesn't come only from the inside but from the outside as well. A force we should reckon with. Something so powerful it might be able to challenge Asha herself." his frown deepened. "And thus, we must wait to see what will that bring. It will be the clash none of us will forget..."

"We must prepare, then." the advisor nodded slightly. "Expand our influence, enlarge our armies. With what little we have now, success will be hard to achieve."

"I agree with you on this point." Arantir nodded. "We shall raise the armies of the undead soon. This land is filled with hate... and many souls to take. War has plunged these lands, rendering them uninhabitable. The snow and ice cover the plains, fields, forests, hills... Deep underneath the white, cities like this one may lie in waiting for someone to claim them, and to claim those who laid their heads for them. We shall act soon, rest assured.

"However, I still need to study deeper into this world. There is still a lot for me to learn. Traditions, customs... We mustn't destabilize this world by our presence. We mustn't make this world think that Equestria helps us, too. I wouldn't like to see such a wonderful, peaceful country lying in ruins simply because of a misunderstanding.

"We must remain where we are — in the Frozen North. We shall make others believe we are a threat. Not an immediate threat, of course, but something to deal with much later. Until our acts influence other countries too much, we shall be safe from but the bravest... or the most stupid."

"I believe this is a good plan." the archlich nodded. "You are as wise as always, my lord."

"Asha guides me, and Asha uses all." Arantir stated.

Suddenly, a scroll appeared in front of the necromancer, nearly startling him by the sheer surprise factor.

"Hm, very curious..." he grasped the scroll and levitated it to himself. "It seems that someone sent me a letter." he opened it. "It's from princess Celestia. I wonder what is that she wants me for..."

***

Celestia was sitting in an armchair in her private office when someone knocked at the door.

"Enter." she responded. The door opened slowly, and the High Lord stepped in. "Come in. We have much to discuss, Lord Arantir." Celestia said, gesturing for him to take a seat in front of her."

"Indeed we do." he nodded, sitting in an armchair provided by the alicorn. "I believe you called for me because we need to discuss the future, am I right?"

"Yes, that is completely correct." Celestia nodded. "Your words are confirmed... There is indeed a war coming. While it hasn't yet begun, it is close to eruption. We need to make certain preparations for it to be less destructive."

"I agree. I have an army, and soon it will become bigger." Arantir replied. "I believe you've done something similar, princess?"

"I did." she frowned. "Equestrian Army is being rebuilt right now. While not the best or most trained in the world, it will offer some protection. We'll need everything we can gather. There will be many deaths... And yet we must make sure the death count will be as little as possible. It pains me to see the peace going after so many years without wars..." she shed a single tear.

"I wish it would've stayed like that, too. However, I doubt I would've been sent here if everything was alright. And I will do whatever I can to help. Within my limits, of course." Arantir stated. "However, I figured we mustn't be seen as allies. This world will... poorly receive me, for the lack of a better word. We need to be allies in secret. When all is done, I shall be gone, and there will be no evidence left about our union."

"I was thinking about that, too." Celestia admitted. "Sooner or later, just as when they notice you, I will make a public speech about the danger from the North. A few "attacks" will be orchestrated to make it seem like you are a danger to Equestria. Thus, everything will be kept in control. You will be in my jurisdiction, and no one else will get involved."

"Good." Arantir nodded. "This plan needs refining, of course, but the idea seems pretty solid. For someone less experienced in that field, I expected less. Not to insult you, but hundreds of years of peaceful life have certainly made you soft and vulnerable to sudden violent outbursts."

"As much as I hate to admit, you're absolutely right." Celestia solemnly nodded. "Nevertheless, I will do everything in my power to return the peace to this world. This... this is the end of harmony. And I don't know when it will return to our lands..."

Unbeknownst to the two rulers, cracks started appearing on one peculiar statue in the Royal Gardens. A sinister laugh echoed across the green maze, scaring a few ponies away.

"Did I hear 'the end of harmony'?" a voice from the cracked statue spoke as the stone came to live. "My, it's time for me in this little story!"

Author's Note

This rather small chapter is the beginning of something much bigger. I think you've already guessed who that coming-alive-statue is.

Nevertheless, I'd like to say a few words. Not about that particular character but about my (and one half-mine) characters. I've recently looked at the drawings of them that I made, and came to a conclusion that some thing must be improved. And so I did. I won't change previous pictures to the newer ones simply for you to see the progress. Yes, the changes are minor, but I think they make the characters look a bit better. I'm sorta perfectionist with that kind of stuff, I suppose.

With that out of the way, I must say that I'm playing the infamous "Discord Card". Some of you might want to write how stupid that is, but! Don't worry, it will be pretty interesting and entertaining. Wait for it, ladies and gentlemen! You won't be disappointed.

Chapter 42: Spiritus Chao

Andromalius and his group were spending another night in the Frozen North. This time, Lucifer was on guard, letting his son rest. While both of them needn’t rest, Lucifer insisted that it is still important to let the mind rest from time to time, especially for someone like him who endured much, maybe even too much for such a young age. Andromalius couldn’t disagree with that statement, and went off to sleep with everyone else. He snuggled close to Inanna and fell asleep shortly after doing that. Peacefully, they slept through the night while Lucifer admired the scenery. However, he had something else planned.

With caution, he ignited his horn. By his side, his exact copy appeared. They nodded to each-other, and the real Lucifer disappeared in the flash of his horn.

***

It was early morning in the castle of Hornguard. After spending the whole night arranging everything with her Shadow Guard, Luna was very tired. However, she woke up in the middle of her rather peaceful sleep. Not yet understanding what was going on, she groggily rolled on her another back.

“Hello, Luna.” a voice spoke in the darkness of the room. Luna found it very familiar. It reminded Andromalius’ in many ways, albeit was softer and not as tense. She stared into the dark, trying to figure out who was in her bedchambers. The feeling of familiarity didn’t leave her as she made out a shadowy figure in her dark room.

“Who are you?” she asked warily.

“I think you’ll recognize me.” the voice replied, and its owner stepped into the moonlight that shone through the windows. It was Lucifer in his human form. Unlike before, he appeared in more casual clothes: a black turtleneck, dark-blue jeans, and black sneakers. He looked at Luna with a large smile on his face. “We’ve not seen each-other for a long time, dear Luna.”

“Oh my!” she covered her mouth with her hoof, a glimpse of happiness appearing in her teal eyes. “Is it truly you? Lucy?”

“You know I don’t like being called like that.” he playfully retorted, following it with a soft laughter. “But yes, it’s me.”

“I’m so happy to see you!” Luna walked closer to the human and hugged him tightly. “First, Andromalius, and then you…” a tear rolled down her cheek. “I’m so happy to see the whole family again!”

“You don’t know how happy I am to see you, finally.” Lucifer replied, stroking her mane softly. “Even for someone like me, it seemed like eternity without you.”

“Shall you stay this time?” Luna asked with hope in her voice, looking into his dark-green eyes.

“I don’t know.” he sighed. “But I do hope so. My midnight flower… I want to stay with you forever.” he smiled at her with sincerity and love.
Luna smiled in return, and then yawned.

“It seems you’re still very tired.” Lucifer said, and then picked her up, eliciting a gasp from the alicorn. “You need rest, Luna.”

“Yes… I suppose I do.” she nodded weakly, letting his strong arms hold her close to his chest. “It’s been a tiring day and night.”

Lucifer smiled at her softly, walked to her bed and put her on top of it. He sat at the edge of the bed and watched her, and began to softly stroke her mane.

“You are beautiful as ever.” he said.

“You’re handsome yourself.” Luna chuckled. She lied on the bed, slowly drifting back into sleep. Through the veil of dreams that was soon to engulf her completely, she said: “I hope we will someday live a happy life, a life without a worry in the world... It is something we’ve always wanted, have we not?”

“We have.” Lucifer nodded, and then planted a kiss on the tip of Luna’s muzzle. “We’re struggling to achieve our happiness, both of us do. We will get through the hardships, and maybe someday we’ll just be together without anything able to separate us.” he cupped her cheek. “Per asperi ad astra, Luna. Do you remember that?”

“Through hardships to stars…” she nodded slowly, producing a wide smile. “As if I’ll ever forget that.”

For some time, they were silent, just looking into each-others’ eyes. Lucifer continued to softly stroke her mane while Luna drifted to sleep. Her chest lifted up and down with each her breath, and soon she closed her eyes to the silky touch of dreams, a small smile staying on her lips.
Lucifer stood up, and soon he disappeared into the shadows. A blue rose appeared on the table near Luna’s bed.

In the morning, everyone woke up, and Lucifer’s disappearance wasn’t noticed. He had returned before the sunrise and stayed until it came.

“Good morning, everyone.” he greeted the group. “Did you have a good sleep?”

Everyone replied positively, much to the good mood of the devil.

“Well, I can certainly help you all reach your destination quicker.” he said. “While my abilities aren’t in their peak, especially so far away from my world, I can certainly teleport you all almost anywhere within this one.”

“We must cross those mountains on the horizon.” Andromalius gestured in the direction where the mountains could be seen. Day by day, the group got closer to those snowy peaks, and yet they remained far away. “At least that is what I think must be done. The city we are looking for is said to be situated in the mountains. I doubt those are our destination.”

“Brace yourselves, then.” Lucifer nodded and his horn started to glow. “We go in three, two, one…”

A bright flash of red light engulfed the group, and they were gone. In the moment, they were already at the mountains’ base. Surprisingly for them, everyone was alright and didn’t experience the so-called ‘teleportation sickness’.

“This went surprisingly well.” Rarity commented. “Twilight, you should learn from dear Lucifer. When you teleport me, it’s a headache.”

Twilight blushed in embarrassment as other ponies shared a laugh.

“Unlike any of you, I had thousands of years to master it.” Lucifer said. “I wouldn’t expect anyone to be able to teleport as smoothly as me in the next few… hundred years, approximately. Be thankful that you are teleported whole and not partly.” he chuckled. “Besides, any teleportation is better than none, is it not?”

The group looked at the mountains. They were much taller than they seemed from the distance, towering above the group. They were completely dull and gray with snow at their peaks. However, there was something to see on the side of the mountain. Andromalius noticed it and looked at it. He saw ruins of what must’ve been a city a long time ago. The ruins were still and nothing indicated any sort of life.

“Everyone, look there.” he pointed at the ruins. “Does anyone know what that might be?”

For a few moments, everyone was silent. Surprisingly for all, Rainbow Dash spoke up.

“Yeah, I might know what that is.” she said. “It must be the ancient city of the pegasi. It’s said in the legends that a long time ago pegasi lived high up the mountains somewhere in the north, farther away from the other two tribes. Hey, it seems it’s not just a dusty old tale. I’m not blind to see that there’s something on the side of the mountain. Maybe we go check that out?”

“I don’t think it is the best idea.” Andromalius shook his head slightly. “How do we get up there anyway? Only some of us have wings, and…”

“I can still teleport, son.” Lucifer chimed in. “I’m not that old for one simple teleportation to be an issue, don’t you think?” he playfully hit his son’s shoulder.

“I think I forgot about that.” Andromalius chuckled sheepishly. “But… What will we do there? It’s nothing but a waste of time. Unless we find some kind of portal that’ll lead us to our destination, and I highly doubt that possibility.”

“We might retrieve some ancient pegasi books from there.” Twilight Sparkle commented. “There must be at least some of them left! I’ve read that pegasi are especially good in art, and I want to know if any ancient art can be retrieved from those ruins. Many wonders were lost through time, and there are less and less of them by each year!”

“Twilight does have a point.” Inanna spoke. “Y’know, I’m also interested in art. In a special kind of art, if you catch my meaning.” she winked at Andromalius. No one seemed to understand what she implied besides the hell stallion and his father.

