Lucid Storm passed through the dimly lit halls without a sound, taking care to abide by the shadows so the patrolling guards wouldn't do anything stupid. As much as he'd like to chat with them though, he had to be somewhere.

And so, he descended to the ground floor which glistened and shone even under the guise of darkness. Still, Lucid continued his pace. No use admiring the cleanliness that had pools of blood stained on its stone.

Eventually, the shadow reached his destination. A royal blue carpet welcomed visitors at the royal gardens entrance. But Lucid knew better, lifting the smooth object to reveal the marble floor beneath it and with a flick of the horn, a block of it had pushed itself below and shifted away from the entrance.

Without hesitation, Lucid took the staircase down the dirt tunnel and kept his stoney gaze to the bottom. But the horror show didn't make it easy for him. It was never easy for him. As he reached the room, his nose was immediately hit with the the rotten stench of death, faeces and broken dreams. But it never wavered his soul like those unfortunate enough to be sent into these destructive catacombs.

Every time he passed the bars of a cell, he would be met with the bodies of dishevelled ponies. Most had lost their colour from the hunger that ravaged them and laid motionless in their shacked suspension while others were marked with burns, bruises and scars on places that continued to aid them in their endless wailing.

He had even recognised a new face from the prisoners when he took a left, witnessing that snowy white stallion from the posters with his mane unkempt despite his voice being full of life. "Uh, y-you there! Please, I said I'd talk already, you don't have to u-use those nasty tools on me okay?"

"Sir, I'm not the royal interrogator. Try and sleep as best as you can, cause things are not gonna get better down here."

"What? Who even are you then? I-Its hard to see you when it's so dark..." As he squinted his eyes to hopelessly catch the outlines of the shadowy figure, he smiled happily. "Oh! You're a spy, of course. Now could you be a dear and unbind me. I-I stalled as long as I could, so we should meet up at the Crystal Empire ASAP. And quickly, before the guards check down here!"

Lucid hoofpalmed at the appalling sight. It had only been 2 days since the night watch had caught the Prince scrounging around at a party drunk off his tail end and he's already going delirious.

And you literally said you told them everything a moment ago, you lier.

"Mr Blueblood, as a fellow Prince myself I'd advise you to not be so careless with confidential information." Growing tired of watching the stallions proud facade, he poked his head through the bars which revealed his golden crown and thunderous eyes.

"N-No... no no no, don't try and trick me my friend. I-I know! This is one of Fancy Pants' jokes isn't it? You're just his cohort using that false brat as a disguise. While I admit it looks rather real, nopony could imitate the pathetic movements of a pony with no royal liniage in their blood-"

With gritted teeth, Lucid telekinetically slammed his head into the wall he was shackled on, producing a small crack in the concrete as sprinkles of blood soaked Bluebloods head. Luckily, the stallion had slumped unconscious so another slam wouldn't be necessary. "Tsk, cowardly, arrogant and prideful... at least Nightmare Moon is two of those."

"So, what did you do this time?" A partly brash voice rung out in defiance of the low pitched cries which got Lucids attention as he spun around and trotted to the very end of the hall where his intended prisoner was.

"Cut me a break Twilight. It's been a rough couple years."

Twilight Sparkle. She had definately been trapped here the longest, given that the corners of the cell block were invaded with mold while the spiders made their homes in the cracks.

"Yeah, no shit." Twilight said dispondantly, laying rigidly on a stone mattress with the only item of comfort being the pillow she was hugging tight. "I can tell. You're definately not the cute colt I remember."

And she was right. Lucid Storm had been gifted with a growth spurt on this 18th: his hooves grew longer and muscular, his mane and tail zapped backwards like they were lightning breaking through a cloud. And his eyes were puffy and blank, the antithesis of the sparks of electricity that struck his youth.

"Yeah... I've seen better days." The unicorn stallion grumbled, zapping a tray of food and water into existance before floating it in the cell. "And what about you-"

"Stop right there."

"...What?"

"I said stop. You heard me." Twilight mumbled in annoyance, lifting her head from the pillow. "This whole... song and dance you do. What's your game?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on Darkloud, don't think I haven't caught on. We've been at this for 5 years now!" As if on instinct, the mare activated her magic which didn't work due to the metallic ring on her horn. She took a second to look at the thing with hopeless longing before sighing and walking to the bars, now peering up at the stallion. "Look at every other pony in here. New prisoners have been coming in as ponies and out as bodies in a matter of weeks, meanwhile here I am. 5 years down here and still nothing. And for Celestias sake, you're the only reason I'm still around, that prisoner bread wasn't gonna keep me sustained, that's for sure."

