Waking up with a yawn and a stretch of my serpent body, I emerged from the shadows as if rising through water. Groggily, I looked around for my host, Robert. The tunnel was empty, with the only evidence of Robert’s presence being his outline on the dirt and stone floor, showing that he had been dragged away.

Lovely, With how much trouble he gets into, it was only a matter of time before he got himself beheaded. Well, I better get to him before something bad happens. Then again, he should be fine for a bit. I practically cast all his spells anyway, sparing him the tedious process of mathematical equations and incantations. Especially that electric magic he's so fond of—I had to deal with a few bloody spirits for those ones.

My thoughts were interrupted as dust fell on my nose. I shook my head to clear it and looked up, just in time to see a rock crash down, crushing me and sending dark shadows splattering across the walls. Two Diamond Dogs poked their heads out of the ceiling, looking around in confusion. White eyes appeared in the darkness that had been scattered when I was crushed, allowing me to get a good look at the two dogs. To my surprise, it was Puck and Bill.

"Aw, doggone it! We busted out too soon. Those slaves gotta be deeper down. Let's keep diggin'!" Puck whispered, annoyed, as he ducked back into the hole. The bigger dog, Bill, rolled his eyes before retreating, the sound of rocks being moved becoming more muffled as they dug deeper.

Seeing this as an easy way to bypass the crystal guards, I slithered up the wall and into the hole, following the newly made tunnel.

Seated on my makeshift throne of jagged stone, crystal, and ominous shadows, I surveyed my growing army of corrupted Minotaurs. They were stronger, faster, and more agile—better versions of themselves. A few even tested out newfound flying abilities, which looked more like drunken flailing but hey, progress is progress. None, however, showed special powers like Jinx. Clearly, the guy was one of a kind, and not in a good way.

Across the room, the griffin and the old pony who’d refused my generous offer sat sulking. I could’ve vaporized them, sure, but mercy has its perks. Alive, they served as a reminder of my graciousness. Dead? They’d be a headache waiting to happen in the form of a rebellion I’d rather skip.

"Uh, excuse me, sir, or... uh, Mr. Vex?" a hesitant voice broke the monotony. I glanced down to see one of my shadow-cloaked Minotaurs, his nervous energy radiating like a kid caught raiding the cookie jar.

I straightened up, letting my aura of menace settle over him like a thick fog. "What is it? And you are…?"

"Thunderhide, sir," he stammered, shifting his hooves like he’d rather be anywhere else. "I was just wondering, uh, what the plan is—"

Before he could finish, Buddy—a reliable idiot with no sense of timing—burrowed through the ceiling like an uninvited mole, landing in the middle of the room. Dust and debris rained down, and for a moment, we just stared at each other in mutual confusion.

Then his eyes started glowing white, and before I could even throw a snarky remark, my brain was flooded with his memories. Without consent.

"Seriously?!" I groaned, rubbing my temples as the onslaught of unsolicited trauma-porn visions took hold. "Ever heard of knocking?!"

The room fell silent except for Buddy’s sheepish muttering. Thunderhide, wisely, stepped back into the shadows, clearly reevaluating his life choices.

"Buddy, you son of a bitch! Don’t do that without warning!" I snapped, collapsing back into my throne, clutching my head as Buddy’s unsolicited memory dump wreaked havoc on my brain. Thunderhide froze mid-breath while the rest of my crew bristled, ready to pounce on the intruder.

I raised a hand, wincing. "Stand down! He’s... ugh... with us. Damn it, Buddy, handle your crap later. Thunderhide, go on."

Thunderhide hesitated but continued. "Uh, the plan? Most guards are in the lunch hall. No one’s noticed the jailbreak yet. What’s our move?"

"How many in the lunchroom?" I groaned, still massaging my temple.

He squinted, waggling a hand. "About 12."

"Easy. We take 'em out," I said, my headache fading as Buddy’s chaotic memories settled. Among the nonsense—Christmas carols? Seriously?—I found a gem: me, chained and tortured by smug ponies bragging about their fun little experiments. On me? Me?! The audacity made me shake with rage, but I played it off as headache jitters when Thunderhide flinched.

