The Prime Elementsby Gearsmash KingChaptersChapter 1: Strange CreaturesChapter 2: Unknown and KnownChapter 3: Welcome to PonyvilleChapter 4: Dreamland DemonChapter 5: The Man on the MapPrologueChapter 1: Strange CreaturesIt was midnight in Equestria and all was quiet. Ponyville was dark, except for the few streetlamps that shined in the night. Canterlot was dotted with the small lights of homes and the castle. Even the Everfree Forest was deafly silent. Animals cuddled together under the various plants as the stars and moon illuminated the dark forest. The only unnatural light that was found in the eerie woods, came from a hut that had been made from a hollow tree with several strange masks and bottles around the outside of it. While, on the inside, there were more bottles and masks, as well as a caldron with a boiling brown liquid. And a zebra wearing gold bands around her neck and two of her hooves, walked over to a bed that appeared to have different furs covering it. "Such a quiet night. No need for a terrible fright." The zebra said as she sipped from her cup of tea. To some, she appeared to be strange. But to her friends, she was just like any other. However, whenever it came down to something that couldn't be explained by their methods, she had ways of finding the answers. Whether it was magical, spiritual, odd medicines, or finding one's center, she was the one some went to for help. But, sometimes even she couldn't find the answers that were needed. K-Kra-BOOM!!! A flash and a loud sound roared through the trees, waking anything that could hear it. The zebra almost spilled her drink as the sound startled her. "What was it that flashed?!" The zebra said, getting to her hooves and rushing to a window, "Has a star fallen and crashed?!" Off in the distance, she saw several glowing ambers from trees that were exposed to the sudden activity. Clearly, whatever caused such a thing to happen, must be important. And the zebra knew that. Quickly, she put her tea on a table and rushed out the door, heading toward the glowing ambers. But, when she got there, she found something very strange and alien to her. "Never, in my travels to lands near and far," the zebra exclaimed, seeing the two figures in the center of a large burn circle, "have I ever seen creatures so bizarre!" The only features that she could recognize were their arms and hands, which were similar to monkeys. However, they had far less hair, wore armor, and one of them had a torn blood red hood and a sword in it's sheath. The other had no weapon or hood, but the armor it was wearing had a burn mark on the chest plate. "Both look strong." The zebra whispered, stepping closer, "But, there is clearly something wrong." Once she was close to the hooded one, she cautiously reached out her hoof to it's neck. Upon touching the skin, she felt a pulse, but that only made her more cautious as she moved her hoof to one of the eyes. But, before she reached it, the eyes shot open and one of the hands grabbed her hoof with lightning speed. She felt her voice catch in her throat, keeping her from screaming in fear as the glowing blue eyes stared at her. However, the feeling of fear slowly left her as she saw that the creature wasn't doing anything else, except stare. She was very good at reading others and what she saw in this creature was anger, fear, sadness, and torture. But, she had only relaxed as she saw that all of those emotions weren't truly directed at her. Then the creature opened it's mouth and she saw a pair of short pointed fangs. And then she heard a very faint sound escape it's lips, before the creature let go of her and closed it's eyes again. Knowing that she wasn't in any real danger, the zebra quickly went back to her hut and retrieved a potion bottle. When she returned to the creatures she opened the bottle and poured only a few drops on each of them. After waiting a moment, the creatures rose above the ground only a few inches, allowing the zebra to wrap a vine around them and pull them to her hut. Once inside, she began undoing the straps that held the armor on the creatures. After a few minutes of fiddling with the buckles, the armor was finally possible to remove. On the hooded one, the zebra saw burns, scars, and dark bruises all over it's well-toned muscular body. But, on the second one, she only saw the single burn mark on it's chest. Checking the second's eyes and mouth, she also found that they were very different from the first one. For instance, this one's eyes weren't glowing blue and it's mouth didn't have fangs. And that confused her. "Why would they not be the same?" She asked herself, looking over both of them as she started to throw certain things into the caldron, "And, from what land have they came?" As she added more ingredients, the zebra noticed that she was short on one of the herbs she needed. However, it didn't worry her, because she knew where to get more. Unfortunately, the herb she needed had to be purchased in Ponyville, because it was one of the few plants that she needed, that didn't grow in the forest. But, it was the middle of the night and she knew that none of the shops were open. So, first thing in the morning, she'll go there and see if she can find what she needed. But, that wasn't what she was worried about. Instead, she was concerned about if the creatures would survive until then. Grabbing a bottle off a shelf, she opened their mouths and poured only a trickle of the liquid into them. It wasn't a very strong medicine, but she knew that it would be enough to give them a chance. Chapter 2: Unknown and KnownMorning broke in Equestria and an alicorn, a baby dragon, and a unicorn were out and about in Ponyville. It was a beautiful morning as the sun rose higher and higher into the sky. As they walked, they saw ponies opening their shops and preparing for their daily activities. It wasn't a scholl day, so foals were either still asleep in their homes or out with their friends already. "Good morning." A voice said, causing the alicorn to look at who it had come from. Upon seeing who it was, they waved and smiled as they saw another unicorn approach them. "Good morning, Lyra." The alicorn said, before noticing that the unicorn was levitating a book in her magic, "What are you reading?" "It's just my journal, Princess Twilight." Lyra said, closing the book, "Well, more of a field guide than a journal, anyway." "About what?" Lyra trotted closer to the three of them, before continuing. "I have this theory that, somewhere, there are strange things that live far beyond Equestria." Lyra said, opening her journal to the page she left off, "Right now, I'm working on a creature called a human." Hearing that word, Twilight's ears perked up. She knew what Lyra was talking about, but she always thought she, and two others, knew what a human was. But, she wasn't expecting anyone, who hadn't left their world to know about them. "Uh... What's a human?" The other unicorn asked, cocking her head a little bit. "Only the most difficult to find and interesting creatures in the universe!" Lyra said, enthusiastically flipping through the pages, "Their supposed to be friendly, brave, resourceful, and clever." "Basically, Starlight," the baby dragon said, before Lyra could continue, "they're a lot like us. Except for appearance." "How do you know what they look like, Spike?" Lyra asked, raising an eyebrow at the little dragon, "You've never met one... Wait, have you?" That's when Twilight quickly stepped in, before too much was said. "Um, I think we should get going." Twilight said, putting on a smile and motioning for the others to get moving, "It was nice to see you, Lyra. Bye." Before Lyra could respond, Twilight urged the other two forward and away, continuing towards their destination. After a short walk, the arrived at a small shop that supplied various plants and crystals. But, some of these items had certain capabilities, such as being used in magic potions, scientific experiments, and medicines. Only a few plants were rare and brought from distant lands. However, the crystals were usually found throughout Equestria and were easy to use. "Hello, Mrs. Shard." Twilight said, opening the door and greeting the shopkeeper, "Have those Saddle Arabian ferns arrived yet?" "As a matter of fact," The light grey earth pony said, reaching under her counter, "they arrived twenty minutes before you walked in. Strange plant to ask for though." "I thought I'd add some exotic style to the castle." As they talked, another customer entered the shop, ringing the little bell hanging above the door. "Excuse me?" She said, pulling back her hood, "Do you have a jester tree?" They turned to look at the other customer and saw that she was a zebra with a hooded cloak standing near the doorway. "Of course, Zecora." Mrs. Shard said, pointing to and odd looking tree, "It's my last one, but it'll cost thirty bits." "Thirty bits is fair." Zecora said, reaching into her cloak pocket and retrieving thirty coins, "Since jester trees are somewhat rare." Twilight approached the zebra and smiled warmly at her. "Hello, Zecora." She said, watching as the zebra paid for the tree, "Why do you need a jester tree?" "Two injured creatures appeared in the forest last night." Zecora explained, wrapping a hoof around the tree pot and leaving the store, with Twilight and the other two following her, "But, the tree has an ingredient to help make them right." "Do you know what they are? The creatures?" "That, I do not know. But, one of them has eyes that glow." Almost instantly, Twilight became very interested in the creatures Zecora was talking about. But, the more the zebra explained as they ventured towards her hut, the less she understood. Clearly, whatever they were, meant that there was either no record of such things, or there were only a very few of them. However, being the curious pony she was and record keeper, Twilight believed that if she saw these creatures, then there could be more important information and studies about them. But, what caught her interest the most, was the fact that these creatures wore clothes and armor. "Did their outfits have a symbol or a mark that identified which land they came from?" Twilight asked, seeing the hut in the distance. "Not that I saw." Zecora replied as they reached the hut, "But, I was too much in awe." Opening the door, Zecora, Twilight, Starlight, and Spike entered the tree hut. It only took one second for Twilight to locate the creatures. But, when she saw what they were, her jaw dropped and eyes widened. "Humans!" Spike exclaimed, rubbing his eyes in disbelief, "What are humans doing in Equestria?!" "Those are humans?!" Starlight asked, staring at the two strange beings, "I thought you said they were like us, Spike?" "I said they're like us, except in appearance." Twilight was still staring wordlessly as Zecora plucked some leaves off of the jester tree. "By the way you stare at them," Zecora said, dropping the leaves into her caldron, "it's almost as if you found a very powerful gem." Twilight closed her mouth and shook her head, trying to collect her senses. "Zecora, do you know how they got here?" Twilight asked, keeping her eyes on the humans. "Unfortunately, no." The zebra replied, stirring the liquid, "But, when they're better, I'm sure they'll let you know." After a short time, Zecora's medicine was finished and she scooped some into a bowl. She went over to the human with a burn mark on his chest and opened his mouth, before pouring a small amount of medicine and closing his mouth again. Then she approached the second, but when she opened his mouth and poured another small amount, the human woke up and was on his feet faster than they could react. "COME ON!!" The fanged human shouted, reaching to his side and finding that his sword wasn't there, "What?!" Suddenly, there was a purple mist that engulfed him and his arms were forced apart. Then he felt himself being lifted off the ground and held weightlessly in the air. "Whoever is using magic on me," The human growled, "release me! Now!" "Not until you calm down." Twilight replied, her horn glowing. The human looked down at her with a very confused and surprised expression. "Did... Did you just say something?" He asked, staring at Twilight with a gaze that could cut through metal. "Yes." She replied, staring back at his glowing blue eyes. The fanged human's eyes widened in awe at that single word. Clearly, he had never heard a pony speak before, which made perfect sense to Twilight, because she only knew very few humans and they knew about her. However, the fact that confused Twilight the most, was that these humans were very, very different from the ones she knew. For instance, the ones she knew didn't have swords or wore armor. If anything, they were far more advanced than the one she was holding in her magic. And, she certainly never met a human with fangs and glowing eyes. The only thing she could think of that came close, was a demon. "What's your name?" Twilight asked, cocking her head slightly, "And why do you have fangs?" "My... My name is Matthias." He said, relaxing his nerves and senses, "And I'm a half-demon from Vandlgrad." "A... Half-demon?" "Half human, half demon." "Why are you here?" "Put me down and I'll tell you." Turning her head to the others, Twilight saw that they were either confused or concerned. But, since two of them had never met a human, it was to be expected. "How do we know we can trust you?" She asked, turning back to Matthias. "In truth, you can't." Matthias replied, looking at the other human, "But, that's something I've grown used to over the years." Thinking for a moment, Twilight slowly lowered him back down to the ground and released him. Matthias stood tall over them wearing only his stitched pants, leaving his upper body exposed. As well as his scars. She wanted to ask him about them, but she feared that it might trigger some bad memories. So, Twilight chose to stay on the current topic and ask about the scars later. "So, why are you here?" Twilight asked again, cautious of the being in front of her. "To put it simply," Matthias began, "we were supposed to find and kill a very powerful and very dangerous sorcerer named Mortese. But, when we did find him, he escaped into, what we knew, was a portal. However, he gave us no choice, since the cave we found him in collapsed and Killian was injured. It was our only way out." "I'm assuming Killian is the other one?" "Yes. And before you ask, he's a regular human." "Why are you fighting Mortese?" Looking around and spotting his hooded shirt, Matthias remembered that he had something that could help explain their purpose. "In one of the pockets," he said, pointing at the torn blood red fabric, "I have a journal with several entries in it. If you read it, you might get some answers." Twilight stayed focused on Matthias as Spike searched through the pockets and retrieved the little leather book with a stitched spine. "It's odd seeing a dragon serve a pony." Matthias said as Spike opened the book and stood next to Twilight, "But, then again, it's only a youngling. Probably... six years old, maybe more." "I'll have you know that I might be small," Spike countered, eyeing