Author's Note

Soooooooooooooo................................................
A new story! No, I haven’t finished my main project, but when I get an idea, I have to write it down. So an idea becomes a fic, and I end up writing it for an entire day, trying to get it out of my head. As a writer, this is my hobby, and I am trying to improve my writing style with each passing attempt at telling a story.

I decided to write this story a bit differently than my others. I typically never do a narrative piece from the perspective of one of the characters but wanted to at least try a new approach to my storytelling. I’m not completely certain I like this approach, and I want to test the waters with this first chapter. So please let me know what you think of it.

In the Beginning

Long, long ago, ponies once lived in perfect harmony, due to both their endless love and friendship among the land. But due to their differences, the ponies over time became arrogant and spiteful against one another. It wasn’t long before the ponies began to look down on one another, leading to an unnecessary hierarchy. They quickly turned on each other, starting great wars in the name of those ideals, turning their hearts cold and icy. Along with it, so did their fertile lands, giving little food to spare, becoming another resource to only fight for. Among this land, I was born partly out of darkness and chaos, for what purpose I knew not. Friendship and love were merely only a concept to me as I embodied the chaos of the lands. A vampire whose only existence was darkness to survive. Without it, I am nothing; I can be nothing, for it's all I have ever known. But time is a fickle thing. While the days grew longer and darker, I barely aged at all. I chalked it up to me being my glorious chaotic self, able to live far longer than the weaklings that inhabited this wasteland of a world.

It was so dark, and yet pure. I hated everything about it. The dark clouds above, and the ice cold wind that brought down a pure white substance that laid at my feet below, was all I had to call family. And yet despite this, despite being something greater than any creature to ever exist, I had something I could not fully explain. A beating heart… one that held warmth inside of it, and imagination. Tired of the snow, I used that imagination to create the first thing I could think of. Something warm, something soothing, something I could drink. All I really needed to do was think of it and poof it was there in my hands.

What was it exactly? It was a strange warm brown liquid with an aroma so intoxicating, full of sugary sweet scent, I could not explain it. It poured from a ball of swirling purple and black energy, this energy I would come to recognize as my own. The strange substance hit the ground, staining the white in brown. On contact, the icy and snow did something I had never seen before. It boiled and evaporated away as the brown substance puddled at my feet. With caution, I knelt my head down and carefully stuck my tongue into it. The moment it hit my taste buds I felt a fire under my skin. The rich creamy texture of the strange liquid was more than I could bear, and it wasn’t long before I collapsed into it, wanting more.

What was it I felt in my heart? What was this amazing taste? I needed to know but couldn't put a name to it. At least not then. It would be a long time before I could figure out exactly what it was. What this burning desire coursing through my body was- and more importantly, how I could use it to my advantage. But I mustn’t get ahead big myself. We must tell this story properly after all.

For years and years, I would live right next to that endless pool of brown liquid, which I formally named as chocolate. Why chocolate, because it was the first word that came to mind. The first word I ever used, and the first word I would ever share.

Share? Yes, share, for you see in my long years, longer than I could possibly know, I lived in a frozen meadow surrounded by a forest, all alone, not a creature in sight.

In sight maybe, but I could always hear their little pitter-patter. I knew they were there. Little creatures of lesser beings. Even so, I had company, didn’t I? And as such, I was going to be hospitable, or at least try.

There were these little rats with big bushy tails, which I learned later were called squirrels. There were also these things with feathers I would soon come to know as birds. Some were even quite large, called hawks or eagles. There were creatures with strong claws growing out of their heads and others with strange scaly skin. There were these massive cats with fiery manes. I would soon learn I saw deer and lions, wolves and bunny rabbits, and mice. Bears and boars and serpents. Strangely, I came to recognize I was one of them, but far greater. What do I mean? I mean I had a deer leg and antlers, a serpent tail, a lion paw, an eagle claw, and a lizard leg. Was I one of these creatures, one of these animals? But my head didn’t look like anything I had come to see in the forest. Instead, I would brush it off and consider myself their superior. And just like that, I ordered them to come and share in my hospitality. I offered them a drink of my warm chocolate in the hopes of sharing my invention with the world I was among, to bring something bright and colorful against the darkness of the world we barely survived in.The creatures were more than frightened of me, and how could they not? I was superior. It’s the way of things. Lesser beings always fear their betters. But even so, I coaxed one or two out to give it a try.