"Alright, folks, gear up! Lunch hall raid incoming! Jinx, you’re leading!"

A collective groan filled the chamber as Jinx practically somersaulted with glee, screaming, "YAHOO!"

I rose, cracking my neck. "Now, we could devise a brilliant strategy... but nah. We’re outnumbering these chumps two-to-one, and we’re juiced up on dark magic. So screw finesse—just get in there and wreck 'em!"

The room erupted in cheers as my minions surged to action, their shadows twisting with anticipation. Jinx took the lead, laughing maniacally and juggling explosives like party favors.

The cavern glowed dimly with crystal light as my comrades and I huddled around a rough stone table, picking at a sad excuse for a meal. Our armor, patched with King Sombra's signature dark crystals, marked us as loyal followers of Lord Crystallus. The vibe was equal parts camaraderie and "we’re all doomed," thanks to a string of unsettling news.

Stonehoof, the walking mountain of an earth pony, grumbled, "The Diamond Dogs are getting rowdy. Bold little mongrels, ain’t they?"

I nodded, my gaze lingering on the dark crystal patches. "Yeah, their antics could become a problem. We’ll squash 'em if they get ideas."

Shadowmist, the smug unicorn with a talent for stirring the pot, snorted. "Let 'em fight over their shiny rocks. As long as they don’t bother us, who cares?"

She wasn’t wrong, but the Dogs were cunning in their own slobbery way. "Don’t underestimate them," I said, though my mind wandered. Namely, to the slaves I’d recently “acquired” from a Diamond Dog caravan. My companions hadn’t connected the dots yet, but it was only a matter of time before that particular mess bit me in the flank.

Stonehoof leaned in, voice thick with disdain. "Those slaves? Diamond Dogs’ property. Lord Crystallus isn’t gonna like this."

Feigning ignorance, I forced a laugh. "Yeah, uh, whoever did that is screwed." Nervous sweat? Check.

Trying to shift gears, I asked, "Any news on Luna? Rumor has it she’s leading her own crusade."

Stonehoof nodded grimly. "Luna’s steamrolling the warlords. Bringing Canterlot’s best to clean house. If even Subicor couldn’t stop her, who’s left to try? Sombra?"

Shadowmist added, her tone gleefully ominous, "I heard whispers about the Followers of the Great Meltdown. Demon summoners, war golems—they’re crazy, but they’ve held back Luna more than once."

Great. Just what we needed—lunatics with a chaos fetish complicating the battlefield. Still, a wildcard like that could be useful. Or it could blow up in our faces. Literally.

Before I could dwell on it, a guard burst in, looking half-dead from terror. "EVERYPONY UP! WE’RE UNDER ATTA—"

He didn’t finish. Shadows engulfed him, his screams echoing as he dissolved into nothing.

Silence. Then Stonehoof muttered, "Well, buck."

The cavern plunged into chaos, the scent of fear and death choking the air. Guess lunch was over.

The sanctuary's peace shattered as a horde of shadow-clad creatures stormed in, a cacophony of chaos and violence. Minotaurs thundered across the room, griffins dived from above, and ponies—yes, even ponies—rushed in with savage glee. Magic blasts fizzled uselessly, and any wounds inflicted on these abominations knitted back together with unsettling ease.

I barely had time to process the madness before a shadowy diamond dog lunged at me. Its claws glinted in the dim light as I deflected its strike, slicing off an arm. That was my mistake. Tendrils of tar erupted from the stump, swinging the severed limb at me like a grotesque club. The impact sent me sprawling, the sickening squelch of the arm reattaching following shortly after.

"Well, that's horrifying," I muttered, pushing myself up, only for Stonehoof’s mace to send the beast flying. The stoic tank of a stallion gave me a curt nod, his dark crystal armor gleaming as he plowed through a group of Minotaurs like a battering ram. Shadowmist flanked us, her magic snapping around like a whip, ensnaring enemies in glowing tendrils.

Even with their help, it was clear we were losing. The creatures just wouldn’t stay down, and some snake-like abomination slithered about, breaking our traps and freeing its allies. Behind us, our comrades were falling one by one, subdued by inky tendrils that dragged them into the shadows.

