Death is Comingby Crimson_MoonChaptersThe First SignOmensDespairThe First SignYou may know the story of the Four Horseman, and more importantly, of the horseman War, who doomed humanity to witness the End Times, yes? And what of his brother, the Grim Reaper? Death always maintained his brother's innocence, even until the end... But our story does not begin with the end of Humanity. No, this tale is far older, during the time of Creation; when Death kept the balance, as was his duty given by the Charred Council. The Nephilim were all but destroyed, their souls kept safe by our skeletal Horseman and his mind still fresh with the genocide of his fellow brothers. Our story begins with a tear in reality, within the deep of a forest bordering a town. That town's name was Ponyville... Zecora was patrolling the woods, looking for a particular strain of mushroom Miss Cheerilee requested. It was intended for a muscle relaxant she regularly ordered from the resident witch doctor, hence the need to gather more. Diving deep into the Everfree was never a safe idea, but having swept the perimeter close to her hut, the zebra had no other choice. Diving deeper and deeper in, she found herself so deep within the forest that she came across the old ruins of the Castle of Two Princesses, and it took her all of half a second to decide whether it was a good idea to turn back. She knew what dark magic still lingered there. It was best to leave it be. Sighing in defeat, Zecora trotted back to her hut mushroomless, planning to get more another time when it was much easier to see them. It was late in the evening, truthfully the best time for foraging more than just once client's ingredients list, as was the plan. Cheerilee would have to wait, she decided; Going back to the safety of her hut was at the top of the list now. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, the zebra spotted a flash of green coming from within the castle remnants, followed by a thundering "BOOM!" Staring at the moon's position in the sky through the canopy, she sighed and turned back towards the ruins. "If it is bigger than I can contain, perhaps the princesses can spare me the pain..." She mumbled, cautiously approaching the light source. Magic such as this popped up in the forest now and again, leaving it in a more chaotic and wild state every time. Mostly it was small portals or transmogrification spells, probably caused by the chaos seedlings Discord planted over a millennia ago to choke out the healing magic of the Tree of Harmony. It was nothing she couldn't handle with her specially made zebrican bombs; just one toss nearby and it instantly detonated at the first touch of foreign magic, cancelling any active enchantments and dispersing any pooled mana. But this? This seemed different, felt... Old. Exceptionally old, even older than the Princesses. Cautiously trotting closer, she found where the portal appeared. It seemed that dark magic from earlier felt like playing tonight. She delved deeper into the decrepit castle, landing not too far from the previous housing for the Elements of Harmony. It was just around the corner of the doorway when she sensed how powerful this ancient magic really was.Not willing to get too close, the zebra observed the portal for a time, determining if it was dormant and just flaring up, or if something, or even worse, someone was summoning it. It rippled and distorted the air around it, the epicenter of the gateway not showing an afterimage- a clear sign it had yet to form completely. Looking towards the ground, she began to see all life near it begin to decay, fueling the ring of teal fire making up the structure of the portal. Dark magic indeed was the source of thid spell, seemed. Once all life was properly snuffed out in a perfect circle surrounding it, what happened next caused Zecora to flee in panic: Runic symbols burned their way into the ground, forming a border for the decayed life. The act itself wasn't disturbing to her, no not at all. In fact, it was commonplace to have binding runes appear to anchor a powerful spell such as this one. No, the thing that disturbed her the most was the tongue in which it was carved in. Her masters told her of a Prophecy the elders have written in this same speech. Only they knew what it meant, which is why they recorded the words down in modern Equestrian. "Liewe gode, nee!" She spoke in her native tongue, running as fast as she could back to her hut. Once she arrived, the zebra slammed the door shut and turned off all sources of light; Her torches, the fire to heat her cauldron, even the wall sconces were torn off and broken. If it really was the First Sign, the next wouldn't be too far behind. She boarded up all her windows, then swiftly began to look for the ingredients she needed for the only protection circle capable of stopping whatever that portal summoned. Wolfsbane, Poison Joke root, and Manticore Tooth were all thrown in her mortar and pestle, being ground to a fine paste as quick as she could work her hooves. A thundering BOOM suddenly shook the whole hut, sending vials flying off her shelves and the windows to rattle. "Dit is te gou!" Not even bothering to get her brush out, Zebra frantically scrawled a small runic circle around her using the tip of her hoof, sweat pouring off of her coat. Sitting in the circle with an overwhelming sense of dread, she waited and waited for whatever would come through that portal, praying that her Circle of Protection worked. Suddenly, the house shook again, but this time at a deep and rumbling whinny of an ethereal horse. Yelping, she closed her eyes as tight as she could, visibly shivering with fear. A resounding clopping of hooves echoed outside the hut, slowly making its way to the front. If she kept her eyes open, Zecora would have noticed everything outside her protective warding either decayed to dust or froze over with an ethereal frost. Thud, thud, CRACK! Whatever it was that came through, at least it had manners, she thought. Each step closer to her cowering form echoed throughout her home, sounding like the pounding of a gavel at a courtroom hearing. The creature inched closer, sending the mare into tears, just far enough away to be within hooves' reach. It poked and prodded at the lettering surrounding her, a dissatisfied snort leaving the creature's face and sending a chilly