My darkest hour
If you use dark mode there will be words hard to see... and it's on purpose. No crying.
The aftermath. The dreaded aftermath that was hidden from public history in order to hold up the pillars as heroes. Stygian a name barely mentioned in their books or even in history itself a name that has only been documented as a “villain” after his attempt to help his friends by copying their artifacts to assist them in battle. It was a misunderstanding but they…. they had casted him out so easily. Too easily…
He understood that from their point of view a pony who wasn’t special in the art of magic would want more power but after the time the battles and their moments of peace. He expected them to at least have a benefit of a doubt to let him explain himself but NO! They all believed Starswirl so easily and banished him. Did they all actually hate him? Did they actually believe he was a power hungry fool… or was he just their stepping stool to rise in fame.
With these thoughts of betrayal and sadness he formed an emotion truly suited for a power hungry fool. Vengeance. They used him as a stool to rise to power and fame, it must’ve been their plan all along and this was just merely an excuse for them to do it.
As Stygian stood in the middle of the forest, rainfall pounding his cloaked body. He stared as one of the puddles to a new face he’s never seen before. Hate. His bloodshot eyes pierced his own soul and the scowl and rage he wore. From that moment Stygian knew he needed to show them. No, knock their egos down a notch and show that they were NOTHING without him. They had the brawn but not the brain.
From that point Stygian went on a journey. No longer wanting to be in someone’s shadow he searched around Equestria in search of artifacts of power. With his knowledge of each of their strengths and weaknesses chiseled into his mind he needed artifacts to counter their strengths and others to hit their weaknesses where it really hurt them. Of course this wasn’t an easy task.. It was a frustrating one. He found artifacts of power but they were never enough with a detailed plan he always found one of the pillars solution to defeating or breaking said artifact.
His journey led him to more dangerous places he could not go through without injuring himself greatly. Eventually after three failures he decides to take an easy search to rest to go into an abandoned small town. Hollow Shades, was the town name, Scholars and adventures had documented this place as a “cursed mining town beyond repair” funny enough noen ever expanded on what makes the town cursed or what the curse even is.
Stepping onto the land however Stygian can see why most would call it “cursed” the land’s sky was filled with dark purplish clouds. The land itself was dry devoid of any moisture nor living plant life. It was a depressing atmosphere. Walking along the old dried road he comes into view of the town. It was as the scholars described, plenty of buildings but all in ruin beyond repair. Entering the town he found broken tables outside of the stone tomes, hay roofs collapsed in on themselves, stone broken down by time. It really looked like this was a dead end but it still was nice to explore especially towns built around the era when the pony tribes hated each other and stayed in their own circles.
Judging from the structuring he figured it was an old earth pony mining town. Walking to the center Stygian pauses as he sees the.. Hole in the ground? It was a hole in the ground but a stone slab surrounded it. Examining it further he found no signs of old hook spots for mining pones to rope down into. Looking down into the hole he saw nothing by darkness. Maybe it was the mining central and this was a hole to let sunlight in to serve as the main light source? Curious Stygian opens his back and pulls out a big pouch. Tossing a bit down the hole he waits to hear the clink at the bottom only to hear a wet “spoolsh” closer than he anticipated.
“That’s strange. A mining shaft shouldn’t be this close to the surface…” Stygian raises his hoof in thought.
It couldn’t be a well, it was far too large… the only thing that could have water this close to the surface and a hole out for it was…
“A cistern!?” Stygian looked at the hole in confusion. Normally old unicorn towns built cisterns or aqueducts but an earth pony town in an environment like this? It was strange and... suspicious.
“Maybe this trip won’t be fruitless after all…” Stygian said with a small smile on his face. Reaching his saddlebag with his magic he pulled out his emergency climbing / escape rope and tied it around one of the nearby broken stone pieces of wall that had fallen close to the well. Tying the rope around his barrel with his magic, Stygian gets on top of the slabs and looks down into the hole. The darkness looked back at him.
“It’s not that deep. It’s not that deep. It’s just light not reaching it properly… it’s not that deep.” Stygian whispered to himself before jumping down into the hole. As he believed it was a short fall, landing himself in a puddle. He gave a sigh of relief at the shortfall. Looking around he sees the cistern pillars and some stairs leading up to platforms in case the cistern was getting flooded but other than that he couldn’t see much else.