“But what do others think of it?” Andromalius turned to the rest of the group. “Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity?”

“It might be fun!” the pink pony was the first to reply with an unfaltering grin on her face.

“Um… Ah’m gonna stay neutral here. Ah’m neither for nor against that.” Applejack shrugged.

“Abandoned cities have… something to them, I admit.” Rarity said. “I doubt there are rats of spiders there.” she shivered. “Ugh… It’s cold enough for them to be at least hiding. I might as well see ancient drawings of pegasi early fashion. That will be interesting, so count me in.”

“Um, I’ll just stay with you all.” Fluttershy spoke last. “I mean, it’ll be interesting to see an old city where my kind once lived.”

“It’s settled, then.” Andromalius nodded. “Father, we need your teleportation again, it seems.”

***

The group appeared on the small platform high up the mountains, and the freezing wind hit them hard, forcing them to quickly hide behind the ruined walls. As little protection as they provided, those walls were better than nothing.

Silently, the group looked around. The ruins of the ancient city were polished by the harsh winds, all decorations were erased, turned into flat bland stone surface. Most of the buildings were nothing but piles of rocks or were distorted by the weather, giving them a scary, unnatural look. Gaping holes instead of windows, empty doorways, collapsed ceilings and cracked walls, all of it showed one thing: the city was abandoned a very long time ago.

Andromalius noticed a rather large opening in the mountain side. It was an entrance that led into the mountain, and it was partly blocked by fallen columns and rocks. Using his magic, he levitated the rubble out of the way, then gestured for the group to follow him. Soon, they were inside a large cavern. Its ceiling was about ten meters about them, and the stone hall was wide enough for a large plane to land. Decorated columns supported the archway ceiling, albeit some of them have collapsed through time.

“I think I already regret this decision.” Rarity huffed, and then shook herself to get the snow off her clothes. “This place looks dull and uninviting. Where is that art you spoke of, Twilight?”

“It might be deeper.” the lavender unicorn replied with uncertainty. “I mean, there’s this.” she gestured at the wide space of the hall. “There’s certainly more inside this mountain.”

“As much as I’d love to see you exploring this ancient city, I dare interrupt you.” a voice spoke.

Suddenly, the group found themselves on a plain. It was checked with white and purple squares.

“Dear Celestia, what is this?!” Rarity yelled, looking at the ground in horror. “It looks awful!”

Andromalius, his father, and Inanna were standing in a battle stance, preparing themselves for yet unknown danger. They scanned the surroundings, trying to figure out who the bearer of the mysterious voice was.

“Beauty is subjective, did you know that?” the same voice replied. The group turned to its source and saw a grotesque, mismatched creature. “I find this field rather beautiful.”

“Discord?” Andromalius said, not believing his eyes. He had learned about the creature some time ago but didn’t really think it was real. From under his furrowed brows, the hell stallion stared at the creature who created the demon prophecy.

“Ah yes, that’s me.” Discord bowed mockingly. “Discord the Chaos Spirit!” fanfares sounded out of nowhere, only to be cut off immediately. “Nah, I don’t like these dramatic entrances.” he grinned at the group, pressing his palms to his sides. “And you, if I’m not mistaken—" he pointed at the hell stallion "—are Andromalius, the demon chosen one!” he rolled his eyes. “Huh, I didn’t think this prophecy would ever work… Well, I guess I was wrong.”

“What are you going to do?” Andromalius warily asked, pointing his horn at the chaos spirit.

“Let’s save that for later, shall we?” Discord smirked mischievously. “We should talk about you first, I suppose.”

Suddenly, Andromalius found himself on a throne, and felt his height being weighed down by something. It was an oversized golden crown, which he quickly took off, and huffed in annoyance.

“Yeah, not really your style.” Discord rubbed his chin. “Gold looks awful on you." he snapped his fingers, and the crown disappeared. "Alright, back to the talk at hand-claw-hoof-whatever.

“As you already know, I’ve created a prophecy a long time ago.” he cleared his throat, and then started speaking in a mock grand tone, his eyes looking in different directions: “Someday, a Chosen One will come to liberate the wronged!” he cringed. “Uh, so generic… You know, I like throwing around those ‘there’ll be someone who will save everyone else’ prophesies. It's fun to see someone actually believing them. But to see one of them work… Wow, that’s something even I didn’t expect. I mean, it’s all chaos. And chaos is unpredictable.” he giggled stupidly. “That’s something to live for. And, to be honest, you look like I would’ve actually chosen you as my champion. You have that something in you that I like.

“And here’s the time when I tell you my grand plan, you defeat me, and then defeat everyone else, yadda yadda yadda.” he waved his claw dismissively. “Nah, none of that, please! But I do have something planned for you… As my champion, you need to prove me just how strong and smart you are. Challenges will be thrown at you, and that’s life.” he shrugged. “And, well, I want everyone to be like ‘Oh my, Discord’s champion is really smart and strong and stuff! Discord knows his things, yeah, I want to worship him!”.” the chaos spirit laughed hysterically. “Oh my, that’ll be something to see!” he wiped the tears off his eyes. “So, in order to prove that you deserve to bear that great title, you need to beat me in a game!”

“What game?” Andromalius asked.

“Your favorite one.” Discord replied with a smirk. “The one you liked to play for hours upon hours. But!” he put his finger upwards. “There are some rules. First, no cheating.” Lucifer and the Elements of Harmony were enclosed in a pink bubble above the ground.

“Father!” the hell stallion yelled, his eyes filling with anger.

“You thought he’ll solve everything? Nah, I’m more powerful here!” Discord laughed triumphantly. “Don’t worry, he’ll be alright. If you win the game, of course.”

“I’m… listening.” Andromalius snorted, barely containing his anger. “Bring it on, Discord.”

“That’s the spirit!” the chaos god showed thumbs up. “So, the no-cheating rule applies to me, too. I’m almost omnipotent, I can just make you do whatever I want. But where’s interest in that?” he waved his hand. “Instead, we’re going to have a battle of... minds! We’ll see who’s tactically superior.”

A grid of twelve by ten squares formed on the field, Andromalius and Discord were placed on the opposite corners of the newly-created battlefield.

“Wait, how do you know so much about me?” the hell stallion asked.

“Well, I’m a spirit. I can travel anywhere.” Discord replied. “And learning about someone who became my champion is a very important thing!

“So, about the rules. You have them,” he gestured at Inanna and the ponies. “Those are the only units in your possession. They have their special skills, abilities, that sort of stuff. You will need to use them to defeat my army. It’s rather simple, isn’t it?

"Everything from your game applies to this battle. We take turns, and there's the Initiative bar." he snapped his fingers, and a bar with creatures appeared above the battlefield. Andromalius' friends' portraits were marked with red background, but there wasn't anything of Discord yet. "Whatever spells you know, you may use. And now, behold my army!"

Various bizarre creatures appeared on the battlefield: twenty minotaur ballerinas; fifty tall-legged, horned rabbits, three hundred parasprites, seven bug-bears, and one tatzul-wurm. Some oddly-shaped rocks and distorted trees appeared on the battlefield as well, blocking some tiles.

Immediately, Discord's creatures appeared on the Initiative bar, having an odd color-changing background that flowed in a strange way, uncomprehensible by normal minds.

"And here we begin!" Discord proclaimed, slapping his hands together, and a gong sounded, announcing the beginning of battle.

***

Andromalius' POV.

Here I am... Well, it is time for me to show him how much of a tactician I am. Fortunately, I am in a Tactics mode, meaning I can place my little army however I like before the game starts. Let's see their stats first... Somehow, I am able to do that. I must give credits to Discord for making this game accordingly and accurately to the original.

Parasprites are tier one creatures, and are able to multiply their count by three once in a battle. Their damage stat is very low, health is also low, but there's a lot of them. Their special ability must be noted. I don't want any surprises.

I looked at the weird long-legged rabbits. They are Chaos Rabbits and they are shooters, long-ranged units. If hit in melee, they will run away and shoot from there. Not unlike orcs' centaurs in the game, I suppose. They are... tier two. Moderate damage, but almost no defense whatsoever. The health is okay for their tier... Alright, note taken.

Minotaur Ballerinas. He has some imagination, doesn't he? Anyway, they have great speed, and can almost reach the other end of the field in one turn, and enemies don't retaliate to them. They are tier four creatures, and have a good attack stat, and yet the defense is pretty low. That's good for me. Also, they can once in a battle perform attack-and-return move, meaning that after the attack, they return to their place before it. Thankfully, that will happen only one time. These are pretty dangerous, I shouldn't let them come too close.

And what are those? Hm, bug bears? Yes, they're called Bug-Bears. They are tier six, their damage is high, they attack and return... They'll be a big problem. Gladly, there's only seven of them, and they're not casters. No magic will be involved which plays in my favor.

And the last, some kind of a big worm. Tatzul-wurm, whatever that means. High damage, high defense and attack. Huh, the speed is pretty low... And there's a special ability — it can go underground once, becoming invisible and almost invulnerable, and gains a lot of speed. I should lessen its health as quickly as possible. At least it's not immune to magic.

Let's look at my units now. I don't have many, actually. Maybe their quality will more than make up for the lack of quantity.

Twilight Sparkle is a caster, tier seven. Wow, that is good alright. It seems she's the most powerful unit in my "army". Her spells are focused more on defense and support, and her offensive spells are pretty weak. It's good I trained her some basic offensive spells, otherwise there'd be none at all. However, it will be better if I use her to boost others. She doesn't have a good offense stat, however her knowledge and spellpower are very high. Also, she has a lot of hit points — she won't go down easily. There are some negative sides to take note of: she's rather slow and doesn't have too high initiative. I will have to boost morale to be able to use her more frequently.

Rainbow Dash, a tier seven pegasus. Are all my units seven? It will be very beneficial for me if they are. Anyway, she has very good offense and defense statistics, her spellpower and knowledge are zero. Well, since she's not a unicorn, I'm not too surprised. Now, she has a... holy shit, that is some massive damage! She can do a Sonic Rainbomb that deals a heckton of damage to anyone standing within four on four square. And that attack is homing! I don't know if I've seen anything like that before anywhere in the Heroes series. There's also another special ability — pegasus dive. She will fly up, and then crash down on the enemy, stunning them. That ability can be used anytime. Her health is pretty high, I noticed, and... Well, that's it. In conclusion, she's an offense-focused unit.

Next comes Rarity. She's also tier seven, but... Well, stats-wise, she's weaker than a bone dragon, and that is the weakest tier seven unit in the game. She also takes one and a half damage from almost all spells. Ugh... But she has the ability to summon a big rock that will protect her from all projectiles. Not very useful in this situation, though.

Applejack. Tier seven, high offense and defense... She goes on par with Rainbow Dash, actually. However, she has a half more hit points and higher damage than the pegasus. She has a special ability — Buck. Deals a lot of damage to one enemy and stuns them, can be used indefinitely, can... knock down trees? I don't know how useful is the last one. Though, that buck will sure come in handy.

"Hey, I'm falling asleep here!" I heard Discord complaining.

Ignoring him, I inspected the rest of my group to see just how useful they are in battle.

Fluttershy... Oh fuck, she's even weaker than Rarity. Though, she has the aerial dive of Rainbow Dash which is nice to have. I hate to say that, but she's kinda useless in this situation. Her hit points are the lowest so far, and she can also lose morale quickly. In fact, her morale is already -1. Alright, she might still do something good in the future. Maybe there's something I'm missing...

Pinkie Pie. Tier... the fuck? Tier twelve? How is this possible? High offense, defense... spellpower and knowledge? Alright... She is on par with Twilight, and has a special ability 'Cloning' and 'Cannon'. First one creates harmless clones that can block the way or distract shooters from shooting, and the second one deals massive damage to anyone in close proximity of four tiles. She can also heal anyone on adjacent tiles. Honestly, I didn't expect that from her.