Finally, I wasn’t alone. Yes, they were lesser beings; I had none of my own kind, but I wasn’t alone in the world anymore. As I watched the little lesser creature—a bunny rabbit—hop its way to my pool of chocolate, I bowed, feeling the same warmth I once felt when I first created the substance. The rabbit shivered, not from the cold but from its fear of me, as it approached carefully. I gently patted it on the head, and offered it a drink from my hands.

At first, it only took cautious sniffs but then decided to give it a try. As its tongue touched the substance, its eyes popped open in surprise. At first, I smiled, happy to share this strange fiery feeling with another animal. I was certain that what the rabbit was experiencing was the same thing I experienced when I first twisted it. But soon things turned dire, as the rabbit fell to the ground with such an alarming thud that, even for such a little being, the sound echoed throughout the forest. The air stood still as my heart fell silent. The rabbit was dead; I poisoned it. And that was the first lesson I would ever learn about love.

Love? Yes love. A simple four letter word, but holds so much more meaning then I could ever hope to explain. At times it seemed so simple, too simple. And yet that’s why it was the perfect word for it. Love was what I created in liquid form. Chocolate was the pure taste and warmth that love had had to offer in its most potent form. And love was not only powerful, it was dangerous, and poisonous to all those who seeked it out. I wouldn’t know of the concept had I not experienced it through this strange lesson I first learned. And just like the rabbit died, so did my trust in it.

Somehow the substance inviting warmth now felt too hot, even for me. And it was then I joined the snow, enjoying the bitter cold, I for so long once wanted to escape from. Ages more would pass and not one animal would come near me or the pool of poison.

Not one… until they came.
…

In droves, a might I had not known before came rushing through my frozen home. These creatures were unlike the others. They had the same face I did. Perhaps not the same appendages, but the same head shape, as they stood tall over the land. Some even had wings, fluttering in the harsh winter wind. All of them were coated in a shiny silver-plated material they called armor. Among them was a figure wearing gold, who was clearly their leader. He brought his men to a halt, saying: “We shall rest here, men. The enemy shall soon attack over the hills. Before we greet them, I want you all to gather your strengths, for this may be our last battle ever, wahhh!” he shouted in a comedic, high-pitched voice, considering how deep his original tone was.

He spotted me, a figure among the trees. I had no fear of such creatures as I was the mightiest of them all. I approached curiously, as I observed every one of them.

“What trickery is this, this- the leader shook his head. “What thing are you, a naked monstrosity of the forest.

“Naked, what does that mean,” I asked uncertain of its strange language.

“It talks,” gasped the golden armoire creature.

“You speak my tongue yet your words are strange to me. Tell me what are you doing in my forest.” \

“Your-“ growled the leader. “This land belongs to my ancestors, I am the ruler king longhorn.”

“King, what is a king?” I asked as I began hovering above the ground.

The moment my feet lifted off the ground and I hadn’t flapped my wings even once the king collapsed to his knees.

“Your a da da da- he shivered.”

“I’m a da da da- afraid I do not understand,” I chirped, with an innocent grin. Oh how when I look back on this day I, I sometimes wished I had stayed that innocent.

“Forgive me spirit of the land, I am but a humble ruler preparing to defend his kingdom against a great threat.” He bowed.

“And what threat would that be,” I raised an eyebrow.”

“Dragons, coming from the west, they have done nothing but terrorize my kind for centuries. Today me and my dozen men shall put an end to it.they shall ascend into this meadow soon, we hope to ambush them and use the trees as cover.