the half-demon suspiciously, "but I'm older than I look." "Of course. I don't mean any disrespect, little dragon." "Hey, I've got a name and it's Spike." Looking at the others, Matthias realized that none of them had introduced themselves. "And you three?" Matthias asked, looking from one to the other, "I suppose you have names as well." "I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle." The purple alicorn replied, before pointing behind her, "This is Starlight and Zecora." "Charmed to meet you. And thank you for your hospitality, Zecora. I apologize for my earlier actions." Zecora bowed her head respectfully as she put the bowl of medicine on a table. "Your writing is odd." Twilight commented, looking through the pages, "I mean, you speak the same language as us, but I don't understand the symbols and markings in this book." "Then, allow me to read them to you." Matthias replied, reaching towards the book. Hesitating for a moment, Twilight placed the book in his hands and he began to read the words he had written throughout the years. "My home is a place of wonder and chaos, love and hate." Matthias began explaining as he read, "There are demons, humans, and living forces of nature. Demons kept to themselves mostly and rarely interacted with anyone who wasn't their kind. They're capable of preforming magic that can either be very beautiful, or very dangerous. Humans are smart and, any who have been trained, are skilled enough to stand against a tidal wave, unafraid of being overpowered by a force stronger than them. However, every race has it's own dark shadows. Unfortunately, the worst shadow came in the form of a demon named Mortese. A sorcerer who is so powerful, he can summon the elements to do his bidding and change his appearance in a heartbeat." "What makes you think he's here?" Twilight asked, feeling a small sense of worry run through her mind. "He created a portal and said that there were other worlds for him to conquer. But, he summoned the portal so fast, he probably didn't have a certain world in mind. However, even with humans and demons fighting together, we weren't fast enough to capture him." "And those scars?" Starlight asked, pointing at the damaged skin, "How did you get those?" Matthias looked at his arms and torso, inspecting each and ever mark he saw. Twilight, however, turned her head towards Starlight and glared. "When Mortese declared war against the humans," Matthias continued, closing his book, "they captured as many demons as they could. They believed that if enough decided to fight against them, then the humans would be wiped out. I was only a child when they captured my mother and me. She was a human and didn't belong in the same cells as the demons, who were stripped of their magic and freedom. But, even though she was human, it didn't save her from the punishment that she received." "And what punishment was that?" Twilight asked, now very concerned about the world Matthias and Killian were from. Lowering his gaze to the ground as a tear rolled down his face, Matthias put the book down on a nearby table. "They burned her for giving life to a monster." He said in a very sad tone, "After that, I became a slave in the castle. I spent nearly twenty years cleaning, polishing, and serving those who owned me. And if I made a mistake, I was whipped. However, I met my first friend while I was there." "And who was that?" "Princess Katrina. Daughter to King Tiberius, the ruler of Vandlgrad. She saw me scrubbing the floors in the halls one day and offered me some water from the kitchen. However, since I was a half-demon and she was a princess, our friendship was kept a secret." Rubbing his arms, Matthias remembered several moments when he and the princess were alone together. As he did, Twilight noticed a warm smile and another tear roll down his face. But, she knew well that it wasn't a tear of sadness. "You said Mortese was powerful enough to control elements." Twilight said, taking a step closer, "What do you mean by that?" "I trust that you're familiar with the four basic elements, such as fire, earth, wind, and water?" Matthias replied, wiping away his tears and receiving four nods in response, "Well, there are four others that exist, but many choose to ignore them. Those are light, darkness, ice, and thunder. All of these are known as the Prime Elements, the building blocks of all worlds. And Mortese, somehow, has the power to control them all." "Do you know where he is?" "Unfortunately, I don't. I believe that when the portal opened, it changed it's destinations. So, for all I know, he could very well be on the other side of the world." Turning and looking down at Killian, who lay on the bed, Matthias looked at the burn mark on his chest and sighed heavily. But, then he noticed something. As he looked, the burn mark changed in size and colour. Now, it was no bigger that a closed fist and it still decreased in size, until it had vanished completely. But, what happened next caught everyone off guard. "YAAAAAHHH!!!" Killian hollered as he suddenly rose up and tackled Matthias. "Killian, stop!" Matthias pleaded, straining to keep Killian under control, "You have to relax, before you hurt yourself!" "IT'S YOUR FAULT!!" Killian shouted, trying to get an advantage, "YOU SHOULD'VE RUN THAT BLADE THROUGH MORTESE WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE!!!" Killian quickly shifted his gaze to the sword and reached for it, grabbing the handle and drawing it out of the sheath. But, before he could use it on Matthias, he was quickly engulfed in a purple mist and the sword was forced out of his hand. "Calm down! Now!" Twilight said sternly, levitating the sword to her side. "Who said that?!" Killian asked, angrily trying to break free. "Are you always like this when you wake up after an injury?" And like Matthias, Killian was shocked when he saw who spoke. Then he looked at Matthias in confusion and worry. "Just relax for a moment," Matthias said, getting back on his feet, "we'll be able to sort this out together." Chapter 3: Welcome to Ponyville"Alright, wait a moment." Killian said, placing one hand on his hip and rubbing his forehead with the other, "You're telling me that when we jumped into the light, which was actually a portal, we landed in a place that has magical ponies that can talk, fly, and know how to make medicines?" "Well, we also are capable of several other things too." Twilight replied as they left Zecora's hut, "But, yes." "Is there a name for this land?" "You're in Equestria. One of the many nations that cover this world." Even though they discussed so many things, Matthias and Killian still had difficulties understanding the many things this world held. And even being at proper health and dressed in their armor, it also made them feel out of place. From what they could understand, they were the only human and half-demon that had set foot in Equestria. "I've never heard of such a place." Killian said, lifting a branch and passing under it. However, when he was past the branch, Killian released it, allowing it to fling back and hit Matthias in the face. Whap! "Umph!" Matthias grunted, feeling the rough bark hit him. "Are you alright?!" Starlight asked, seeing what happened. "I'll be fine. I've endured far worse. Although, I'm grateful that Twilight has my sword and not him." "What sort of military force allows the commanding officers to treat their soldiers with such behavior?" "One that has demons fighting for their freedom. If it costs us our right to speak against or fight against anyone, without permission, then so be it. Demons are peaceful and try to avoid conflict, but that's not how the world works." Looking toward Killian, they saw that he behaved as if nothing happen. Twilight, with the sword floating beside her, and Spike were ahead of him, but they were too far away to notice the mistreatment Matthias had received. "Do you want me to say something?" Starlight asked, standing next to Matthias and glaring at Killian's back. "Thank you for the offer." Matthias replied, lifting the branch and continuing on, "But, it's best just to leave it alone for the time being." They walked further until they reached the edge of the forest, where they saw Ponyville. From where they stood, the little town didn't look like much. Although, the large crystal castle that was oddly shaped like a tree told a different story. But, even from where they stood, Matthias and Killian could see the banners and various windows that dotted and stretched across the sides. "Who lives there?" Killian asked, pointing at the castle in the distance. "I do." Twilight said, before adding, "As well as Spike and Starlight." "Well, I'll admit, it's different than I expected." "What exactly did you have in mind?" "I was expecting more stone than crystal. But, interesting, none the less." After a short moment of looking from a distance, Twilight turned toward the two of them with a serious expression on her face. "Now," Twilight began, keeping a stern but gentle tone, "everypony in Equestria has never seen anything like you, except for Spike and myself. So, when we get to Ponyville, don't be too surprised if any of them approach you or run away. Okay?" "I understand fully, Princess." Killian said, giving a short bow before turning toward Matthias and giving him a hard stare, "We both will be on our best behavior." "Of course." Matthias replied, giving a short bow of his own. When Matthias rose up, they walked toward the little town. However, the whole idea of being introduced to an entirely different race felt very strange to him. Shortly after, they arrived in Ponyville. And, as expected, every single pony they went by gave them either a look of concern, confusion, wonder, or amazement. "Princess Twilight!" A voice called, causing the group to look. They watched as Lyra burst from the crowd with her journal wrapped in her magic. But, even though she had excitement on her face, they could also see the caution as she approached them. "Are those what I think they are?" Lyra asked, staring at Matthias and Killian. "Yes, Lyra." Twilight replied, "They're humans. But, don't overwhelm them, they still have quite a bit to understand about our world." "Okay." Lyra floated her journal in front of her and opened it to a blank page, where a pen rested in between the pages. As quickly and neatly as she could, she drew the features and curves of the two warriors. But, what she couldn't understand was that one of them had glowing eyes, while the other didn't. "Why are your eyes glowing?" Lyra asked, stepping closer to Matthias. "He's a half-demon, Ma'am." Killian said, quickly stepping between her and Matthias, "However, I'm a full blood human." "What are your names?" "I am Killian, commanding officer of the tenth legion of the Vandlgradian army." Killian said with pride, before pointing behind him and flatly adding, "And this is Matthias." Lyra's pen quickly scratched across the pages as she took more notes. "Lyra," Twilight said, in a regal tone, "I understand that you want to learn more about them. But, I have to notify Princess Celestia about them." "Of course." Lyra replied, "If you don't mind, I'd like to come along as well?" "If it's alright with them, then sure." Lyra looked up at the two of them and smiled warmly. To Matthias, it was the first smile he had seen in a very long time. But Killian couldn't care less. "I'm sorry, Ma'am." Killian said sternly, "But in recent events, civilians aren't allowed to interfere. Until we know whether it's safe, you can't accompany us." Lyra's smile faded, but she gave a quick nod, understanding his words. Then she took a step back as Twilight started to lead the group to the castle. However, Matthias remained behind for a moment and reached into his pocket and retrieved a black and white feather. "Here." He said, presenting the feather to Lyra. "Uh, thank you, Matthias." Lyra said, taking the feather in her magic, "Why are you giving this to me?" "Because that's the best smile I've seen in a very, very long time." Lyra blushed a little, because she never thought that a simple smile would cause someone to give her a gift. And since it was from the first human she had ever met, it made the feather far more unique and somewhat special. "It was nice to meet you, Lyra." Matthias said, walking away to rejoin the others, "Good-bye." Lyra waved as the half-demon caught up with the others, before going around a corner. After a while, they came to the front doors of the castle and went inside. "Here we are." Twilight said, welcoming Matthias and Killian to her home. "Very impressive." Killian said, looking around at the interior, "But, it looked a lot smaller on the outside." "Well, it took magic to make it. So, that's the best explanation that we can think of for it." "Understandable, your highness." "Actually, I mostly prefer if you just call me Twilight. 'Your Highness' doesn't really suit me." Killian bowed in respect to the request and smiled as he looked around the interior once again. "So, you mentioned someone called Princess Celestia." Killian inquired, looking back down at Twilight, "Who is she?" "She's the high ruler of Equestria." Twilight explained, leading them through the castle, "Anything and everything that's extremely important has to go to her. She's also the one who raises and lowers the sun everyday. Her younger sister Luna is in charge of the night activities." "Wait... You mean to tell me, that you have two rulers who can control the sun and moon?!" "Yes. Then there's Princess Cadence who is the Princess of Love. Then there's me, I'm the Princess of Friendship." Killian raised an eyebrow at that, unsure about what to think of such things. It also made Matthias a little unsure as well. However, hearing about Celestia and Luna, made Killian very interested about what else this world had. "Spike," Twilight said, looking toward the small dragon, "please send a message to Princess Celestia and request if she could come to Ponyville as soon as possible." "I'm on it." Spike replied, walking over to a table that had parchment and a quill. After a moment, the message was written and Spike held it in front of him, before... Fwoosh! He breathed green flames that engulfed the message, causing it to disappear into a small puff of smoke and sail out of a window. "Interesting ability." Killian said, looking at the window, "Will that message go directly to the princess, or are we going to be waiting a long time for a response?" "The messages we send with dragon's fire, always go right to her." Twilight said as they entered the throne room, "And if the subject is of any importance, she usually attends to them as soon as she can." Belch! Fwoosh! Killian and Matthias were amazed again when they saw Spike burp green flames and transform into a scroll. The small dragon caught it in mid-air and began to read. "Dear Princess Twilight; Reading your message and seeing the importance of it, I will be journeying to Ponyville, first thing tomorrow morning. Notify your guests, and anypony else you feel should be a part of this ordeal, to gather in your throne room. Sincerely, Princess Celestia of Equestria." Looking outside a window, Twilight saw that the