"Fall back!" I shouted, hoping we’d make it to the exit before the next wave hit.

No such luck.

A cackling jester emerged, juggling two bombs that radiated dark energy. "Leaving so soon?" he mocked, his grin wide enough to be concerning. Without waiting for a reply, he tossed the bombs. They didn’t explode—no, that would’ve been too kind. Instead, they unfurled into writhing tendrils that ensnared us before we could react.

"Well, this is embarrassing," I grunted, struggling against the living chains.

The jester sauntered over, his mockery relentless. "Oh, how tragic! The mighty warriors, reduced to helpless hostages. I love it!"

I spat back, "You won’t get away with this!"

"Yes, yes, you're very brave. Blah blah blah." With a dramatic gesture, he silenced me with a tentacle wrapping around my muzzle. My dignity died a little.

Before we could endure more humiliation, a towering figure strode into the room. He ducked under the doorway, wings unfurling like shadows come to life. His glowing eyes swept the battlefield, taking in the chaos with a smirk that screamed final boss energy. The room fell silent as he stopped before the jester, his voice like velvet-coated doom.

"Where’s Black Shard?"

Oh, fantastic. We weren’t just losing—we were losing his attention.

In the sanctum of my chambers, bathed in soft crystal light and the faint tang of incense, I sit in my throne-like chair, exuding bored authority. My armor gleams with refracted light, its crystalline shards sharp enough to make any fashion critic weep. My helmet, a masterpiece of both menace and glitter, rests before me, its crown of crystals. My face, hidden behind a cracked plastic mannequin mask with crystals poking out like an avant-garde art project, completes the look.

I sip wine and eye the golden-clad pony with thorny gold vines and crimson crystals dotting his mask.

"Deal with the intruders," I say, waving a hoof lazily, as if swatting away a particularly dull fly. "They’re interrupting my me time."

He bows dramatically, as golden light engulfs him, turning him into sparkly dust that drifts off towards the lunchroom, undoubtedly to ruin someone’s day.

Left alone, I recline in my chair, swirling the wine. The flickering candlelight dances on the walls, and I let out a contented sigh. Life as a crystal-shadow overlord is good. No one disturbs my reign... until they do.

The cafeteria looked like someone had designed it using "prehistoric chic." Crystal-studded stone tables and chairs were scattered about, making me feel like I’d walked into a Flintstones episode with a gem fetish. I sauntered over to Jinx, wings unfurling dramatically. The guy deserved a show after pulling off our plan to take out those "elite" guards.

"Where’s Black Shard?" I asked.

Jinx saluted like an overeager cadet. "In here!"

I blinked. "No duh, genius. Where exactly?"

He glanced around, shrugged, and I facepalmed hard enough to hear my brain cells die. Turning to my squad, I got nothing but avoidance. Finally, I clapped my claws, locking eyes with the tied-up guards.

"Alright, listen up, you discount paperweights. Where’s Black Shard?"

Silence. Great. I extended a claw, sharpening it dramatically. "Fine, I’ll just kill you all and read your minds. Efficiency, right?"

One guard cracked faster than a bad ceramic plate. "Wait! He’s the gagged guy! Over there!"

I approached the poor bastard they’d ratted out—a younger stallion, gagged and bound. I crouched, smirking. "You tried to rope me into experiments and slavery? Tsk, tsk. Some slaver you turned out to be—bound, gagged, and ready to die. Pathetic."

As I spoke, I trailed a claw across his helmet, scratching it just to drive the fear home. The other guards squirmed, but my mercs cheered like they were at a bloodsport.

I leaned closer. "Normally, I’d let you beg, but my clients want your head, and I’m feeling generous today."

With a gleefull grin, I prepared to decapitate him, savoring the moment as fear radiated off everyone in waves. My guards looked like they were reconsidering their contracts.

"B-boss… is that…" Thunderhide stammered, pointing at my chest.

I looked down. A golden thorny vine had impaled me. Shadows oozed from the hole, but hey, at least I wasn’t dead. I cut the vine with my tail, shadows filling the gap in seconds.