mist through the air. Backing away, it began to rummage through the hut, looking for something. Small scraping noises could be heard upon the wood flooring, ending with whatever tool the creature used to carve sent sprawling away. Another ethereal whinny and boom shook the house again, signalling Zecora to finally uncover her eyes. What met her sent chills down her spine: a set of hoof prints leading to her circle were burned into the wood. Not etched, not dented: burned. Just to the right of the final hoof prints a message was carved into her floor: Fetch your rulers, pray to your gods. My master approaches. -Despair This message deserved only the highest authority in the land, and with unnatural speed, Zecora hastily sprawled a letter to the only being capable of delaying The Prophecy of Endings: "Dear Princess Celestia..." Author's Note There will be an end to this, and if you already guessed, it ain't gonna be nice. Fun fact, had to do a google search for a good language to use for Zebra. Went with Afrikaans, due to the very stiff sounding words. German was a close second. If you wanna know what the translations say without Google fucking it up, in order the words are: (1st line) Dear Gods, no. (2nd line) It is too soon! Anyways, an idea I tried before but didn't stick too well. Instead of writing it like a series, as is the norm for my crossover fics, this is just gonna be short and end pretty quick. Won't be sectioned, but it will still be a bit lengthy. Omens First Harvest, year 4 of Equestria's Reign It's been a very trying four years after helping found the nation of Equestria with the other two pony races, and in those four years, I have only grown older, and none the wiser. My protegè, Starswirl, assures me it is nothing more than the stresses of running a country. However, I feel that is not the case. Lately, I've been having these dreams- The rest of the passage had been illegible and unintelligent ravings, as if the beginnings of madness were seeping through the pages themselves. Though, if one understood Elder Speech, such as Celestia, you would be able to see more of a split in personality than the ravings of a madmare. The Alicorn read on, deciphering the second language: The World Speaks Through Me, And Tells Me Of Creation. Two God-like Beings Shall Appear, One Clad In White And Bears The Sun's Wrath. The Other, The First Sign Of Endings... The passage ended in the journal. Noticing the oil lantern dying slowly within the vault she found herself in, Celestia cast a small wisp of light, illuminating the dank, dark, and cramped pit she sat in. The only desk down here was currently buried in open tomes, scrolls, and journals, such as the one she was reading. Winter's Ending Wrap-Up, year 18 of Equestria's Reign It seems my pupil has finally sprouted his own metaphorical wings of courage and ventured off to find what he called the Pillars of Equestria, though I doubt such a myth exists. If it did, I'm guessing the Other Me would have written about it. I'm still having visions, most vague and uneventful. One was of a young filly, not unlike my Starswirl, who showed great magical potential. In those visions, I was seeing through the eyes of one of the deities my Other Self had prophesized. It was unclear what it meant, but I had an inkling it would not be with my lifetime... Alas, no need to worry about the What-Will-Be, it is only important I focus on the What-is. Today the two deities I...I mean, the Other Me, Predicted. Now it is finally time to see if these visions are true, or if I really am just getting too old... It ended there, the next dozens of pages just repeating the same words, line after line, almost in a chant. The word, however, sent chills down the alicorn's spine as she glanced the pages: Nightmare. Day 85? No, that was the last entry, wasn't it? Day 365 of The Sisters' Rule New Year's day. One year since they arrived. One year, since my prediction was accurate, among others, albeit mundane compared to the Other One's first prediction. Celestia, the one filled with brightness, called it 'Cognitive Dissonance'- a term I had never heard before. She explained it well enough in the end though, I suppose... Essentially, I am a Sage. The first (and possibly last) to exist here. When I asked her what she meant, Celestia simply chuckled. She had not a clue, but she knew it to be correct. The knowledge she seemed to possess was very similar to my predictions, she told me in confidence. *in Elder Speech* We Were Not The Only Ones Touched, It Seemed... ... ... ...I wish I could understand that infernal writing! For the visions, it wasn't as hard making guesses, but with something writ, I am as helpless as ever. What unnerves me even more is the fact the Other Me is now blending with my current thoughts- She IT no longer needs to wait for my conscious mind to slip away. Celestia remembered that year. The New Year's Eve- the very first one. Still, she was amazed Clover the Clever kept this secret for so long... Shaking her head of such thoughts, she continued: Day 18,250 of Celestia's Rule 80 years... 80. Years. That's how long it has been since the two deities first showed. My predictions have stopped, and in my old age, I no longer wish to argue with my own mind on whether or not it was a separate personality or something else possessing me. I no longer speak what I and Celestia have come to call Elder Speech, and can only translate to words upon quill to paper. I know I can still tap into the powers that my prophecies come from with a spell of my pupil's design, though I cannot ask him directly. Today was the day I predicted his utter disappearance. My Sight never fails and now, I mourn for Starswirl the Bearded. ... A silly name, isn't it? Much kinder than what Luna called herself before banishment thirty years ago. It was the only time my Prophecy was defied, and I fear the misguided twisting of fate Celestia has accomplished may have brought upon doom to Equestria, nay, the entire world. She stopped, taking more notes in one of the many scrolls scattered, before continuing. At some point, the entry was scribbled away, most likely in defiance to the one she predicted would try to read it. Finding some legible writing, she continued, only to gasp at the next passage- it was directly addressed to her: I no longer need to mark the day I do this in defiance