Finally, Inanna. She's pretty good overall, able to chain-shoot enemies, burning them for two turns. Her initiative is very high, and she can seduce males to fight for her. And... Oh, yes! 'Gating'! She's able to call for reinforcement that will arrive immediately. I will remember that.

But there is one important question I need to ask.

"Discord, what will happen to one whose health drops to zero?" I asked with worry.

"They'll be out of battle, but they will live." the chaos spirit replied. "Don't worry, I don't see fun in murdering someone. Ugh, no!"

"Alright, then." I said, preparing to make my first move.

I must not make haste. I must calculate my every move... and his as well. This battle will be very hard. I have yet to find out what Discord himself can do. But I have hope that I will succeed, and my determination will drive me forward to victory.

Author's Note

Oh my, Andromalius vs Discord! I'm sorry for leaving you at a cliffhanger, but I don't want this chapter to become too big.

Also, I'm thinking about creating an animation of that battle. Very simple one at that, but an animation nevertheless. Do you want that? It will take some time, of course, but it will be worth it. I used to animating some stuff but haven't practiced in a year or two.

So, what do you think about that?

Chapter 43: Pugnare Chao Ignes

Drums went off in my head as I prepared my first move. Like in a trance, I slightly tilted from side to side, my head bobbing almost unnoticeably even to myself. Rhythmic beat inside my head didn't cease, instead it kept all other thoughts out. No one and nothing will distract me from coming out a victor today. This is what I've been waiting for a long time since my arrival. And now, I have a chance to prove that I deserve to become a ruler.

The first turn was Inanna's. I tried to use her special mind controlling abilities to take control of one of Discord's units, but none could be controlled. They are completely immune to this spell, it seems. Or are they genderless? It may be so, especially if taking into account the chaotic nature of these creatures.

Well, I think I need to use gating to turn this game's tide in my favor. Activating the ability, I selected a place next to Inanna. A hexagram appeared on the tile, and soon a very familiar incubus stood at her side, blinking in confusion.

"What is going on?" Seran asked, looking around in puzzlement.

"We've gotten ourselves in the game of the Prophet." Inanna explained to him quickly before she returned to watching the battle.

Both their voices were too quiet, tuned out for me to divert too much of my attention to them. I was focused on figuring out my next move. I must be careful and thoughtful.

Hundreds of thoughts went through my head: Discord's possible moves, my reaction to them, his reaction to my reactions. There were so many options for both of us to take, and I don't know his tactics, his strategy yet. I know too little of him to figure out an effective strategy that would work well against him. I need to see how good he is, what type of combatant he is, what skills he possesses. Only then will I be able to have some understanding of what to do to crush his army.

Fortunately, it was my turn again. This time, I control Rainbow Dash. Let's see... The tatzul-wurm comes right after the second turn of the rainbow-maned pegasus. I can use this situation to my advantage. Besides, long-legged rabbits stand on adjacent tiles, right next to the wurm. I can kill two birds with one stone. So, I activated pegasus' Sonic Rainbomb ability, making her fly up and start circling around the battlefield, out of the reach of the enemy. Slowly, she increased her speed.

"Having no control is weird." Rainbow Dash commented before she turned her head to me. "Andromalius, the heck are you doing?! I want to fight, not fly around! Hey, can you even hear me?"

"You can't reach him now." Inanna said. "His mind is completely focused on the battle and strategy. Just the sheer number of thoughts that go through his head makes mine ache!" she winced.

"Doesn't seem like he's doing a good job with all those thoughts." the pegasus huffed.

I have superior initiative still. Now, it's Pinkie Pie's turn. She is a powerful unit, I must use her wisely.

"Wo-wee, time for me!" she said cheerfully. She bounced in place in excitement.

Activating her 'Cannon' ability, I directed it towards the wurm. Rainbow Dash is unlikely to take it down alone. A cannon appeared out of nowhere, and Pinkie Pie used it to shoot at the wurm. The cannon has dealt a massive amount of damage, the wurm was left with roughly three-fifth of its starting health. It shrieked in pain as it took a massive cannonball to its face.

"Yeah, take that! You are no match for my party cannon!" Pinkie Pie laughed.

Now, it's Discords turn. Time to see how he planned this battle to be.

"Well, it's certainly interesting!" he clapped his claw and paw together. "Now, all we need is epic music. This battle is going to be written in history!" he snapped his fingers, and music sounded. Very familiar music. My mind flooded with memories of battles I fought against many people, all these victories and defeats.

As drums kicked in, I felt the power of this music coursing through me, empowering me.

Oh yes...

Discord sent Minotaur Ballerinas a bit forward, effectively making their reach enough to harm almost every unit of mine. It was expected, however. The Artificial Intelligence does the same in the computer game. And I know how to counter such a strategy.

This is my turn, and now I am controlling myself. I can either directly attack any of his units or cast a spell. Let's see what I have... A spellbook opened before my eyes immediately after I thought about that.

I flipped through the pages, looking at the spells available to me. Divine Blessing, Fast, Slow, Suffering, Lightning... pretty much everything was in there. Though, excluding such spells that summon elements of nature like fire, water, air, or earth. There isn't a 'Conjure Phoenix' spell, too. Hm, when and how will I be able to learn those spells? They can be quite useful in many situations. Sometimes, a summon can change the tide of battle quite drastically.

But there is something new to me... Battle Call. I can summon a random amount of demons from this world's Hell, it seems. I need to reinforce my army, and I will use this spell. Not now, however. I will reserve it for later. If my situation becomes too hard to handle alone, I will call for reinforcement. Until then, I will fool Discord into believing that Seran is the only reinforcements I have.

Instead, I will use teleportation to move the minotaurs to the wurm, away from my troops. Rainbow Dash's attack will crush those three units that stand this close to each-other. Excellent!

"This is becoming interesting!" Discord commented. "For someone so young, you sure know some moves! Maybe, because I have no idea what you're doing!"

I saw my father smiling at me proudly. I winked at him, and returned to the battle. I'm going to win it.

It's Discord's turn. I don't see him too strong of a foe. He seems to underestimate me and... He doesn't seem like he puts much thought into his actions. I patiently waited as he flipped through his own spell book.

"Aha!" he exclaimed and snapped his fingers.

The whole area was immediately covered in soap. Whatever I do now, I mustn't move my troops — the consequences might be terrible. This spell doesn't hurt my troops yet, but it's certainly not good for my army. Otherwise, why would he use the spell?

Now, let's see... Soap is slippery. Perhaps the speed of my troops is now reduced. Or maybe this soap will damage them. One way or another, it certainly connects to movements.

It's Seran's turn. Let's see his stats first, though. Hmm, he's pretty good and deals maximum damage in close combat. He also can... oh my, that is something I need. He can increase attack stats of all units by three until the end of the battle. I think it has to do something with him being a blacksmith.

So, I used his special ability. Yes, that is much better now. Even if it increases the offense only by a little, small things are what make victory possible. Together, small things become a big thing. It's quite simple, really.

It's turn to use Rarity. Fortunately, she's a shooter, and I will make her attack the parasprites. They will take a turn soon, and I must lessen their numbers as much as possible until they are able to do anything to me. A blue bolt shot from Rarity's horn, destroying fifty-three parasprites. Huh, they indeed have a very low health, considering that this unicorn doesn't have any good attack nor spellpower stats. Not to mention that there is a lack of battle spells in her possession.

"I didn't know I could do that..." she commented, angling her eyes to see her horn. Some of the leftover energy buzzed, quickly disappearing.

Alright, here come the rabbits. They shot at Twilight Sparkle. Huh, there's already Deflect Missiles spell on her. Interesting... So, the damage dealt was minimal, barely affecting her hit points.

And it's time to use that unicorn. I flipped through her spellbook to see if she has something truly useful... Hm, Mass Arcane Shield? Never saw that one in the game... Alright, I think it will be pretty useful if Discord tries to take control of my units or harm them in any magical way. So, I made her cast that spell, rendering all of my units immune to almost all magic.

It's Applejack's turn. Can't really use her now. Stand on defense.

Bug-Bears have their turn. They moved closer to my army. On next turn, they will be able to reach almost anyone. I mustn't let that happen.

Here comes Fluttershy. I can't really use her right now either. Defense.

Time for Rainbow Dash. From the skies, she came crushing onto the enemies, breaking the sound barrier. With tremendous force, she created a rainbow-colored nuclear-like explosion that completely devastated tatzul-wurm and most of other units standing too close. There are only six minotaur ballerinas and five chaos rabbits left.

"I didn't see that coming, truly!" Discord said, staring wide-eyed at the remains of his army in... Shock? Soon, his expresion turned mischievous. "However, I still have them!"

Parasprites took their turn, and multiplied greatly, their count almost reaching a thousand. They're a big problem now.

Nevertheless, the morale of my troops raised from zero to one. Rainbow Dash's morale raised even higher, allowing her to have her turn faster. Fortunately, she returned to her place and was out of any enemy units' reach.

"Oh yeah!" she said. "And that's what I call real battle!"

Inanna's turn. Now, time for a direct approach. I made her shoot at the parasprites. She destroyed seventy-three of them, and her chain shot almost killed one bug-bear, absolutely destroyed one minotaur ballerina, and annihilated two chaos rabbits. Not bad.

Seran's turn. I used him to deal the same damage as Inanna did. Now, in addition to sixty parapsrites destroyed, one bug-bear, two ballerinas, and three chaos rabbits were killed. No more rabbits, and there are only three ballerinas left.

Discord's turn.

"Alright, now you're a big problem." he said, huffing in slight annoyance. "Hmm...." he snapped his fingers, but nothing happened. "Huh?" he snapped again, and then looked at me. "So, you predicted this..." his cheerful and careless attitude dropped to zero. "But what about this?" he snapped his fingers. Nothing. "Huh... It seems I have to use this." he grinned mischievously, snapping his finger again.

A sphere appeared above the center of the battlefield. Two disks spun around its center. The sound increased and increased, growing louder with each moment.

Chaotic analog to the Word of Light and the Curse of the Netherworld? Let's see how much damage it deals...

The spell erupted, and most of my army was destroyed completely. I have Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie remaining on the battlefield. All others were teleported into the sphere that holds my father. Alright, that was a pretty powerful spell. Not even the magical shields could prevent it. Well done, Discord.

Now it's getting very serious. With bug-bears and parapsrites on the loose, I may as well expect a defeat.

If not for the spell that I'm going to use later.

For now, it's Pinkie Pie's turn. Time to use her healing others ability. Some hit points were restored, and that's what I'm thankful for.

"Andro, you can do this!" I heard Inanna yelling.

I know I can. If there were no odds of victory, I doubt I would be playing this game of Discord's.

It's Rainbow Dash's turn. She has too few hit points to use her effectively and safely. Instead, she will stay defensive. I needn't sacrifice her in order to win. Besides, she won't be reached. I will save her for later.

"Dammit, I want to fight, not just stand here!" she yelled at me.

Alright, it's Twilight's turn. I used her to cast shield on herself and others. She's a good unit, her protective spells are very strong. Most importantly, they can be cast on everyone. Her mana reserves are vast, too. She is very powerful, even for a tier seven unit. She has a place among heroes, not creatures. It is a mistake on Discord's part, one that will lead to his downfall. I suppose he didn't expect or didn't know her enough to properly balance this battle. I can use his mistakes to my advantage.

But I must remember that he is almost omnipotent, and he is holding back for the sake of the game. Otherwise, I doubt I'd beat him in a fair fight.