He unties the rope around his barrel and leaves it hanging to serve as his anchor and return. Turning around back into the depths of the cistern he pulls out a lantern from the bag and lights it up using the light he searches further into the dark cistern but only finds more pillars and platforms. Stygian felt this was… off it seemed large, larger than he expected or for a small town like this to have unless it rained constantly. Stygian couldn’t help but feel it was large for a reason… a magical reason perhaps? Following his gut Stygian explores the dark cistern.
The sound of his wet hoofsteps was the only thing that indicated life down here. It was unsettling for him.. Most temples or ancient places he has been at had some form of life whether it was small critters, plants or other sentient creatures. The darkness strained his eyes, it was like a thick black fog but it wasn’t or maybe it was. He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he was walking for way too long and for way too far. This cistern was big. Too big for this town.
Something is down here. There should be no reason for a size to be under hear unless it’s hiding something
These beliefs keep Stygian focus but the more he went on the more tired he got. How long has it been since he has done down here? He wasn’t sure anymore. Maybe he’s gone around in circles?
`I should start marking on the—`
‘Splat, sploosh, splash’
His ears flick and he freezes. Movement and it wasn’t from him. Sweat starts to drip from his forward head as he looks around quickly only to see nothing but darkness. He could feel his heartbeat fasten as fear started to set in.
I’m not alone… I’m not alone!
Something was down here and it moved… quickly but not close by luckily but that meant it was standing still or frozen in place. That meant it was probably watching him. Stygian couldn’t help but spin himself around to make sure nothing was just merely in his blind spot. He moved his lantern down to his mouth and held it while using his magic to reach for one of the more defensive artifacts in his saddlebag and activating it. The stone insect neck piece with gems for it’s eyes glowed and produced a green barrier around him. He puts the artifact back in his bag carefully to not accidentally deactivate it and removes the lantern from his mouth to let out a sigh.
Protective measures taken… Now time for the 2nd phase.
“H-hello!? Anyone down here!? I mean no harm! I swear on my family’s name!” He yelled out and waited after his echo died down through the cistern. No reply, no sounds other than his own breathing.
Maybe I misheard my own steps? Or is this darkness start to affect my mind?
If his mind was starting to play tricks on him then he had stayed down here for too long. He needed to go back and rest on the surface if he was going to explore this cistern. He turns around and starts to head back the way he came from. Even then it felt like going back was taking longer than going forward until he started to go right on the assumption that he might’ve been walking around in circles.
“Psst”
“What!?” Stygian whipped his head around to the sound. “Hello!? Who’s there?” Stygian yelled out into the darkness only to get no response. It must be his mind playing tricks on him, right?
‘Splat, sploosh, splash, splat, sploosh, splash’
Stygian turns his head to the opposite direction as the steps ring out to him from afar. His heartbeat was quicking and sweat started to form again. A voice and steps? Someone must be down here!? It can’t be his mind playing tricks right!?
“Answer me! I swear i don’t mean any har—”
“Stygian?”
He froze again. A elderly voice entering his ears.. A voice all too familiar.
Starswirl!? What is he doing here!? Dang it! Too early!?
Instinctively Stygian booked it away from the voice’s direction. He needed to get as far away from Starswirl's teleportation range then get as far away from his search range. Luckily one of his artifacts could make himself untraceable to magic if he were to activate it but...
“Stygian, where are you going?!”
Starswirl would never go to a location like this alone. Stygian arounds corners as the sounds of multiple hoofsteps beating on the puddles of water chase after him. They sounded closer than before, too close for comfort. Stygian could already feel his fatigue climbing, after all he wasn’t an earth pony he could only run for so long. He gasped and strained his little body more to avoid the confrontation with his former friends.
“Stygian! What are YOU doing here!?”
“Psst”
“I bet he’s up to som’ scheme!”
“Stygian please slow down!”
“Failure”
“Don’t try talking to him! Or get near him! He might take our artifacts again!”
‘Splat, sploosh, splash, splat, sploosh, splash’
“Power hungry fool”
“Nobody..”
“Hahahahahhahahah!”
“Why was he born this way?”
“ENOUGH!” Stygian skids to a stop and whips around to focus all his remaining magic into his horn, dropping the lantern in the process. He couldn’t see them but he knew there were there. Those damn traitors, pretenders, manipulators!
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!” Stygian yells out in rage as launches a small bolt of magic into the darkness before collapsing. Panting from the run and low magic in him he could only hope it managed to hit one of them. He closes his eyes and waits for his former friends to approach.