sun was slowly going down. Which was good, because that meant she didn't have to worry about trying to entertain Matthias and Killian. But, in truth, even if she tried to be a good hostess, Twilight wasn't sure what they'd be interested in. After all, they were very different from the ones she knew. "That was a quick response." Killian said, standing next to her. "She's a fast reader." Twilight said, turning and looking over the map, "So, this sorcerer, Mortese, can you tell us anything else about him?" "He isn't something to treat lightly. In truth, we're not sure why he chose the path he took. But, we are very certain that if he isn't stopped, he could destroy any who he might consider a threat. And, at this moment, he wants to destroy the humans in our world." As Killian explained what he knew, Matthias leaned against a wall with his hood over his face. His arms were crossed and he kept his head down, not causing any trouble or being a distraction. However, Starlight again approached him and looked up at the glowing blue eyes. "Are you alright?" She asked, sounding a little concerned. "In truth," Matthias said, keeping his voice low, "part of me wanted to leave Killian in that cave and let him die. But, I didn't because that's not the right thing to do. It's not what a real warrior does." "What do you mean?" "A warrior fights for the right cause. But, a soldier does what he's told and doesn't question the order he's given. For nearly three years, all I've done is follow Killian's orders and do as I'm told, without question. But, as you can see, even when I saved his life, he still doesn't show any gratitude. And yet, here I stand against a wall, watching and trying to keep myself hidden." Even though she didn't know much about him, Starlight felt sorry for Matthias. All the hurt, the neglect, and being called a monster, sickened her. No one should deserve such treatment. Yet, it confused her, because as she looked at the half-demon, Starlight could also see that he had accepted all of it. However, in her mind, something told her that Matthias wasn't sharing certain information. "Since you'll have to wait until morning," Twilight said, getting Starlight's and Matthias' attention, "would you like to stay here in the castle?" "That would be nice." Killian replied, giving another short bow, "Thank you." "Great. Killian, you can stay in the guest room across from the library. And, Matthias, you can stay in the room between Starlight's and Spike's. I hope you two don't mind." "Not at all. Please, lead the way." Twilight made her way out of the throne room, leaving the sword on her throne and being followed by Spike and Starlight. Killian waited by the door as Matthias followed as well. But, when Matthias was close and far enough away from the ponies and dragon, Killian lifted his hand and placed it on Matthias' dented chest plate. "When we meet the princess tomorrow," Killian warned in a whisper, giving Matthias a hard stare, "you are to only speak when spoken to. And, you will show respect. Am I clear?" Matthias looked back at him with an equal stare and gave a fanged smile. If they were in their world, that would've earned him a night in a demon cage. However, since they weren't, Matthias knew that there was only so much Killian could do. But, he also knew that, eventually, they would get back to their own world and he'd be in trouble. So, for the time being, he intended to enjoy the amount of freedom that he had, before it was gone. "As ice." Matthias said, resuming to follow Twilight to their rooms. After a short venture through the vast halls of the castle, they found the two rooms. "I take my leave and bid you goodnight." Killian said, stepping into the room. Matthias' room was only around one corner. And when he opened it, he saw that it had a bed with electric blue sheets and pillows, a white cabinet, a medium sized window, and a black rug in the center. "It's not much," Twilight said modestly, "but I hope you like it." "It's been a while since I slept on a bed." Matthias replied, approaching the bed and sitting on the edge, "And, this one feels very comfortable. Thank you very much, Princess." Bowing his head slightly and smiling warmly, Twilight used her magic to close the door, leaving him alone. There wasn't any light shining into the room, which meant that it was now night. But, that didn't bother him, since he could see in the darkness. Quickly, he undid the straps that held his armor to him, inspecting every piece as he undressed. And every piece was dented, bent, and burnt in some places. "Wonderful." Matthias grumbled, placing the chest plate with the rest of his armor, that he put in the cabinet, "On top of everything that's happened, my armor might not even survive a pebble being thrown at it." He shook his head in disappointment and returned to the bed, pulling the covers away and laying on the mattress that felt like a cloud. To Matthias, it was one of the best things that had happened to him. It also brought back a certain memory that made the half-demon smile, before closing his eyes. Chapter 4: Dreamland DemonMatthias awoke under a large oak tree with ribbons and glowing lanterns hanging from the branches. It was still night, but he didn't mind. A short distance away, he saw a big lake that appeared to stretch for miles. And the full moon that was hung high in the heavens, made the water shimmer as the ripples and small waves glided across the surface. Stars dotted the sky, making the world around Matthias even more enjoyable. "Only in my dreams have I ever seen such places." Matthias said to himself, sitting up and resting himself against the thick trunk. "Do they also involve someone special?" A voice asked, making the half-demon crack a smile. "Always. And I miss her whenever I wake up." From behind the tree, a young woman appeared and sat next to Matthias. She had long light brown hair and green eyes. Her posture and clothing showed that she was either from a wealthy family or royalty. And, to Matthias, nothing in the entire universe looked more beautiful. "Good evening, my beautiful angel." Matthias said, wrapping his arms around her. "And to you as well, my strong demon." She replied, letting herself be pulled closer and kissing him. They held the kiss for only a moment, but nothing couldn't have been better. "How are you, Katrina?" Matthias whispered, breaking the kiss and looking into her eyes. "I'm just glad that you're still keeping me in your thoughts." Katrina replied, smiling. There were many things Matthias kept secret. But, ever since he met Princess Katrina, all his secrets and emotions were shared with her and only her. When she brought him that water, Matthias felt something in him, like a fire that had just been started. And, after they had become friends, they were always happy to talk to each other, but never around other people. Perhaps, that's why they could get along so well and fall in love. "I missed you." Matthias said, brushing her hair behind her ear and gently resting his hand on her cheek. "So have I, love." Katrina answered, taking his hand and holding it, "So have I." They held each other for a moment as they looked across the shimmering water. "Would you like to go for a swim?" Matthias asked, grinning and raising an eyebrow, "The water looks very refreshing and it would be a waste not to." "Are you just saying that, so you can see me without my dress?" Katrina asked, turning her head and smirking at him, "Or, are you trying to be romantic?" "Maybe both. But, then again, that's not such a bad thing." They laughed at that for a moment, before getting to their feet. But, as Matthias pulled his stitched shirt off of him, he saw sky blue fabric sail towards him and drape over his head. He knew what it was and he knew who it belonged to, making him smile. Splash, splosh! As he removed the dress that had been thrown at him, he heard the sound of someone dart into the water. "You were right." Katrina said, her body submerged and head above the surface, "The water feels fantastic." "I'm rarely wrong," Matthias replied, stepping closer to the waters edge, still wearing his pants, "when it comes to things I enjoy." Matthias was just about to set foot in the water, when he looked down and saw his reflection looking back at him. However, instead of seeing what he looked like on the outside, he saw a creature with ram horns, sharp tusks that rose from his lower lip, flaming eyes, and pointed ears. After a moment of staring, Matthias lifted his gaze back to Katrina, but then he noticed something happening a short distance behind her. "Katrina!" Matthias exclaimed, stepping into the water as fast as he could, "Get out of the water! Now!" "What's wrong?" She asked, unaware of the movement of water behind her. "Water elemental!" Without hesitation, Matthias dove into the water and started to swim as hard as he could towards her. Unfortunately, the living body of water pulled her further away as it formed. Then Matthias felt something grab onto his leg and pull him under the surface. This caused him to look down, that's when he saw the devilish figure pulling him further and further down. Once they reached the bottom, the creature landed on his feet, before throwing Matthias against the sandy floor. "Who are you?" Matthias thought, forcing himself upright and floating in place. "Who do you think I am?" The creature asked as they stared at each other far below the surface of the water, as if it heard Matthias' thought. Before Matthias could react or respond, the creature threw a hard right punch, striking Matthias and sending him a short distance through the water. "I am you, Matthias." He said, approaching the warrior again and giving another punch, "I'm the one that lives within your mind and soul. I'm the half of you that you wish you weren't. And, I'm sick of watching you make us look weak." "I'm trying to bring balance and peace!" Matthias mentally argued, blocking another hit, "I am many things. But, a monster isn't one of them. Even if others see me as such, I refuse to be brought down by what others think of me!" "Look at you. Your human half is weak hearted, soft, emotional, and easy to break. Yet, you have power they could never understand. But, you still choose to be the slave the humans want you to be. And, not to mention, you've fallen for the daughter of a king that is too cowardly to join his men in battle." Before long, Matthias was pinned under his inner monster and that's when the creature reached around his back and retrieved a sharp knife. "I'll be the one they bow to!" The creature said, raising the blade high above him, ready to strike, "And weaklings aren't welcome in my kingdom." Suddenly, the blade came down fast and the next thing Matthias saw, before the blade could touch him, was a glowing dark blue figure and everything went black. Matthias awoke with such a start, he jumped out of his bed and took a battle stance, ready to defend himself from anything that might harm him. But, he soon realized that he was alone in his little room as the sun peaked over the horizon. "What the hell?" Matthias murmured to himself, sitting back down on the sheets and holding his forehead. Bang, bang, bang! He barely had time to make sense of the strange dream, before there was a loud banging on his door. "Get up!" A voice commanded, who Matthias recognized as Killian's voice, "And make yourself as presentable as possible. We're meeting the high princess in a few minutes!" "I'll be out in a moment." Matthias replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Quickly, Matthias dressed himself in his damaged armor and hooded cloak, before leaving the room. It didn't take long for him to find the throne room again, but he was somewhat surprised when he entered. Standing next to Twilight was a large white alicorn with a sun on her flank. She wore gold barding with purple and blue jewels on it, had a flowing multi coloured mane and tail, as well as a regal voice. She also had the appearance of someone who would be very wise. "Hello, Matthias." A voice said, causing the half-demon to snap his head and look. "Good morning." He replied, seeing Starlight standing next to him. They were soon joined by Killian and Spike, who entered the throne room and approached the two alicorns. Then they saw the little dragon speak a couple words before pointing back at Matthias and Killian. "Please, come in." Twilight said, walking around the round table, "We have others arriving shortly, but we can start with the introductions first." "Of course, Twilight." Killian said, stepping into the room and taking a knee, "Greetings, your highness. My name is Killian, commander of the tenth legion of the Vandlgradian army." "And I am Matthias." The half-demon said, taking a knee next to Killian, "I'm a half-demon serving under Killian's command." "Welcome." The white alicorn said, bowing her head, "I am Princess Celestia, high ruler of Equestria." Chapter 5: The Man on the Map"So..." Rainbow Dash questioned, eyeing the two strangers, "You're from another world, huh?" "That we are." Killian replied, looking from one pony to the next, "But, as we said before, we didn't have much of a choice. Once we dispose of Mortese, we'll leave." It was early afternoon and the other ponies had arrived at the castle. At first, they weren't very sure about why they were there, but when they saw Matthias and Killian, it all became very, very clear. They had heard about two odd looking figures in Ponyville, but they never saw them, until now. And when they did, none of the ponies could fully understand how creatures like these could exist. "What makes ya'll think he's here?" Applejack asked, hearing the intimidation in his voice, "I mean, he opened a portal to get here. What if he opened another to leave?" "Like most things," Kilian replied, "magic can be traced. The problem is knowing where to find a magical disturbance. As far as we know, we're the only disturbance in the past two days." Knowing more than her fair share of magic, Twilight looked at the map as a thought entered her mind. "I've got an idea." She said, illuminating her horn, "If I can combine a detection spell with the map, I might be able to find the most recent magical disturbances." Her horn glowed brighter as she began putting her plan into action. The map flickered as lines crossed the detailed surface. From all different areas of Equestria, they saw coloured dots in random places. However, most of the dots were small and light coloured, except two. "There." Twilight said, pointing at the two dark red dots, "The first one is in the Everfree Forest, where you two appeared. The second is on the very edge of the ocean part of the map. But, where it is, there's nothing there." Everyone looked at the point on the map, that was so far, it almost looked like it might've been going beyond the edge. "Is there anything beyond those waters?" Killian asked, walking around the table to where the dot was. "Hang on." Twilight replied, focusing on the map as the surface began to move, until it reached the exact point the dot had appeared. However, where it was didn't look very comforting or welcoming to anyone. The place they were looking at