The battle isn't over yet, though. I must use all that I have to beat him. Besides, he might still have a few tricks rolled up his metaphorical sleeve.

With enough protection against both magical and physical attacks, my units have a high chance of enduring this battle. However, even high chances can be crushed by one small mistake, one little thing. I must predict Discord's moves and see if he can win.

Bug-Bears attacked Pinkie Pie but barely scratched her due to the protection and her high stats. He used a giant candy cane to smash them to the head, effectively ending two of them. There are four of them left. Still enough to inflict moderate damage on my army.

Here come the parasprites. They flew much closer, and yet didn't reach anyone. Good, that means I have one more turn to obliterate them before they attack.

Time for my attack. Let's see if I can use that spell... The Word of Light. Can it affect those chaotic creatures?

Yes, it can. Time to use it, then. I cast the spell, and a bright sphere of white and gold appeared above the center of the battlefield, disk started spinning around it's center. The light erupted, and it destroyed all remaining bug-bears and minotaurs, and left only one hundred and fifty-three parasprites.

Discord is on the edge of a cliff. I will push him forward to his defeat.

All in all, he wasn't too smart of an enemy. I've seen better, truth be told. He didn't think his attack through nor did he seem to think twice about his decisions. He could use some additional training. Starting with chess, perhaps. Or maybe he just cheated in the games too often he forgot how to play them fairly.

Pinkie Pie's turn. I used her to attack the parapsrites, and she annihilated them in one hit by striking them with a giant chocolate bar. What a humiliating defeat, huh.

"You have lost, Discord." I said in my triumph. "I have won."

"I can't believe it! You're, like, only eighteen!" Discord's jaw literally dropper. He picked it up and placed it back in place. "Alright, alright..." he snorted. "You win." he grumbled grumpily, crossing his arms on his chest. "I suppose I underestimated you, Andromalius. It rarely happens when I'm proven wrong about something. I'll improve my tactic." his cheerful attitude returned. "Alright, time for your winner prize!" he released my father, love, and friends. "First of all, I return all that I've temporarily taken from you." I walked to my group and reunited with them. "And, since you've proven to be a worthy tactician to carry my legacy, so to say, I will give you the prize you so desire.

"You know that my prophecy was created merely for giggles, right? There aren't any artifacts needed to open the prison demons found themselves in. It was never intended to be opened." Discord explained. "My, I'm surprised you discovered the two of the artifacts in the first place! "A" for effort, definitely! And since you were such a good boy, you get a well-deserved reward."

Discord snapped his finger, and our whole group appeared in the large crater somewhere... Hm, I have no idea where. I also noticed that Seran disappeared. I suppose he has returned to Hell.

There are mountains nearby. I'd say... there's at least fifty or maybe even a hundred kilometers between them and us. Kilometers of a completely flat surface. How interesting... Also, this place is radiating with magical energy. Perhaps it is the place where Regnum once stood. Are we at the end of our journey?

"As fun as it was competing with you, I will now go." Discord said, frowning. "Go back to stone... willingly. That way, I'll have time to rethink my strategy with no ponies or their elements bothering me. Besides, my appearance wasn't scheduled until the beginning of the next season." he chuckled. "And if there's someone like you... Well, to be honest, I don't think I stand a chance... yet. You're not just some silly pony. Crossing your path will be dangerous, I feel it. I mean, you had that scary look during the battle!" he shuddered. "Besides, I don't want to spoil the fun. After you actually take the throne, a lot of things will happen. Oh my, so much chaos will ensue! I should stand aside and just watch it unfold. Hey, watching someone making chaos is easier than making it myself, after all. My, your reaction will be priceless! Farewell!" he snapped his fingers, and he was gone.

"He didn't tell how to open the prison." Inanna told me.

"Neither did he say it's impossible." I countered. "I will find a way."

Author's Note

Battle with Discord wasn't the hardest neither in reality nor in the game, but who knows what future will bring? He will have to face different foes in the future, some maybe even stronger than him. Will he come out a victor just as easily?

This story will soon come to an end. Soon, the prophecy will be fulfilled.

It's ironical how it wasn't supposed to be true in any way, isn't it?

Chapter 44: Daemonium Coniunctio

Andromalius and his group were looking around the strange crater they found themselves in. To their great surprise, it was polished almost perfectly. Nothing stood out, nothing showed that there was a city once. One could almost see their own reflection while looking at the ground — it was like a mirror.

The skies were completely clear, and yet the temperature was fairly comfortable. The group figured out that they appeared deep in the north, far away from their last point. However, the weather here was fine without a hint of cold. The Windigos didn't reach these parts of the land.

"What will we do now? There's nothing here." Twilight asked. "Well, besides a lot of leftover magic. Whatever happened here, it was very powerful."

"I'm trying to figure it out." Andromalius replied, scratching the ground with his hoof. "If there was something, it disappeared. But where? It couldn't turn into nothing. If there was an action, it can be reversed, however hard that might be." his horn ignited. "Hm... It seems we're not alone here." his eyebrows raised. "There is someone else... Someone is watching us." he looked around, and saw nothing but the polished bottom of the crater. "And they are hiding. We must stay close in case they attacks."

The group stood together, looking around to see if the danger comes. Everyone was at the edge, ready to fight. And yet there was nothing.

"Come out." Andromalius said, knowing it will be heard. "If you don't harm us, we won't harm you."

Suddenly, rustling was heard, and a stallion appeared ten meters before the group, seemingly coming out of nowhere. He was a skinny stallion of gray fur and long white mane and tail. His eyes were gray with blindness, looking at something far away, and not focused on the group. He was completely unarmed and unarmored.

"Don't be... alarmed." he said, and his voice seemed rather young, and yet very quiet as if it took great strength to speak. He took a step forward. "I... I... I haven't spoken to anyone in a very long time." he sighed. "I see you're a group. Ponies of all tribes and demons... Haven't seen either in many a year."

"Who are you?" Andromalius asked.

"Why art thou using 'you' instead of 'thee'? Hath language changed?" the pegasus asked. "I figured it would... Alright, my name is Windwing. I don't think it tell'th anything, though. I would like to know one thing... How many years have passed since this—" he gestured at the surroundings "—happened?

"About five thousand, if I'm not mistaken." the hell stallion replied.

"Five... thousand?" Windwing sat on the ground. "Oh... I thought it was merely a couple of hundred at most. Alright..." he scratched the back of his neck. "Alright... How is it now between ponies?"

"We united three thousand years ago." Twilight replied. "We were enemies once, but we understood how wrong we were, and how much stronger we are together."

"That is good." the stallion nodded. "I had a lot of time to think about everything... And I came to a conclusion that the rivalry, that hatred between us... It didn't make sense. We are still one, and we can't live without one another.

"We drove away those who understood the wrong of our ways, and, eventually, banished them from the face of this world. We were so wrong..."

"Why are you here?" Andromalius asked.

"I guard this place in case someone tampers with it, trying to bring back the demons." Windwing replied. "I was given the finest armour and weapons I could ever ask for. But... there was one foe that no one expected. It was time. Armour and weapons rusted and rotted, eventually turning into dust. I was forgotten, this place was forgotten... Nothing remained as the years passed. The spell that keeps me alive took my vision. An unfortunate side effect, I guess..." he chuckled darkly. "I couldn't leave this place either. There are only two of us: me and this crater. And I guard it. Why? I'm unsure anymore... When left to my own thoughts, I, well... I don't think I can put it in words. The feeling was... strange." he stopped, deep in his thoughts.

"I thought unicorns were the ones who banished the demons." Inanna spoke. "You're a pegasus. How did that happen?"

"Unicorns kept some of us as... hounds." Windwing replied. "I was an infiltrator into their tribe. I thought that I will be replaced once the time comes. I never was, obviously... Though, it gave me a lot of time to think about myself, my tribe, and the world as a whole."

"If you're blind, how do you see us?" Twilight asked.

"All creatures have a certain pattern of steps, a way of moving." the pegasus replied. "I didn't notice until I became blind, though. However, I immediately recognized who you all are. Some of you walk lightly, you are the pegasi. Some of you walk heavier, you are the earth ponies. Unicorns are in the middle. And the demons... well, there is certain... power behind their steps. How to describe it... They are like a lightning that pierces the sky. I don't think it says anything to you but, trust me, I can feel the difference."

An awkward pause in the dialogue ensued.

"So... what are we going to do now?" Andromalius asked.

"I could fight you." Windwing replied. "But I won't. I have neither weapons nor armour, you outnumber me, and... I don't want to. However, there is one thing I want...

"I always thought that I was some kind of a guardian. Like in the adventure books for children, I suppose. Heroes overcome obstacles to reach a certain place they need, and when they do — there is someone waiting for them to fight. Fight with swords... or words. There could be a manticore, a dragon, an evil army of the undead... or a sphinx. A creature of ancient lore that giveth thee a riddle to solve. If thou dost not, it eateth thee.

"However, I am not a carnivore to eat meat." he chuckled. "Thus, all of you shall be able to guess indefinitely. Until you do it or until you're tired of it. I shall give you a riddle, and you shall try to solve it. I thought about it for a very long time... It will be a perfect end of my existence." he sighed. "I have lived for far too long, and it is time for me to go. When I am defeated, the spell that preserves my life will fall, killing me. Also, it was said that when I am defeated, the demon prison will open. And yet no one stated how I shall be defeated. Since I don't want to physically fight any of you, I just want to know just how smart you are." he exhaled, and then inhaled. "Do you agree or do you want to murder me to end it quickly?"

Without much hesitation, Andromalius said: "We will solve your riddle." he would never take murder as a choice. Even a thought of murdering someone who poses no threat sickened the hell stallion.

"You must listen closely, then." Windwing said, visibly relaxing. "Hear me now... What it is that a poor one has, a rich one needs, a content heart wants, and empty heart bleeds; a miser spends, a fool saves, and all take with them to their graves?"

Andromalius furrowed his brows. He sat on the ground and started thinking.

"This is your moment, son." Lucifer said, tapping Andromalius on the back. "The rest of the journey is up to you to finish. Now, I suppose I should spend some quality time with your mother. Good luck, son." and with that said, the devil disappeared.

***

Luna has returned to Canterlot recently. She had a good sleep and was beaming with a smile on her cheerful face. She was sure that Lucifer would visit her soon, and she was anticipating it.

She strode into the dining hall and took her place alongside her sister. Celestia raised an eyebrow at her sister's cheerful, happy attitude. However, she decided not to pry until Luna herself decides if it needs to be talked about.

So, the two princesses were content with eating in silence, each to her own thoughts. Celestia wasn't happy at all, considering what she has had to do recently. A lot of time was spent in organizing everything properly, especially considering that she didn't want the public to know about any of these arrangements yet. Equestrian Army was reformed in a complete secrecy, and even Luna didn't know anything about it yet. However, the elder sister knew she had to talk to her to get everything right. It was not the time, though.

After the two finished their meals, they went their separate ways. Luna decided to visit her room first before going to the office for her routine work. As she reached her chamber, she noticed that the door was slightly opened. Curious and wary, she opened the door. The windows were covered, not letting the light come in, and no other source of light was lit, leaving the room in almost total darkness.

"Good to see you again, Luna." a familiar voice spoke, and Lucifer stepped closer to the exit where his love could see him. He was in his human form. "Andromalius has almost completed his task. That means we'll have time for ourselves."

"I hoped it was you, and it came to be true." Luna sighed in relief, walking into the room and closing the door behind her. "But why cover the light?"

"No prying eyes should see us, you know." he spoke softly, walking to the night alicorn. "Now, let's take a seat. We sure need to talk. Have an honest talk, actually. I really want to know you better. It has been quite some time after our first talk, and you were pretty secretive of yourself." he said as Luna moved closer to him. "I know so little... And yet you caught my eye."