Damn it all… damn it all..
As his hope starts to diminish a light penetrates his eyes causing him to open them and look up. His jaw drops and his eyes widen as he sees not Starswirl before him but rather his magic illuminating a wall. Not just any wall, it was a large stone carved mural. His magic made the strange carvings on the circular mural glow white. Stygian took a moment to collect himself and realize this was real, he had found something. He looks around to see if pillars were close by only to find himself alone in this cistern… again.
“Ah… oh my goddess…” Stygian smacks his hoof against his face as he realizes that it was all in his head. He should’ve found a mental fortitude artifact so an event like this wouldn’t happen. Picking himself up he walks down the stone path and up to the mural. His eyes inspected every inch of this strange artwork. The carvings were in a strange rune shape or perhaps language, artwork was that of a strange creature he’s never seen. A biped by the looks of it the only clue Stygian gained from looking at it was that it had a torso similar to a minotaurs but not covered in fur in fact it only seemed to be his fur or “hair” on top of it’s head. Strange X shaped marks were on it’s collar bone and on it’s arms. It took a wide arm stance that resembled that of a minotaur welcoming others into its home.
In the background it showed smaller other beings all different but not detailed enough. All standing on top of an depicting fire. Above the main biped was another smaller one holding the sun in one hand and the moon in the other. It looked beautiful. It definitely wasn’t carved by a pony with this level of detail; it had to be by a creature with hands and a good eye. Stygian raises his hoof and runs it over the mural.
“Smooth..” Stygian taps his hoof against the mural. “And sturdy.” As he taps it a second time the cistern shakes briefly. Stygian braces himself and looks around in case any falling debris comes down only to see a black liquid leak from the carvings. It was clearly thick like lava but flowed as clean as water onto the ground. Stygian backs up and goes up the stairs onto one of the platforms as the liquid leaks out quickly and fills the cistern. Looking down at the liquid filled him with unease.
He wanted to dip his hoof in it but it could be something that bypasses the barrier or even break it and burn, freezing anything bad to him. It wasn’t in any book he read nor any study of such a liquid existed.
“Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh….”
Stygian freezes in places as a light voice erupts from all around him. It was masculine but a youngish voice.
“It’s… wow where the fuck?”
Fuck? Stygian raised a brow at the strange word. It spoke his language but it had different words.
“Huh.. Interesting so I guess this is what happened.” Stygian looked around him constantly and then at the mural. The only thing that changed was the liquids flooding. He woke something up. Whatever it is, he needs a plan before things can go sour or he gets noticed.
“Ah… you…”
Fiddlesticks
“Seeing as you’re the only one here I can assume you somehow woke me up.”
“That is correct sir… I am Stygian” Stygian straighten up. If he was going to talk to this.. Entity he needed posed confidence even if he didn’t have none to lower the likelihood of the entity getting confident and hostile.
“A pony… eugh. No matter the fact you woke me up with such… mn bitterness, with a dab of hate and a vegetable side of vengeance. Even if it's brief and you're a pony, my leader told me to show gratitude.” Stygian ears twitch and his eyes widen. Does that mean what he thinks he means?
“So allow me to welcome you to my old testing or experiment ground in which I am somehow.. here?I’m not sure I can see and hear from this well but that's all.” He coughs. “Speaking of this well! I welcome you to the WELL. OF. SHADOOOOWS! An experimental storage testing storage of mine containing my most powerful forms of my element.”
Stygian mind paused at hearing the word testing ground. Element? He looked at the black liquid and then remembered the environment on the surface. His heart paused for a moment as a question rose to his mind. The entity was in a good mood… Could he ask?
“By.. testing grounds sir do mean this cistern or… the town?” Stygian asked with a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. The entity gave a long silence making Stygian’s heartbeat quicken before it snickered.
“Yep, how’s it looking? Last time I left the land was pretty dead and I managed to make a new type of cloud and put it in a stasis.”
“It’s pretty much how you described sir.” The entity laughs in response.
“Good experiment was successful then. Going back on topic.. Tell me, small pony What do you desire? i’ll tell you know my power is very very fucking limited so if want to be rich like a king then you better think again!” Stygian nodded his head. Excitement started to fill him as if this entity was powerful enough to damage the land this badly then it meant a chance to have an artifact that could challenge the pillars!