"M-My name isnt-"

"And for some odd reason, you come down here every Friday to see me, give me a meal and ask how I'm doing while informing me of current events along with all this stuff" -Twilight pointed a hoof to the pile of books adorned in different colours and genres piled under her mattress- "I don't get you at all!"

"I just-" Having enough of his interruptions, Twilight grabbed his neck by the scruff and pulled him down to eye level, terrifying the neighbouring prisoners who still had some sense, wondering how that mare isn't dust yet.

"Do you know what it's like to be alone? I used to think it was the best thing ever. Nopony to bother you while you study..." She averted her head to the floor, so her visitor couldn't see her smile with nostalgia. "But then I had a taste of what friendship could offer. Showed me just how miserable I was. I thought I'd see what Princess Celestia saw, but I lost it as fast as I gained it..."

At last, silence had befallen the area which allowed Lucid to calmly detach Twilights hoof from his scruff. "Miss Sparkle. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. It was my lack of judgement that sealed your fate and made it everyponys problem... now I'm a Prince with so many responsibilities and it's getting harder and harder to stick to my morals."

Twilight gave him an unamused stare. "And there you go again, apologising. I don't even know why you keep doing that, you were a foal yes, but you've grown now. Nightmare Moon's evil nature has been in your face for years and yet you still stick by her. That, I can't forgive."

"And get obliterated? Miss Sparkle, being in the line of power is the only reason things are staying remotely in order. How do you think your friends got out of their cells in the first place?" Lucid questioned, teleporting inside her cell as he picked up a red covered book and flipped its pages. "I was barely able to convince her to lend them jobs, put their talents to good use, as bad as that sounds. Hell, I've been trying endlessly to grant you a pardon and bring you to your parents but apparently, you are 'too important' for her to let loose."

It was as if the mention of her friends struck a match inside the prisoners wounded heart as the colours of emotion took hold. "Uhm... how are they doing?"

Lucid kept his focus on the writings inbthe book he held, attaining a smile as he flipped the pages. "Well, Rainbow Dash has flew her way up the ranks of the lunar guards and landed herself a cushy position as my 2nd Lutenant. Pinkie Pie wanted the cool armour but we don't give that stuff for the catering staff, so I put her on sentry duty. I think she's working wonders for her colleagues with how boring waiting around can be.

Rarity has taken a lead role in sprucing up the castle for us. But as passively hostile as she is, I'm glad to have her around, can't say the same for the Queen though..."

"Oh no, did she do something?"

"I back her up the best I can, but sometimes I'm on missions so I have to come back healing the mare."

"With your weird magic right?" Lucid lowered the book so he could meet Twilight's gaze with his own, adorned with a raised eyebrow.

"Weird magic?" He repeated.

"Yeah, like those symbols that shot out those gust of wind all those years ago."

The puzzle pieces slowly connected in the stallions brain which spark a bang of remembrance. "Oh! Uh, no I just use regular healing magic. I've mostly forgone all that stuff since I dont believe I can use them like before. Well, except for fire and air. They've always been a part of me." To show what he ment, Lucid Storm tapped his golden chestplate which bore the symbol of a two arrows pointing upwards, though the bottom one had a horizontal line through it.

Twilight nodded in a drowned interest before sighing, sitting by the stallion as she attempted to comb her messy hair with her hoof. "So that it? Where did you even learn to do that stuff?"

Lucid peeked over the book again, watching her struggle before poofing a comb into existence to telekinetically streak through her mane. "Would you believe me if I said I learnt it from another world?"

"I don't know." She responded, relaxing her muscles as she felt the calming strokes of plastic smooth her scalp. "I'd love to disagree, but I have no other explanation so..."

Noticing the calmer atmosphere, the spiders exit their safe space and creep around the cold floors as they attempted to swarm onto the pairs fur. This was quickly thwarted however, as the Prince erected a shield that denied them entry, leaving them squeaking in protest before venturing outside the bars for warmth.

"Say... Darkloud?"

"That's not my name anymore and you know it." Lucid responded. "It's not... me."

"... Fine then 'Lucid', can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Do you have anypony you care about?" The lavender prisoner flinched when Lucids magic which held the book almost crushed it. "Uhm, Lucid. Are you okay?"

"I-Its nothing. And yes, I do have ponies I care about. I've told you about Miss Inkwell already, but the guards have their own way to my heart, they work night... and night to keep me safe, so it's only fair that I should worry about their health. I mean, you should've seen Sargent Luster in the invasion of Griffinstone, he lost his right eye protecting me from a stray spear even though I was fully capable of deflecting it. I don't know why they are expected to do that."

Lucid was as still as a statue for a moment, remembering the adrenaline pumping in his veins, the stench of burning flesh and fire along with a deafening call of his name. Then there was the splattering of blood that covered his coat and everything went black.

"He should be fine though, I was able to put him on paid leave for some recovery time."

