Author's Note

Note: This story does not take anything relating to the IDW Comics. While there may be some things that were originally from there, they aren’t treated the same way.

The Story

Long ago, in the Badlands, there was a land full of human-esque horse hybrids known as Centaurs and lion-esque creatures with large bat wings known as Gargoyle. There lived a Centaur king named King Vorak and his Gargoyle wife named Queen Haydon. They were benevolent leaders who wanted to help with harmony for Equestria. They gave birth to two sons, Tirek and Scorpan. As Tirek was the oldest, he was first in line to the throne, while his brother Scorpan was second in line. Prince Tirek was shown to have a bad attitude towards his parents from the start as he normally ignores or argues with them.

They did their best to guide their children and have them on the right path, but while Scorpan took after their examples, Tirek was shown to get into trouble at a young age. Because of this, his father King Vorak opposed his behavior and actions, which caused Tirek to develop an extreme hatred for his father.

Tirek was indifferent to his mother. He never really cared much about her, but he didn’t love or hate her.

The only one Tirek managed to get along with is his grandmother, former Queen Thalina.

Thalina is very kind and caring towards both Tirek and Scorpan and will do anything for them. However, no one knew that she had dark intentions. Tirek told her everything, including wanting to grow powerful and rule the whole world. She admired Tirek’s plan for power and wanted to help him. That time won’t come as a few days after Tirek’s 9th birthday, she passed away of old age. Before she passed, she told Tirek, “Never give up on your goals. Always find an opportunity to take.”

Years have passed since that, and Tirek was now an adult.

No matter what he did, he never was enough to please King Vorak due to the darkness in his heart. He is in his room, sitting on his bed, sulking. He had been trying to find a way to gain power but nothing came up.

“I’ve grown tired of this waiting game,” he said.

Scorpan walks into the room.

“Hey, big bro. You feeling alright?” he asked.

He looked at his brother and told him, “I’ve been trying to follow up on what Gram-Gram told me, but nothing has worked.”

Scorpan walked up in front of him and said, “Are you still trying to gain power? You have been working out a lot. Isn’t that enough?”

Tirek got up and grabbed his brother by the neck, “No! I want more!” He then let go.

“Brother, we are given a chance to change the world for the better. Father believes we can be better-”

“Father is a fool!” Tirek interrupted.

Scorpan took a step back. He was worried about Tirek. He had gotten worse as time went on. He had been doing everything he could with his parents to help him, but nothing worked.

“I’ll leave you be then,” he said as he went to the door. Just before he left the room, he also said, “Just remember, we all care about you.”

Tirek said nothing as he walked to the window. He watched as the sun was setting. Just then, he heard a voice. “How interesting. You desire power.”

Tirek quickly turned around in a fighting stance, “Who said that?!”

All he could see in front of him was a shadow with yellow eyes.

He got out of his fighting pose and asked, “Who are you?”

The shadow said, “Just someone who wants to help you.”

“How can you help me?”

“You can have knowledge of true power. Just follow me and the world will be yours.”

Tirek contemplated this. After a while, he nodded his head in agreement.

“Tell me what I need to know.”

The shadow chuckled, “Good.”

A few hours passed and the family was sitting at the dinner table eating. Tirek put his fork down and looked at Scorpan.

Scorpan notice and asked, “Is something alright brother?”

Tirek answered, “I’m fine. I’ve just learned about something interesting.”

King Vorak then chinned in, “Really, does it involve chasing that childish dream?”

Tirek then got up from the table and left the room in anger. Scorpan got up and followed to try and cheer him up. Queen Haydon gave her husband an upset glare.

She then said, “You just had to say it like that? You could have been nicer!”

Vorak looked down and said, “I’m sorry. I just want our son to stop following these false beliefs of villainy.”

Haydon then got up from the table and hugged him.

Vorak then said, “I wish he could see that we love him and are trying to help him.”

“Me too.” Haydon said.

Meanwhile, Tirek and Scorpan walked down the halls.

“Tirek, wait,” Scorpan called out, “I’m sure he didn’t mean it like that!”

They then stopped in their tracks. Tirek turned around and said, “I’m not too upset Scorpan. I just needed us to leave the room to tell you something.”

Scorpan, curious, listened in.

“Why are we doing this brother? Where are we even going?” Scorpan asked.

Tirek answers, “You’ll find out where we’re going and what we’re doing soon enough.”

Tirek and Scorpan followed the path on a map that Tirek made. They soon arrive at their location. They look to see an old, abandoned city. To the side, they see a board that says something. Although, it was mostly faded and was also in a language that has long since never been used.

Scorpan wonders to himself, “I wonder what that says.”

Tirek paid no mind, “It matters not. Let’s move.”