In a rush Stygian pulled out his journal from his saddlebag and flipped the pages to his notes on the pillars. This was his only chance to get an artifact that could beat them he needed to take his chance with all he has!
“I wish for an artifact that can grant me vengeance upon those who had betrayed me! The pillars of Equestria! If I have to be specific, sir… I need an artifact that can take away Rockhoof’s magic so that he will return to his original form! An artifact to nullify magic in general so I can face Mistmane and Starswirl on even grounds! A gravity artifact to remove the flight skills of Somnambula and Flash Magnus and finally for Meadowbrook an environmental artifact would do!” Stygian quickly said with a smile on his face and looked at the mural with excitement. A long silence occurs before the entity speaks up again.
“Holy fuck your wishy washy... Show gratitude my ass... “ Stygian freezes up and bows apologetically.
“A-ah I apologize sir. I might’ve gotten too excited. I can lower my standards if you can do it.”
“Bah! I never said I couldn't give you what you wanted! The only issue is... Well You see it won’t be an artifact it’ll be… nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn…. It’s best I show you instead.” Stygian raises a brow before seeing water climb up quickly onto the platform. His pupils shrink the the liquid rushes to him and as he thought it easily broke his barrier and before could scream it had overwhelmed and covered him after that he felt... nothingness.
Ah… did.. Did I die? That quick?
`I thought I could die with some digini— Open your eyes horse!`
Stygian yelps as the bellowing voice in his head yells, opening his eyes. All Around him he saw darkness even the floor was dark and yet he felt… comfortable. The temperature wasn’t cold nor hot, it was ideal but the question rose. “Where am i…?”
“You’re inside me.” A voice spoke up from all around. It was different from the entity’s yet similar. Before he could ask what he meant he witnesses a spot of the dark floor rise up and copy Stygians own look. His fur black as charcoal, mane seeming to be made out of a grey, always moving thick gas that was able to copy his mane and tail. The only thing it didn’t copy was his eyes ,mouth and horn. His eyes were pure glowing white orbs and his mouth was a jagged smile with its insides a white glow and his horn was curved like Mistmanes but even further.
“Hello Stygian… my eugh… “temporary” vessel.” Stygian blinked at the mimic in front of him, his brain trying to process all this new information.
“P-pardon? Vessel?” Stygian raised a brow as he walked around the annoyed mimic who groaned and nodded.
“Yesss… My master decided to latch his me; his shadow onto you to give you what you wanted.”
“I uh… see! I must ask however.. How will you give me what I want?” The shadow smirked and brimmed with confidence.
“Depending on the time of day or the lack of lightsource my power is copying my vessel. Though of course I was designed by my master so my true potential is only unlocked when I am with him. I cannot be destroyed by magic, I'm immortal, I can take any shape or form even weaponry. I can phase through objects… you get the point, there's a lot i can do.” The mimic looks at Stygian with a smirk.
“But... only if you have a vessel correct?” Stygian asks as he stops and looks at his mimic.
“Correct. Right now you’re inside me as my host. I can show what we look like on the outside if you wish… after all my master has commanded me to follow you and your wish until it is completed.” Stygian nods with a smile.
“I see. I wish to see how we looked.” The mimic nods and moves to the side, coming from the ground a mirror forms and reveals the outside world. The cistern was clear as day through the mirror. It was small, he could even see his rope point, it must’ve been the wells influence that caused the darkness and hallucinations. He watched as the shadow shell he was in moved forward and looked down into a puddle. He gasped at the sight. He was huge, bulky, and almost exactly like the mimic if it wasn’t copying him it looked…. Villainous.
“Why are we so BIG?” Stygian looked back at the mimic with concern.
“Because we’re in peak darkness. I told you the darker it is the stronger i am.. It so happens that with you it also reflects in size.” Stygian looked back and nodded.
“I think i get it… so in order for us to be at peak strength it would be best to use you at night?” The mimic nods.
“If you want to show your victims your full wrath then it would be best to use me under night.. But beware indoor lights can also affect me so if we are going to fight it’s best to snuff out all sources of light.” Stygian nodded in return as he looked over his form again. “What about the day? Will you be snuffed out or be harmed by the sun?”
“Nay. Light merely weakens me greatly but I would prefer the way we don’t use the shell and I simply hide in your shadow until nightfall.” Stygian nodded once more and stared at the shadow shell through the mirror. This vessel was stronger than all his artifacts combined but it felt as if he would once again be hiding behind someone’s shadow though now it was literal. He wanted to be the face of the ones who beat the pillars of Equestria but if this was the path to grant him that then it was worth it.