"As cheesy as it sounds, you caught mine, too." Luna giggled as Lucifer put his hand behind her head to scratch her ears. "Oh, I like that..." she pressed her head into his palm.

The two of them walked to the bed together and sat, Lucifer never ceasing the scratching.

"You know, I sometimes wonder how we fell in love, Luna." the devil spoke. "You, a pony... Me, a human... What an unlikely couple." he laughed softly. "Love conquers all, I suppose."

"Yes, it does." Luna sweetly murmured. "And about my past... It doesn't matter much. It isn't as interesting as you might think. Really, it was just growing up into being a princess. The only truly wonderful and interesting thing that happened to me was me becoming an alicorn. Do you want to hear that?"

"I'd love to." he nodded.

"So," Luna began. "It happened about... one and a half, maybe two thousand years ago. I'm not really sure..." she giggled sheepishly. "My perseption of time is a bit off..." she cleared her throat. "So, it was the reign of Discord. It was terrible... Our lands twisted, our ponies in constant unrest and unhappiness... And, most importantly, our parents disappeared. Discord... turned them into cactuses and..." a tear fell from her eyes.

"Shh, it's okay." Lucifer planted a soft kiss on her cheek, and then used his finger to wipe the tear away. "If you don't want to talk about that..."

"No, that's not that..." Luna replied, calming a little. "I... I accepted that we may not find them again... But the story isn't about them. It's about how we managed to fight Discord, bringing back harmony and peace. After we encased him in stone, it was discovered that neither the sun nor the moon could be controlled by the unicorns anymore. Not by those who had the royal duty to do it, at least.

"My sister and I were devastated. Knowing well that we couldn't just run to our parents and ask for guidance, we took matters into our own hooves. There were they, the sun and the moon, right above us. I must mention that my sister was a unicorn while I was a pegasus. Thus, only one of us could possibly move the two celestial bodies.

"We joined together to restart the day-night cycle. I wrapped my wings around my sister, and we channeled our inner energy into one powerful spell. Through Tia's horn, we released that energy. We struggled to move the sun first, and eventually, it moved. Tia was already collapsing, and I had to support her with my energy. I almost took full control of my sister, and I felt the magic going through my body. Then, the moon moved. We both fell unconscious the moment we saw that.

"Some time later, we woke up and discovered that we not only got our special marks, we became alicorns as well. It was a huge surprise for both of us, and we struggled hard to accept this gift. Our nation declared us princesses, they bowed to us. There were thousands of them... And thus, our rule was established."

"That is a very interesting story!" Lucifer commented. "And, I dare say, your... fall was predicted there."

"I know..." Luna sighed sadly. "Most thought it was my sister who did everything. And I... Well..." she hung her head.

"Hey," Lucifer softly raised her head back up. "Don't be sad, Luna. The past is the past, and we learn valuable lessons from it. Others might not see the things as they truly are. I understand it was hard for you to cope with, and that is why you turned against your sister. In truth, both of you were wrong in one way or another. But now, don't you stand together alongside your sister?"

"I do." Luna nodded.

"Then, you have a chance at creating something new together. You can use your experience to make things better. Your sister learned that she should spend more time with you, and you learned that it's alright to talk to your family about your problems. Your past made who you are today. If we never made mistakes, would we be the same?"

"I guess you're right." Luna agreed, and the smile returned to her face.

"Then, it's alright." Lucifer slightly patted her on the back. "Enough about the sad things. Since we are together, we might as well spend some time in each other's embrace." he smiled.

"And that is something I want, too." the alicorn laughed softly, and then relaxed, lying on the bed. "Why won't you show some affection to me?"

"As you wish, my love..." Lucifer lied by her side, wrapping an arm around her. The two turned their heads and kissed. After the two parted for a breath, he said: "I love you, Luna."

"I love you too. Tell me, how is our son?" she asked all of sudden.

"He is doing great, Luna. While we couldn't spend too much time with him, he still grew up a man with a good heart. And I believe in him, I believe he can make his own decisions. After all, he has grown up."

"But we should still give him guidance from time to time, should we not?" Luna asked.

"He can always turn to us if he has any problems. For now, let's stop worrying about that and relax, Luna. Both of us," he sighed heavily. "Need it."

Ten minutes have passed since the riddle was spoken.

"I do remember the riddle from somewhere..." Andromalius muttered to himself, tilting from side to side. "Where? And what is the answer? Hm... A poor one has only themselves... A rich one needs even more money... A content heart wants? Hmm... This is rather hard... Empty heart bleeds... A miser spends? Very little money. A fool saves? Little as well... And all take to their graves..." he mused.

Others were sitting on the ground, thinking about the riddle, trying to find an answer that will be one to all the questions. However, the group found it hard to do so. Windwing silently watched them, sitting not too far away.

No one has found an answer yet. The tension grew.

"Hm..." the hell stallion continued to muse over the riddle. "A poor one has nothing besides themselves..." his eyes went wide. "Nothing..." he rose from the ground and turned to the Windwing. "I know the answer. It is nothing."

"How didst thou find out?" Windwing asked with curiosity.

"A poor one has nothing because they're poor." Andromalius started explaining. "A rich man needs nothing because they have already bought it. A content heart wants nothing because it is content. Empty heart bleeds nothing because there isn't a drop of blood in it. A miser spends nothing because of who they are. A fool saves nothing because they aren't smart enough to do that. And nothing is taken to the graves because we cease existing."

"And that is... the right answer." Windwing smiled, and his words turned into faint whispers as he faded away. "Good luck, and thank you all..."

The ground violently shook, making everyone but Andromalius fall. He stood tall, looking at the cracks that divided the ground. The energy that kept everything at bay was released at once, and thunderclouds appeared in the skies, and the harsh wind started blowing. A lightning struck one of the mountain peaks, melting it completely, and that violent explosion of energy came crashing upon the group, shaking them to the bones.

The ground divided, large chunks of rocks falling into the abyss that formed quickly, and spread. Even the mountains shifted, and the air filled with thunderous sounds of the earth moving. A beam of red energy shot to the sky from the very bottom, and the black clouds started circling around it.

"It is happening..." Inanna said , struck with awe as everything crumbled before her eyes. Her legs couldn't support her, and she collapsed.

Soon, there was nothing left but a small platform on which the group stood. Just a few steps away the ground turned into a bright abyss. Andromalius looked inside and saw rivers of lavas that hungrily devoured the rocks that fell into them.

There were thousands of eyes, looking from down below. As rocks stopped moving, the deafening silence fell upon the ears. Distant rumbles echoed across the new-formed valley. The demons were expecting their future ruler to speak.

"Demons," Andromalius spoke, his voice traveling far and wide. "I have come to you, finally. And now... your prison is destroyed, and you are free to return to the surface."

Thousands of demons listened to him, not daring to interrupt.

"You have heard of me, I have heard about you." he continued. "The demons, banished from the surface of our great world because they found peace... Me, not so simple guy who thought he was one. And this destiny... This destiny that was bestowed upon me.

"It is a great honor! I never thought so many people would follow me. I... I accept my fate to be your ruler. I will be fair to all of you. Justice will be served rightly, and all of us shall rebuild the once great country! Together, we can make it flourish, bloom, shine its brightest!" he stomped. "But to do that, we must stand together. We must put much effort into building our future. It is ours to make, and no one else will do that. We shall live to see ourselves becoming better, becoming stronger, becoming wiser... In time, the once proud union of nations will stand tall in the faces of any dangers! We shall unite the lands, and peace will be brought upon them! Together, we shall live in harmony. Together, we shall create our dreams. We shall make them come true!

"I'm not going to sugar-coat this... We must work hard if we want to achieve that ultimate goal. And to do that, we must never stop the progress! We must march onwards into the new! We must remember that the future is made by us, we define it!

"And, as your new ruler, I shall do whatever possible and impossible to accomplish that! Forget the mindless tyrants, forget the lazy, fat kings. If they stand against me, against the progress, they will be crushed. No matter who opposes us, we shall either turn them to us or destroy them.

"Today, the Demon Alliance is restored!" he finished his speech, his last word booming across the fields, echoing from the mountains.

The demons erupted into wild, deafening applause. and a heavy rain came upon the land, released from the clouds above. Unrestrained, it rained as hard as ever, washing the stone, cleaning the dust, bringing life to the barren lands.

Andromalius knew it was only the beginning. And he wasn't going to stop there.

The new era has begun.

Author's Note

Oh my, even I can't believe this story is over!

I thank you all for being with me throughout this story. It started as something rather simple and, sometimes, even silly. By now, it has grown into something big, into something I can proudly call one of my best works. I have a lot of room to improve, yes, but this story started when I didn't consider writing too serious. Now, however, I am content with saying that it is my first story to be finished.

Stay tuned for the sequel where Andromalius will have to deal with being a ruler. He is only eighteen, and he has much to learn and see about the world. With so heavy duty on his shoulders, will he be able to overcome the difficulties and obstacles in his way of creating a new country, a country he always wanted to live in? Now, he has a chance of building one. The question is, will he succeed?

Answers to those and other questions you shall find in the sequel! I am going on a little break from this story, and you'll have to wait some time until I start writing the sequel. Oh boy is it gonna be grand!

Epilogue

Andromalius and his group stood on the stone platform, listening to the thunderous applause from down below. The hell stallion surveyed the people that made him a ruler. His face didn't show his emotion or thoughts that went in his head.

"And..." Twilight Sparkle spoke up. "What are we going to do? Um, is it over?"

"For you, yes, it is." Andromalius nodded. "For me... not so much." he turned to the ponies. "Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy..." he addressed every pony. "I am very grateful for what you did for me. If not you, I would have lost to Discord, and who knows what would happen then. I value your friendship and the help you provided, dear ponies. Know that, if a need arises, you can ask me for help, and it will be given. You are always welcome in my kingdom. I'm sure looking forward to seeing you again. We might as well get to know each other more once everything is settled. You seem like a very interesting ponies..."

Every one of them thanked him in one way or another.

"And now, you must return to your family, to your homes." Andromalius' horn ignited. "This journey is over for you, and you deserve some rest." with a bright flash of light, ponies disappeared. The hell stallion sighed. "I am so tired..."

"You need some rest, too, it seems." Inanna smiled, walking up to her lover and nuzzling him affectionately. "We should come down to the people and find some place to relax for a bit before beginning to rebuild this country, don't you think?"

"Definitely." Andromalius nodded, and then teleported the two of them to the bottom.

***

Andromalius and Inanna walked trough the dark lands, demons greeting them as they passed. The hell stallion politely nodded to everyone in his way.

"Where are we going?" he asked. "I was following you all the time."

"Don't worry, we're going to my house. Until you have your own palace, you can rest at my place. Besides, we can do some things there..." she winked.

"For now, I'm too tired to do that." Andromalius replied. "I guess all I need is some sleep. Maybe a little bit of cuddling will do some good to me... Yes, definitely."

The two walked through the streets. The houses were pretty dark, and most were made of stone bricks. Other houses were carved into the huge rocks, and that was pretty much it. There were paved roads, and they didn't smell so good.

"Ugh, there is so much to be done here..." Andromalius commented on the situation. "Say, is your house as smelly as these streets?"

"I hope not." Inanna laughed. "Really, I'm used to this smell. But after spending so much time on the surface, it is really disgusting." she cringed. "Ugh... Yeah, you'll have to do something about it... well, among other things. You will have a lot to learn, too. There are traditions, customs, that sort of stuff you definitely need to know. If you're going to rule us, you can't allow yourself to be ignorant of these things."

"Yeah, I agree." the hell stallion nodded weakly. "But that comes later. For now, let's just find a place to rest, alright?"