of you, Celestia. Your days are numbered, starting from the time your eyes first read this. I warned you of the consequences of defying powers beyond our control or understanding. This is my final prediction, my final prophecy. I used my pupil's spell, though at great cost. My body has finally caught up with my age. One hundred and thirty years I have sat on this plane of existence, and all of it was dashed away from an incomplete spell. Ironic, isn't it? That my student is responsible for creation as well as destruction? You must be proud of your student, as am I of mine. ...Enough stalling. I condemn you to your fate, for there is no escaping it this time. From the ashes of Nightmares marks the First of Four; a Tear shall appear, numbering Two of Four; The Third Sign, A horse, bound to serve its master shall ride out and bring it's namesake to all lands in it's path; The Fourth Sign, elusive, even to my sight, lest Fate be ignored again... Following these great catastrophes, my last and most powerful Prophecy will reign true, and you will suffer for defying Creation itself. The Pale Rider comes for you and you alone, but if you are to defy his masters again, the world will end in fire... Death is coming... For You. She couldn't believe it. She won't. After everything she has accomplished because of that one moment, she set out to defy Fate once more. It was why Celestia was down here, in the most hidden, deepest, darkest vault: She needed to do research on her enemy, but found nothing. Not even the wealth of knowledge she contained within her own mind told her how to cheat Death itself. If only Starswirl were here... CAW! "Yah!" The Alicorn jumped at the sudden sound. Looking around, she noticed a small raven perched upon a nearby bookshelf, when suddenly she realized something: there should be no way a raven made it down here. "Who are you?!" She held the bird within her golden aura. It was a fruitless venture however, as the feathered fiend vanished in a purple smoke. Suddenly, An eerie cackle echoed through the vault before a disembodied voice began to speak. "There's no need for violence, I come with a gift." Appearing from the same smoke, a gangly bipedal creature, dressed within a feathered robe appeared. "And who might you be?" She eyed the figure skeptically. "You're human, given your appearance, so there should be no reason why you're here." "Yes, and no." He chuckled, bursting into a murder of crows before appearing behind the mare. "Many call me Crowfather, and as I said before, I come bearing gifts-" waving his hand over the table Celestia had her research on, he summoned a small book. "This contains the secrets of the one you seek." Jumping at the opportunity, she greedily reached for the book, only for it to disappear with a flick of the wrist from Crowfather. "What do you want?" She calmly spoke, facing him. "Wise indeed!" He chuckled. "As you can see, I am bound to this infernal necklace." He lifted up an eerie charm, glowing with a sickly pale green. She also could have sworn there were voices whispering from it. "In exchange for a simple binding spell from the Sage you are reading from, I will provide you with what you seek." Now she understood why some of the passages were erased: it was to hinder the Crowfather from learning that spell. "I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news, but Clover the Clever erased all knowledge of that, it seems." "Tsk, tsk." With another flick of his wrist, Celestia came plummeting towards his face at impossible speeds, completely out of her control. "You know the spell, Celestia. Your name was uttered by the damned, and I think it's time you tell me the spell." "I-I don't know what you're talking ab-" "Nightmare." He lifted the scroll with that same word scrawled everywhere upon it, and practically pressed it into the alicorn's face. "You used a spell to stop it. I need to know it." He grinned sinisterly, holding out his hand. "Do we have a deal?" Given the situation, she had no choice but to agree. Celestia had no idea how powerful this "Crowfather" was, and was intent on not finding out. Shaking his hand, she teleported a scroll and hovered it in midair for him to take. Snatching it with feverish need, he summoned the book from earlier on her writing desk in return. "The deed is done. My friend Dust will keep you company until your battle ends. I am curious." He cackled maniacally before dispersing one last time in a murder of crows. Had she made a deal with the Devil? Only time will tell... Author's Note Sends chills down the spine, huh? Well either way, hope you enjoy it so far. Despair "You summoned me, my masters?" Death kneeled before the three stone faces, their mouths oozing lava and their eyes as bright and fiery as the depths of Hell. THERE HAS BEEN AN ANOMALY IN THE BALANCE. the Council spoke, it's disembodied voice rumbling from a different stone face every other sentence. THE GUARDIAN OF A WORLD HAS DEFIED THE NATURAL ORDER, AND REFUSED TO ELIMINATE THE EVIL PLAGUING THEIR CHARGE. YOU WILL GO TO THIS WORLD AND ELIMINATE HER, AS IS YOUR DUTY, KEEPER OF SOULS AND PROTECTOR OF BALANCE. "Oh lovely," the Horseman groaned, his voice gravelly and with a hint of sarcasm. "And who might be accompanying me this time, hmm? That ever so annoying Watcher?" NO. YOU ARE UNBIDDEN. SHE HAS BROKEN THE BALANCE AND THUS DOOMED HER KIND. THIS FREEDOM CANNOT BE ALLOWED, OR SHOULD WE REMIND YOU AGAIN, NEPHILIM? "That... Won't be necessary." He spoke somberly. "But what of my brother, War? Wouldn't facing a Guardian be his specialty?" THE BALANCE HAS BEEN THREATENED, YES. HOWEVER, THE GUARDIAN HAD WITH HER A SAGE. Death groaned. "Of course she did. Did this Sage mention my utter displeasure as well? I'd rather arrive there and get this over with. It's my Duty and Honor or some such nonsense my brothers and sister always spout in these pointless meetings." He gestured to his Horse. "And what of my steed? Was he mentioned as well?" PROVOKING CONFLICT IS NOT YOUR NATURE, RIDER. WE UNDERSTAND THIS. REGARDLESS, YOU HAVE BEEN NAMED THE EXECUTIONER IN HER PROPHECIES, AS WITH COUNTLESS OTHER WORLDS OF CREATION. YOUR CHARGE WILL ARRIVE FIRST. IT IS THE WILL OF THE SAGE TO BE SO. YOUR PATH IS BEFORE YOU, RIDER, NOW GO! Despair remembered the conversation as if it were his own with the Council. It wasn't every day he could