They make their way through the ghost kingdom. They soon find themselves face-to-face with where they needed to go. The big castle at the furthest back of the city. They enter it.

“Alright,” Tirek said, “this path should lead us to where we need to go.”

Scorpan asked, “What are we doing though?”

Tirek decides to finally answer him, “This place shall help me gain power far above anything our parents could ever dream of… Magic.”

Scorpan was taken aback at this, “Do you think it’s possible for us to learn magic? I mean we aren’t even ponies.”

“I believe we can. Have you forgotten the tales of Grogar?”

“That was just an old campfire legend.”

“Maybe, but I still follow them.”

“Okay, but why do you want me here for this? You desire it more than me.”

Tirek faced Scorpan, grabbed his arms, and said, “Because you are the only one I trust now. Brothers stick together, right?”

Scorpan blushed at this, “Uh, right.”

Unknown to Scorpan, Tirek was lying. He just wanted to manipulate his mind and morph him into a monster just like him.

“Now let us move,” Tirek announced “The spell room should be this way.”

As they made their way through the castle, they find the basement. It was full of many different spell books.

“Perfect!” Tirek announced. He searched through the books to find the right ones. He soon found a book all about taking magic from others.

“How long did you tell our parents we would be gone for?” Scorpan asked.

“3 months at most,” he answered. “Maybe less if we learn faster.”

Scorpan nodded his head at this and says, “Then lets do this!”

Their stay ended up being 1 month and 2 weeks. Tirek was a prodigy in his land. Scorpan was close but not by much. The two have gotten much stronger and have learned the basics of magic such as levitation and energy blasts. Tirek had gained his own ability to steal magic. However, Tirek also found an age spell and made himself and Scorpan immortal. Although Scorpan wasn’t aware of this. Tirek had also been feeding Scorpan many lies and fake stories, trying to turn him to the dark side. It was working as Scorpan now had darkness in his heart, only, unlike with Cobalt and Chrysalis, allows it to take over. Although, it wasn’t too strong.

“Tirek, are you ready to come out?” Scorpan asked.

“Not yet!”

Tirek was still in the basement, doing something. He was looking for a strength spell so he could become more powerful than Star Swirl the Bearded.

“This isn’t enough! I need more power!”

The shadow appeared.

“Drink this.”

It shows him a potion bottle. Tirek grabbed it and drank the whole thing. He started to become more powerful, but something else happened. He started to feel pain in his head. It soon went away and he left the basement.

After leaving the basement, he heard Scorpan jump back in horror.

Tirek turned to him and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“TIREK?! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!”

“What are you talking about?”

Scorpan grabbed the nearest mirror and showed it to Tirek. Tirek was a little taken aback by his new appearance. His human face had morphed into a monkey’s face and his fingers became sharp claws. Tirek didn’t care though.

“Hmm, I don’t look half bad,” he said as he kissed his muscles.

Scorpan didn’t know what to think. He put the mirror down and said, “Oh dear. How are we going to tell father this?”

Tirek just crossed his arms, “Father is the least of our worries. You shouldn’t worry Scorpan.”

The then decided it was time to leave. Scorpan was a little worried for Tirek.

When they returned home, Scorpan went to his parents to tell them a false story about how he and Tirek went sight seeing in the woods. They believed him. Meanwhile, Tirek went to his room unnoticed. He felt more than ready to take over Equestria.

One day, the king and queen were having a royal meeting with some pony travelers. Scorpan was told that he and Tirek weren’t needed for this. They hadn’t seen him in a few weeks, even after he and Scorpan returned home. This was the opportunity Tirek had hoped for. All of a sudden, Tirek walked into the throne room to see his parents. Everyone there, including King Vorak and Queen Haydon were horrified by his new appearance.

“My son. What has happened to you? Where is your armor?” Haydon asked.

Tirek chuckled to himself and says, “I just changed my look to fit my new world order.”

Vorak then asked, “What ‘‘new world order’’?”

Tirek smiled and said, “You’ll see.”

Without any warning, Tirek opens his mouth and takes away the magic from all the ponies there. The ponies screamed in agony. It was painful for the ponies as if their life force was slowly being taken away. Tirek looked at himself and was proud of how much more powerful he had become. King Vorak and Queen Haydon were horrified by what they had witnessed.

Vorak gets furious and yells, “PRINCE TIREK, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!”

He lifts his father with his magic and brings him close to his face. He then says, “It’s Lord Tirek now.”

He then fires an energy blast through his chest, killing him instantly. He then throws her across the room. The king’s lifeless body lands right in front of the Queens. She started to walk back. She could tell Tirek had finally snapped. Whatever good he had left was gone, and replaced with pure evil. Tirek teleports in front of his mother and punches her in the chest which causes her heart to stop beating.