“I will admit I take a bit of issue with technically being in your shadow but if it gives me what i desire then with my brain and your brawn….” Stygian turns around and looks at his mimic with a smile and determined look.
“I’m willing to ignore that and do it.”
The mimic grins and approaches the stallion. “Then Stygian Let this be the start of a good “temporary” partnership…” The two hook hooves as the mural on the wall changed behind the shell, now a beautiful depiction of their new form charging into battle from the well. It signaled the beginning of “The pony of shadows”
1,000 years later
Stygian sighs as he looks over his response letter once again and sighs. Ever since he published his 3rd book he has gotten nonstop letters praising him for it but some with a keen eye sent letters questioning if he told the full story. He couldn’t help but admit that he had left out some bits and pieces but it was for the better. Looking back on that meeting he can't help but feel guilt and shame for letting himself go down such a path. Not telling people the whole truth was for the better, if the well of shade was still active then countless ponies would explore and fall into the dark madness that he did. It was merely luck that he even broke free from its influence and if others had the same luck as him… if that well was still active then the pony of shadow—no HIS shadow would return.
No creature deserve to fall down the same path he did… and suffer the consequences. Stygian looked behind him and gazed at the numerous lit candles around his home. Ever since Twilight forcefully pulled him out and away from the shadow the dark influence from the well came back. The voices, the sounds of movement… “His” laughter. The urges to complete his desire all hurled at him when he was in the darkness. It was either withdrawal symptoms from using the shadow so much.. Or removing him left him cursed. He didn’t know and that scared him, was a chance of a normal life gone? Would he ever be able to walk outside at night and admire the stars like he used to?
He simply didn’t know and he was content with that. It was his punishment for falling down such a path. Sighing once again he focused back on the letter and placed it into an envelope and his seal on it.
“Now’s not the time to reflect on the past. It’s time—” Stygian lets out a drawn out yawn. “To reflect on getting a better sleep schedule…” Getting off the desk he stretches his hooves and back before going around his home to make sure none of the candles were low on wax as his nightly order before sleep. Checking the living room he finds a candle almost melted down completely. He walks over and snuffs out the small flame and prepares to replace it when he hears it.
Creaking from behind him. Stygian freezes as he listens carefully, the way the steps were it was exactly the same pattern as back in the well.
H-how!? I only snuffed out one candle! The influence shouldn’t be affecting me!
Fear started to settle in and quickly stygian turned around to face his threat only to see nothing out of the ordinary. He was really getting hit with the influence after just one candle went out. He sighs and rubs his face.
“Get it together Stygian. It’s all in your head.” He closes his eyes and breaths in and out slowly before opening his eyes.
Only to see all his candles snuffed out. Instantly Stygian begins to speed off his breathing and quickly reach over to grab his box of matches out of his kitchen drawer nearby. It was too real, it felt too real but it’s fake he needed to get over it he needed to break through this influence.
As he grabs and prepares the matches the footsteps quicken and speed up towards him causing him to drop the matches and turn around, preparing to blast only to see nothing once again. He looks around quickly as his body shivers before trying to pick up his matches again.
“I gave you what you wanted, Stygian.”
He dropped the matches again as the voice spoke up… A voice he knew too well.
“And with just a couple of sweet words you let it get sealed away…” The voice lets out a huff of annoyance.
“Gratitude my fucking ass…I’ll have to yell at my leader for that advice. You woke me up after so long even if it was just a moment and I repay you with “kindness” that your damn kind has always kept preaching about. Only for you to do what your friends did to you and backstab my shadow.”
Stygian couldn’t help but stare down at the matches, in the corner of his eye he could’ve sworn he could see the shadow of the biped right behind him.
“Don’t worry just like how you went on your path of vengeance. I too shall go on mine for you.”
Throughout the house the candle flames flick back on filling his home with light once again and letting Stygian let out a gasp for air, realizing he’s been holding his breath for a while but in his moments of relief the voice says it’s finally words.
“After all.. Through you I have seen it. Our return is inevitable…”
Author's Note
Was feeling up for a short story and decided to explore more onto the concept of this "darkness" stygian spoke of in the show and combine it with my 2nd story's plan. If you like it thanks, leave a like and comment maybe.
