I have paid the ultimate price for what I have become. I have banished myself to a hell that I can never escape. I have damned myself to a torment far beyond anyone’s comprehension. I have punished myself with loneliness: a life without living. I… I have failed them. They looked up to me… they sought my help in their time of need, only to be betrayed by the one they considered a friend. I have brought nothing but havoc and destruction upon these innocent creatures. I… I have failed them. I have failed… her.

1-9-2024, 6:23 AM

Two weeks after the first attack, in the aftermath of a great battle, the once peaceful world of Equestria had fallen to the might of the Ultimate Legion of Doom, a group of super powerful creatures of varying species. When the Legion took control of the capital city of Canterlot, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Equestria's beloved leader, had no choice but to surrender herself for the safety and well being of her subjects. It was not to last.

With the pain and destruction the legion had brought upon the land, everyone and everything was either enslaved or killed if they did not submit. The power of friendship had failed them, proving incapable of combating these evils, and as each of the main cities fell, so too did their hope of winning the war. One by one the ponies and their neighboring allies were defeated by Grogar and his team, slaughtered like animals.

The end of friendship itself seemed to draw closer with every city they controlled, the strength of the Ultimate Legion of Doom growing in the days that followed. No magic the ponies had acquired could combat the evils that threatened their very existence. Their only hope now was that someone would come and save them from their imminent demise. But if the Princess of Friendship couldn’t fight them, who else could stand a chance?

Banished within the confines of the Canterlot dungeons, many ponies of all kinds were bound to the very shackles that had once detained evil, now used to imprison those who fought for their homeland. Over half of the captured quadrupeds had already died off, whether it was because of malnourishment, death by torture, or even suicide. Those who were unfortunate enough to live through the pain were mostly insane, driven mad and unaware of their actions. Some would go as far as kill their own kind just to live another day. Of the limited numbers of ponies who were still somewhat sane, they kept themselves busy, thinking about their families or simply counting the days as they passed by.

Of all those who had wound up in the dungeon, a lone alicorn male of red and black hung in the air, chained by a most painful bondage. His life force barely resided inside of him, his head hanging down and the blood from his many wounds spilling off of his body and dripping onto the floor. His entire being, lacerated and tortured beyond belief, hung above the cold stone floor, quiet and still as could be. His limbs were held in place by a most cruel and vicious method, the ancient Chains of Tartarus: an old spell banned from usage due to the intense pain that it inflicts upon its victims, wrapping around one’s limbs and embedding itself into their flesh with its serrated thorns.

The alicorn said nothing, letting out nothing but staggered groans due to the pain that lingered within his body. He closed his eyes, trying to stay as still as he could so that the thorns that ran along the black chains holding him in place did not cut away at his flesh anymore than it needed to.

“You could’ve saved us! My son would still be alive if you just went out there and fought! Yet you cower in these prisons like the fool you really are.” A nearby stallion shouted hateful words upon the prisoner, spewing his vile talk from his mouth and letting it sink into his mind. “To think that Princess Twilight and the others considered you a friend. Bah! You are nothing!”

“Shut up, or else you will be the next one laying along the ground before me, taking the form of nothing but a lifeless clump of flesh and blood!” A familiar voice echoed throughout the dungeon halls, filling the imprisoned alicorn with an intense anger. A blue ram emerged from the shadows, bringing himself into the red alicorn’s view. “Miss me, boy?”

The alicorn said nothing, furrowing his brow and gritting his teeth. He dared not struggle within his bonds, fearing the damage it would do to him. The ram let out a booming laugh which reverberated all around the dungeon cells. He reached behind his back with his hoof and pulled out a small dagger. The ram lifted it and held it up against the alicorn’s neck, taunting the creature as the blade’s reflection hit his eyes.

“You gave my subjects a hard time.” The ram said, chuckling under his breath. “They all want to make sure that you are dead, fearing that you would use the Darth Spawn to fight back. But I have different plans; I have plans that will make you give me exactly what I want.” The alicorn had remained silent, staring into the ram’s eyes with a furious fire in his soul. “Have you nothing to say?”

The alicorn was smart, knowing that the ram wanted him to say anything that might help their cause. He ignored the ram’s interrogation methods, staying silent and just watching him continue. The ram gritted his teeth and pressed the blade against the alicorn’s throat with more force, anymore would’ve been enough to cut through his flesh.

“You will give me what I want.” The ram said, pushing his forehead against the alicorn’s. “Think about what is best for them, boy. Think about her. Do you really want her to pay anymore than she already has? She has lost everything, her subjects, her home, her friends, her family, everything. Do her a favor and do something for once in your life that will finally bring her nothing but good.”