At his words my eyes nearly popped from their sockets. “The meadow, but that’s-!!” Without hesitation I raised my wings giving me the necessary pouch to fly through the air at my top speed. I needed to get there. I needed to stop those dragons from destroying it. “But why?”

As those questions popped into my head, I came to a crashing halt, so fast that the compressed air even erupted into a booming sound. “Why am I so worried about my pool?” I thought as I remembered the innocent who died from its alchemy. It should have been destroyed, right? I should have wished it away as I did its existence. And yet I couldn’t, for it was at that time the only source of warmth in this frozen wasteland. I turned my head up to the trees. Most of the other species of trees were all but a pile of twisted bark. The only greenery I could see was that of the evergreens, which stood the cold test of time better than even I. They covered the forest in darkness as far as the eye could see, letting in only small bits of light that the animals used for what little warmth they could find. That is what it felt like. The idea that my pool, my creation, was just going to be nearly gone brought my heart to its second standstill. A fury of rage within me bubbled to the surface. I could not allow my home, my light, my only source of freedom to be destroyed, despite it causing me such turmoil.

I flew there not knowing what I would find, what I would do, but whatever it was, I would do something. I would have to do something. “But what?”

Suddenly, as I came over the last crowded bunches of trees, I finally found what I was looking for. I stormed down, enraged, not certain of what my eyes would see. But to my surprise, however, things took quite the turn from there.

The dragons, a dozen of them, all sat drinking the poisonous substance from my pool. And yet not one of them died. In fact, just the opposite. They didn’t bother with my appearance; they were so infatuated with my pool that they could do little more than roll over and feast. At times, I watched a few get snarky and snappy with each other, barbarically snapping their jaws at one another, as if ready to go into a duel. But their leader, the largest of them all, would swat them away and take charge as he descended into the sugary liquid once more.

The ponies, however, were not far behind and came, weapons drawn, out of the woodwork, expecting a furious battle between the large lizard-like creatures and themselves. Only to find a bunch of happy, fat dragons laying on their sides, rocking back and forth in the pool that gave them such joy.

“What, what in the world did you do to them?” the king asked me.

After shaking off my own bewilderment, I explained to them that I did nothing, that I only created the pool long ago and how these creatures had found it.

“Pool?” the king mumbled as he narrowed his eyes on the substance. He and his men, cautious of both the dragons and it, grew closer.

“Nah, no! I must warn you, only I have ever tasted it and survived.”

“We’re alive!” moaned the dragon king in complete pleasure. “You there say you’re the one responsible for this.” The dragon was three times my size, yet I could tell from an instant that its power stood no chance against my own. “What do you call such a substance?”

“Chocolate, and I’d be happy if you got out of my pool, thank you.” I ordered as I raised my claw. A dark purple aura surrounded the dragons, and soon they were lifted out of my pool and tossed to the ground like the lesser beings they were.

The king was clearly cowed by my power and could do nothing but quiver under my strength. One brave soldier, however, decided that curiosity was worth enraging me. The unicorn took a small drop of my chocolate as a test run.

“I turned to him expecting him and the dragons to fall and die like the rabbits I let go. Instead, a smile spread on the unicorn's lips as it moaned in delight.

“Oh, so rich, so sweet! Oh my lord, you must try this,” the unicorn turned to his king in delight. “It’s as if love itself was poured into a liquid.”

“Love, you say?” smiled the king wearily. But with a crack of thunder and the sudden shift of the icy air that bit at everyone’s skins, I made the clouds above encircle us as my eyes glowed a warning. “Be careful of your next step, or I shall show you just what I wanted to do with those dragons,” I told them.

The king bowed his head to me, as did the dragon king. “Forgive us, great deity. I know not of your wrath, nor do I want to. I merely love your chocolate. If I and my kin were to bow to you, would you give us more?” begged the dragon.

“You cannot trust them; a dragon’s heart only knows how to lie and cheat,” the pony king said. “If you would humble us, sir, perhaps a deal is in order.”

“A deal?” I raised my eyebrow, not taking the king's words lightly.