was littered with volcanoes, canyons, bodies of water, and mountain ranges that would be perfect for channeling strong wind currents. To the Vandlgradian warriors, it wasn't anything new to them. But, to the ponies, it looked like a dangerous and terrifying place, not meant for the lighthearted. "Well done!" A deep voice boomed, making everyone look around the throne room, "You've found my little home away from home." "I know that voice!" Matthias said, feeling a sense of anger inside him. "Well, how about that? The mighty warrior and his pet." "Where are you?!" Killian growled, quickly grabbing the sword that had been resting against Twilight's throne. "Right here." Suddenly, the map surface began to twist and bend as the mountains and valleys disappeared. In their place, a blurry figure began to take form. As they watched, everyone could see a tall man with long hair, wearing a dark purple robe, holding a staff with a blue gem in one hand, with a devilish smile take shape. However, he didn't become solid. Once he was fully formed, he was still somewhat transparent, which only told them that what they saw was only a manifestation, not a real being. "Mortese!" Killian growled, taking a battle stance, "How did you know we were here?" "It wasn't difficult to know that you followed me through the portal." The manifestation said as his smile grew slightly and his eyes narrowed, "And using magic to find me was more than easy for me to confirm it. And now I know where you are too." "If so, then why don't you come and face the judgement you deserve? I'll make it swift." "As tempting as that sounds, I'm afraid it would interfere with my plans. But, since you now know where to find me, you're more than welcome to stop by." "I'm not going to someplace that allows you to have the advantage, Mortese." "No? Then, perhaps, this will give you some motivation." The blue gem on his staff glowed and a young woman appeared at his feet. Her frayed hair draped over her face as she sat in front of Mortese. Her outfit consisted of a white blouse and gown that appeared to be slightly battered, while her skin was dirty, but unharmed. Her hands looked as though they had been dragged across stone, while on her feet, she had nothing to protect them from the cold, rough ground, making them match her hands. Even though none of them could see her face, it was all too obvious that the woman was frightened. "Rise." Mortese said in a deep tone, causing the young woman to stand, "And introduce yourself." Once she was at a complete stance, everyone saw that she was quivering uncontrollably. "I-I am Princess Katrina of Vandlgrad." She whispered, pulling back her hair and revealing her face. Killian kept his composure as he looked upon the frightened princess. But, for Matthias, there were no words to describe the thoughts and emotions he felt when he saw Katrina. His glowing blue eyes flickered lightly, his muscles tensed tightly, and his heart beat like a war drum. However, he didn't make his reaction obvious. He knew how to control his anger, but only to a certain point. And this was pushing his limits heavily. "I don't really care when you get here." Mortese said, waving his hand, signalling Katrina to leave, "But, know this, the longer it takes for you to come to her rescue, the more difficult and dangerous her stay here becomes." "You hurt her," Matthias growled, showing his fangs, "I'll rip out your heart and eat it!" "I have no interest in harming her, myself. But, considering where I am, she might bring harm upon herself if she's not careful." Lowering the sword, Killian glared at the sorcerer as he finished his sentence with a grin. "What is it that you want, Mortese?" Killian asked, keeping a sharp eye on the manifestation. "Isn't it obvious?" Mortese chuckled, "I want to rule worlds and gain more power than anyone can dream of. And, after I drain the magic from this world, I'm going to return to ours and erase humans from existence, before moving on to the next and doing the same." "You can't handle that much power." "Just watch me." With that, the manifestation disappeared, allowing the map the return to it's true form. But, everyone had heard and felt the gravity of what the sorcerer said. "Your highness," Killian said, addressing Celestia, "is there a place where we can resupply ourselves? Preferably, armor and weapons?" "Yes." Celestia replied, "I have a friend in our capital city who can help you." "Thank you, Princess." Killian turned to look at Matthias, but found the half-demon gone. "Matthias!" Killian called, receiving no answer. "I'll go see if I can find him." Starlight said, turning towards the door that was ajar. Leaving the throne room and heading towards one of the guest rooms, Starlight kept her ears open for anything that might tell her where Matthias was. But, when she got there, she found the room empty. Seeing no one inside, Starlight continued to search through the castle. "Where are you?" Starlight asked, speaking to herself. Shortly after, Starlight heard the sound of footsteps walking through the halls. "Matthias?" Starlight said, turning a corner and finding him on the balcony, looking over the landscape, "Are you alright?" "He stole her." Matthias said in a threatening tone, keeping his eyes on the horizon, "He stole her and I wasn't there to stop him." "You were in the middle of a war, Matthias. How could you have known?" All at once, the fire in Matthias' eyes exploded into an inferno that rivaled the strongest volcano. "IF I WAS THERE, SHE WOULD BE SAFE!!" Matthias shouted, tears flowing out of his eyes and catching Starlight off guard, "EVERYTHING I'VE DONE, I DID FOR HER!! I'VE GIVEN BLOOD AND METAL TO ENSURE THAT SHE WOULDN'T GET CAUGHT IN ANY OF THIS!! AND YET, MORTESE MANAGED TO GET HIS WICKED BLOOD SOAKED HANDS ON HER!!" Starlight was so surprised she took a step back and illuminated her horn. "Matthias, please, calm down!" Starlight exclaimed, seeing Matthias turn towards her and revealing his raging expression, "I can see she means something to you, but acting like this isn't going to help her. Just settle down and then all of us can come up with a plan. Okay?" Matthias stared hard at her for a brief moment, before breathing heavily and slightly relaxing. But, Starlight could still see the fury that burned in his glowing blue eyes. Dimming her horn, Starlight approached Matthias cautiously as he fell to his knees. "She's all I have left, Starlight." Matthias said, lowering his gaze to the floor, "The only person who has cared about me, since my mother was executed, is now the prisoner of a monster." "It's obvious that you love her, I can see that." Starlight said, "But, are you prepared for what's about to happen?" "All I need is some new armor and a sword." Prologue"STORM THE MOUNTAIN!!" A voice shouted, "IF ANY OF YOU FIND THE SORCERER, KILL HIM!!" "FOR VANDLGRAD!!!" They shouted as several soldiers clad in gleaming armor and wielding a variety of weapons charged forward. The mountain reached the cloud cover above as rain drenched the world below. The earth under their feet became muddy and slick, causing the soldiers to splash through puddles and occasionally lose their footing. The wind froze the air around them, causing their nostrils to burn with every breathe they took. And sharp rocks stuck out from the ground, like spears threatening to impale any who came too close. And from what they could see, lava was flowing down the sides of the large mountain. C-CRACK!!! RRRIIIPPPP!!! Suddenly, the soil tore apart and the rocks began to move on their own. And every soldier knew what was about to happen as a three fingered stone hand reached over the edge of the rip in the ground. "HAMMERS!!" A soldier called, turning toward ten hammer wielding behemoths, "WE NEED HAMMERS NOW!!!" GROOOOO!!! The ten behemoths charged to the front as a large monster made of earth and stone climbed from the crack. As it began to advance towards them, more rocks rolled along the ground and smashed into the monster, making it grow bigger. The hammer wielding warriors reached the monster and swung with as much force as they could muster, breaking one of the stone legs that it stood upon. GROOOOOOOOO!!! The monster fell to one knee as the hammers pounded at it. But, with every stone on the field joining together, the monster's leg grew back and it rose to it's feet. However, it was now far bigger than the hammer warriors, who kept pounding and smashing the monster with all their might. Unfortunately, the stone monster wasn't the only one on the battlefield. The puddles of water and rain swirled and twisted as they began to create a new form. "TRITONS!!!" The voice boomed, "GET THE TRITONS UP HERE!!!" As several soldiers equipped with bronze tritons raced toward the swirling liquid, they saw a creature made of water manifest before them. The upper body appeared to look like a man, while from the waist down, water swirled like an angry whirlpool. SPLAAAAASH!! Water swept across the ground, rushing towards the tritons. But, the tritons were trained to fight such a thing. All around the soldiers, the air filled with static energy as three tornadoes descended from the clouds. And it was very clear what was coming next. "God, help us." One soldier whispered as two arms and hands made of lightning stretched out from a body made of clouds. As they watched the being form, they saw that it's head was also made of cloud, with eyes that shot lightning. It was by far the biggest of the monstrous beings. "EVERYONE GET READY!!!" The loud voice shouted again, "SEND THIS ONE BACK TO WHERE IT CAME FROM!!!" One of the lightning hands fell from above and swept across the ground as soldiers scattered, in order to avoid being hit. Unfortunately, the hand wiped out half of them, before ascending back into the air. The soldiers were so busy fighting the creatures, only a handful noticed something unique on the mountain. "THERE HE IS!!!" A soldier shouted, pointing toward the mountainside, "THE SORCERER!!!" Only five heard his call and looked to where he was pointing. And they saw a man wearing a dark robe and holding a staff, standing in front of a cave that had a reddish glow. Without waiting for an order, all five started running towards the base of the mountain, before climbing the steep incline. But as they climbed, a bright blur sailed by them, before turning back and rushing the five soldiers. "It's the fire!" One called, not needing to shout too loudly, "We have to hurry!" "Keep it busy!" Another called, climbing faster, "I'll handle the sorcerer!" "I refuse to let a half-breed take the honor that should belong to a real man!" "If we don't end this now, then there won't be any men in the future! Except for him!" Clenching his teeth and thinking for a short moment, the first soldier nodded, allowing the second to continue up the mountain alone. This left the others to fight against a being made of flames. "COME ON, YOU!!!" The first soldier shouted as he and the others used their magically enhanced weapons to fight the fire. Meanwhile, the lone warrior reached the cave, only to find that he was the only one there. The sorcerer was nowhere to be found and below him, at the base of the mountain, the battle between the soldiers and the creatures continued. But, it wasn't very difficult to figure out where the sorcerer had gone. "It's time to end this war." The warrior said, gripping his sword tightly and pulling his hood further over his head, darkening his face as he faced the cave. Carefully walking into the cave, he could feel the temperature rise as he went further. But, it didn't bother him. He listened for anything that might mean trouble, while his glowing blue eyes helped him to see in very dark corners that could hide dangers. However, as he continued, he found no sign of traps or any other danger. After a short while, he came to a chamber with a lava pit in the middle and several items that would normally be found in homes. A bed in the far corner had a tiger fur blanket, while bowls, herbs, bones, crystals, different coloured powders, and strange symbols were all around the floor and walls. "Do you like my home?" A voice asked, causing the warrior to turn around and raise his sword, but felt himself freeze mid-swing. The warrior found the sorcerer standing behind him with one of his hands raised as if he was stopping something. "I heard the king had a half-demon in his army." The sorcerer said, keeping his hand up as he walked around the warrior and towards the opposite side of the cave, "However, I had a very difficult time believing such a thing. And I was very surprised to hear the name of said half-demon." "My name should be interesting to you." The warrior replied, keeping his eyes on the sorcerer, unable to attack, "Because it will be the one thing in Hell you'll always remember." "Do you even know what it is you're fighting for?" Then the sorcerer held his staff, before tapping it against the ground. Crack! Without warning, lightning flickered as the staff made contact with the floor and the symbols and crystals around the chamber began to move. "What are you doing?!" The warrior asked, alarmed by the strange activity. "It's time to end the rein of King Tiberius!" The sorcerer said menacingly as the symbols and crystals spun around the room. Suddenly, the warrior heard the sounds of armored footsteps running through the caverns. He looked to see the same soldier from before barreling into the chamber. "FOR VANDLGRAD!!" He shouted, sword drawn. "KILLIAN, DON'T!!" The warrior shouted, trying to warn his fellow soldier. The words never reached the unexpected soldier as he threw his sword at the sorcerer, who used his magic to dodge the attack and cast a spell of his own, that hit Killian in his chest. However, the sword struck one of the crystals and caused it to break. And that caused the symbols and the remaining crystals to spin out of control as a white light formed in the center on the chamber. However, as they watched, the light got bigger and brighter as the symbols and crystals spun around. "You idiot!" The sorcerer called, holding out his hands, "You might've ruined my plans for this world! But, there are other worlds I can conquer! And when the time is right, I'm coming back to kill every last one of you!" With that, the sorcerer jumped forward and into the light. Leaving the warrior and his wounded companion in the chamber as it shook violently. "We have to get out of here!" The warrior said, putting his sword back in it's sheath and grabbing Killian, "Come on!" "Why would a half-demon, like you, risk his own skin to save me, Matthias?" Killian asked as blood seeped from his mouth, "Your kind, half-demons and full-demons, always run away when it's too dangerous." Ignoring the harsh words and looking desperately around, Matthias searched for a way to get Killian out of danger. But, the only thing he saw that could be useful, was the bright light that the sorcerer had jumped through. However, now the light started to dim. "We'll talk about that later. For now, I'm getting you out of here." Matthias said, picking Killian up and putting him on his shoulders, "And there's only one way to go." Taking a few quick steps, Matthias and Killian surged forward and into the bright light, before it went dark.