“Fuck you.” The alicorn whispered, lifting his head and spitting on the ram with each word he spoke. The ram let out a shout of anger, taking the dagger and driving it through the alicorn’s chest. The alicorn jerked his head back, yelling out in pain as the blade penetrated his skin and muscles. He fought through the agonizing torment, feeling the rest of his blood spill out of his body. The alicorn’s head dropped, his eyes facing the ground. The ram grabbed hold of him by his throat and violently choked him.

“Maybe I was wrong. You really are better off dead.” The ram looked over and saw the lightning bolt shaped scar along the alicorn’s eye, smiling to himself. “It is afterall the only mistake I ever made.” The ram took the dagger and pulled it out of the alicorn’s flesh, wiping the blood from the blade with his leg, letting the vile liquid stain his blue fur. “I will not do the same thing another time.”

The ram turned around and walked away from the alicorn, leaving the dungeon and heading back up to the main floor. In the darkness that fell over the cell walls, the alicorn’s life slowly began to fade away from him, his vision getting dimmer by the second. With his body growing colder and weaker as the blood drained out of him. The stallion closed his eyes, patiently waiting for his death to arrive and take him away. He muttered incomprehensibly, slowly watching his life leaving his grasp. As darkness filled his mind, the alicorn’s body went limp, lifeless and empty.

Trapped in the emptiness of his soul, the alicorn opened his eyes, finding himself floating around in an empty void. It was all too familiar to him, hanging on the brink of death with nothing but a glimpse of the world between life and death passing him as he transitioned through the void.

The memories of his past returned to him, haunting his thoughts with their vile visions. He recalled all the terrible things that had happened to him, corrupting him and altering himself forever. As the returning images of the lives he took from the innocent filled his conscious, the alicorn could do nothing but loath in pity, disgraced by the things he had done so long ago.

The alicorn looked into a strange mass standing in front of him, reflecting the image of himself back at him. However, it was not an alicorn that he saw in the reflection, but instead a human being. The alicorn saw himself in his true form appear before him, the two entities staring at each other for a prolonged period of time. Moments passed by and the reflection began to morph into an older version of his human self. Hair from his chin appeared, along with his brow getting thicker and his body maturing. The man in the reflection stood tall, clad in golden armor with various symbols embedded along the exterior of the chestplate and pauldrons. He soon found himself looking at a future version of himself. The alicorn's eyes widened in horror, unhappy to see the man's familiar face once more.

“I told you not to come back.” The alicorn said, turning away from the human. He shunned the bearded man, refusing to look upon the face that he had once trusted.

“I did everything that had to be done for the greater good of both you and all of Equestria. You know this to be true.” The man said, flicking his hand to his side as he spoke with power.

“No! You only wanted what was best for them. You wanted to change history so that these creatures would never have to endure the pain that you experienced.” The alicorn said, quickly turning his attention back at the human, speaking with a slight growl in his voice. “It was never truly about me, was it?”

“It was... not.” The man said, the anger in his voice calming to a grumbled tone. “But if you had not learned about friendship then you would have indeed found yourself in hell sooner or later. My actions for you prevented what could’ve been the worst end of your life.”

“Ok, so I learned about friendship… so what? You told me that I have to change my ways, simple as that, yet now you expect me to eliminate a threat so powerful that it threatens the very existence of every creature here on this world by myself?” The alicorn looked down at his hooves, appalled by the man he saw behind the horse-like appendages. “I don’t think you understand what you are asking for.”

“I do, boy.” The man said. He noticed the alicorn staring down at his hooves. The feeling of fear felt all too familiar to him. “These creatures depend on you if they even want a fighting chance at victory. You feel it, don’t you? The feeling of wanting to fight for your friends. The need for vengeance. It resides within you… why not take your shot?”

“But I can’t.” The alicorn’s hooves shook as the creature was filled with troublesome memories of his past. “I promised myself that I would never go back to that life. It has brought me nothing but pain and suffering. The day she taught me about friendship was the day I was given a second chance at living the life I wanted. But now to think that I would have to fight once more. It is more than anyone could go through.”

“I know. I understand the toll it brings on you. No one could begin to imagine the things that you and I have gone through, but we must fight. You may not have chosen this path, but you must see the greater picture of it all.” The reflection of the man faded, revealing the man in full. He approached the alicorn, each step he took giving off a metal click from his armor. He knelt down and placed the palm of his hand along the alicorn’s shoulder, sympathizing for the creature. The man looked at him, remorse in his eyes. “If you do not fight for them, you will be hurting more than just yourself. They will not survive by themselves. There is a reason you were brought here… the same reason I was brought to Equestria in my youth.”