“Yes, you see, I am a king, one of great stature.” The king raised his head for a moment. “I have a large kingdom that needs help due to the constant bullying their dragons give us. The frozen land makes it hard for my people to find food and thrive in this world.” He raised his hooves high in the air, praising me for my glory.

“But if you help us, I can give you whatever you want: power, jewels, and riches. I can get your name on the top of the world, if you would only let this resource belong to ponykind and ponykind alone.”

With that, I could only stand there, confused and unsure of what to think. I could either have dragons as servants doing my bidding forever, or I could learn how to become a king and take whatever I wanted. The question was, what did I want? What could either creature give me that I didn’t already have? As I turned from one group to the other, I pondered that above all else. What was it that I wanted in this world? What was my heart's greatest desire?

I knew in a heartbeat what I wanted and couldn’t put into words, despite my struggles for wanting it more and more every passing day.

With a raise of my claw, I snapped the dragons into chains, forcing them to succumb to my might. “You have a deal, so long as I can call you a friend.”

A friend… a companion… someone to share my life with. It was all I ever wanted, and now I had the power to get it. Sure, they weren’t exactly on the same playing field as I was, but it was far better than the silky animals of the forest. These creatures could, at the very least, talk to me, though I admit their dialect was different from mine.

The king shed his armor, a feat I wasn’t aware ponies were capable of, and raised his hoof to me. It was a moment that would change my life… and not for the better.

It wasn’t long after that the king brought me to his land—a small group of villagers and a stark building for a kingdom. He would then teach me all that his kind had to offer, in exchange for simple goods, chocolate being the number one among them.

It wasn’t long until I soon learned how to read and write, and even greater, to speak fluently in their tongue. By then, I myself was adorned with elegant, vibrant, velveteen purple and black robes that matched my mighty magic color to a tee. Gold and silver, along with heels of all colors, became a staple of my existence. And it wasn’t long before I took on a title of my own. "Lord of Goods" was what I was first called, a name I wore proudly despite never having a correct name at all. My life as the Lord of Goods wasn’t long-lived either.

“Despite my extravagance, both in looks and power, if not for the king, who did what he could to keep me in the loop, it was all too clear what most thought of me behind closed doors. In the hopes of regaining some of their confidence, I took on a form matching theirs, hoping to fit in at the very least. But even in my pony form, it never hid what I truly was. My red eyes and fiery black-haired flames gave me away all too clearly. Nevertheless, I put my best foot forward, laying on the charm thick, as they would say, in hopes of meeting their ridiculous expectations. Why, though, I questioned myself for so long. Was it truly because of my own heart's desire for companionship that I lowered myself to such depths as to grovel among lesser creatures? Where was my pride, my strength, my power? By the end of the king's life, it had gone with him.

As soon as he had a son, he cared not for me or my company anymore. In fact, I could see it in his eyes—his pure fear of what I would do if I were ever to change my mind on this deal of ours. Soon, what friendship I thought we had was nearly all wiped away one day when he called me into his throne room one afternoon.

I stood before the king in my dark robes, contrasting with his mighty golden ones, with a look of astonishment upon my face. My eyes were wide and my mouth agape. But I, being me, nearly thought it was nothing more than just a joke, and so my lips twitched as a sound erupted from the back of my throat—a chuckle that sent shivers down most spines, all except the king, who remained ever so brave against me, despite being far above him.

“Gee, and people say you don’t have a sense of humor. Oh dear king longhorn, shall it not be that I have provided you with everything your heart desires. “Was it not I, who gave thee, control of the dragons who terrorized your kind and then gave you goods beyond what your mind could ever think of.” With a raise of my arms I gestured to the building we were in. “When I first arrived this castle was no more than straw and wood, and over the decades I have made this place a stronghold built of stone and iron far greater than any kingdom you have ever known.” I raised one finger and pointed it at him.

“Is not I, who is the reason why you have a child in the first place. It was my goods that gave you the ability to trade and form a land unlike any other! And attract your mate!” I hissed. The sound of it echoed off the stone cold walls, we stood in thanks to my mighty abilities.

