Vengeance is a Torch

After who knows how many cracks I heard my stone prison started to crumble around me, allowing me to move and flex my arms and legs shaking the loose bits of stone off in the process and I finally fell down from my imprisonment as a free man.

"Ooohhhh, finally freedom." I said while stretching of those 1000 years off, while I was doing that I swore I could have heard a few cracks around my body. Before long I looked at her and so I stood straight and bowed in respect.

"You have my thanks for my freedom, dark one." I said politely. She smirked and walked towards me while her steel boots clacking on the stone floor.

"Your gratitude is welcomed, but I am a bit of hurry now. I need your assistance." She looked at me in the eyes while I chuckled inside my helmet.

"To overthrow Celestia, I know. And I'm listening." I said calmly.

"When my sister banished me to the moon, we are no longer connected to the Elements of Harmony. They have found new owners now. My plan is simple, I need you to distract Celestia's guards. I need you to find there baracks and fight them as long as you can until my reinforcment arrives. While you're at it I shall deal with Celestia myself, with you distracting the guards I will be able to fight her without anyone interfering." She said as she started to walk circles around me.

"How long do I have to fight? and explain to me about this 'reinforcment' of yours." I said with a bit of scepticism.

"When I as Luna became Nightmare Moon today, I had subjects of my own. They are called Thestrals or simply Bat Ponies, even after my banishment they have always been loyal to me. They will be here in one hour. I shall personally fight Celestia while you wreak havoc against her guards." She explained to me.

"So you want chaos?" I asked her, who responded with a nob and I smirked.

"You'll get chaos." I said at last.

After our talk, she guided me to the guards barracks before she depart to deal with Celestia. The armor I still wore grants me the power over all earthen matter like magic. So when I was infront of the guard barrack I lifted my warhammer and slams it down, cracking the ground to create a road of lava towards the building. It didn't take long before the whole place was on fire and the whole barrack burned. While I watch I could hear a lot of screaming from inside, after a while many guards ran out from the barracks coughing from all the smoke. A few accidentally fell on the lava and no doubt got burned alive or molten to death.

When they all got out of there all I had to do was to slam the bottom of my warhammer on the ground and the sound earned all their attention. They all looked at me with both shock and dread.

"It's- it's- IT'S THE DEMON WHO KILLED FAUST!" a guard yelled in panic which soon was followed by other soldiers who seeks to run away.

I have no intention to let them live, so I slammed my warhammer on the ground again and created two tall walls of crystal to block their escape. Making the burning barrack in their back and me at the front.

"You want to escape, you all have to go through me!" I yelled in challenge at them.

Finding themselves having no other choices they all prepared to attack me at once. While they were at it I observe them and saw that 80% of the guards were females while the rest of the 20% were males. 70% of them were unicorns, 20% were Pegasus and 10% were earth ponies. I wonder if there is some sort of discrimination around there but that is not important right now.

Right now they charge at me and I swings my warhammer begins crushing those who are brave enough to challange me. Swinging my warhammer around brought many guards down and I keep roaring as more and more bodies begin littering the place. It didn't take long before I heard hoove steps from behind and I saw more guards attacking me, it turns out I trapped myself in.

JUST FUCKING GREAT!

I keep swinging my warhammer again and again, ending the lives of many of these fools and sending some of them flying. Even though I was surrounded and outnumbered I had no fear at all, only excitement. I continued fighting them and yet more and more of them seem to keep coming without end. I was both pissed and worried because I feel my body grow tired. In order to survive I let my rage get the better of me and none of them have enough strength to begin fighting back unless there is something else at play here. But when the enemy is upon me I felt no worries anymore. Now it is all about swinging and fighting to stay alive, hacking away until this 'reinforcment' arrives. I was surrounded with corpses of my fallen enemies and I was very tired. I heard a collection of screams from both my front and behind, I looked and saw guards with long spears ready to pierce through me. I stood there and ready myself, but before they came any closer I saw a volley of arrows came down and killed those who charged against me.

I looked up and saw the night sky full of armoured thestrals coming to my aid. I guess these bat ponies are my reinforcment.

I slammed my warhammer on the ground and the crystal walls broke down into dust, allowing me to see the whole area again. It was completely on fire, and since I killed a lot of guards and demoralized them the bat ponies have no problem routing the rest. After a while I was joined by two female bat ponies, both with such revealing armors. They looks like twins but they had different hair colors.

"Take down these sun lovers! Show them no mercy!" Yelled one of them, who has dark purple hair.

"Give them no quarter! Let them tremble before the eternal night!" Shouted the other who had blood-red hair before looking at me with a lusty grin.

"Hey there, I'm Shadow Rose, it's and honour to meet you in person~." She said with a clear seductive tone.

What the heck, this is neither the time nor the place for any flirt!

In attempt to ignore her seduction I charges towards the celestial guards and send more flying. The fighting continues for some more time until a loud scream was heard.

"PRINCESS CELESTIA IS DEFEATED!!!" A shout was heard and we all looked up to see Nightmare Moon having an unconscious Celestia in chains and lifted by her magic.