"You are tired, Andro." Inanna giggled. "Alright, let's go." she turned around the corner. "Yep, here is my house. Well, if you can call it that..."

Before the two stood a one storey building made of the same stone bricks that made up the most of the houses. It was rather crudely made, was entirely gray, and windows had nothing to close them with.

"No offense, but that looks bad." Andromalius said. "So... do you live alone?"

"Yeah. Never had a roommate or anything like that for many years. Y'know, sometimes you need to be alone, right?" Inanna asked as the two entered the house.

On the inside, it was pretty simple. A stone furnace, an old wooden table, and a stone banket with a thin sheet on top of it. There were also shelves carved into the stone.

"..." Andromalius sighed. "I have a lot to do in this country, it seems..."

"Good luck with that!" Inanna laughed, getting onto the bed. "Oh fuck, how did I sleep on that thing?!" she exclaimed. "Ugh! Andro, you spoiled me!" she pouted. "I could use that bed from Canterlot! It was so~ comfortable!"

"Wish granted." Andromalius teleported in a large, soft, comfortable bed. "I think they'll have to replace one."

"You... You did it just for me?" Inanna's eyes widened.

"What? It's just the bed." the hell stallion replied, and immediately found Inanna's lips on his own.

"M-wah!" she kissed him. "Those little things that you do..." she nuzzled him. "I know for sure that human-demon-from-another-world is a right choice for me if it's you!" she laughed.

"And a succubus is right for me." Andromalius chuckled, nuzzling her in return. "Alright, my love, let's take some sleep. We definitely need it. Besides, I think you'll require some... feeding when we wake up." he winked.

"Oh my..." her cheeks flushed with red. "So dirty..." she giggled. "And I'm waiting for it~."

Content with each-other, the two soon fell into a peaceful sleep. No matter what lied ahead, the two could still find time for themselves. Knowing well that challenges waited for him, Andromalius was sure that his love Inanna will endure them alongside him. Thus, a smile formed on his lips as he slept.

Author's Note

Basically, this Epilogue shows in how poor state the demons are and how much Andromalius will have to do in order to develop the country. It's not an epilogue for the sake of one, after all.

Also, Sequel!

Prologue: Tremor Infernus

"...Oh hell yeah!" Mike yelled into his mic, taking out one of the higher tier units of his enemy's army.

Mike was, at that moment, playing his favorite turn-based strategy game — Heroes of Might & Magic 5. He was playing for the Inferno faction, the demons, and was winning by a considerable margin.

Tactics and strategy are the core of HoMM 5. To win, you can’t just hire a huge army and attack your foe, you need to find resources first, and the sooner you do it, the better. Then, you spend the resources building your city. You need to plan what to build first and what to build later. And, of course, some money must be left to hire an army. Not to mention that all your resources must be protected from the enemy. Each step you take, each decision you make will affect the end result.

Having the mightiest army, however, won't give you a 100% chance of victory. There is also magic, which, in good hands, can do great things. The artifacts that increase your stats or give you different abilities are also important if you want to win.

So, there are many factors that you must consider before attempting to strike your enemy. You must remember the three keys to victory: resources, power, and knowledge. Missing even one of them can leave you vulnerable. Of course, you can risk everything to win, but simply going full blitzkrieg isn’t likely to work. A single game can last up to ten hours or more, depending on many different factors.

Mike was playing against his friend, who was playing as the Haven faction. It consisted of different humans ranging from simple peasants to knights and paladins, griffons – tamed creatures of nature, and angels. While good at direct non-magical confrontation and defense, the creatures of the Haven faction can't do much against the demons. The demons are better in terms of dealing heavy damage to enemy troops, having powerful area-of-effect battle spells, as well as having a very useful special ability — Gating, which allows them to almost double their numbers on the field of battle.

Knowing all the advantages of your army is always a good thing, and Mike knew this simple truth.

"God fucking dammit!" his friend yelled, facepalming heavily. "How do you do all those things?! I'm too high for you!"

"Skill and a little bit of knowledge, my friend," Mike replied, a grin on his face. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Hey, I've been playing this game since I was eight! How come I can't beat you?" his friend complained.

"Alex, I was taught by the greatest teacher, remember?"

"Oh, your father." Alex rolled his eyes. "I know he's a great, uh, politician, but does that mean he single-handedly defeated every ruler on Earth and then taught you how to beat me?"

"I don't know about that." Mike chuckled. "But he's very good at playing chess. This game is really just like chess, but more complicated."

"Whatever, let's just continue." his friend snorted.

The battle lasted for a few minutes before Mike started feeling strange. A dull headache bothered him, his vision became a little blurry and he heard a faint chuckle in his head. He shrugged slightly, gaining the attention of his friend.

"Uh, Mike, 'right there?" Alex asked, his eyes looking into the webcam. "You look a bit sick, man."

"I don't know..." Mike muttered, wiping some sweat from his forehead. Then, his eyes caught the fire that danced on the spine of Nightmares, the infernal equines. The fire enchanted him, putting him in trance. His eyes widened slightly, his mouth agape.

"Mike, damnit!" Alex yelled, but Mike couldn't hear him. "What's with you?! I'm calling nine-one-one, dude!"

Mike didn't reply. The fire was right in his eyes, dancing ethereally, consuming him whole. Seconds later, he dropped to the floor, unconscious.

"Dude! Fucking hell, what's happening?!" Alex shouted, soon dialing a number and putting his phone against his ear. In a few seconds, the answer came, and he said: "Hello! There’s something happening at the—"

No one noticed as Mike slowly faded into nothingness, completely disappearing within moments.

An evil, malicious giggle echoed inside his head.

Strange things happen in Equestria, the land of the three pony tribes. On the day of the Summer Sun Celebration, fear washed across the land in a quick wave, and the closer to the Everfree Forest one was, the greater that fear was. Eventually, it faded away, bringing back serenity and calm. For a few moments, ponies were almost completely silent, looking around as tension reigned. A few minutes passed in search of the danger but nothing came. Most ponies shrugged it off soon-enough, rendering the event unimportant and meaningless as they continued with their lives.

The four stars, unbeknownst to most, moved to the moon that embedded the image of the feared Nightmare Moon. The day was turning into night, and the celestial bodies were shining brighter with each passing minute.

In the dark depths of the Everfree, among the thick foliage, a small clearing was burnt to the ground, leaving the forest floor blackened with soot and a strange equine lying on the ground in the middle of the recent fire.

The equine was large and muscular. Having no fur, its skin was as black as the night itself. Most of its body was covered by dark-red bone-like material from the neck to the tail, protecting the vital points like an exoskeleton. One of its most noticeable features were the grotesque protrusions that grew on its shoulders, and its tail that was surely not of equine origin, being much longer and wider, lacking any hairs.

The head of the hellish equine was protected by a helmet of dark steel, a unicursal hexagram embossed on its front. The eyes of the equine were closed, its face expressionless and calm. A sharp crooked horn of black bone protruded from the bridge of equine's muzzle. Two fangs could be seen, only slightly peeking out of its mouth.

Slowly, the equine opened its eyes. They were completely red, with the irises a darker shade, and no pupils at all.

Suddenly, hellfire emerged from the equine, setting its back, the top of its head, the tip of its tail, and its hooves ablaze. The equine's eyes instantly widened in and it began to roll on the ground, trying to smother the flames, put them away before they could do any harm to him. However, it didn’t seem like the flame was bothered in any way, only crackling slightly as it touched the ground time and time again.

After several long moments of struggling, the flames still burned on. Exhausted, the creature stopped rolling, and let out a sigh of defeat. It lay there for a few long seconds, waiting. However, nothing came.

While the body was that of a nightmarish equine, a soul of eighteen-years-old human was there, the soul of Mike. His mind and thoughts were still his own, albeit with some minor changes, but he didn't know it yet. The only thing he knew was that he had changed. Or, more accurately, was changed.

His eyes widened once again, his breath increasing in frequency. He didn't know how or why his body was not his own or why he was in some strange forest in the first place. He wanted to run away and hide, he wanted to wake up, hoping that it was all just a terrible nightmare.

But he wasn't in a nightmare. He was a Nightmare. A creature made from twisted and dark visions, emitting pure, animalistic fear that crashed again its enemies. Unstoppable, such fear could make armies turn back and run away despite all odds. Even without such a power, the Nightmare could scare a great many people away just by its appearance and strength.

Unbeknownst to Mike, a dark mist of stardust watched him from behind the twisted, crooked trees. A certain mare of the moon was watching him closely, observing his every move. Nightmare Moon stayed away, feeling an unnatural fear towards the creature, fear she could not control or subdue. She saw his flames burn the grass away, leaving only ash in their wake. The creature was foreign, but a slight, faint memory crawled into her mind. She felt something about the strange being, something she couldn't fully place just yet.

Meanwhile, Mike subdued his breath and collected his thoughts. Slowly and carefully, he stood up on his four legs. Surprisingly for him, it felt natural, almost if it was supposed to be so. A frown appeared on his face as he took a few steps in place, his burning hooves going deep into a somewhat soft soil of the dark forest. Muscles shifted under his skin easily, making his legs move like they were supposed to. It was a weird feeling but nonetheless, it felt natural.

Soon, he walked without stumbling. He trotted and then he turned to full gallop without a single problem. Everything he did with his legs was as easy as If he were still a human. Once again, he noted how… right it felt to move on those four muscular legs. They propelled him forward well, faster than he was used to.

Sometimes, he had thought about starting his life anew, to apply the experience and knowledge he gained from the start. But never did he want it to be so sudden, and now he regretted even thinking about it in the first place. Fate is cruel sometimes, if not always.

"Creature..." a dark feminine voice appeared inside his head, calling him. "I know thy desire to get home. I know thou art scared. I can help thee, but thou need'st to do something for me first."

"Who are you? What do you need?" Mike thought warily, stopping and looking around, his ears swiveling independently as they searched for any sound that would reveal the bearer of the voice. His frown deepened when an unknown sensation penetrated his mind, his ears snapping back against his skull and helmet. "What are you doing inside my head?"

"My true name is Nightmare Moon, and I am the Queen of the Night," Nightmare Moon finally introduced herself, her voice filled with grandeur and majesty of a dark sort. "And hast thou never encountered telepathy?"

Mike was silent for a few long moments, listening to his surroundings and looking around once again. Alas, he couldn’t find Nightmare Moon.

"Alright...” he let out a calming sigh. ”What do I need to do for you to get me home?" Mike asked, nervously fidgeting in place.

"Oh, 'tis but a simple task for an equine such as thou." she replied in a praising tone. "There are six mares on their way to the castle that is deeper inside this cursed forest. Thou need'st to stop them. Scare them away, and they must not return."

"Mares?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow without much thought.

"A strange question but I shall answer it if it help'th thee. Nightmare Moon replied, some confusion in her voice. "Mares are pony females, if it makes sense to thee."

It didn’t make anything more clear, unfortunately. However, considering what he had just heard, he assumed that those mares were sapient. It was a strange thing for certain, not to mention that there was a voice in his head, and so every moment in this new world brought him more and more confusion and puzzled. One way or another, he needed to follow the rules and not ask questions if he wanted to get back to his world as soon as possible..

"Alright… I’ll do it." Mike replied slowly, failing to hide his slightly defeated tone.

"Good." Nightmare Moon said in satisfaction, grinning internally. "See to it that thou dost succeed in thy task."

Guided by the mysterious Nightmare Moon, Mike walked through the forest. His blazing hooves left scorch marks on the ground, drawing his path on the dark soil. Most of the wildlife disappeared in his presence, scared away by the intense Fright Aura he emitted. Even the mighty manticore, having the bravery of a lion, fled the area, searching for a place to hide until the Nightmare left.