“I am not ungrateful for your contribution to my lands, Lord of Goods. But I am weary and old. As I grow older, my son will take the throne, and in this new era of peace, the last thing the kingdom has to fear is you, great sorcerer,” he said as he walked past his throne, his back turned to me the entire conversation. It was then that he shed his great robes and donned not a suit of gold like before, but a suit of simple metal and rust. He unsheathed a sword—one simple in nature.

The meaning behind this was all too clear. Gone was the friendly gold aura, full of fancy jewels of wishes I could exploit for my own gain. And now stood the startling reality of a creature who, despite his own fears, held such bravery he was willing to put his own life on the line for the sake of others.

“In the name of our friendship, I shall give you a chance to go back to the forest from which you came and never stand among my kin again.”

His words were like knives at my throat. Far sharper than even his blade of which I could see my reflection. The reflection of a dark entity trying to hide himself as a pony, and for what.

“You used me,” I muttered, broken.

The king turned and faced me, a Saturn look on his face. “I did think of you as a friend, but you’ve become something of a threat to my kingdom. And I must deal with all threats, demon.I can not allow you to cause such discord anymore!” He growled as a fiery fury burned in his eyes. Soon his horn began to glow, and it was I on the other end of it.

At first, a frown adorned my face, but my lips curved into a small smile. “I was a fool, wasn’t I? Friendship and love—these things you hold dear—they're not for beings like me, are they?” I told him, raising my claw as I morphed from a pony into my true state.

The king ground his teeth and began rushing towards me, his magic holding his sword in tow. What was I to do, except stand there and take the blow? I could finish it. With a snap of my fingers that echoed through the halls, I watched as the king died at my fingertips. His heart burst, throwing his chest open and leaving an ugly, gruesome sight of guts and flesh, as a red substance leaked out, filling the floor in a pool not unlike my very own chocolate one. The guards who were willing to lay down their lives joined their king as I walked out of the castle. Quickly, I crossed paths with the queen, who clutched her baby tightly in her arms, protecting them best as she could.

“Mother,” I whispered as thunder came crashing down on the land. The chaos that consumed the little kingdom after that was far too much for even me to handle. “I longed for the warmth of a hug from a mother. Instead, I got the cold wind of a blizzard on my back. I longed for a home, cozy and warm. Instead, I got the cold and dreary world presented to me. For what purpose, I knew not, nor cared for anymore.

I raised my hand again against the child or its mother. I merely consumed what my purpose in life truly was when I ultimately snapped my claw, letting chaos wash away that little kingdom in an ocean of pure molten hot liquid chocolate and drowned my sorrows in its delicious destruction. Such discord was nearly a formality. And so I would take on from there a new title: Discord, the Lord of Chaos.

…

Those who survived fled. And with my might, I forced those who remained to serve me as my army among the forest. I made sure to let the forest engulf the land, letting every branch it touched be a clear statement: this was my kingdom. I was the king of chaos, and inside, I enslaved those to do my will. Now living, I had no one to count on. To say it was a lonely existence was anything but wrong, as I relished in my own darkness and forged an army that wasn’t one to mess with.

Another century or two would pass before I encountered my next greatest threat to my endless reign. Descendants of Longhorn, and that child I foolishly left alive, came to free their forgotten home, along with armies of other kingdoms that had gained strength in numbers over the years.

And so it wasn’t long before my age of chaos began to merely drain them of their ridiculous efforts. In that time, they unfortunately learned from me. They adored both gold and silver armor. But those who wore black like mine were truly the strongest. They built not forgeries of straw and wood, but of stone and iron, and they endlessly fought against my forces. Futile as it was, I became increasingly annoyed at their attempts to overthrow me.

As I sat on my throne, listening to a battle report from a small dragon, a derivative of the ones I captured and enslaved long ago, I scratched the edge of my throne as I thought of what to do about them.

“Uh, sir, did—dis—

“Lord Chaos!” I hissed, not taking any of his attempts at my name lightly.

