The Elements of Discord

Once more, Twilight was completely exhausted. Or rather, she knew she was. The truth is, she didn't feel it at all; she had something more important on her mind. She dragged herself onto the small plateau that made up the mountaintop, not even waiting to help her friends this time. There was going to be hell to pay if she didn't get some answers.

A familiar warmth pervaded the area and she braced herself for the barrage of sound she knew was coming. "Good show, ponies! Good show indeed! Why you-" The strange entity she once knew as the Watcher began.

"That's enough out of you!" Twilight bellowed back, almost causing Fluttershy to topple back over the edge as the rest of them finished their climb. "I know who you are, so start explaining right now, Void!"

The temperature in the surrounding area dropped considerably. "What is there to explain, my dear?"

"You- You mean you're not going to deny it?" Twilight managed to stutter. She had come prepared for a long argument, ready to prove that there was no hiding the truth, but this just caught her off guard.

"Deny this, I will not. I am the Void. I am the embodiment of destruction itself. I have been so since time immemorial."

"But why did you... What was..?" Her confusion was rapidly being replaced by anger. "Do you realize how many ponies have died because of you?" she managed to get out slowly through gritted teeth.

"Four thousand three hundred forty-one, mostly frozen to death."

Twilight took several deep breaths, knowing that she had a better chance at getting the information she wanted if she stayed calm and collected. "Just tell me why. That's all I want to know. Why did you do this?"

"It is my purpose, Ms. Sparkle. I am meant to judge civilizations and so I do. You have performed admirably and so in accordance with the rules, will live on."

"But... Why did you need to do all those horrible things?" Pinkie Pie's voice whined from behind Twilight. She had specifically asked her friends to keep silent, but Pinkie had taken the words right out of her mouth.

"Yes, why?" Twilight growled, attempting to look and sound as menacing as possible.

"Because, the Elements always fight each other. Long ago I stood right where you do now, fighting the same battle you just fought."

"You... You held the Element of Magic?" Her mind went blank as the words hit her. Anger forgotten, the student in her took over.

"I did. During my own lifetime, I was the strongest warmage in existence and was called to lead the fight against the darkness. The battle lasted three days and came down to single combat between myself and my predecessor. As I struck the final blow, he casted one last spell, trapping me here for all eternity. He moved on to the next world, I took his place."

Twilight shook her head, trying to take it all in. "Does... Does that mean I'm going to be the next Void?"

"Not exactly, though I could pass the mantle on to you if you wish."

"No... That's alright," she came back quickly. "I'll stay the way I am, thank you."

"Pity. Very well. Will that be all?" he inquired, sounding sincerely interested.

"I guess," she muttered back. "We should probably get going, its a long way bac-"

"Yes, well there's just one more thing. A gift. Something I collected shortly before our bout. Obsidian this time, as a personal touch."

Before anypony could respond, something in the world twisted and their vision blurred momentarily. They found themselves back in the Royal Gardens, looking at a very ugly, very familiar statue of a draconequus. Twilight began to giggle as she could almost hear the enraged cries coming from deep within the dark glass.

"Farewell, ponies," the Watcher's voice rang throughout the air, "and do enjoy the rest of your days, it makes for much more entertaining viewing." The voice changed, now matching the laugh that had chased the ponies out of the Void. "And remember, I will be watching."