Tirek could hear Scorpan making his way to the throne room. He had heard the commotion from downstairs. Tirek teleported to the doors before he arrived. Scorpan busted the doors down to see the horrifying sight before him.

“Tirek, what happened here?!” he asked.

Tirek decided to lie again, saying, “These ponies here have executed the King and Queen! I was too late to stop them. I did weaken them.”

The ponies were too weak to retort. Scorpan believed this and was angered.

“HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?!” he yelled.

The ponies didn’t answer. Tirek places a hand on Scorpans shoulder and says, “Don’t waste your anger here. The ponies have proven to be unworthy of their magic. Let us go to where they live and take all the magic of equestria.”

Scorpan, with the darkness Tirek placed in his heart, agrees with his plan. Tirek and Scorpan left to conquer Equestria.

They finally arrive at Equestria so that Tirek can finally fulfill his dream of taking all the magic from the land and becoming all-powerful.

“Alright Scorpan, I need you to go out to capture as many ponies as you can and bring them to me. I will take their magic away and become more powerful. I want to make sure I’m ready for if their rulers come out of hiding.”

Scorpan nodded his head and went out to grab some ponies for Tirek. Meanwhile, Tirek wanders around taking ponies’ magic nearby.

This went on for a week, with Tirek destroying towns and taking magic from ponies, including the ones Scorpan brings him. One day, however, Scorpan didn’t return to him. Tirek was waiting in a cave for him. He did everything he could so the princesses didn’t stop him yet.

“Where the heck is he?” he asked.

Soon enough, Scorpan returned to him empty-handed.

“Where have you been? Why did you return empty-handed?”

Scorpan answered, “Well, I have been exploring this place and learning about the lives of these ponies-”

Tirek cut him off, “Why would you bother with something as worthless as this?”

“It’s not worthless. There’s so much life living here. These ponies are amazing creatures.”

Tirek wasn’t liking where this was going, but he still felt that he can still manipulate Scorpan. “These creatures executed our parents! They don’t deserve their power. That’s why we started this.”

“Not everypony is bad,” Scorpan said, “they are friendly with others. So, let’s just put a stop on this plan and make peace.”

Tirek had heard enough. He punches Scorpan in the gut and tells him, “You disappoint me. Leave me at once.”

Scorpan was taking small steps back, holding his gut in pain.

“Oh yeah, since you’ve decided to betray me, here’s my little secret.”

He leans into Scorpan’s ear and whispers, “I executed our parents.”

Scorpan was distraught by this news. This whole time, Tirek had been lying to him. He flew away from him. With that, Tirek laughed to himself and came out of hiding. He goes back to stealing magic from the ponies.

He is holding a young unicorn mare by the neck. They were in a town that Tirek had set fire to. He was about to take her magic before a magical blast hit him in the face. He looked to see Star Swirl the Bearded standing there. He had noticed the commotion going on in this little town and decided to check out.

“Well, this is a surprise. I wasn’t expecting anyone to fight back.” Tirek said

Star Swirl says, “Don’t play nice with me Tirek.”

“It is Lord Tirek to you.”

They get into a fighting stance and then engage in battle. They were fighting all over the place, firing energy blasts at each other, teleporting everywhere, punching each other. This fight was tough. Star Swirl was far more experienced with magic, while Tirek was far more powerful thanks to all the magic he had absorbed. Eventually, Tirek is able to overwhelm Star Swirl. He throws him against a giant rock, knocking him out.

Tirek laughed to himself and said, “How sad. The old horse is all out of tricks.”

He was about to fire another blast to kill him when Princesses Celestia and Luna appeared and fired a beam of magic at him, knocking him down. Tirek got back up with an angry look.

Princess Celestia spoke, “It’s over Tirek, your plans are now being put to an end!”

Just then, an amulet was thrown into his face. It was the amulet he gave Scorpan. He looked up to see Scorpan flying down.
“How dare you Scorpan?!”

“We did everything we could to help you,” Scorpan started, “We could have built a bright future together.”

Tirek then yells, “I’ll build my own future by myself and I’ll destroy anyone who dares to get in my way!”

He puts the amulet around his neck and charges at the group. The battle was tough. Individually, Tirek would easily win, but because it was a 3 on 1, Tirek was having a harder time achieving his goals. Eventually, though, Celestia, Luna, and Scorpan put their magic together and hit Tirek at point blank. Not only did it return all the magic that was stolen by him, but it also transported him to Tartarus chained up. This would be the first time the Princesses deal with someone who stole magic, but that story comes later.

Scorpan had tears in his eyes as he fell to his knees and said, “I’m sorry. I wish I did more to help you.”

Luna placed a hoof on his shoulder. After a little while, Scorpan returned to his homelands.