Chapter 1: Strange CreaturesIt was midnight in Equestria and all was quiet. Ponyville was dark, except for the few streetlamps that shined in the night. Canterlot was dotted with the small lights of homes and the castle. Even the Everfree Forest was deafly silent. Animals cuddled together under the various plants as the stars and moon illuminated the dark forest. The only unnatural light that was found in the eerie woods, came from a hut that had been made from a hollow tree with several strange masks and bottles around the outside of it. While, on the inside, there were more bottles and masks, as well as a caldron with a boiling brown liquid. And a zebra wearing gold bands around her neck and two of her hooves, walked over to a bed that appeared to have different furs covering it. "Such a quiet night. No need for a terrible fright." The zebra said as she sipped from her cup of tea. To some, she appeared to be strange. But to her friends, she was just like any other. However, whenever it came down to something that couldn't be explained by their methods, she had ways of finding the answers. Whether it was magical, spiritual, odd medicines, or finding one's center, she was the one some went to for help. But, sometimes even she couldn't find the answers that were needed. K-Kra-BOOM!!! A flash and a loud sound roared through the trees, waking anything that could hear it. The zebra almost spilled her drink as the sound startled her. "What was it that flashed?!" The zebra said, getting to her hooves and rushing to a window, "Has a star fallen and crashed?!" Off in the distance, she saw several glowing ambers from trees that were exposed to the sudden activity. Clearly, whatever caused such a thing to happen, must be important. And the zebra knew that. Quickly, she put her tea on a table and rushed out the door, heading toward the glowing ambers. But, when she got there, she found something very strange and alien to her. "Never, in my travels to lands near and far," the zebra exclaimed, seeing the two figures in the center of a large burn circle, "have I ever seen creatures so bizarre!" The only features that she could recognize were their arms and hands, which were similar to monkeys. However, they had far less hair, wore armor, and one of them had a torn blood red hood and a sword in it's sheath. The other had no weapon or hood, but the armor it was wearing had a burn mark on the chest plate. "Both look strong." The zebra whispered, stepping closer, "But, there is clearly something wrong." Once she was close to the hooded one, she cautiously reached out her hoof to it's neck. Upon touching the skin, she felt a pulse, but that only made her more cautious as she moved her hoof to one of the eyes. But, before she reached it, the eyes shot open and one of the hands grabbed her hoof with lightning speed. She felt her voice catch in her throat, keeping her from screaming in fear as the glowing blue eyes stared at her. However, the feeling of fear slowly left her as she saw that the creature wasn't doing anything else, except stare. She was very good at reading others and what she saw in this creature was anger, fear, sadness, and torture. But, she had only relaxed as she saw that all of those emotions weren't truly directed at her. Then the creature opened it's mouth and she saw a pair of short pointed fangs. And then she heard a very faint sound escape it's lips, before the creature let go of her and closed it's eyes again. Knowing that she wasn't in any real danger, the zebra quickly went back to her hut and retrieved a potion bottle. When she returned to the creatures she opened the bottle and poured only a few drops on each of them. After waiting a moment, the creatures rose above the ground only a few inches, allowing the zebra to wrap a vine around them and pull them to her hut. Once inside, she began undoing the straps that held the armor on the creatures. After a few minutes of fiddling with the buckles, the armor was finally possible to remove. On the hooded one, the zebra saw burns, scars, and dark bruises all over it's well-toned muscular body. But, on the second one, she only saw the single burn mark on it's chest. Checking the second's eyes and mouth, she also found that they were very different from the first one. For instance, this one's eyes weren't glowing blue and it's mouth didn't have fangs. And that confused her. "Why would they not be the same?" She asked herself, looking over both of them as she started to throw certain things into the caldron, "And, from what land have they came?" As she added more ingredients, the zebra noticed that she was short on one of the herbs she needed. However, it didn't worry her, because she knew where to get more. Unfortunately, the herb she needed had to be purchased in Ponyville, because it was one of the few plants that she needed, that didn't grow in the forest. But, it was the middle of the night and she knew that none of the shops were open. So, first thing in the morning, she'll go there and see if she can find what she needed. But, that wasn't what she was worried about. Instead, she was concerned about if the creatures would survive until then. Grabbing a bottle off a shelf, she opened their mouths and poured only a trickle of the liquid into them. It wasn't a very strong medicine, but she knew that it would be enough to give them a chance.
Chapter 2: Unknown and KnownMorning broke in Equestria and an alicorn, a baby dragon, and a unicorn were out and about in Ponyville. It was a beautiful morning as the sun rose higher and higher into the sky. As they walked, they saw ponies opening their shops and preparing for their daily activities. It wasn't a scholl day, so foals were either still asleep in their homes or out with their friends already. "Good morning." A voice said, causing the alicorn to look at who it had come from. Upon seeing who it was, they waved and smiled as they saw another unicorn approach them. "Good morning, Lyra." The alicorn said, before noticing that the unicorn was levitating a book in her magic, "What are you reading?" "It's just my journal, Princess Twilight." Lyra said, closing the book, "Well, more of a field guide than a journal, anyway." "About what?" Lyra trotted closer to the three of them, before continuing. "I have this theory that, somewhere, there are strange things that live far beyond Equestria." Lyra said, opening her journal to the page she left off, "Right now, I'm working on a creature called a human." Hearing that word, Twilight's ears perked up. She knew what Lyra was talking about, but she always thought she, and two others, knew what a human was. But, she wasn't expecting anyone, who hadn't left their world to know about them. "Uh... What's a human?" The other unicorn asked, cocking her head a little bit. "Only the most difficult to find and interesting creatures in the universe!" Lyra said, enthusiastically flipping through the pages, "Their supposed to be friendly, brave, resourceful, and clever." "Basically, Starlight," the baby dragon said, before Lyra could continue, "they're a lot like us. Except for appearance." "How do you know what they look like, Spike?" Lyra asked, raising an eyebrow at the little dragon, "You've never met one... Wait, have you?" That's when Twilight quickly stepped in, before too much was said. "Um, I think we should get going." Twilight said, putting on a smile and motioning for the others to get moving, "It was nice to see you, Lyra. Bye." Before Lyra could respond, Twilight urged the other two forward and away, continuing towards their destination. After a short walk, the arrived at a small shop that supplied various plants and crystals. But, some of these items had certain capabilities, such as being used in magic potions, scientific experiments, and medicines. Only a few plants were rare and brought from distant lands. However, the crystals were usually found throughout Equestria and were easy to use. "Hello, Mrs. Shard." Twilight said, opening the door and greeting the shopkeeper, "Have those Saddle Arabian ferns arrived yet?" "As a matter of fact," The light grey earth pony said, reaching under her counter, "they arrived twenty minutes before you walked in. Strange plant to ask for though." "I thought I'd add some exotic style to the castle." As they talked, another customer entered the shop, ringing the little bell hanging above the door. "Excuse me?" She said, pulling back her hood, "Do you have a jester tree?" They turned to look at the other customer and saw that she was a zebra with a hooded cloak standing near the doorway. "Of course, Zecora." Mrs. Shard said, pointing to and odd looking tree, "It's my last one, but it'll cost thirty bits." "Thirty bits is fair." Zecora said, reaching into her cloak pocket and retrieving thirty coins, "Since jester trees are somewhat rare." Twilight approached the zebra and smiled warmly at her. "Hello, Zecora." She said, watching as the zebra paid for the tree, "Why do you need a jester tree?" "Two injured creatures appeared in the forest last night." Zecora explained, wrapping a hoof around the tree pot and leaving the store, with Twilight and the other two following her, "But, the tree has an ingredient to help make them right." "Do you know what they are? The creatures?" "That, I do not know. But, one of them has eyes that glow." Almost instantly, Twilight became very interested in the creatures Zecora was talking about. But, the more the zebra explained as they ventured towards her hut, the less she understood. Clearly, whatever they were, meant that there was either no record of such things, or there were only a very few of them. However, being the curious pony she was and record keeper, Twilight believed that if she saw these creatures, then there could be more important information and studies about them. But, what caught her interest the most, was the fact that these creatures wore clothes and armor. "Did their outfits have a symbol or a mark that identified which land they came from?" Twilight asked, seeing the hut in the distance. "Not that I saw." Zecora replied as they reached the hut, "But, I was too much in awe." Opening the door, Zecora, Twilight, Starlight, and Spike entered the tree hut. It only took one second for Twilight to locate the creatures. But, when she saw what they were, her jaw dropped and eyes widened. "Humans!" Spike exclaimed, rubbing his eyes in disbelief, "What are humans doing in Equestria?!" "Those are humans?!" Starlight asked, staring at the two strange beings, "I thought you said they were like us, Spike?" "I said they're like us, except in appearance." Twilight was still staring wordlessly as Zecora plucked some leaves off of the jester tree. "By the way you stare at them," Zecora said, dropping the leaves into her caldron, "it's almost as if you found a very powerful gem." Twilight closed her mouth and shook her head, trying to collect her senses. "Zecora, do you know how they got here?" Twilight asked, keeping her eyes on the humans. "Unfortunately, no." The zebra replied, stirring the liquid, "But, when they're better, I'm sure they'll let you know." After a short time, Zecora's medicine was finished and she scooped some into a bowl. She went over to the human with a burn mark on his chest and opened his mouth, before pouring a small amount of medicine and closing his mouth again. Then she approached the second, but when she opened his mouth and poured another small amount, the human woke up and was on his feet faster than they could react. "COME ON!!" The fanged human shouted, reaching to his side and finding that his sword wasn't there, "What?!" Suddenly, there was a purple mist that engulfed him and his arms were forced apart. Then he felt himself being lifted off the ground and held weightlessly in the air. "Whoever is using magic on me," The human growled, "release me! Now!" "Not until you calm down." Twilight replied, her horn glowing. The human looked down at her with a very confused and surprised expression. "Did... Did you just say something?" He asked, staring at Twilight with a gaze that could cut through metal. "Yes." She replied, staring back at his glowing blue eyes. The fanged human's eyes widened in awe at that single word. Clearly, he had never heard a pony speak before, which made perfect sense to Twilight, because she only knew very few humans and they knew about her. However, the fact that confused Twilight the most, was that these humans were very, very different from the ones she knew. For instance, the ones she knew didn't have swords or wore armor. If anything, they were far more advanced than the one she was holding in her magic. And, she certainly never met a human with fangs and glowing eyes. The only thing she could think of that came close, was a demon. "What's your name?" Twilight asked, cocking her head slightly, "And why do you have fangs?" "My... My name is Matthias." He said, relaxing his nerves and senses, "And I'm a half-demon from Vandlgrad." "A... Half-demon?" "Half human, half demon." "Why are you here?" "Put me down and I'll tell you." Turning her head to the others, Twilight saw that they were either confused or concerned. But, since two of them had never met a human, it was to be expected. "How do we know we can trust you?" She asked, turning back to Matthias. "In truth, you can't." Matthias replied, looking at the other human, "But, that's something I've grown used to over the years." Thinking for a moment, Twilight slowly lowered him back down to the ground and released him. Matthias stood tall over them wearing only his stitched pants, leaving his upper body exposed. As well as his scars. She wanted to ask him about them, but she feared that it might trigger some bad memories. So, Twilight chose to stay on the current topic and ask about the scars later. "So, why are you here?" Twilight asked again, cautious of the being in front of her. "To put it simply," Matthias began, "we were supposed to find and kill a very powerful and very dangerous sorcerer named Mortese. But, when we did find him, he escaped into, what we knew, was a portal. However, he gave us no choice, since the cave we found him in collapsed and Killian was injured. It was our only way out." "I'm assuming Killian is the other one?" "Yes. And before you ask, he's a regular human." "Why are you fighting Mortese?" Looking around and spotting his hooded shirt, Matthias remembered that he had something that could help explain their purpose. "In one of the pockets," he said, pointing at the torn blood red fabric, "I have a journal with several entries in it. If you read it, you might get some answers." Twilight stayed focused on Matthias as Spike searched through the pockets and retrieved the little leather book with a stitched spine. "It's odd seeing a dragon serve a pony." Matthias said as Spike opened the book and stood next to Twilight, "But, then again, it's only a youngling. Probably... six years old, maybe more." "I'll have you know that I might be small," Spike countered, eyeing the half-demon suspiciously, "but I'm older than I look." "Of course. I don't mean any disrespect, little