sense even his Master's unease at this particular mission and to make things worse, there was also the matter of the Sage's Prophecy. It gave the Guardian time to prepare against the inevitable, and she has proven to be capable of denying one's destiny before. In the horse's mind, he saw two endings to this coming conflict, and both looked to be equally devastating. I wonder if that unknown power I sensed earlier had anything to do with this feeling... Shaking his head of such thoughts, Despair focused on his current goal. From what he knows, there is another latent power in this world, likely a construct from the time of it's birth in order to maintain Balance. Focusing, Despair reached out with his ethereal power, feeling along the cracks of magic intertwined within Equestria's center. Binding his form to the shadows of the Everfree to deter prying eyes, he probed further. Most sources of power were mundane and natural, shaping the land and it's inhabitants like wet clay, that is, until he came across a nudge of resistance- a barrier of sorts. Immediately, the stallion could tell it was a power that only Creation could make. Not altogether hostile, it didn't impede his probing, but still gave resistance. It almost felt...alive, as if it was guaging Despair's magic as much as it's own was, then adapting to it. Suddenly, knowledge burned into his head and he understood this magic a bit better. It gave itself a name: Harmony. Hmm, yes, I suppose you are. He mused. The magic harmonized with his own, much to the horse's amusement. It was forever bound to the aether, but at the same time, it also had another form from what Despair's magic had told him. Pouring more of his power into the magical probe, he earned a violent ethereal shriek piercing his ears, despite the lack of current physical form. Suddenly it was as if Harmony saw the horse as a threat, and began attacking his magic head-on. "Hmph" No longer showing restraint, Despair's magic broke through the resistance Harmony was putting up like a hot knife to butter. Slicing and ripping through the haze of protection, the magic hissed and screeched at him until it finally gave up, knowing that any more resistance would see it destroyed by his hooves. "Good, you learned." He chuckled sadistically. Looking through the hole ripped through its magic, Despair peeked through, and was shocked to see not one source, but several. "Naughty thing!" He tisked, looking further. One of those sources was buried underneath the portal's entrance where he arrived, though it was dormant, and the others were scattered. One was nearby, just on the outskirts of the forest, while three more were somewhat further but clumped in the same general area, most likely a nearby town. Another one reached far above the clouds and further out west, and the horse saw the final one shining North of the 3 gathered in the distance, before another power stabbed into his own and it disappeared. "Bold move, Guardian." He sucked in a pained breath, before probing now for her presence. Harmony whimpered away from Despair's magic this time, granting him unobstructed access to the rest of this world's magical channels. "Seems even Harmony bows to Despair eventually." He chuckled internally. Diving deeper and deeper, he scoured for any source of power significant enough to pose a threat, when suddenly, his magic stalled before what he could only describe as the brightest magical barrier he had ever come into contact with, almost exactly where that other source of Harmony appeared before he was cast out. "Found You!" He chuckled, pulling his magic out, and rematerializing. Despair was smart. Smarter than most of the other Horses of the End Times. His power required him to be both persuasive and Sadistic, so it came to no surprise that he was suddenly bound by a golden aura and teleported away from his current home in the Everfree. After all, he expected it. What he didn't expect, however, was the cell he found himself in. It wasn't a typical jail cell either- it had Marks of Creation strewn about and chains attached to several anchor points on the ground, ceiling, and walls. Standing up, Despair stood in the center. "Comfortable?" An elegant voice asked. He snorted. Neighing and rearing, Despair slammed back down with a thundering Boom, cracking the entire cell he was in, before shattering into specks of dust. Chuckling, he slowly stepped down from the decimated pedestal. "Did You really think some old runes could possibly keep me away?" "No," the voice replied, stepping out of the shadows. It was a winged dark blue unicorn with an ethereal starry mane and tail who stood as tall as Despair. "We know better than to upset the Balance. My sister, whom you seek," Princess Luna paused, watching the cell reassemble itself and the horse within squeal with shock. "Does not." Suddenly, the chains from earlier bound Despair to the middle of the pedastal, a new pair of runes circling him in the center. "Release me, you insignificant pawn!" He hissed at the Alicorn before him. "I am not to interfere with the Balance." Luna Repeated before stepping back into darkness. "Such was not my fate. I am but a pawn." Hmph, I have no idea how you lesser creatures managed to find how to cast these binding runes, but I am going to teach your Guardian a lesson in fooling Despair He thought. Summoning the power of his master, Death, the ethereal horse conjured Harvester, a gargantuan Scythe glowing with a purple aura, it's Skulls of the Damned wailing upon every impact it made with the cell upon arriving. Flicking his head, the weapon cut cleanly through the Eldritch Prison, freeing him of his shackles and destroying the binding runes. Slamming his hooves down, he banished the shadows to reveal a very terrified Luna cowering in the corner. "I will say this only once," He flew Harvester into the stone wall, mere inches from the mare. "Your Guardian does not control Balance. Something you ought to learn quickly, if you truly mean not to interfere." Yanking the blade out, he walked off, opening a portal between realms. "Oh, and one more thing," Harvester swung back towards her and sliced her horn clean off, sending the Alicorn wailing in agony. "We would not be here if it weren't for you, Nightmare. Remember that." Author's Note Shit's gonna hit the fan next chapter. Hope you like it, if not let me know what I can do to improve!