“But why me? Why must I go through such a violent, hurtful life? I do not want to see anyone die anymore.” The alicorn said, putting his hooves down to his side.

“If that is your true intention, then you know that it must be done. In order to protect you friends, you must face your enemies.” The man stood up, looking down upon the creature with a stern look on his face.

“Carter,” The alicorn said. “What happened that day? What did you… what did I do to them?” The man sighed at the boy’s question, regretfully remembering that dark day as if it was yesterday.

“You were infected by the Darth Spawn, fully exposed to its powers and corrupted in every way. You killed Grogar and his allies, but you were incapable of controlling yourself and what you did. You completed the mission, but in the process… you killed Twilight Sparkle.” The man shed a single tear, which ran down his cheek and was absorbed within the hairs of his beard. The alicorn gasped in horror, not wanting the same to happen to the Twilight that he knew. “I still remember her lifeless body laying against my arms as I held her, watching her die because of my need for vengeance. I sought nothing but the death of the enemy, but in the process did things that I could never forgive myself for. I… we spilled innocent blood that day.” The man turned to the alicorn, furrowing his brow. “I did what I had to do for you, boy. I wanted to stop you from becoming me. You and I may be the same person, but we should never share the same legacy. This is your second chance.”

“But how? How can I fight them without letting the Darth Spawn take over my mind? Everytime I fight I feel nothing but the need for correction and justice the way I see it fit.” The alicorn inquired. "I want to fight for them, but I am scared about the man I will become. I don't want to push away my feelings. I want to be able to feel happiness, sympathy, love, all those things."

“You must control yourself. It is ok to get angry in battle, but not ok to let it control you. You must find balance.” The man smiled, looking down at his own hands. “It took me a while to learn it for myself, too. You don’t want to kill them for your own personal benefit. You want to just protect your friends, right?”

“...Yes.”

“Well then, you know what must be done.”

“But, I am stuck here in this void. How can I get back to Equestria?” The alicorn asked, remembering that he was in the middle of dying.

“Ha. Death hasn’t stopped you before, has it?” The man said, holding out his hand. He gently pressed his fingertips against the alicorn’s chest, holding it there while his hand began to glow red. “This is where we part ways, Carter.”

“What? What do you mean?” The alicorn questioned, desperately trying to figure out what his older self was doing.

“I saved you before you could die back on Earth, but this time you are not so fortunate... or rather, it is I who lacks fortune. You will not be alone, Carter. I will guide you on your quest. With the rest of the power that I have left in me, I will bestow it upon you. You will take the form of your true self once again, as your pony body was only there to help you blend in during your journey. However, this is where they must see the real Carter. You must show the world who you truly are, who you want to be.”

“Wait, you are gonna sacrifice yourself for me!?” The alicorn shouted, trying to push the man away from him.

“No. I am bound to the spirit realm unless someone breaks my curse. But I have suffered for ninety years, Carter. I have fought through all the pain and suffering that I have put upon myself in my timeline. This is your story, now. Not mine.” Carter’s future self’s hand charged to its fullest with the magic inside him. “My power will allow you to overcome the Darth Spawn from corrupting you, but even my magic cannot destroy it entirely. It will reside in you for eternity, but you cannot let its fear consume you. Do not fear, Carter. Fear is what drives everyone to do things they regret. Fear is what powers the Darth Spawn and creates the evils you have come to know. Never fear, for only then will you overcome your enemies and free your friends. Only then will you save yourself from my fate.”

“Wait, don’t leave me!”

Within seconds a big wave of red magic engulfed his future self, converting him into nothing but ashes. The alicorn stared at him, shocked by the sacrifice that had been made. The ashes of the deceased man hovered around the alicorn, surrounding him with their magical powers. They soon dove into his body, filling him with the strength of his future counterpart. A loud shout erupted from Carter’s lungs as the magic ashes were absorbed. Lights and magical auras filled the alicorn’s vision as he was warped away from the void, the ashes returning him to Equestria.

Carter watched as his body changed. His skin turned black, showing that the Darth Spawn was fighting something inside of him. After a few moments, the dark pigmentation of his body changed to that of a bright white. The Darth Spawn had finally been tamed, freeing the alicorn from his vile bondage. The Darth Spawn, the one thing that infected him and tormented his mind for his whole adult life was now stopped, but the thought that it would forever hide inside him still scared him. Would he truly be able to become the man he wished to be instead of the murderous beast he had become?