dragon." "Hey, I've got a name and it's Spike." Looking at the others, Matthias realized that none of them had introduced themselves. "And you three?" Matthias asked, looking from one to the other, "I suppose you have names as well." "I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle." The purple alicorn replied, before pointing behind her, "This is Starlight and Zecora." "Charmed to meet you. And thank you for your hospitality, Zecora. I apologize for my earlier actions." Zecora bowed her head respectfully as she put the bowl of medicine on a table. "Your writing is odd." Twilight commented, looking through the pages, "I mean, you speak the same language as us, but I don't understand the symbols and markings in this book." "Then, allow me to read them to you." Matthias replied, reaching towards the book. Hesitating for a moment, Twilight placed the book in his hands and he began to read the words he had written throughout the years. "My home is a place of wonder and chaos, love and hate." Matthias began explaining as he read, "There are demons, humans, and living forces of nature. Demons kept to themselves mostly and rarely interacted with anyone who wasn't their kind. They're capable of preforming magic that can either be very beautiful, or very dangerous. Humans are smart and, any who have been trained, are skilled enough to stand against a tidal wave, unafraid of being overpowered by a force stronger than them. However, every race has it's own dark shadows. Unfortunately, the worst shadow came in the form of a demon named Mortese. A sorcerer who is so powerful, he can summon the elements to do his bidding and change his appearance in a heartbeat." "What makes you think he's here?" Twilight asked, feeling a small sense of worry run through her mind. "He created a portal and said that there were other worlds for him to conquer. But, he summoned the portal so fast, he probably didn't have a certain world in mind. However, even with humans and demons fighting together, we weren't fast enough to capture him." "And those scars?" Starlight asked, pointing at the damaged skin, "How did you get those?" Matthias looked at his arms and torso, inspecting each and ever mark he saw. Twilight, however, turned her head towards Starlight and glared. "When Mortese declared war against the humans," Matthias continued, closing his book, "they captured as many demons as they could. They believed that if enough decided to fight against them, then the humans would be wiped out. I was only a child when they captured my mother and me. She was a human and didn't belong in the same cells as the demons, who were stripped of their magic and freedom. But, even though she was human, it didn't save her from the punishment that she received." "And what punishment was that?" Twilight asked, now very concerned about the world Matthias and Killian were from. Lowering his gaze to the ground as a tear rolled down his face, Matthias put the book down on a nearby table. "They burned her for giving life to a monster." He said in a very sad tone, "After that, I became a slave in the castle. I spent nearly twenty years cleaning, polishing, and serving those who owned me. And if I made a mistake, I was whipped. However, I met my first friend while I was there." "And who was that?" "Princess Katrina. Daughter to King Tiberius, the ruler of Vandlgrad. She saw me scrubbing the floors in the halls one day and offered me some water from the kitchen. However, since I was a half-demon and she was a princess, our friendship was kept a secret." Rubbing his arms, Matthias remembered several moments when he and the princess were alone together. As he did, Twilight noticed a warm smile and another tear roll down his face. But, she knew well that it wasn't a tear of sadness. "You said Mortese was powerful enough to control elements." Twilight said, taking a step closer, "What do you mean by that?" "I trust that you're familiar with the four basic elements, such as fire, earth, wind, and water?" Matthias replied, wiping away his tears and receiving four nods in response, "Well, there are four others that exist, but many choose to ignore them. Those are light, darkness, ice, and thunder. All of these are known as the Prime Elements, the building blocks of all worlds. And Mortese, somehow, has the power to control them all." "Do you know where he is?" "Unfortunately, I don't. I believe that when the portal opened, it changed it's destinations. So, for all I know, he could very well be on the other side of the world." Turning and looking down at Killian, who lay on the bed, Matthias looked at the burn mark on his chest and sighed heavily. But, then he noticed something. As he looked, the burn mark changed in size and colour. Now, it was no bigger that a closed fist and it still decreased in size, until it had vanished completely. But, what happened next caught everyone off guard. "YAAAAAHHH!!!" Killian hollered as he suddenly rose up and tackled Matthias. "Killian, stop!" Matthias pleaded, straining to keep Killian under control, "You have to relax, before you hurt yourself!" "IT'S YOUR FAULT!!" Killian shouted, trying to get an advantage, "YOU SHOULD'VE RUN THAT BLADE THROUGH MORTESE WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE!!!" Killian quickly shifted his gaze to the sword and reached for it, grabbing the handle and drawing it out of the sheath. But, before he could use it on Matthias, he was quickly engulfed in a purple mist and the sword was forced out of his hand. "Calm down! Now!" Twilight said sternly, levitating the sword to her side. "Who said that?!" Killian asked, angrily trying to break free. "Are you always like this when you wake up after an injury?" And like Matthias, Killian was shocked when he saw who spoke. Then he looked at Matthias in confusion and worry. "Just relax for a moment," Matthias said, getting back on his feet, "we'll be able to sort this out together."
Chapter 3: Welcome to Ponyville"Alright, wait a moment." Killian said, placing one hand on his hip and rubbing his forehead with the other, "You're telling me that when we jumped into the light, which was actually a portal, we landed in a place that has magical ponies that can talk, fly, and know how to make medicines?" "Well, we also are capable of several other things too." Twilight replied as they left Zecora's hut, "But, yes." "Is there a name for this land?" "You're in Equestria. One of the many nations that cover this world." Even though they discussed so many things, Matthias and Killian still had difficulties understanding the many things this world held. And even being at proper health and dressed in their armor, it also made them feel out of place. From what they could understand, they were the only human and half-demon that had set foot in Equestria. "I've never heard of such a place." Killian said, lifting a branch and passing under it. However, when he was past the branch, Killian released it, allowing it to fling back and hit Matthias in the face. Whap! "Umph!" Matthias grunted, feeling the rough bark hit him. "Are you alright?!" Starlight asked, seeing what happened. "I'll be fine. I've endured far worse. Although, I'm grateful that Twilight has my sword and not him." "What sort of military force allows the commanding officers to treat their soldiers with such behavior?" "One that has demons fighting for their freedom. If it costs us our right to speak against or fight against anyone, without permission, then so be it. Demons are peaceful and try to avoid conflict, but that's not how the world works." Looking toward Killian, they saw that he behaved as if nothing happen. Twilight, with the sword floating beside her, and Spike were ahead of him, but they were too far away to notice the mistreatment Matthias had received. "Do you want me to say something?" Starlight asked, standing next to Matthias and glaring at Killian's back. "Thank you for the offer." Matthias replied, lifting the branch and continuing on, "But, it's best just to leave it alone for the time being." They walked further until they reached the edge of the forest, where they saw Ponyville. From where they stood, the little town didn't look like much. Although, the large crystal castle that was oddly shaped like a tree told a different story. But, even from where they stood, Matthias and Killian could see the banners and various windows that dotted and stretched across the sides. "Who lives there?" Killian asked, pointing at the castle in the distance. "I do." Twilight said, before adding, "As well as Spike and Starlight." "Well, I'll admit, it's different than I expected." "What exactly did you have in mind?" "I was expecting more stone than crystal. But, interesting, none the less." After a short moment of looking from a distance, Twilight turned toward the two of them with a serious expression on her face. "Now," Twilight began, keeping a stern but gentle tone, "everypony in Equestria has never seen anything like you, except for Spike and myself. So, when we get to Ponyville, don't be too surprised if any of them approach you or run away. Okay?" "I understand fully, Princess." Killian said, giving a short bow before turning toward Matthias and giving him a hard stare, "We both will be on our best behavior." "Of course." Matthias replied, giving a short bow of his own. When Matthias rose up, they walked toward the little town. However, the whole idea of being introduced to an entirely different race felt very strange to him. Shortly after, they arrived in Ponyville. And, as expected, every single pony they went by gave them either a look of concern, confusion, wonder, or amazement. "Princess Twilight!" A voice called, causing the group to look. They watched as Lyra burst from the crowd with her journal wrapped in her magic. But, even though she had excitement on her face, they could also see the caution as she approached them. "Are those what I think they are?" Lyra asked, staring at Matthias and Killian. "Yes, Lyra." Twilight replied, "They're humans. But, don't overwhelm them, they still have quite a bit to understand about our world." "Okay." Lyra floated her journal in front of her and opened it to a blank page, where a pen rested in between the pages. As quickly and neatly as she could, she drew the features and curves of the two warriors. But, what she couldn't understand was that one of them had glowing eyes, while the other didn't. "Why are your eyes glowing?" Lyra asked, stepping closer to Matthias. "He's a half-demon, Ma'am." Killian said, quickly stepping between her and Matthias, "However, I'm a full blood human." "What are your names?" "I am Killian, commanding officer of the tenth legion of the Vandlgradian army." Killian said with pride, before pointing behind him and flatly adding, "And this is Matthias." Lyra's pen quickly scratched across the pages as she took more notes. "Lyra," Twilight said, in a regal tone, "I understand that you want to learn more about them. But, I have to notify Princess Celestia about them." "Of course." Lyra replied, "If you don't mind, I'd like to come along as well?" "If it's alright with them, then sure." Lyra looked up at the two of them and smiled warmly. To Matthias, it was the first smile he had seen in a very long time. But Killian couldn't care less. "I'm sorry, Ma'am." Killian said sternly, "But in recent events, civilians aren't allowed to interfere. Until we know whether it's safe, you can't accompany us." Lyra's smile faded, but she gave a quick nod, understanding his words. Then she took a step back as Twilight started to lead the group to the castle. However, Matthias remained behind for a moment and reached into his pocket and retrieved a black and white feather. "Here." He said, presenting the feather to Lyra. "Uh, thank you, Matthias." Lyra said, taking the feather in her magic, "Why are you giving this to me?" "Because that's the best smile I've seen in a very, very long time." Lyra blushed a little, because she never thought that a simple smile would cause someone to give her a gift. And since it was from the first human she had ever met, it made the feather far more unique and somewhat special. "It was nice to meet you, Lyra." Matthias said, walking away to rejoin the others, "Good-bye." Lyra waved as the half-demon caught up with the others, before going around a corner. After a while, they came to the front doors of the castle and went inside. "Here we are." Twilight said, welcoming Matthias and Killian to her home. "Very impressive." Killian said, looking around at the interior, "But, it looked a lot smaller on the outside." "Well, it took magic to make it. So, that's the best explanation that we can think of for it." "Understandable, your highness." "Actually, I mostly prefer if you just call me Twilight. 'Your Highness' doesn't really suit me." Killian bowed in respect to the request and smiled as he looked around the interior once again. "So, you mentioned someone called Princess Celestia." Killian inquired, looking back down at Twilight, "Who is she?" "She's the high ruler of Equestria." Twilight explained, leading them through the castle, "Anything and everything that's extremely important has to go to her. She's also the one who raises and lowers the sun everyday. Her younger sister Luna is in charge of the night activities." "Wait... You mean to tell me, that you have two rulers who can control the sun and moon?!" "Yes. Then there's Princess Cadence who is the Princess of Love. Then there's me, I'm the Princess of Friendship." Killian raised an eyebrow at that, unsure about what to think of such things. It also made Matthias a little unsure as well. However, hearing about Celestia and Luna, made Killian very interested about what else this world had. "Spike," Twilight said, looking toward the small dragon, "please send a message to Princess Celestia and request if she could come to Ponyville as soon as possible." "I'm on it." Spike replied, walking over to a table that had parchment and a quill. After a moment, the message was written and Spike held it in front of him, before... Fwoosh! He breathed green flames that engulfed the message, causing it to disappear into a small puff of smoke and sail out of a window. "Interesting ability." Killian said, looking at the window, "Will that message go directly to the princess, or are we going to be waiting a long time for a response?" "The messages we send with dragon's fire, always go right to her." Twilight said as they entered the throne room, "And if the subject is of any importance, she usually attends to them as soon as she can." Belch! Fwoosh! Killian and Matthias were amazed again when they saw Spike burp green flames and transform into a scroll. The small dragon caught it in mid-air and began to read. "Dear Princess Twilight; Reading your message and seeing the importance of it, I will be journeying to Ponyville, first thing tomorrow morning. Notify your guests, and anypony else you feel should be a part of this ordeal, to gather in your throne room. Sincerely, Princess Celestia of Equestria." Looking outside a window, Twilight saw that the sun was slowly going down. Which was good, because that meant she didn't have to worry about trying