The First SignYou may know the story of the Four Horseman, and more importantly, of the horseman War, who doomed humanity to witness the End Times, yes? And what of his brother, the Grim Reaper? Death always maintained his brother's innocence, even until the end... But our story does not begin with the end of Humanity. No, this tale is far older, during the time of Creation; when Death kept the balance, as was his duty given by the Charred Council. The Nephilim were all but destroyed, their souls kept safe by our skeletal Horseman and his mind still fresh with the genocide of his fellow brothers. Our story begins with a tear in reality, within the deep of a forest bordering a town. That town's name was Ponyville... Zecora was patrolling the woods, looking for a particular strain of mushroom Miss Cheerilee requested. It was intended for a muscle relaxant she regularly ordered from the resident witch doctor, hence the need to gather more. Diving deep into the Everfree was never a safe idea, but having swept the perimeter close to her hut, the zebra had no other choice. Diving deeper and deeper in, she found herself so deep within the forest that she came across the old ruins of the Castle of Two Princesses, and it took her all of half a second to decide whether it was a good idea to turn back. She knew what dark magic still lingered there. It was best to leave it be. Sighing in defeat, Zecora trotted back to her hut mushroomless, planning to get more another time when it was much easier to see them. It was late in the evening, truthfully the best time for foraging more than just once client's ingredients list, as was the plan. Cheerilee would have to wait, she decided; Going back to the safety of her hut was at the top of the list now. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, the zebra spotted a flash of green coming from within the castle remnants, followed by a thundering "BOOM!" Staring at the moon's position in the sky through the canopy, she sighed and turned back towards the ruins. "If it is bigger than I can contain, perhaps the princesses can spare me the pain..." She mumbled, cautiously approaching the light source. Magic such as this popped up in the forest now and again, leaving it in a more chaotic and wild state every time. Mostly it was small portals or transmogrification spells, probably caused by the chaos seedlings Discord planted over a millennia ago to choke out the healing magic of the Tree of Harmony. It was nothing she couldn't handle with her specially made zebrican bombs; just one toss nearby and it instantly detonated at the first touch of foreign magic, cancelling any active enchantments and dispersing any pooled mana. But this? This seemed different, felt... Old. Exceptionally old, even older than the Princesses. Cautiously trotting closer, she found where the portal appeared. It seemed that dark magic from earlier felt like playing tonight. She delved deeper into the decrepit castle, landing not too far from the previous housing for the Elements of Harmony. It was just around the corner of the doorway when she sensed how powerful this ancient magic really was.Not willing to get too close, the zebra observed the portal for a time, determining if it was dormant and just flaring up, or if something, or even worse, someone was summoning it. It rippled and distorted the air around it, the epicenter of the gateway not showing an afterimage- a clear sign it had yet to form completely. Looking towards the ground, she began to see all life near it begin to decay, fueling the ring of teal fire making up the structure of the portal. Dark magic indeed was the source of thid spell, seemed. Once all life was properly snuffed out in a perfect circle surrounding it, what happened next caused Zecora to flee in panic: Runic symbols burned their way into the ground, forming a border for the decayed life. The act itself wasn't disturbing to her, no not at all. In fact, it was commonplace to have binding runes appear to anchor a powerful spell such as this one. No, the thing that disturbed her the most was the tongue in which it was carved in. Her masters told her of a Prophecy the elders have written in this same speech. Only they knew what it meant, which is why they recorded the words down in modern Equestrian. "Liewe gode, nee!" She spoke in her native tongue, running as fast as she could back to her hut. Once she arrived, the zebra slammed the door shut and turned off all sources of light; Her torches, the fire to heat her cauldron, even the wall sconces were torn off and broken. If it really was the First Sign, the next wouldn't be too far behind. She boarded up all her windows, then swiftly began to look for the ingredients she needed for the only protection circle capable of stopping whatever that portal summoned. Wolfsbane, Poison Joke root, and Manticore Tooth were all thrown in her mortar and pestle, being ground to a fine paste as quick as she could work her hooves. A thundering BOOM suddenly shook the whole hut, sending vials flying off her shelves and the windows to rattle. "Dit is te gou!" Not even bothering to get her brush out, Zebra frantically scrawled a small runic circle around her using the tip of her hoof, sweat pouring off of her coat. Sitting in the circle with an overwhelming sense of dread, she waited and waited for whatever would come through that portal, praying that her Circle of Protection worked. Suddenly, the house shook again, but this time at a deep and rumbling whinny of an ethereal horse. Yelping, she closed her eyes as tight as she could, visibly shivering with fear. A resounding clopping of hooves echoed outside the hut, slowly making its way to the front. If she kept her eyes open, Zecora would have noticed everything outside her protective warding either decayed to dust or froze over with an ethereal frost. Thud, thud, CRACK! Whatever it was that came through, at least it had manners, she thought. Each step closer to her cowering form echoed throughout her home, sounding like the pounding of a gavel at a courtroom hearing. The creature inched closer, sending the mare into tears, just far enough away to be within hooves' reach. It poked and prodded at the lettering surrounding her, a dissatisfied snort leaving the creature's face and sending a chilly mist through the air. Backing