"SURRENDER AND LIVE UNDER THE RULE OF NIGHTMARE MOON, THE QUEEN OF EQUESTRIA!!!" She yelled so loud I swore I could have heard it echo through out the whole kingdom. After a while everyone snapped out of their shock and kneeled down as a sign of surrender, all the bat ponies disarmed them all and gathered them to a corner. Nightmare Moon came, flying down with Celestia, holding here in her magic still. She handed her to two of her followers before she turned to the twins.

"Take those who surrender to the dungeons, summon all the nobles of Canterlot to the throne room and place HER in the oubliette!" She commanded and the twins bowed in respect to carry out her orders, suppose they are commanding officers in her army. After that command she came to me with a smirk.

"You did well, for that I thank you." She said in a polite tone and I bowed my head in respect.

"Glad to help, this means I can go on my own, right?" I questioned her and she still smirked.

"Yes you may if you want to...." She said like there is something else she want to talk about. I could see it from a far so I played along.

"Defeating Celestia is not enough for you. There is still something that threatening your rise of power?" I asked and she began walking around me, I guess she is impressed how I read her right.

"You are correct and that 'something' is nothing more than the Elements of Harmony. There is no doubt that is has new bearers who will most certainly be looking for them to stop me. I aim to capture them and take the Elements effectively getting rid of the danger once and for all. However, I know it is unwise to underestimate them. Even without the elements they can still put up a fight. But I have an idea of how to draw them out and bring them down." She explains to me while still walking around me, even traced my whole body with her soft hand while she still smirking.

"Pfft, where do I come in this?" I asked her.

"First I will make an entrance to a place known as Ponyville, I'm sure you remember that place. I am certain that the new bearers are there but I don't know who they are. I will make myself known to them so that they will travel to the castle of the royal sisters where the elements are. I need you to wait there when they arrived, you and I shall take them down together." She explains her plan to me.

"What's in it for me then, I got the impression that our business are done now." I asked out of amusement.

"Yes, and it's your choice if you want to help or leave. I won't think bad about you for any of it. However, there is a chance that I will fail to stop the elements of harmony. If that happens and they manage to free Celestia, put her back on power. What's stopping her to send the elements after you then? If I am defeated won't your freedom be in danger?" She asked.

Well will you look at that. That's what I call 'Honest Cunning'. She speaks truthfully but in a way that would not only benefit her but also me. Let me say this out loud, THIS mare has earned my respect. I chuckled inside my helmet.

"Point made. But do you think you can loose to bunch of rookies?" I asked with a smirk, trying to test her. She only gave me a sly smile.

"Rookies are known for beginner's luck. Do you think it's worth the risk?" She answered as she came close to my helmet with her face.

Let me say this, she got me there. If she is defeated by these new bearers of the elements of harmony, then they will no doubt come after me and I want to be left alone.

"You know what, You made your point very clear. I find it very beneficial to aid you in taking them down. You have my attention." I said, agreeing on helping her more.

"I'm going to that place to Ponyville and make my rule known personally, after that I shall eavesdrop on every house I come across. If the new bearers are not there I shall go to other towns to find them, if I do find them I will let you know. Until then, I need you to wait for me at the Castle of the Royal Sisters. It's a ruin now, but I'm sure you'll recognize it. I will first teleport you to that castle before I make my presence known, then I will come to you while you prepare yourself." She explains her plan.

"And I assume we must make our move now?" I asked, even though I already knew the answers.

"Yes." She said with a smirk and her horn lit, teleports us right away.

After that little flash light thing, I looked around and found this old castle as a ruin. Well now that we are here, Nightmare then told me to wait here until she finds the new bearers of harmony. She went up in blue sparkling smoke and flew away. While I waited for her I changed my armor into a more black bulky one with a shield and a helmet with shining jewels. Nightmare Moon returned an hour ago telling me that she found possible candidates since she heard them reading about the elements and came to the forest to find them. So she and I prepared us to confront them. She was surprised about my new armor and I explains about my powers. In return while we still waits she explains to me why she made an alliance with me, since she used to be Luna I though if she dosen't also hate me for killing Faust.

"That thought has crossed my mind a few times, I've been wondering about that all along I do think about it. But unlike my mother and my sister, I has always been a girl who question everything more than anypony does. During your imprisonment when I was still Luna, I questioned a minotaur who idolized you and he explains your point of view of your conflict with Faust. Putting it all together I have come to the conclusion that you were never a villain to begin with but only a poor hero. While you have been on the right, you simply choosed the wrong solution to your problems. For that reason, I can't feel any hatred towards you. Only sympathy." She explains to me her reasons.

I'm starting to develope more and more respect for her the more she explains her thoughts about me. Not only is she the darker version of Luna but she is the more reasonable version of her. She is both cunning and honest at the sametime, she stay true to her word and make sure they benefits her well, and more importantly she understands that sometimes the best thing to do is to give more in order to get more. I think I have made my decision on where I go next after this mission. Speaking of mission, the new bearers of harmony are comming. I can hear them from across the bridge, they crossed the bridge and here they are!