"And what happened to Griffinstone?"

"..."

"Lucid, what happened to Griffinstone?"

"I completed the seige. That was all that mattered..." The stallion proceeded to engage a thousand yard stare with the wall in front of him, his heart racing as his mind wandered off. "My lord, it was Sacrum all over again..." He murmured.

"Sacrum? Im sorry, but that's not on the Equestrian map. Care to explain?" Twilight asked, but the tension in her voice never left. Every time she interacted with the Prince, he was normally the one asking stuff. Like when he wanted advice about switching light ray reactions in plants with moonlight. But at that moment, it was as if the faucet had finally opened up after all those years.

"It was my greatest failure... I'd rather not elaborate on it. The place brings back some unwanted memories." Life filled the stallion once more as he broke from his crazed stare as he surveyed the final page though the creases of his own doing. "And unfortunately, I don't think Il be able to talk about that stuff with anypony else."

"But what about Raven Inkwell, you're close with her. Right?"

Promptly, Lucid shut the book of his distractions and tossed it into Twilights vision. "... Miss Sparkle, do you even read the stuff I bring out for you?"

Slightly confused about the sudden shift in tone, she grabbed the book in her hooves and took a look at the cover.

'My Diary' Signed R.Inkwell

Twilight raised an eyebrow in disgust. "Really Lucid? Now you're stealing personal stuff from your friends-"

"Read it."

Flinching from the force of his words, she flipped the pages like he had and got to reading.

"'Dear Diary, Hello old friend. If I'm hone-"

"I ment read the end of it."

Scoffing in defiance, she kept flipping the pages until she landed on the last one.

March 21st 2021

Dear Diary,

Unfortunately, I don't write to you under the best pretences. The strict clock that dictates my fate is running out and I can feel it vastly approaching. I all occurred yesterday evening when I was piling out the latest reports of the Eastern invasion until the rendezvous owl arrived on schedule, where I equipped it with the copies. Lucid Storm normally gets owl mail sent to his quarters at this time frame so no guard has been the wiser.

But this time, some sentry mare in with a poofy pink mane just caught it as it flew past the castle walls!

It doesn't matter what kind of reprimanding the perpetrator will have since in the end, they will have to check the contents to inspect the damages. It was only a matter of time that they see the maps and the plans, then connect the dots back to me. Nopony would dare suspect the Prince of conspiring against his own kingdom, so as the only pony besides the Queen with accessed to the Princes quarters, it will be lead back to me.

I'm sure that Princess Cadance was dissapointed, but with my position as a double agent compromised, I had to flee to a resistance base. But the attempt was impossible the more I tried as by the time I arrived at Ponyville, the patrol agents were notified of my treachery so taking the train was out of the plan. The only way forward was by walking, which put my hooves to the test. I've never felt so tired before and I think it's taking a toll on my body.

I can't even write a full sentence without taking a break, it's pathetic I know. So now, I'm just waiting on this rock to die a semi-painful death. I never thought about how dying would feel like, but now that I have the chance, all I can say is it's really cold. Blinking is taking more effort and every movement feels like I've got weights all over.

If this is my final thoughts, I must apologise to you Lucid. Please know that my decision was not to hurt you, but to free our world from a worse ruler. Should everything fail and you stay in power, I only wish that you treat Equestria with the same kindness Celestia did. It was an honor being your-

Twilight saw that the last word has a heafty stroke through the pages which made her gulp at the predicted outcome. "Oh... Lucid, I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," Lucid dismissed, "I don't blame her for what she did. I'm fully aware of the blood on my crown, but still." The armored stallion paused for a moment. "I wish she was still here..."

Twilight nodded solemly as she swiped the dust from the cover of the diary, passing it back to him. "So where was this?"

"In the dunes down west. I'm just glad my portion of the airforce found it before the elite squadron. I'd hate it to be burnt up. It was strange though, they didn't report a body nor a skeleton near the item."

"That could be a good thing. Maybe she found help in time."

"And left her book? I doubt it... though it does leave me with some hope."

"If it's that special to you, why leave it with me?"

"Cause I thought it would help you keep the older events memorised and maybe... help you understand me a little more. Raven had a knack for widdling personal stuff out of me after all."

"Lucid. We've had this conversation already. I forgive you, despite your blatent inaction."

"..." Lucid averted his gaze, deciding to cup his chin. "It just doesn't feel like forgiveness is enough."

Twilight had really wanted to maintain the status quo, but it was getting too difficult to break from it. Because in the end, the Queen had informed her of her fate the second she woke up in that very cell and even though the Prince wished to avoid it, there was nothing else to divert to.