away, it began to rummage through the hut, looking for something. Small scraping noises could be heard upon the wood flooring, ending with whatever tool the creature used to carve sent sprawling away. Another ethereal whinny and boom shook the house again, signalling Zecora to finally uncover her eyes. What met her sent chills down her spine: a set of hoof prints leading to her circle were burned into the wood. Not etched, not dented: burned. Just to the right of the final hoof prints a message was carved into her floor: Fetch your rulers, pray to your gods. My master approaches. -Despair This message deserved only the highest authority in the land, and with unnatural speed, Zecora hastily sprawled a letter to the only being capable of delaying The Prophecy of Endings: "Dear Princess Celestia..." Author's Note There will be an end to this, and if you already guessed, it ain't gonna be nice. Fun fact, had to do a google search for a good language to use for Zebra. Went with Afrikaans, due to the very stiff sounding words. German was a close second. If you wanna know what the translations say without Google fucking it up, in order the words are: (1st line) Dear Gods, no. (2nd line) It is too soon! Anyways, an idea I tried before but didn't stick too well. Instead of writing it like a series, as is the norm for my crossover fics, this is just gonna be short and end pretty quick. Won't be sectioned, but it will still be a bit lengthy.
Omens First Harvest, year 4 of Equestria's Reign It's been a very trying four years after helping found the nation of Equestria with the other two pony races, and in those four years, I have only grown older, and none the wiser. My protegè, Starswirl, assures me it is nothing more than the stresses of running a country. However, I feel that is not the case. Lately, I've been having these dreams- The rest of the passage had been illegible and unintelligent ravings, as if the beginnings of madness were seeping through the pages themselves. Though, if one understood Elder Speech, such as Celestia, you would be able to see more of a split in personality than the ravings of a madmare. The Alicorn read on, deciphering the second language: The World Speaks Through Me, And Tells Me Of Creation. Two God-like Beings Shall Appear, One Clad In White And Bears The Sun's Wrath. The Other, The First Sign Of Endings... The passage ended in the journal. Noticing the oil lantern dying slowly within the vault she found herself in, Celestia cast a small wisp of light, illuminating the dank, dark, and cramped pit she sat in. The only desk down here was currently buried in open tomes, scrolls, and journals, such as the one she was reading. Winter's Ending Wrap-Up, year 18 of Equestria's Reign It seems my pupil has finally sprouted his own metaphorical wings of courage and ventured off to find what he called the Pillars of Equestria, though I doubt such a myth exists. If it did, I'm guessing the Other Me would have written about it. I'm still having visions, most vague and uneventful. One was of a young filly, not unlike my Starswirl, who showed great magical potential. In those visions, I was seeing through the eyes of one of the deities my Other Self had prophesized. It was unclear what it meant, but I had an inkling it would not be with my lifetime... Alas, no need to worry about the What-Will-Be, it is only important I focus on the What-is. Today the two deities I...I mean, the Other Me, Predicted. Now it is finally time to see if these visions are true, or if I really am just getting too old... It ended there, the next dozens of pages just repeating the same words, line after line, almost in a chant. The word, however, sent chills down the alicorn's spine as she glanced the pages: Nightmare. Day 85? No, that was the last entry, wasn't it? Day 365 of The Sisters' Rule New Year's day. One year since they arrived. One year, since my prediction was accurate, among others, albeit mundane compared to the Other One's first prediction. Celestia, the one filled with brightness, called it 'Cognitive Dissonance'- a term I had never heard before. She explained it well enough in the end though, I suppose... Essentially, I am a Sage. The first (and possibly last) to exist here. When I asked her what she meant, Celestia simply chuckled. She had not a clue, but she knew it to be correct. The knowledge she seemed to possess was very similar to my predictions, she told me in confidence. *in Elder Speech* We Were Not The Only Ones Touched, It Seemed... ... ... ...I wish I could understand that infernal writing! For the visions, it wasn't as hard making guesses, but with something writ, I am as helpless as ever. What unnerves me even more is the fact the Other Me is now blending with my current thoughts- She IT no longer needs to wait for my conscious mind to slip away. Celestia remembered that year. The New Year's Eve- the very first one. Still, she was amazed Clover the Clever kept this secret for so long... Shaking her head of such thoughts, she continued: Day 18,250 of Celestia's Rule 80 years... 80. Years. That's how long it has been since the two deities first showed. My predictions have stopped, and in my old age, I no longer wish to argue with my own mind on whether or not it was a separate personality or something else possessing me. I no longer speak what I and Celestia have come to call Elder Speech, and can only translate to words upon quill to paper. I know I can still tap into the powers that my prophecies come from with a spell of my pupil's design, though I cannot ask him directly. Today was the day I predicted his utter disappearance. My Sight never fails and now, I mourn for Starswirl the Bearded. ... A silly name, isn't it? Much kinder than what Luna called herself before banishment thirty years ago. It was the only time my Prophecy was defied, and I fear the misguided twisting of fate Celestia has accomplished may have brought upon doom to Equestria, nay, the entire world. She stopped, taking more notes in one of the many scrolls scattered, before continuing. At some point, the entry was scribbled away, most likely in defiance to the one she predicted would try to read it. Finding some legible writing, she continued, only to gasp at the next passage- it was directly addressed to her: I no longer need to mark the day I do this in defiance of you, Celestia. Your days