“Uh, yeah, yes, Lord Chaos, might I make a suggestion?” the young hatchling shivered at my feet.

It was a purple dragon, with enraged eyes and spines down its back. It had no wings yet, for it was still, at this time, very little. Too little if you asked me.

“Get on with it,” I rolled my eyes, expecting nothing useful from my little minion.

“Wha, what if you made a, a deal of pa-peace?” The dragon gulped as it grabbed its tail in hopes of holding itself from my grasp.

“A deal of—” I snapped back, only for my jaw to drop.

A deal. That word was something I rarely ever used in my vocabulary. That word is what led me down the path I was on then. That deal I made was the single worst decision I have ever made. Yet it taught me a great deal too, no pun intended. As I thought it over, my lips curled into a toothy grin as I stroked my goatee, which I had grown over the years. A conniving look struck my eyes as I remembered how the king of old used me in his deal. “Perhaps I could use the same tactics to my advantage, Longhorn.” I chuckled as I stood from my throne and walked past the shaking dragon at my feet.

“My, my lord,” his voice chirped, high-pitched as ever.

“Good work, Spucky,”

“Spike,”

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes. “A deal is actually a very smart idea,” I said as I walked into the next room and undid the straps on the robes. As they fell, they revealed a body pure of chaos and strength. “See to it that the princesses and their royal help hear word of a civilized meeting between enemies,” I said as I descended into my pool of chocolate for my daily bath. “After that, you are free for the night,” I sang, snapping my fingers. “A fresh batch of crystals and chocolate for you to eat awaits you down in your cave when you are done,” I told him as I began to vanish beneath the warmth of the brown liquid.

“Uh, yes, your highness,” stated the young hatchling as he stumbled out of the room.

Once I ascended from the waters, I was no longer in my true form. Once again, in hopes of speaking to them, I took on my pony form. But this time, it wasn’t because I was going to lower my head to their stupid ways. Instead, it was so that I could force them into a soft sense of sincerity, if not a false one, where I could then manipulate them at every whim I saw fit. “Just as you once did to me, Longhorn, I shall now do to your grandchildren,” I snickered as black armor encased me magically. Looking at myself in the mirror, I saw not the facade I had adopted, but my own evil grin staring back at me, ready to play the long game, for however long it takes.

…

Prince Sombra, his beloved Celestia, along with their friend, the Duchess Chrysalis, and Celestia's sister, all sat in armor awaiting my arrival as they sat on thrones around a high court that was raised so that even I, as tall as I was, had to look up at them.

It was actually quite amusing. They now looked down at me when clearly they were anything but superior. I walked in, in my pony form, as I stood below the council.

“Discord, your ruthlessness knows no bounds,” said the angelic voice of Celestia. Oh please, don’t think I like her. It’s a mere observation. Believe me, she was anything but my type. She sat on her throne, outshining everyone in the room, both figuratively and literally. Her stunning skin and fur were adorned in silver and gold. A crown sat on her head, reflecting her leadership above the land. A stunning white light shone like the sun itself—beauty and purity that everyone adored and loved without question.

She was everything I hated about ponykind above all else. They grew up in the light, full of happy homes and warm sunshine. I grew up isolated in the woods, where all I had for warmth was a pool of chocolate I created through my own power.

My power…

Was all I could trust.

But no matter, no matter, it didn’t really bother me to stand directly in front of her. For I could tell that despite the warm glow she enveloped throughout the land, she was a fire, and all fires burn when you get too close. A mere glance at her closest loved ones could reveal just that.

Chrysalis, a clear crystal unicorn, shone like diamonds around the room. She sparkled literally due to the light coming off of Celestia. Yet there was a look of envy in her eyes. “Good, something I could use later,” I thought as I turned to the next royal in the room.