"Lucid. I think I understand... why you really did all of this." At last, the Prince flicked his gaze back at her. The passionate electricity that roared with life in his youth now just a spark in his eyes, like he was waiting for this moment. "This friendly interactions, the stuff you've done for my friends and family... this." To emphasise 'this' she swayed her hooves to point in the direction of the book pile. "It was to send me off feeling better about what happened. Right?"

And with that, she knew that she hit the mark as the stallions eyes watered with emotion and his lip quivered. He thought this part would never happen so soon in all reality. Because he knew what he must do, how he must attain the final leagues of power.

"Trust me Miss Sparkle, I've been using every trick in the book to get one over Nightmare Moon. But no matter what I do, she always wins. She's just too old, too strong. So the only way I feel like I can make amends for my mistakes and defeat the tyrant of my creation is to get on equal playing field in potential and biology. Becoming an alicorn."

"And Nightmare Moon won't let you ascend until you prove your loyalty. Which is killing me."

The hesitance was evident on the poor stallion as he groaned in shame. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not ending things sooner." At last, Lucid stood up with shaking hooves. "I know this sounds strange. Especially from a pony who was involved in your horrid situation. But I feel like we had a connection ever since we met at the castle... like, you were what I could've been. Bright, hopeful, but still determined to continue fighting. So I guess what I'm trying to say is... thanks for being a friend, even if you didn't see me the same."

Although the grim future held Twilights neck in a vice grip, she took the effort to give the Prince one last smile. "You know, for a while, I thought you were nothing but a power hungry colt who would take to his position without remorse. But as I kept observing the anxious foal in you, even when you grew older, I do feel like you could've been better in different circumstances. Maybe we are friends in another life or something simple like neighbours. But right now," Twilight shut her eyes as tears streaked down her fur, "I can only hope that you can set things right."

Lucid kind of wished it wasn't going to be this easy as he stared emotionally at the still unicorn he grown to know over the years. If the mare had tried to fight him or be somewhat angry, maybe firing a blast from his horn would be as simple as survival instinct. But Twilight was too nice for that, greeting death with a smile as the same reaper struggled to swipe the scythe.

Flashes of a young Lux caught his vision in quick bursts, mirroring the same sacrificial face that his friend was making. It made him reminice to the times of war, of the times he fought head first to protect his friends and the world. Now he had to end the one thing about himself that he never wanted to die.

So as if it were like a memorial for the name he left behind long ago and for the friend he could've had, he sung.

I know songs arent that good in a reading format, so skipping this is optional. The songs tone and beat is based on I'm Just a Man by EPIC Ensemble and Jorge Rivera-Herrans

I look into your eyes and I
Think back to a friend of mine
I'm now old as he was
When he left for war

Will these actions haunt my days
All the foes I've slain
Is the price I pay, just in vein?
Lose your eyes
And dream a better view
How can I do this?

Im just a man
Whose body ain't his own
Even after all the years away from what I've known
I'm just a man
Who's righting all his wrongs
Deep down I would trade my life to change this wretched song
Im just a man

But when does an infant become a warrior
When does a hero become afraid
When does a prince become a tyrant

When does a human become a unicorn
When does the action become the blame
When does a prince become a tyrant

(When does an infant become a warrior)
(When does a hero become afraid)
Forgive me
(When does a prince become a tyrant)
Forgive me
(When does a prince become a tyrant)
Forgive me

Im just a man

ZAP!

The trapdoor unlatched itself in a magical aura, allowing Lucid to leave the miserable dungeons but alow his body was left untouched, his mind had was now different from when he entered.

The stone cold mask that he had worn for close to 5 years had finally shattered as his visage released a surge of guilt, anger and despair along with a stream of tears that stained the carpets.

He knew that eventually, Nightmare Moon will awaken from her slumber and sense the lack of a particular energy source in the dungeons. He could already imagine the wicked grin on her face, even if a part of him wanted to believe otherwise.

So all he had to do was head to bed and count the days before the true beginning of his ascent to power unfolds. To cool static that overtook his mind, he walked around the gardens which worked their magic.

The gentle waft of night synthesised flowers pared beautifully with the array of animals that slept peacefully in the habitats, illuminated by the maternal moonlight.

When Lucid glared up at the moon, he didn't know what to think about it. When he was just a boy, the moon was a calming source of light that relaxed his mind before any exams or battles that greeted him in the morning. But now, it was a symbol of eternal fear and power, concepts that he would rather avoid.

As he continued to stare, his mask slowly reformed itself into something new as instead of the usual stone cold glare, his eyes sparked with electricity as a wave of determination surged in his body.

Raven, Twilight. I promise Il fix things... the day that the moon becomes a source of care once again will be the day I relieve myself of the mistakes of my past!

Author's Note

I really wanted to finish things in 3 chapters but I've noticed how unpolished it feels. Hopefully it will still do what it's ment to do: tell a different tale.