are numbered, starting from the time your eyes first read this. I warned you of the consequences of defying powers beyond our control or understanding. This is my final prediction, my final prophecy. I used my pupil's spell, though at great cost. My body has finally caught up with my age. One hundred and thirty years I have sat on this plane of existence, and all of it was dashed away from an incomplete spell. Ironic, isn't it? That my student is responsible for creation as well as destruction? You must be proud of your student, as am I of mine. ...Enough stalling. I condemn you to your fate, for there is no escaping it this time. From the ashes of Nightmares marks the First of Four; a Tear shall appear, numbering Two of Four; The Third Sign, A horse, bound to serve its master shall ride out and bring it's namesake to all lands in it's path; The Fourth Sign, elusive, even to my sight, lest Fate be ignored again... Following these great catastrophes, my last and most powerful Prophecy will reign true, and you will suffer for defying Creation itself. The Pale Rider comes for you and you alone, but if you are to defy his masters again, the world will end in fire... Death is coming... For You. She couldn't believe it. She won't. After everything she has accomplished because of that one moment, she set out to defy Fate once more. It was why Celestia was down here, in the most hidden, deepest, darkest vault: She needed to do research on her enemy, but found nothing. Not even the wealth of knowledge she contained within her own mind told her how to cheat Death itself. If only Starswirl were here... CAW! "Yah!" The Alicorn jumped at the sudden sound. Looking around, she noticed a small raven perched upon a nearby bookshelf, when suddenly she realized something: there should be no way a raven made it down here. "Who are you?!" She held the bird within her golden aura. It was a fruitless venture however, as the feathered fiend vanished in a purple smoke. Suddenly, An eerie cackle echoed through the vault before a disembodied voice began to speak. "There's no need for violence, I come with a gift." Appearing from the same smoke, a gangly bipedal creature, dressed within a feathered robe appeared. "And who might you be?" She eyed the figure skeptically. "You're human, given your appearance, so there should be no reason why you're here." "Yes, and no." He chuckled, bursting into a murder of crows before appearing behind the mare. "Many call me Crowfather, and as I said before, I come bearing gifts-" waving his hand over the table Celestia had her research on, he summoned a small book. "This contains the secrets of the one you seek." Jumping at the opportunity, she greedily reached for the book, only for it to disappear with a flick of the wrist from Crowfather. "What do you want?" She calmly spoke, facing him. "Wise indeed!" He chuckled. "As you can see, I am bound to this infernal necklace." He lifted up an eerie charm, glowing with a sickly pale green. She also could have sworn there were voices whispering from it. "In exchange for a simple binding spell from the Sage you are reading from, I will provide you with what you seek." Now she understood why some of the passages were erased: it was to hinder the Crowfather from learning that spell. "I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news, but Clover the Clever erased all knowledge of that, it seems." "Tsk, tsk." With another flick of his wrist, Celestia came plummeting towards his face at impossible speeds, completely out of her control. "You know the spell, Celestia. Your name was uttered by the damned, and I think it's time you tell me the spell." "I-I don't know what you're talking ab-" "Nightmare." He lifted the scroll with that same word scrawled everywhere upon it, and practically pressed it into the alicorn's face. "You used a spell to stop it. I need to know it." He grinned sinisterly, holding out his hand. "Do we have a deal?" Given the situation, she had no choice but to agree. Celestia had no idea how powerful this "Crowfather" was, and was intent on not finding out. Shaking his hand, she teleported a scroll and hovered it in midair for him to take. Snatching it with feverish need, he summoned the book from earlier on her writing desk in return. "The deed is done. My friend Dust will keep you company until your battle ends. I am curious." He cackled maniacally before dispersing one last time in a murder of crows. Had she made a deal with the Devil? Only time will tell... Author's Note Sends chills down the spine, huh? Well either way, hope you enjoy it so far.
Despair "You summoned me, my masters?" Death kneeled before the three stone faces, their mouths oozing lava and their eyes as bright and fiery as the depths of Hell. THERE HAS BEEN AN ANOMALY IN THE BALANCE. the Council spoke, it's disembodied voice rumbling from a different stone face every other sentence. THE GUARDIAN OF A WORLD HAS DEFIED THE NATURAL ORDER, AND REFUSED TO ELIMINATE THE EVIL PLAGUING THEIR CHARGE. YOU WILL GO TO THIS WORLD AND ELIMINATE HER, AS IS YOUR DUTY, KEEPER OF SOULS AND PROTECTOR OF BALANCE. "Oh lovely," the Horseman groaned, his voice gravelly and with a hint of sarcasm. "And who might be accompanying me this time, hmm? That ever so annoying Watcher?" NO. YOU ARE UNBIDDEN. SHE HAS BROKEN THE BALANCE AND THUS DOOMED HER KIND. THIS FREEDOM CANNOT BE ALLOWED, OR SHOULD WE REMIND YOU AGAIN, NEPHILIM? "That... Won't be necessary." He spoke somberly. "But what of my brother, War? Wouldn't facing a Guardian be his specialty?" THE BALANCE HAS BEEN THREATENED, YES. HOWEVER, THE GUARDIAN HAD WITH HER A SAGE. Death groaned. "Of course she did. Did this Sage mention my utter displeasure as well? I'd rather arrive there and get this over with. It's my Duty and Honor or some such nonsense my brothers and sister always spout in these pointless meetings." He gestured to his Horse. "And what of my steed? Was he mentioned as well?" PROVOKING CONFLICT IS NOT YOUR NATURE, RIDER. WE UNDERSTAND THIS. REGARDLESS, YOU HAVE BEEN NAMED THE EXECUTIONER IN HER PROPHECIES, AS WITH COUNTLESS OTHER WORLDS OF CREATION. YOUR CHARGE WILL ARRIVE FIRST. IT IS THE WILL OF THE SAGE TO BE SO. YOUR PATH IS BEFORE YOU, RIDER, NOW GO! Despair remembered the conversation as if it were his own with the Council. It wasn't every day he could sense even his Master's unease