Celestia’s own betrothed, a green-eyed handsome and devilish pony in his own right. Prince Sombra, soon to be king, was a gray pony whose mighty form was beloved by his kingdom. Yet just one glance in his eye was all I needed to tell me what kind of king he was. The look in his eye was just like Longhorn's so many years ago. It was clear, just from the bored look in his green eyes, that he was only marrying to use Celestia's power and saw her as nothing more than a means to his crown. A user, just like all royals. “And something I could use to my advantage.”

Finally, last but not least, was the saddest of the stories I could read. Princess Luna loved her sister and her people. But it was clear that despite her admiration and affection for her sister, a dark shadow cast Luna into the darkness—one that I was preparing to exploit at any moment.

As my eyes returned to Celestia, as hard as it was to even look at her—she was so damn bright—I could envision just how to take her down a peg and teach the granddaughter of Longhorn a thing or two. With that, a conniving smirk spread across my lips as I bowed before the royalty of the day.

As I came up, I finally said, “Dear rulers of the free world, I have come here today to offer a proposal."

“And whatever proposal can a demon like you make?” asked Sombra as he narrowed his eyes at me.

“Glad you asked, for you see, it is merely a simple concept.” I grinned.

“Get on with it,” barked Chrysalis.

“Fine, we’ll skip the formalities,” I shrugged as I took my seat. “Simply put, I have come here today to seek a peaceful solution among our kingdoms."

The room gasped, except for Celestia, who narrowed her eyes like daggers at me, watching my every move.

“Yes,” I emphasized to the crowned. “Against what you may perceive of me, I actually don’t like this ridiculous conflict either. I am one for chaos, but this fight has gone on long enough.” I raised my hand in the air. “I am not throwing in any towels; I just simply have better things to do than to drain you all of your resources. And let’s face it, that is what you are doing since not one of you has made an inch of progress through my forest. You will soon drain all of your resources and fall to me eventually.”

“So there it is then,” Luna droned. “You want us to bow now, is that it?”

“Oh dear princess,” I clapped for the sister of the night. “Good try,” I pity her. “But no, instead I call for simple peace. Leave me and the forest alone, and you will never again have to hear my name, so long as you stay out of my forest.” I emphasized "my forest" with a threatening growl, showing I was not kidding when I claimed it as my own.

“I think not,” shouted Celestia. “You, Discord, are playing a dangerous game here. If we agreed to your deal, what will come of your slaves?” she said coldly before raising her voice to the top of her lungs. “What will come to my people, the ones you segregate for your own amusement!”

I couldn’t help but give a bone-chilling chuckle at the future queen's watchful eye. “Oh, nothing. They will simply live in my clutches for all eternity while they serve me,” I said, placing a hoof on my chest. “After all, don’t you also have servants of your own?”

“Servants are proud, loyal beings ready to do my bidding by their request. I never force my servants into doing something they don’t want to do like you, Discord!” she barked.

“Ha, as if there’s much more of a difference between free will and fear,” I rolled my eyes.

In response, I could only see literal steam come off her head as she began turning red. “What did I tell you? Such a hothead, especially in these younger years."

“I’m not done; you see, I need those servants, for if I don’t have them, how can I properly trade with you all?” I asked.

“Trade?” Sombra raised an eyebrow, never letting his lips move from their bored tone.

“Yes, I shall trade you all one wish each. I have the mighty power to do just that. Whatever your heart's greatest desire, I can give it to you, be it wealth, food, or goods. I can provide it, so long as you stay away from my forest.” I lowered my eyebrows and raised my head further to the ceiling. “A simple exchange from a sorcerer deity like myself.”

“Liar!” barked Celestia, outraged by my proposition. “You need no servants to do just that. You ask me what my heart desires, and it’s simple: my people’s freedom from your tyranny!”