to entertain Matthias and Killian. But, in truth, even if she tried to be a good hostess, Twilight wasn't sure what they'd be interested in. After all, they were very different from the ones she knew. "That was a quick response." Killian said, standing next to her. "She's a fast reader." Twilight said, turning and looking over the map, "So, this sorcerer, Mortese, can you tell us anything else about him?" "He isn't something to treat lightly. In truth, we're not sure why he chose the path he took. But, we are very certain that if he isn't stopped, he could destroy any who he might consider a threat. And, at this moment, he wants to destroy the humans in our world." As Killian explained what he knew, Matthias leaned against a wall with his hood over his face. His arms were crossed and he kept his head down, not causing any trouble or being a distraction. However, Starlight again approached him and looked up at the glowing blue eyes. "Are you alright?" She asked, sounding a little concerned. "In truth," Matthias said, keeping his voice low, "part of me wanted to leave Killian in that cave and let him die. But, I didn't because that's not the right thing to do. It's not what a real warrior does." "What do you mean?" "A warrior fights for the right cause. But, a soldier does what he's told and doesn't question the order he's given. For nearly three years, all I've done is follow Killian's orders and do as I'm told, without question. But, as you can see, even when I saved his life, he still doesn't show any gratitude. And yet, here I stand against a wall, watching and trying to keep myself hidden." Even though she didn't know much about him, Starlight felt sorry for Matthias. All the hurt, the neglect, and being called a monster, sickened her. No one should deserve such treatment. Yet, it confused her, because as she looked at the half-demon, Starlight could also see that he had accepted all of it. However, in her mind, something told her that Matthias wasn't sharing certain information. "Since you'll have to wait until morning," Twilight said, getting Starlight's and Matthias' attention, "would you like to stay here in the castle?" "That would be nice." Killian replied, giving another short bow, "Thank you." "Great. Killian, you can stay in the guest room across from the library. And, Matthias, you can stay in the room between Starlight's and Spike's. I hope you two don't mind." "Not at all. Please, lead the way." Twilight made her way out of the throne room, leaving the sword on her throne and being followed by Spike and Starlight. Killian waited by the door as Matthias followed as well. But, when Matthias was close and far enough away from the ponies and dragon, Killian lifted his hand and placed it on Matthias' dented chest plate. "When we meet the princess tomorrow," Killian warned in a whisper, giving Matthias a hard stare, "you are to only speak when spoken to. And, you will show respect. Am I clear?" Matthias looked back at him with an equal stare and gave a fanged smile. If they were in their world, that would've earned him a night in a demon cage. However, since they weren't, Matthias knew that there was only so much Killian could do. But, he also knew that, eventually, they would get back to their own world and he'd be in trouble. So, for the time being, he intended to enjoy the amount of freedom that he had, before it was gone. "As ice." Matthias said, resuming to follow Twilight to their rooms. After a short venture through the vast halls of the castle, they found the two rooms. "I take my leave and bid you goodnight." Killian said, stepping into the room. Matthias' room was only around one corner. And when he opened it, he saw that it had a bed with electric blue sheets and pillows, a white cabinet, a medium sized window, and a black rug in the center. "It's not much," Twilight said modestly, "but I hope you like it." "It's been a while since I slept on a bed." Matthias replied, approaching the bed and sitting on the edge, "And, this one feels very comfortable. Thank you very much, Princess." Bowing his head slightly and smiling warmly, Twilight used her magic to close the door, leaving him alone. There wasn't any light shining into the room, which meant that it was now night. But, that didn't bother him, since he could see in the darkness. Quickly, he undid the straps that held his armor to him, inspecting every piece as he undressed. And every piece was dented, bent, and burnt in some places. "Wonderful." Matthias grumbled, placing the chest plate with the rest of his armor, that he put in the cabinet, "On top of everything that's happened, my armor might not even survive a pebble being thrown at it." He shook his head in disappointment and returned to the bed, pulling the covers away and laying on the mattress that felt like a cloud. To Matthias, it was one of the best things that had happened to him. It also brought back a certain memory that made the half-demon smile, before closing his eyes.
Chapter 4: Dreamland DemonMatthias awoke under a large oak tree with ribbons and glowing lanterns hanging from the branches. It was still night, but he didn't mind. A short distance away, he saw a big lake that appeared to stretch for miles. And the full moon that was hung high in the heavens, made the water shimmer as the ripples and small waves glided across the surface. Stars dotted the sky, making the world around Matthias even more enjoyable. "Only in my dreams have I ever seen such places." Matthias said to himself, sitting up and resting himself against the thick trunk. "Do they also involve someone special?" A voice asked, making the half-demon crack a smile. "Always. And I miss her whenever I wake up." From behind the tree, a young woman appeared and sat next to Matthias. She had long light brown hair and green eyes. Her posture and clothing showed that she was either from a wealthy family or royalty. And, to Matthias, nothing in the entire universe looked more beautiful. "Good evening, my beautiful angel." Matthias said, wrapping his arms around her. "And to you as well, my strong demon." She replied, letting herself be pulled closer and kissing him. They held the kiss for only a moment, but nothing couldn't have been better. "How are you, Katrina?" Matthias whispered, breaking the kiss and looking into her eyes. "I'm just glad that you're still keeping me in your thoughts." Katrina replied, smiling. There were many things Matthias kept secret. But, ever since he met Princess Katrina, all his secrets and emotions were shared with her and only her. When she brought him that water, Matthias felt something in him, like a fire that had just been started. And, after they had become friends, they were always happy to talk to each other, but never around other people. Perhaps, that's why they could get along so well and fall in love. "I missed you." Matthias said, brushing her hair behind her ear and gently resting his hand on her cheek. "So have I, love." Katrina answered, taking his hand and holding it, "So have I." They held each other for a moment as they looked across the shimmering water. "Would you like to go for a swim?" Matthias asked, grinning and raising an eyebrow, "The water looks very refreshing and it would be a waste not to." "Are you just saying that, so you can see me without my dress?" Katrina asked, turning her head and smirking at him, "Or, are you trying to be romantic?" "Maybe both. But, then again, that's not such a bad thing." They laughed at that for a moment, before getting to their feet. But, as Matthias pulled his stitched shirt off of him, he saw sky blue fabric sail towards him and drape over his head. He knew what it was and he knew who it belonged to, making him smile. Splash, splosh! As he removed the dress that had been thrown at him, he heard the sound of someone dart into the water. "You were right." Katrina said, her body submerged and head above the surface, "The water feels fantastic." "I'm rarely wrong," Matthias replied, stepping closer to the waters edge, still wearing his pants, "when it comes to things I enjoy." Matthias was just about to set foot in the water, when he looked down and saw his reflection looking back at him. However, instead of seeing what he looked like on the outside, he saw a creature with ram horns, sharp tusks that rose from his lower lip, flaming eyes, and pointed ears. After a moment of staring, Matthias lifted his gaze back to Katrina, but then he noticed something happening a short distance behind her. "Katrina!" Matthias exclaimed, stepping into the water as fast as he could, "Get out of the water! Now!" "What's wrong?" She asked, unaware of the movement of water behind her. "Water elemental!" Without hesitation, Matthias dove into the water and started to swim as hard as he could towards her. Unfortunately, the living body of water pulled her further away as it formed. Then Matthias felt something grab onto his leg and pull him under the surface. This caused him to look down, that's when he saw the devilish figure pulling him further and further down. Once they reached the bottom, the creature landed on his feet, before throwing Matthias against the sandy floor. "Who are you?" Matthias thought, forcing himself upright and floating in place. "Who do you think I am?" The creature asked as they stared at each other far below the surface of the water, as if it heard Matthias' thought. Before Matthias could react or respond, the creature threw a hard right punch, striking Matthias and sending him a short distance through the water. "I am you, Matthias." He said, approaching the warrior again and giving another punch, "I'm the one that lives within your mind and soul. I'm the half of you that you wish you weren't. And, I'm sick of watching you make us look weak." "I'm trying to bring balance and peace!" Matthias mentally argued, blocking another hit, "I am many things. But, a monster isn't one of them. Even if others see me as such, I refuse to be brought down by what others think of me!" "Look at you. Your human half is weak hearted, soft, emotional, and easy to break. Yet, you have power they could never understand. But, you still choose to be the slave the humans want you to be. And, not to mention, you've fallen for the daughter of a king that is too cowardly to join his men in battle." Before long, Matthias was pinned under his inner monster and that's when the creature reached around his back and retrieved a sharp knife. "I'll be the one they bow to!" The creature said, raising the blade high above him, ready to strike, "And weaklings aren't welcome in my kingdom." Suddenly, the blade came down fast and the next thing Matthias saw, before the blade could touch him, was a glowing dark blue figure and everything went black. Matthias awoke with such a start, he jumped out of his bed and took a battle stance, ready to defend himself from anything that might harm him. But, he soon realized that he was alone in his little room as the sun peaked over the horizon. "What the hell?" Matthias murmured to himself, sitting back down on the sheets and holding his forehead. Bang, bang, bang! He barely had time to make sense of the strange dream, before there was a loud banging on his door. "Get up!" A voice commanded, who Matthias recognized as Killian's voice, "And make yourself as presentable as possible. We're meeting the high princess in a few minutes!" "I'll be out in a moment." Matthias replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Quickly, Matthias dressed himself in his damaged armor and hooded cloak, before leaving the room. It didn't take long for him to find the throne room again, but he was somewhat surprised when he entered. Standing next to Twilight was a large white alicorn with a sun on her flank. She wore gold barding with purple and blue jewels on it, had a flowing multi coloured mane and tail, as well as a regal voice. She also had the appearance of someone who would be very wise. "Hello, Matthias." A voice said, causing the half-demon to snap his head and look. "Good morning." He replied, seeing Starlight standing next to him. They were soon joined by Killian and Spike, who entered the throne room and approached the two alicorns. Then they saw the little dragon speak a couple words before pointing back at Matthias and Killian. "Please, come in." Twilight said, walking around the round table, "We have others arriving shortly, but we can start with the introductions first." "Of course, Twilight." Killian said, stepping into the room and taking a knee, "Greetings, your highness. My name is Killian, commander of the tenth legion of the Vandlgradian army." "And I am Matthias." The half-demon said, taking a knee next to Killian, "I'm a half-demon serving under Killian's command." "Welcome." The white alicorn said, bowing her head, "I am Princess Celestia, high ruler of Equestria."
Chapter 5: The Man on the Map"So..." Rainbow Dash questioned, eyeing the two strangers, "You're from another world, huh?" "That we are." Killian replied, looking from one pony to the next, "But, as we said before, we didn't have much of a choice. Once we dispose of Mortese, we'll leave." It was early afternoon and the other ponies had arrived at the castle. At first, they weren't very sure about why they were there, but when they saw Matthias and Killian, it all became very, very clear. They had heard about two odd looking figures in Ponyville, but they never saw them, until now. And when they did, none of the ponies could fully understand how creatures like these could exist. "What makes ya'll think he's here?" Applejack asked, hearing the intimidation in his voice, "I mean, he opened a portal to get here. What if he opened another to leave?" "Like most things," Kilian replied, "magic can be traced. The problem is knowing where to find a magical disturbance. As far as we know, we're the only disturbance in the past two days." Knowing more than her fair share of magic, Twilight looked at the map as a thought entered her mind. "I've got an idea." She said, illuminating her horn, "If I can combine a detection spell with the map, I might be able to find the most recent magical disturbances." Her horn glowed brighter as she began putting her plan into action. The map flickered as lines crossed the detailed surface. From all different areas of Equestria, they saw coloured dots in random places. However, most of the dots were small and light coloured, except two. "There." Twilight said, pointing at the two dark red dots, "The first one is in the Everfree Forest, where you two appeared. The second is on the very edge of the ocean part of the map. But, where it is, there's nothing there." Everyone looked at the point on the map, that was so far, it almost looked like it might've been going beyond the edge. "Is there anything beyond those waters?" Killian asked, walking around the table to where the dot was. "Hang on." Twilight replied, focusing on the map as the surface began to move, until it reached the exact point the dot had appeared. However, where it was didn't look very comforting or welcoming to anyone. The place they were looking at was littered with volcanoes, canyons, bodies of water, and mountain ranges that would be perfect