Finally, Mike heard voices in the distance. He stopped, squinted his eyes, and soon was able to see brightly-colored spots amidst the trees, moving parallel to him.

"Do what must be done." Nightmare Moon spoke inside his head, not giving him much time to think, reminding him of the deal he made with her. "Remember that thou shalt have thy reward only if they flee this forest."

With a shake of his head, Mike sighed and then went forward.

Twilight Sparkle, after she was saved from her fall, was hesitant about going further into the forest. She had never been there before but she had heard many frightening tales and hushed rumors about the forest that controls itself. She had already seen the menacingly glowing green eyes watching her from behind the trees. They disappeared soon but it didn’t make anything easier. There was also something else... Another kind of fear, the source of which was yet unknown to the unicorn. She frequently turned her head, focusing on the depths of the forest, trying to look deeper into it.

Her five companions were afraid as well, but all six knew they must save Equestria from the eternal night of Nightmare Moon. The only thing that they could do was hope that the legend of the Elements of Harmony was true and that the said artifacts were still somewhere in the mysterious castle.

"Uh, I see fire behind the trees." Rainbow Dash spoke, her tail twitching and her ears flat against her skull.

"I see it as we—" Rarity began, but her speech stopped when she saw whom the fire belonged to. The beast that was from Hell itself stood there, watching. Being taller than even Celestia, the Nightmare was a sight to see. By some miracle, no one had fainted, but everypony was frozen in place by the infernal, fearsome gaze of the hellspawn.

Then, it growled quietly. However, the mares didn’t recognize the hesitation in it and instead bolted from their places, scattering in fear.

Mike watched as the six mares ran away into the forest's depths, not knowing where to go, and soon they were no longer a tight group but three groups of two ponies. He was far from being content with what he had just done but he desperately needed to get back home, and he understood that it wasn't the worst he could do to get what he wanted. At least, he hadn't hurt anyone... yet.

"Good!" Nightmare Moon laughed in delight. "Thou hast shown an excellent performance! It made even me afraid of thee, truth be spoken."

"I don't know if it was right..." Mike thought doubtfully, for a second forgetting that the voice in his head could read his thoughts as easily as a book.

"Thou didst nothing wrong." the voice assured him. "And once they are all away from the forest and I take the throne, I shall help thee to get to thy home. All thou need'st to do now is to make them all run back to their own little homes. Do not hesitate, creature, for I am thy way to achieve what you desire."

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew away from the seemingly evil and fearsome Nightmare. Getting as far away as they could, they crossed a river. At that moment, standing on the other bank, they panted, trying to catch their breath. They were frantically looking around, their ears swiveling independently and quickly, trying to catch a sound of galloping or the fire of the Nightmare. Thankfully for them, it was nowhere near them at the time, at least yet.

"Rainbow, I'm scared." Fluttershy whispered shakily, hiding behind her wings as if they were the strongest protection in the world, like the safe and strong walls of a mighty castle. "I'm so scared..."

"As long as you are with me, nothing's gonna happen to you." Rainbow Dash assured her friend as best as she could while hiding her own fear. "I will protect you from that... thing, no matter how scared I may be!" she put her hoof on her chest, solidifying her words with a gesture.

Soon, from the forest on the other bank of the river, the Nightmare emerged, its fires burning away the grass and leaving smoking marks behind. Its blazing red eyes were looking straight at the ponies. However, its attention shifted as its ears twitched in the direction of the flowing water. The creature stopped right near the river and looked at the water.

Rainbow Dash stared at the creature, her ears flat against her skull and her body tense, her wings twitching slightly. The pegasus was brave, yes, but she wanted to avoid fighting someone as big as it was. She didn't want either to burn in those flames or be bitten by the sharp fangs or poked by its pointy and undoubtfully sharp horn. Both she and Fluttershy were practically frozen in place, waiting for the next move.

Warily, the Nightmare raised its right front hoof, then slowly and carefully lowered it on the water. A hiss sounded, vapor coming from below the hoof, yet the flames were not extinguished and the creature felt no pain. Still hesitating, it stepped further into the water. Surprisingly, the Nightmare could stand on the surface of the river without being extinguished to death, although it was far from stable as the water began to boil under the hell stallion. Its eyes shifted back to the ponies as he begun to approach them.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy almost gasped as they saw the creature effortlessly closing the distance between itself and the two, and they bolted away, quickly disappearing behind the trees.

The Nightmare watched and listened, and as soon as the noise of the two died down, he went to search for the others, a frown on its face and its ears drooped.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie were somewhere in the forest, breathing heavily after the long run they had. Pinkie's mane was flat, and she as a whole was darker than usual. Applejack was looking around, her eyes and ears searching for any hint of the Nightmare approaching. The forest was filled with many sounds but the crackling of fire or heavy steps of hooves was not there, fortunately for the two ponies.

"I've never felt so scared in my life..." Pinkie Pie spoke, scratching the ground with her hoof nervously, her entire body shivering. "Every other time I was scared, I could overcome it with laughter and joy! But this..."

"Pinkie Pie, there was nuthin' ya could have done," Applejack put her hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. "Don't ya put the blame on yerself. None of us knew that this vermin lives in this darn forest.” she snorted, a frown on her face. A second later, her face smoothened. “Say, why don't ya throw a party for all of us once we are back?"

"I think that’s a..." *puff* "GREAT idea!" Pinkie Pie grinned, her mane becoming its usual fluffy and voluminous self. "But let's find our friends first!"

They went deeper into the forest, and somehow the Nightmare couldn't find them.

Twilight Sparkle and Rarity cautiously moved through the forest, often looking around in fear of the Nightmare that stalked them. They could feel it, sense it, and yet it was unseen to them. Both of them could swear they heard the crackling of fire and yet it was not there. The suspense was in the air and the silence of the dark forest didn't help it one bit.

Twilight sighed and then said: "Oh Celestia, what did I get all of us into..."

"Don't feel down, dear," Rarity replied, turning to her friend. "While that creature scared us, it doesn't mean we have to give up. You still want to help Princess Celestia, right?"

"Of course I do! I’m just... scared. What else does this forest have for us?" Twilight groaned, turning her head to Rarity. Suddenly, her eyes widened, her ears folding against the skull. "Rarity, don't look back, run!"

And they ran, chased by the Nightmare. They could hear the hellish breath close behind them, its heavy gallop closing on them, the fire burning the path into the forest. The Nightmare easily propelled itself forward using its muscular legs and it seemed inevitable for it to catch the two ponies soon. Collecting all her magic, Twilight cast a teleportation spell, and the two unicorns disappeared, leaving the Nightmare puzzled and confused as it stopped in its tracks, blinking the blinding light away from its eyes. Once it all cleared, it could see neither of the two ponies.

Five out of the six mares met each other near the bridge that crossed the great chasm on the way to the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. All of them exchanged hugs but it was apparent someone was missing. Thankfully for them, the bridge was still intact although it looked quite dangerous and definitely in need of a few repairs. Despite its state, crossing it wouldn’t be a problem, hopefully. However, they needed to find their friend before going forward, for they would not succeed without her.

Suddenly, the Nightmare emerged from the forest, growling and panting. The five mares screamed, then quickly ran across the bridge. Using her magic, Twilight Sparkle cut the bridge's ropes, and it fell into the chasm's depths, separating the hell stallion from the five ponies.

"Girls, wait!" a voice came from the forest, and a moment later Fluttershy came out of it, exhausted and tired. "Girls, I... Oh, no..."

Her eyes widened while her pupils shrank as she saw the Nightmare. The creature slowly turned around, facing the cowering pegasus. She hid behind her wings, shielding herself from the fiery gaze of the hellish creature.

Mike watched as the pegasus froze in fear. He turned his head to the other five mares and saw that they watched him with terror in their eyes, afraid of what he might do to Fluttershy. He turned back to the scared pegasus and noticed that tears had formed in her eyes. She was shaking uncontrollably, almost sobbing, her eyes tightly shut.

He looked away, he couldn't stand looking at the small being in front of him. Whom he saw before himself wasn't dangerous but so defenseless and weak... Like a cat that most would pet, not hurt. He could not bring himself to inflicting harm upon Fluttershy.

"Thou must complete thy task!" a voice of Nightmare Moon spoke inside his head angrily. "Otherwise, there is no chance thou get'st home! Dost what thou canst do, it doesn't matter if thou hurt'st her. Thou must complete thy task!"

The night's queen was so close to winning, she couldn't let everything get out of control and crumble in front of her very eyes. The victory was just a hoof length away, she could not allow it to slip. She needed Mike to do her bidding, there was no other way now, the mares were too close to the castle, too close to discovering the elements.

"No," Mike shook his head confidently, confusing the six mares. Fluttershy looked at him with a spark hope in her eyes. "This is enough of that. I won't scar the six for life, even if my own life depends on it."

"Thou fool, once I am in power, I shall destroy thee!"

"You may try, you old-speaking bitch!" Mike growled, earning an eep from the pegasus and gasps of other ponies as they covered their eyes. Thankfully for them, the anger wasn't aimed at the ponies.

"I shall not tolerate thy insolence, creature! I shall destroy thee!"

Not looking back or answering to Nightmare Moon, Mike disappeared into the forest.

An hour later Luna was freed from Nightmare Moon, and Celestia forgave her. So, the two sisters were together once again, reunited in familial love, and prepared to return to Ponyville to celebrate the Summer Sun Celebration together, as the family they once were.

While Luna didn't remember most of the night, she still felt something in the corner of her mind, something that slipped and evaded her no matter how much she focused on it. She couldn't wrap her head around it but she was sure it was something important, something that needed her immediate and utmost attention as soon as possible. She felt as if she had wronged someone she didn't even know. However, all she could remember was fire and emotions of confusion, but as for the source of either of them, she had no idea what it could be.

On their way back, Twilight Sparkle approached her mentor and said: "Princess, my friends and I, um, saw something... terrifying in the forest."

Celestia frowned, giving her student all the attention, "What did you see? What did it do to you?"

"It... It was an equine, a little bigger than you. It was muscular and had a strange tail. Its skin was black, and natural armor covered its body." Twilight described the Nightmare to the best of her abilities. She tapped her chin, remembering the details. "There was also a helmet made of some sort of steel upon its head with a strange mark... Something like a pentagram or hexagram, I didn’t quite get it. And there was also a sharp pointed horn protruding from the creature's muzzle. The creature’s mane was covered by flame, its hooves and the tip of tail were ablaze, too." she paused for a moment and then added: "All of us felt fear just by being in the creature's presence." she said, and her friends confirmed her words by nodding and uttering in agreement.

"What you are talking about is called the Horse of Tartarus." Celestia's frown deepened, recollecting memories of the past. "They never wear helmets, though... Anyway, those Horses are literal Nightmares, created from the most twisted and dark fears of a pony. It is said that a pony who experienced too much fear in their life is turned into a Horse of Tartarus, forced to invade others' dreams and live in the never-ending nightmare. The Horses of Tartarus feed on fear and terror, and these malicious creatures are considered the most fearsome among all dark creatures. They are considered a myth, though... A myth that is older than Equestria itself.

"But whatever this vile creature does here, it must be banished to the place it came from. And I suppose the Elements you and your friends earned can help."

Mike aimlessly wandered through the forest, unsure of what to do. A frown was present on his face, his ears down as he walked, burning his path into the soil. He was in an unfamiliar body, in a new world, in a forest he knew no way out of. He didn't have the guidance of his father, there were no friends to help him with his problems, no one to support him in his time of need.

He was all alone.

That thought scared him, and all he could hope for was that all of this was just a very strange dream. However, everything around him told him that it was all real, and the world he knew didn't exist there. Nothing familiar, nothing to hold on to.