As he was coming back to Equestria, Carter had flashbacks of his past. He remembered the pain of watching the people he loved die right in front of him, and the demon he became from killing all of those innocent people during his time in the military. The mental struggles that took hold of his life were stronger than anything he could imagine, pushing himself away from others so that he would never have to go through the pain he felt back then. But with what his future self taught him, along with her teachings, Carter realized that it was never just about himself. This was about them, it was about his friends.

Closing his eyes and shedding a single tear, Carter could not bare to think about his past. The visions... the memories that haunted him so made it difficult for him to accept. In his mind, Carter could not bring himself to accept his past, and because of this, the pain embedded itself within his soul, tormenting him for all his days. As the screams and cries of his victims rang in his head, Carter seemed like there was no hope for him. No chance to escape his fate. He had failed not only himself, but also those whom he had come to love.

Except to Carter, failure was not an option. He would not be defeated by death. He would not be tormented by his past, and he would not let his friends be hurt anymore. To give up on himself was one thing, but the thought of betraying those who had worked so hard to get him to be the man he became was something he couldn't allow himself to do. Carter reached deep down in his soul and fought the demons from within, freeing himself from death.

I have died as the enemy. I have been revived as a friend. I have experienced what most couldn't even imagine. Yet through all of these trials I am still alive and still ready to fight. Not even death can stop me from who I am and what I can do. I will stop them. I will defeat the Ultimate Legion of Doom! I will free my friends from their torment, and I will have my revenge!

Carter opened his eyes, filled with the strength, hope and determination he needed to fight the Ultimate Legion of Doom. He found himself back in Equestria, still trapped within the Chains of Tartarus, their painful, whetted spikes still engulfed by his flesh. Carter yelled out in pain as he pulled his arm outward, attempting to free himself from his bonds. The man shouted as he pulled his arm free, feeling every bit of the thorns tear at his limbs. With one final grunt, Carter found that the chains broke free of his arm, partially freeing himself from his bindings. Carter took his other arm and did the same thing, eventually freeing his other arm.

Carter’s body fell to the ground, his arms stinging with blood and pain, the holes along his arms spilling the red liquid along the dungeon floors. Carter took a moment to catch his breath and process things, checking his surroundings and himself for anything off. He found that his wounds were still intact, the dagger stab still visible in his chest. He pulled himself off of the ground and used his hand to cover his chest. It then dawned on him. He had a hand, not a hoof.

I am… human, again?

The man could not believe it. He was back to his normal form. Carter looked at his hands, the blood from his wounded arms spilling between his fingers. He smiled to himself, seeing and feeling himself wiggle his fingers for the first time in a while. He closed his hands into fists, feeling the tension between flesh and bone, a few cracks audibly coming from the joints. He looked around at his new body, happy to see that he was back to normal. His feet, legs, hands, arms, and even his…

I am naked. Great…

“I have been expecting you for quite some time, boy. Though I understand that the circumstances make you quite coy.” Carter quickly turned around, expecting to find a member of the Ultimate Legion of Doom standing behind him. However his guard was immediately lowered when he instead found a hooded figure behind the iron bars that kept him in his cell.

“Coy? What the hell are you talking about? Who are you?” Carter asked, using his leg to cover his genitals, which had little effect.

“Do not worry about me. I only ask that you follow and see.” The figure said. She threw down some special seeds along the ground, which opened up a portal in front of the man. “Take it, you have nothing to fear. Though hurry, for the others draw near.”

Though the timing of these events seemed a little suspicious, Carter, left with little to no choice, jumped into the portal, unknowing of where it might lead. The hooded figure turned and saw the shadow of Grogar slowly approach her position. She threw down some seeds of her own down on the ground and jumped into the new portal that opened up, closing just as fast once she was through.

As silence filled the room, Grogar made his way over to Carter’s cell, only to find that the chains that held him were lying on the ground, shattered into a million pieces. He stared at the remnants in surprise, wondering how he could’ve possibly escaped.

“Impossible. No pony could’ve had the strength to break free of the Chains of Tartarus… unless. He has changed!” Grogar furrowed his brow, angered by the change of events. “You may have escaped this time. But make no mistake, you will never free them. The ancient king was wrong about you, mortal; you will never win. Equestria is ours, now, and there is nothing you can do to stop us.”

Author's Note

The war between the Ultimate Legion of Doom and all of Equestria now hangs in the hands of Carter, once corrupted human bent on killing all who do bad just for his pleasure to right their wrongs. With the knowledge he now has about friendship, Carter must use this second chance to fight the very threat that haunts Equestria and its citizens while also keeping himself from going back to who he was.

Proud to begin this special sequel! Leave comments if y'all have any, but enjoy the story!

Edited 11-12-2020 (Reworked dream sequence to fit in with later chapters.)

Peace,

-MCX