“Fine,” I stated casually, catching her and the others off guard. “If you want their freedom so badly, then let’s have a simple exchange.” I shrugged as I prepared to make my ultimate deal. “This is a one-time offer,” I pointed my hoof at Celestia. “You become my slave in exchange for all of them.” I laughed maniacally

Celestia lunged back in her seat, terrified of my words. They were merely knives slicing through her defenses. Finally, I had her in the ropes, and near the palm of my claws. “You speak big and bold, but when faced with the reality of it, you will not do it, will you?” I snickered at her, fully engulfing her with chaos. The fright in her eyes, the confusion I sensed—it was so delicious, I could nearly twist the chaos. It filled me, giving me strength. So much so that I inevitably began floating upward until I was at eye level with her. “You say you want to save them. Here’s your chance to prove yourself worthy of their love. Or are you just going to show them who you really are?” I said as I could see my own dark image within her blazing eyes.

“You’re a beauty on the outside, but nothing but an ugly, selfish bitch on the inside,” I said as I cupped her chin, bringing her face closer to me.

She was hot to the touch. Yes, hot, not warm. It was as if I held fire in my own claws. It would burn anyone who got too close. Indeed, if not for my dark powers, even I would succumb to the disgusting heat she truly was, deep within.

It was all I needed to see. There was no comforting warmth I could ever find inside her. Only a blazing fury that made me wish for the frozen tundra I called home.

Immediately, she slapped my claw away from her, nearly scratching her skin. With it, her blood stained my sharpened fingertips as a few drops of the red liquid fell onto the floor, splashing with an echoed sound that, even among the enraged fury of everyone, I heard, sending me back to that awful night I killed the king.

For a moment, I rubbed the claws stained with blood against one another as my cocky smirk faded into an emotionless expression. Somehow, my new stare frightened her more, and I watched as she stumbled over her throne and backed away from me. In seconds, the other royalty surrounded her protectively, swords drawn, ready to strike me down.

But why, though? I thought, as I watched them encase her. Why her, and not me? Why was Celestia beloved and not me?

I simply inhaled, wiping the blood off my fingertips as I turned my back to them. With a simple snap of my fingers, it would be all too easy to take them out. They were merely mortals, after all. Nothing like me.

Soon, I laughed derangedly; it began as a small chuckle but grew above the walls of stone, echoing all around for the crowd to hear.

“You see, Celestia, you should have taken me up on my offer,” I said. Horns sprouted from my head as I morphed completely back into my true form. For you see, I can myself be quite persuasive. I raised my hand, encasing the three within a barrier that protected them from me.

“Him, yes him. No longer could I call these actions my own. Soon I let him take over… the chaos surrounding me was too great, and soon I found myself diving into its depths where my mind was nearly split in two.

Ahahahhahaha! He laughed as I stood, watching in place. My body was merely a tool for Chaos’s will. This couldn’t be me, I thought. No, no, I left them alive; I wouldn’t kill out of cold blood. Then again, this wasn’t so much of a killing either. Instead of killing, I felt that whatever happened was too far even for me to take. Yet he did it, or I did, I’m not sure anymore, as the chaos consumed the three ponies in darkness.

They at first struggled through my grasp as I began infiltrating their heads.

“Celestia is only a tool to you, Sombra; why not take her now and rule your throne by force?” I could hear the demon within me telling him.

“You’re always envious of her love, love that rightfully belongs to you; why not force it out of her?” it said to Chrysalis.

She struggled to shake her head, as did Sombra.

It was ultimately Luna who fell first. “Your sister outshines you; don’t you want to outshine her? I can give you that if you let me in.”

Let him in, let in what? Soon I stumbled back as I faced my own inner demon. Its darkness, its pain, its suffering knew no bounds.

“I’m tired of my heart,” it said before I felt myself splitting in two. I watched as Luna transformed into a bat alicorn, with fangs as sharp as mine. And… or just her. But so did the others. Sombra was now a wisp of dark energy with fangs, and Chrysalis turned into the love-sucking ember she was inside her heart. Soon this was it. And as I remembered, the chaos chose its host; they went after their rival. In hopes of stopping said chaos, I raised my claw and snapped once, giving Celestia what little energy I had left. The energy enveloped the princess, giving her wings and transforming her into an alicorn, as I blacked out into the abyss of darkness and a stone-cold chill I knew all too well.

Worry not, dear friend, for this story is not done. This was only the prologue to my horrific tale.