Suddenly, Mike heard a rather loud rustle behind him. He turned around, and faced a rock that flew straight in his chest. He was knocked to the ground by the power of the throw. Confused and even more scared, he looked up to see the six mares he had chased, as well as two alicorns. The six surrounded him, their eyes were glowing white. Suddenly, beams emitted from their Elements of Harmony, hitting him straight in the chest. With a bright flash, he disappeared, leaving a large scorched mark on the ground.

Author's Note

Main character's apperance:

Chapter 11: Caelum Et Infernum

It was a late evening in Equestria. Celestia, the princess of the day, prepared to sleep. Yet, she couldn't. She was thinking about everything that happened during the recent two weeks.

The answer for her letter came, telling that Twilight Sparkle and her friends will arrive the next day. Celestia knew she had time to prepare herself for the revelation she is about to tell.

Celestia understood that what she did was wrong, and now she can't do anything. Yes, she could've just used a time-traveling scroll that is stored deep within Canterlot Achieves, but she knew that tempting with time is a very bad thing to do.

So, all Celestia could think of was herself. To her, she looked pathetic. Known by ponies as a strong, kind, and understanding ruler, she acted against everything that she has built over the hundreds of years of her sole rule. She didn't try to reason with Andromalius because she didn't understand. She didn't listened to him, thinking of him as evil because she wasn't kind to him like she should have been. And she wasn't strong enough to try to find him herself and apologize for her actions.

The spies she sent for Andromalius were called back after Celestia realized everything.

There was a large and sturdy dam within herself, keeping her emotions under control. Even after her sister's banishment, the dam held itself, albeit less strong than before. Cracks started appearing on it.

Then, a kingdom of Equestria was attacked by the Griffin Empire. It has seen that Celestia couldn't even keep her own sister. Water started sipping through the dam as the bloody war raged.

Fearing of any progress, Celestia forced the country to stop developing any technology. The technology brought new weapons, new instruments of death and fear. That is why the solar princess denied it, keeping her country in stagnant state for hundreds of years. The dam was almost broken, paranoia has shown itself. The mask Celestia wore was about to fall, revealing her fear.

A thousand years without the closest one to her, Celestia ruled the country that was meant for two rulers. Every time Celestia brought out the moon to begin the night she remembered her sister, and each time she shed tears.

When Luna returned, Celestia was filled with both joy and fear. She feared that her dear sister will disappear again, that something or someone will separate them.

And then, Andromalius came, a creature with a mind unlike pony's. He brought chaos to her tortured soul. And then, Luna and Andromalius became friends. An infernal creature became close to Celestia's sister, and the solar princess was scared of that. The dam was about to fall.

And then, Andromalius demonstrated his magic. It was far more powerful and dangerous than that Celestia knew. The dam fell, and her fear clouded her mind. Doing everything to protect Luna, Celestia made things even worse and more complicating with Andromalius.

Now, she had little hope, and her soul needed healing.

With those dark thoughts in her head, Celestia waited until the morning.

The next day.

Celestia, Luna, and the six bearers of Elements of Harmony were in Celestia's bedchambers. Its owner said that she has something really important to say.

"Dear sister Luna," Celestia started. "And you, the six bearers... I have a confession to make..."

Celestia explained everything to them. At the mention of Andromalius, Rarity blushed a little, and nopony knew why.

"...so, I don't think I am in proper state of mind to rule Equestria." Celestia said. "At this moment, there is no peace, no balance inside me. I need some rest, I need to fix my mistakes, to repair the damage I've done.

"That means I will give all the power to you, Luna." she turned to the night sister. "Until I find balance within myself, I can no longer rule Equestria efficiently."

"Sister..."

"No, Luna, it is what I need." Celestia sighed. "I need to stop being a princess for a while. And you..." she turned to the six. "Can you give me some advice on how to fix everything with Andromalius?"

"Well, princess, none of us knows him well." Applejack was the first to reply. "But If he was as nice to princess Luna as ya have just told us, then Ah suppose he's fine, even if a little bit scary."

"I think that if he didn't any real harm, then, uh, you should go and apologize to him, princess. No offense, but you did wrong, after all, misjudging him." Fluttershy shyly added.

"He's chillin' me to the bone." Rainbow Dash stated, shivering. "But, well, I'm siding with Applejack and Fluttershy here. I would give that fellow a chance, even if he looks odd."

"He seemed to be a scary fire-meany," Pinkie Pie said. "But if he's friendly, an apology is needed, princess. It would be even better if you throw him a party!"

"I... I honestly don't know." Twilight Sparkle said nervously. "If he has so much magical potential, that means he's dangerous to all ponydom. But if he uses his powers for good, I have no objections."

Rarity just said that she can't say anything about him. A slight blush could be seen on her face.

"Well, I heard you." Celestia stated. "I'm going to make it up to him somehow... I mistreated him. I must find him and apologize in person."

After making an public announcement, in which Celestia said that she needed some rest from her royal duties, she packed some food, water, and other useful things. She put on a dull white warm cloak that hid her features completely. She shortened her mane and stopped its ethereal flow.

Thankfully for her, the ponies that she ruled in solitude for a thousand years understood her, and they had almost no issue with Luna ruling in Celestia's place. After all, everypony thinks that the solar princess makes no mistakes.

Celestia knew that Andromalius is somewhere in the north, and she was going to find him no matter what.

She must dispel her fear of him and, hopefully, earn his trust again. She thought that he still needed guidance, needed help, and she wanted to lend him a helping hoof. This time she's not expecting it to be bitten off by a beast of evil.

A few hours later.

Andromalius was walking through the white plains of snow. It was cold, about twenty degrees Celsius below zero, and it was getting colder the further he went.

He just focused on walking, ignoring anything and anyone else. Some ponies that he saw on his way tried to tell him that it was stupid to go there, others just stared at him in confusion. He ignored them altogether, focused on his task.

He has been slowly making progress, not even once stopping to rest. He didn't feel the cold nor did he feel tiredness. The inner hellfire kept him alive, warmed him.

Suddenly, something made him turn around. He saw that someone followed him, and that someone was wearing a white cloak. He narrowed his eyes, then started moving towards the cloaked pony. He thought that he should have hidden his trace.

Celestia shivered and thought of turning around but she decided to face Andromalius. As he walked closer to her, she couldn't feel anything but fear of what he can do to her.

Andromalius stopped a few meters before Celestia. She pulled down her hood, revealing herself to him. Celestia nervously shifted in place as he looked at her with those burning eyes of his.

"Princess Celestia." he greeted her in a blank voice, then pulled down his cloak's hood as well. His eyes pierced her very soul, and she could see some anger and, surprisingly, compassion.

"Andromalius." she nervously replied, then inhaled deeply, averting her eyes from his gaze ablaze. "I... I want to apologize."

A surprised look appeared on Andromalius's face.

"Apologize?" he warily asked.

"Yes, I do. I mistreated you, I... fucked everything up with you. I shouldn't have." She made a wry face at her own profanity, but that way she got her point across clearly.

"Why?" he stepped closer, narrowing his eyes.

"Because you did nothing bad, nothing wrong." Celestia explained, then sighed nervously. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did." she nervously rubbed her left fetlock against her right cannon.

"Your apology is accepted." Andromalius nodded, sighing. "I understand why you did that. But what are you going to do now?" he asked.

"I want to make it up to you." Celestia replied, taking a step closer. "And I won't take no for an answer."

"It is your choice, then." Andromalius nodded. "But don't you need to rule Equestria?"

"I gave all the power to my sister, I am in no proper state of mind to rule right now. I will return, but only when I regain my inner balance." she explained. "What I realized is that I need some rest from the royal duties."

"And that is why you want to go with me, on a quest full of danger?" the hell stallion looked at her skeptically. "There is something wrong with you if it is so."

"I want to remember the time when I wasn't royalty. I and my sister were adventurers: we searched for ancient artifacts, we fought ancient evils. Those were good times." Celestia sighed. "After we became royalty, everything became a routine of paperwork and listening to ponies. It isn't bad, leading them, guiding them to peace and harmony, but it is very stressful. I live for over a thousand years, and the stress has always been my companion. It isn't easy being a near-immortal, ageless alicorn. Controlling yourself is a hard thing to do, and I'm not exactly a very strong person. I can block my emotions, yes, but it makes everything worse in the end.

"Ponies speak of me as a perfect ruler, a kind and understanding one. Yes, I try my best, but even I fail at times. I fear the danger, the instability of things that happen all around the world. When I was young, I welcomed any danger and overcame all of them, as well as my sister did. But I grew old, and everyone knows that the older you get, the more peaceful life you want.

"I must face my fears, I must face dangers again to be able to lead ponies. That is why I want to come with you, Andromalius. Now, I'm not a princess but just an adventurer."

"I think I understand it all." Andromalius nodded. "However, if you want to follow me, you must know that there are many dangers on the way. I can't tell you what my goal is, but you must know that I don't want anything bad to happen to Equestria. In truth, I want it to prosper as you do. However, becoming a ruler of this country isn't my goal. I have another destiny, which I'm not ready to tell you about.

"So, I must know, are you going to stay with me or would you like to leave? There will be no way back, at least not alone."

With little hesitation, Celestia nodded and said: "I will go with you."

"Good. Now, follow me."

Andromalius and Celestia walked for three hours, covering at least fifteen kilometers. There was nothing but snowy plains with a few snowy mountains deeper into the Frozen North. The cold was freezing, and Celestia's warm cloak barely protected her from it. Even with some warm clothes underneath, a chill ran through her.

As for Andromalius, he didn't feel any cold at all. The temperature was comfortable to him, even occasional winds didn't bother him much. He just kept on walking, sometimes glancing back to see if Celestia followed him. Surprisingly for him, she did, not complaining even once.

"Where are we going? The lands further into the north aren't habitable." Celestia asked.

"We aren't searching for anyone alive. We're searching for what is left of those who left this place thousands of years ago." Andromalius replied, not even stopping. "A city, if you need specifics."

"A city? All cities are buried under the snow." Celestia raised a brow. "There is nothing here but the everlasting winter that was created from hatred."

"I know, but there is a city that has been empty since before the winter came. It is somewhere in the furthest north." the hell stallion explained.

"I've never read of any cities that were that far away." Celestia frowned.

"I doubt any book has information about that one." Andromalius shook his head, then thought: "Inanna, how was that city named?"

"Regnum." the succubus replied.

Andromalius thanked her silently, then asked Celestia: "A city that is named Regnum, do you know anything of it?"

"I don't think I know." She shook her head. "There were multiple cities of pony tribes, but none ended with -um. Are you sure you know what you're searching for?"

"One hundred percent sure." he nodded.

After his last words, none were shared for a long time. Celestia wondered what just was the thing Andromalius was looking for.

Some time later, in the evening.

Celestia felt herself tired and cold. She lowered her sun, and now nothing could warm her at least a little. The temperature fell much below zero, now about forty degrees Celsius, and it keeps falling.

Due to Celestia's tiredness, Andromalius had to organize a hideout for the night. He made a small dugout in the snow, making the room for both of them.

Celestia shivered from the cold, and the hell stallion had to share his own cloak to make her something to sleep on rather than snow. He didn't care for his cloak, he couldn't die from the cold anyway.

So, he enchanted her and his cloaks to stay warm during the night. Celestia was thankful for that and immediately fell asleep.

Andromalius, however, couldn't close his eyes. Something was bugging him.

He felt that there is someone in these barren lands of ice and snow.

Someone full of hatred, pain, and anger. Someone that wants Celestia and her sister dead.

Equinae de Umbra.

Author's Note

Into the eyes of fire,
Into the gaze ablaze,
Into the burning light
Of Satan's rays...