for channeling strong wind currents. To the Vandlgradian warriors, it wasn't anything new to them. But, to the ponies, it looked like a dangerous and terrifying place, not meant for the lighthearted. "Well done!" A deep voice boomed, making everyone look around the throne room, "You've found my little home away from home." "I know that voice!" Matthias said, feeling a sense of anger inside him. "Well, how about that? The mighty warrior and his pet." "Where are you?!" Killian growled, quickly grabbing the sword that had been resting against Twilight's throne. "Right here." Suddenly, the map surface began to twist and bend as the mountains and valleys disappeared. In their place, a blurry figure began to take form. As they watched, everyone could see a tall man with long hair, wearing a dark purple robe, holding a staff with a blue gem in one hand, with a devilish smile take shape. However, he didn't become solid. Once he was fully formed, he was still somewhat transparent, which only told them that what they saw was only a manifestation, not a real being. "Mortese!" Killian growled, taking a battle stance, "How did you know we were here?" "It wasn't difficult to know that you followed me through the portal." The manifestation said as his smile grew slightly and his eyes narrowed, "And using magic to find me was more than easy for me to confirm it. And now I know where you are too." "If so, then why don't you come and face the judgement you deserve? I'll make it swift." "As tempting as that sounds, I'm afraid it would interfere with my plans. But, since you now know where to find me, you're more than welcome to stop by." "I'm not going to someplace that allows you to have the advantage, Mortese." "No? Then, perhaps, this will give you some motivation." The blue gem on his staff glowed and a young woman appeared at his feet. Her frayed hair draped over her face as she sat in front of Mortese. Her outfit consisted of a white blouse and gown that appeared to be slightly battered, while her skin was dirty, but unharmed. Her hands looked as though they had been dragged across stone, while on her feet, she had nothing to protect them from the cold, rough ground, making them match her hands. Even though none of them could see her face, it was all too obvious that the woman was frightened. "Rise." Mortese said in a deep tone, causing the young woman to stand, "And introduce yourself." Once she was at a complete stance, everyone saw that she was quivering uncontrollably. "I-I am Princess Katrina of Vandlgrad." She whispered, pulling back her hair and revealing her face. Killian kept his composure as he looked upon the frightened princess. But, for Matthias, there were no words to describe the thoughts and emotions he felt when he saw Katrina. His glowing blue eyes flickered lightly, his muscles tensed tightly, and his heart beat like a war drum. However, he didn't make his reaction obvious. He knew how to control his anger, but only to a certain point. And this was pushing his limits heavily. "I don't really care when you get here." Mortese said, waving his hand, signalling Katrina to leave, "But, know this, the longer it takes for you to come to her rescue, the more difficult and dangerous her stay here becomes." "You hurt her," Matthias growled, showing his fangs, "I'll rip out your heart and eat it!" "I have no interest in harming her, myself. But, considering where I am, she might bring harm upon herself if she's not careful." Lowering the sword, Killian glared at the sorcerer as he finished his sentence with a grin. "What is it that you want, Mortese?" Killian asked, keeping a sharp eye on the manifestation. "Isn't it obvious?" Mortese chuckled, "I want to rule worlds and gain more power than anyone can dream of. And, after I drain the magic from this world, I'm going to return to ours and erase humans from existence, before moving on to the next and doing the same." "You can't handle that much power." "Just watch me." With that, the manifestation disappeared, allowing the map the return to it's true form. But, everyone had heard and felt the gravity of what the sorcerer said. "Your highness," Killian said, addressing Celestia, "is there a place where we can resupply ourselves? Preferably, armor and weapons?" "Yes." Celestia replied, "I have a friend in our capital city who can help you." "Thank you, Princess." Killian turned to look at Matthias, but found the half-demon gone. "Matthias!" Killian called, receiving no answer. "I'll go see if I can find him." Starlight said, turning towards the door that was ajar. Leaving the throne room and heading towards one of the guest rooms, Starlight kept her ears open for anything that might tell her where Matthias was. But, when she got there, she found the room empty. Seeing no one inside, Starlight continued to search through the castle. "Where are you?" Starlight asked, speaking to herself. Shortly after, Starlight heard the sound of footsteps walking through the halls. "Matthias?" Starlight said, turning a corner and finding him on the balcony, looking over the landscape, "Are you alright?" "He stole her." Matthias said in a threatening tone, keeping his eyes on the horizon, "He stole her and I wasn't there to stop him." "You were in the middle of a war, Matthias. How could you have known?" All at once, the fire in Matthias' eyes exploded into an inferno that rivaled the strongest volcano. "IF I WAS THERE, SHE WOULD BE SAFE!!" Matthias shouted, tears flowing out of his eyes and catching Starlight off guard, "EVERYTHING I'VE DONE, I DID FOR HER!! I'VE GIVEN BLOOD AND METAL TO ENSURE THAT SHE WOULDN'T GET CAUGHT IN ANY OF THIS!! AND YET, MORTESE MANAGED TO GET HIS WICKED BLOOD SOAKED HANDS ON HER!!" Starlight was so surprised she took a step back and illuminated her horn. "Matthias, please, calm down!" Starlight exclaimed, seeing Matthias turn towards her and revealing his raging expression, "I can see she means something to you, but acting like this isn't going to help her. Just settle down and then all of us can come up with a plan. Okay?" Matthias stared hard at her for a brief moment, before breathing heavily and slightly relaxing. But, Starlight could still see the fury that burned in his glowing blue eyes. Dimming her horn, Starlight approached Matthias cautiously as he fell to his knees. "She's all I have left, Starlight." Matthias said, lowering his gaze to the floor, "The only person who has cared about me, since my mother was executed, is now the prisoner of a monster." "It's obvious that you love her, I can see that." Starlight said, "But, are you prepared for what's about to happen?" "All I need is some new armor and a sword."
Prologue"STORM THE MOUNTAIN!!" A voice shouted, "IF ANY OF YOU FIND THE SORCERER, KILL HIM!!" "FOR VANDLGRAD!!!" They shouted as several soldiers clad in gleaming armor and wielding a variety of weapons charged forward. The mountain reached the cloud cover above as rain drenched the world below. The earth under their feet became muddy and slick, causing the soldiers to splash through puddles and occasionally lose their footing. The wind froze the air around them, causing their nostrils to burn with every breathe they took. And sharp rocks stuck out from the ground, like spears threatening to impale any who came too close. And from what they could see, lava was flowing down the sides of the large mountain. C-CRACK!!! RRRIIIPPPP!!! Suddenly, the soil tore apart and the rocks began to move on their own. And every soldier knew what was about to happen as a three fingered stone hand reached over the edge of the rip in the ground. "HAMMERS!!" A soldier called, turning toward ten hammer wielding behemoths, "WE NEED HAMMERS NOW!!!" GROOOOO!!! The ten behemoths charged to the front as a large monster made of earth and stone climbed from the crack. As it began to advance towards them, more rocks rolled along the ground and smashed into the monster, making it grow bigger. The hammer wielding warriors reached the monster and swung with as much force as they could muster, breaking one of the stone legs that it stood upon. GROOOOOOOOO!!! The monster fell to one knee as the hammers pounded at it. But, with every stone on the field joining together, the monster's leg grew back and it rose to it's feet. However, it was now far bigger than the hammer warriors, who kept pounding and smashing the monster with all their might. Unfortunately, the stone monster wasn't the only one on the battlefield. The puddles of water and rain swirled and twisted as they began to create a new form. "TRITONS!!!" The voice boomed, "GET THE TRITONS UP HERE!!!" As several soldiers equipped with bronze tritons raced toward the swirling liquid, they saw a creature made of water manifest before them. The upper body appeared to look like a man, while from the waist down, water swirled like an angry whirlpool. SPLAAAAASH!! Water swept across the ground, rushing towards the tritons. But, the tritons were trained to fight such a thing. All around the soldiers, the air filled with static energy as three tornadoes descended from the clouds. And it was very clear what was coming next. "God, help us." One soldier whispered as two arms and hands made of lightning stretched out from a body made of clouds. As they watched the being form, they saw that it's head was also made of cloud, with eyes that shot lightning. It was by far the biggest of the monstrous beings. "EVERYONE GET READY!!!" The loud voice shouted again, "SEND THIS ONE BACK TO WHERE IT CAME FROM!!!" One of the lightning hands fell from above and swept across the ground as soldiers scattered, in order to avoid being hit. Unfortunately, the hand wiped out half of them, before ascending back into the air. The soldiers were so busy fighting the creatures, only a handful noticed something unique on the mountain. "THERE HE IS!!!" A soldier shouted, pointing toward the mountainside, "THE SORCERER!!!" Only five heard his call and looked to where he was pointing. And they saw a man wearing a dark robe and holding a staff, standing in front of a cave that had a reddish glow. Without waiting for an order, all five started running towards the base of the mountain, before climbing the steep incline. But as they climbed, a bright blur sailed by them, before turning back and rushing the five soldiers. "It's the fire!" One called, not needing to shout too loudly, "We have to hurry!" "Keep it busy!" Another called, climbing faster, "I'll handle the sorcerer!" "I refuse to let a half-breed take the honor that should belong to a real man!" "If we don't end this now, then there won't be any men in the future! Except for him!" Clenching his teeth and thinking for a short moment, the first soldier nodded, allowing the second to continue up the mountain alone. This left the others to fight against a being made of flames. "COME ON, YOU!!!" The first soldier shouted as he and the others used their magically enhanced weapons to fight the fire. Meanwhile, the lone warrior reached the cave, only to find that he was the only one there. The sorcerer was nowhere to be found and below him, at the base of the mountain, the battle between the soldiers and the creatures continued. But, it wasn't very difficult to figure out where the sorcerer had gone. "It's time to end this war." The warrior said, gripping his sword tightly and pulling his hood further over his head, darkening his face as he faced the cave. Carefully walking into the cave, he could feel the temperature rise as he went further. But, it didn't bother him. He listened for anything that might mean trouble, while his glowing blue eyes helped him to see in very dark corners that could hide dangers. However, as he continued, he found no sign of traps or any other danger. After a short while, he came to a chamber with a lava pit in the middle and several items that would normally be found in homes. A bed in the far corner had a tiger fur blanket, while bowls, herbs, bones, crystals, different coloured powders, and strange symbols were all around the floor and walls. "Do you like my home?" A voice asked, causing the warrior to turn around and raise his sword, but felt himself freeze mid-swing. The warrior found the sorcerer standing behind him with one of his hands raised as if he was stopping something. "I heard the king had a half-demon in his army." The sorcerer said, keeping his hand up as he walked around the warrior and towards the opposite side of the cave, "However, I had a very difficult time believing such a thing. And I was very surprised to hear the name of said half-demon." "My name should be interesting to you." The warrior replied, keeping his eyes on the sorcerer, unable to attack, "Because it will be the one thing in Hell you'll always remember." "Do you even know what it is you're fighting for?" Then the sorcerer held his staff, before tapping it against the ground. Crack! Without warning, lightning flickered as the staff made contact with the floor and the symbols and crystals around the chamber began to move. "What are you doing?!" The warrior asked, alarmed by the strange activity. "It's time to end the rein of King Tiberius!" The sorcerer said menacingly as the symbols and crystals spun around the room. Suddenly, the warrior heard the sounds of armored footsteps running through the caverns. He looked to see the same soldier from before barreling into the chamber. "FOR VANDLGRAD!!" He shouted, sword drawn. "KILLIAN, DON'T!!" The warrior shouted, trying to warn his fellow soldier. The words never reached the unexpected soldier as he threw his sword at the sorcerer, who used his magic to dodge the attack and cast a spell of his own, that hit Killian in his chest. However, the sword struck one of the crystals and caused it to break. And that caused the symbols and the remaining crystals to spin out of control as a white light formed in the center on the chamber. However, as they watched, the light got bigger and brighter as the symbols and crystals spun around. "You idiot!" The sorcerer called, holding out his hands, "You might've ruined my plans for this world! But, there are other worlds I can conquer! And when the time is right, I'm coming back to kill every last one of you!" With that, the sorcerer jumped forward and into the light. Leaving the warrior and his wounded companion in the chamber as it shook violently. "We have to get out of here!" The warrior said, putting his sword back in it's sheath and grabbing Killian, "Come on!" "Why would a half-demon, like you, risk his own skin to save me, Matthias?" Killian asked as blood seeped from his mouth, "Your kind, half-demons and full-demons, always run away when it's too dangerous." Ignoring the harsh words and looking desperately around, Matthias searched for a way to get Killian out of danger. But, the only thing he saw that could be useful, was the bright light that the sorcerer had jumped through. However, now the light started to dim. "We'll talk about that later. For now, I'm getting you out of here." Matthias said, picking Killian up and putting him on his shoulders, "And there's only one way to go." Taking a few quick steps, Matthias and Killian surged forward and into the bright light, before it went dark.