at this particular mission and to make things worse, there was also the matter of the Sage's Prophecy. It gave the Guardian time to prepare against the inevitable, and she has proven to be capable of denying one's destiny before. In the horse's mind, he saw two endings to this coming conflict, and both looked to be equally devastating. I wonder if that unknown power I sensed earlier had anything to do with this feeling... Shaking his head of such thoughts, Despair focused on his current goal. From what he knows, there is another latent power in this world, likely a construct from the time of it's birth in order to maintain Balance. Focusing, Despair reached out with his ethereal power, feeling along the cracks of magic intertwined within Equestria's center. Binding his form to the shadows of the Everfree to deter prying eyes, he probed further. Most sources of power were mundane and natural, shaping the land and it's inhabitants like wet clay, that is, until he came across a nudge of resistance- a barrier of sorts. Immediately, the stallion could tell it was a power that only Creation could make. Not altogether hostile, it didn't impede his probing, but still gave resistance. It almost felt...alive, as if it was guaging Despair's magic as much as it's own was, then adapting to it. Suddenly, knowledge burned into his head and he understood this magic a bit better. It gave itself a name: Harmony. Hmm, yes, I suppose you are. He mused. The magic harmonized with his own, much to the horse's amusement. It was forever bound to the aether, but at the same time, it also had another form from what Despair's magic had told him. Pouring more of his power into the magical probe, he earned a violent ethereal shriek piercing his ears, despite the lack of current physical form. Suddenly it was as if Harmony saw the horse as a threat, and began attacking his magic head-on. "Hmph" No longer showing restraint, Despair's magic broke through the resistance Harmony was putting up like a hot knife to butter. Slicing and ripping through the haze of protection, the magic hissed and screeched at him until it finally gave up, knowing that any more resistance would see it destroyed by his hooves. "Good, you learned." He chuckled sadistically. Looking through the hole ripped through its magic, Despair peeked through, and was shocked to see not one source, but several. "Naughty thing!" He tisked, looking further. One of those sources was buried underneath the portal's entrance where he arrived, though it was dormant, and the others were scattered. One was nearby, just on the outskirts of the forest, while three more were somewhat further but clumped in the same general area, most likely a nearby town. Another one reached far above the clouds and further out west, and the horse saw the final one shining North of the 3 gathered in the distance, before another power stabbed into his own and it disappeared. "Bold move, Guardian." He sucked in a pained breath, before probing now for her presence. Harmony whimpered away from Despair's magic this time, granting him unobstructed access to the rest of this world's magical channels. "Seems even Harmony bows to Despair eventually." He chuckled internally. Diving deeper and deeper, he scoured for any source of power significant enough to pose a threat, when suddenly, his magic stalled before what he could only describe as the brightest magical barrier he had ever come into contact with, almost exactly where that other source of Harmony appeared before he was cast out. "Found You!" He chuckled, pulling his magic out, and rematerializing. Despair was smart. Smarter than most of the other Horses of the End Times. His power required him to be both persuasive and Sadistic, so it came to no surprise that he was suddenly bound by a golden aura and teleported away from his current home in the Everfree. After all, he expected it. What he didn't expect, however, was the cell he found himself in. It wasn't a typical jail cell either- it had Marks of Creation strewn about and chains attached to several anchor points on the ground, ceiling, and walls. Standing up, Despair stood in the center. "Comfortable?" An elegant voice asked. He snorted. Neighing and rearing, Despair slammed back down with a thundering Boom, cracking the entire cell he was in, before shattering into specks of dust. Chuckling, he slowly stepped down from the decimated pedestal. "Did You really think some old runes could possibly keep me away?" "No," the voice replied, stepping out of the shadows. It was a winged dark blue unicorn with an ethereal starry mane and tail who stood as tall as Despair. "We know better than to upset the Balance. My sister, whom you seek," Princess Luna paused, watching the cell reassemble itself and the horse within squeal with shock. "Does not." Suddenly, the chains from earlier bound Despair to the middle of the pedastal, a new pair of runes circling him in the center. "Release me, you insignificant pawn!" He hissed at the Alicorn before him. "I am not to interfere with the Balance." Luna Repeated before stepping back into darkness. "Such was not my fate. I am but a pawn." Hmph, I have no idea how you lesser creatures managed to find how to cast these binding runes, but I am going to teach your Guardian a lesson in fooling Despair He thought. Summoning the power of his master, Death, the ethereal horse conjured Harvester, a gargantuan Scythe glowing with a purple aura, it's Skulls of the Damned wailing upon every impact it made with the cell upon arriving. Flicking his head, the weapon cut cleanly through the Eldritch Prison, freeing him of his shackles and destroying the binding runes. Slamming his hooves down, he banished the shadows to reveal a very terrified Luna cowering in the corner. "I will say this only once," He flew Harvester into the stone wall, mere inches from the mare. "Your Guardian does not control Balance. Something you ought to learn quickly, if you truly mean not to interfere." Yanking the blade out, he walked off, opening a portal between realms. "Oh, and one more thing," Harvester swung back towards her and sliced her horn clean off, sending the Alicorn wailing in agony. "We would not be here if it weren't for you, Nightmare. Remember that." Author's Note Shit's gonna hit the fan next chapter. Hope you like it, if not let me know what I can do to improve!