"Annoying," I muttered, nodding at Jinx to finish off the rest of the tied-up guards. He grinned and skipped toward them—literally skipped—but was stopped by another vine erupting from the ground.

Golden light swirled as a pony materialized, decked out in green robes, gold armor, and enough accessories to put a diva to shame. His bone-and-gold staff pulsed with magic, and with a single tap, my lackeys hit the floor, unconscious.

I circled him, casually cracking my claws. "You lost, priest? Or just looking for a sermon?"

The pony—Malachi, apparently—glared at me. "Thy arrogance shall be thy undoing, creature. I am the third apostle, the one who shall humble thee."

"Ah, cultist. Got it," I said, grinning. "I love punching those."

He didn’t appreciate the joke, firing another vine that I barely dodged. Crackling electricity surrounded my claws as I rushed him, wings boosting my speed. But before I could land a hit, he waved his staff, slamming me into the ground with golden lightning.

"You’ll die like the rest of your kind," Malachi said, stabbing his staff into my back for good measure.

I wheezed, then laughed, looking up at him. "That’s it? Come on, put some effort into it!"

Behind him, Buddy slithered through the unconscious guards, waking them one by one. Malachi noticed too late. I knocked his staff away, pouncing on him with claws slashing and wings beating.

He screamed, sprouting a golden tree from his cloak that impaled me like some demonic Christmas ornament. With a flash of light, he dissolved into particles, re-forming a few feet away.

Blood slid down the tree branch skewering me, and my spit came out hot with copper. “Fuck you, short ass,” I managed to sneer at Malachi.

Malachi tilted his golden mask slightly, exuding smugness. “Your defiance is as pointless as your existence.”

Buddy, ever the MVP, launched dark tendrils at him from the shadows. Malachi barely flinched, twirling his staff to deflect them with a golden flare. Before I could shout out a warning, Buddy was yanked forward, bonked on the head like a cartoon villain, and knocked out cold. I wasn’t far behind, the edges of my vision blurring as the world gave way to darkness.

I woke up groggy in a dimly lit room, the glow of purple crystals casting unsettling shadows across the walls. The air reeked of incense, struggling—and failing—to mask the stench of rot.

Groaning, I sat up and rubbed my head. “Who burns incense in a goddamn slaughterhouse?”

A calm voice emerged from the shadows. “It helps. Some.”

I froze, scanning the room. Across from me sat a figure shrouded in darkness, their face obscured by a plastic pony mask—equal parts creepy and ridiculous.

“Who the hell are you?” I snapped.

The figure leaned forward slightly, revealing a single milky white eye glowing beneath the mask. “I am Lord Crystallus,” he said, his voice measured and deliberate.

“Cool. Do you want a medal or something?”

He ignored the jab. “You want power,” he said, his tone smooth as silk. “Real power. The kind that turns gods into dust and enemies into ash. I can give you that.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And what’s the fine print?”

Crystallus leaned back, shadows clinging to him like a second skin. “A gift,” he said simply. “Accept my offer, and I’ll give you strength beyond your imagination. Refuse…” His glowing eye pulsed ominously. “Let’s just say you won’t leave this room intact.”

I didn’t miss the venom in his voice. “Malachi’s involved in this?” I asked, feigning disinterest.

Crystallus let out a low chuckle. “Malachi serves me,” he said, his voice hardening. “Together, we’ve defied death itself. But you, Vex—you’re something far more interesting. I want to see what you’ll become with my help.”

I barked a bitter laugh. “Fine. But if you screw me over, I’ll make you wish you’d stayed dead.”

Crystallus’s eye gleamed, and he tilted his head as if savoring my words. “Oh, Vex,” he purred, voice dripping with menace. “Betrayal? That’s such a nasty word. Let’s just call it… opportunity.”

Author's Note

Hey it's me Trashmaniac! As always, feedback and comments are greatly appreciated. Feel free to share your thoughts on the story and characters.

Thank you again for reading, and stay tuned for more stories to come!

Lord Crystallus:

Malachi: