Twilight Sparkle looked at the entrance to the abandoned mine entrance in front of her. Despite the rays of the rising dawn behind her, she couldn't make out anything through the inky darkness that shrouded the forgotten tunnels.
So this is where the evil presence is coming from, She thought to herself. The presence that has attacked and driven half of Ponyville mad, including... including.... Twilight shook her head, refusing to think of it.
Maybe you’re the mad one. Maybe you just imagined it all. A traitorous part of her mind whispered. Twilight ignored it and marched into the mine, quickly becoming swallowed up by the shadows.
The darkness smothered everything, obscuring the entrance behind her. Twilight walked a couple of paces before bumping her nose on a hard wall. She cast a spell, and purple light began to shine from the surfaces around her, but the absence of shadows made everything appear flat and two dimensional. She frowned, looking around at the room- the amount of light was much lower than a spell of that caliber should have created. It was almost as if the darkness was pushing back.
Twilight continued to walk down the sloping corridor, descending beneath the ground. The purple glow followed her, lighting the way, leaving the passage behind her to be swallowed by the constricting blackness.
You know, you could turn back now, the traitor in Twilight's mind said, no one knows you’re here, or why. And what if you’re mistaken, what if there is nothing here?
Twilight took a step back, and glanced at the tunnel behind her- the tunnel that lead to the surface. No, my research is correct- there is something here, and it threatens all of Equestria. I must stop it. Her will strengthened by this thought, she soldiered onwards into the darkness.
Within the enclosed space of the underground tunnels, Twilight lost track of time, but she estimated that a couple of hours had passed since entering the tunnel. Reaching a crossroads, she decided it was ample time to take a break. Sitting down, she levitated her saddlebags of her back and dug out a light lunch- just some hay, she didn't have time to prepare anything fancy. As she began to eat, her thoughts drifted to her friends back in ponyville- those who had been afflicted by the madness, and those who hadn’t.
I must stop whatever is causing this, she thought, looking around at the three tunnels ahead of her. But which path do I take?
You could always go back- you know that is the safest route.
Twilight shook her head, trying to clear the doubt from her mind. It had been niggling her, trying to convince her to turn back. I must be strong- not just for my friends, but for all of Equestria.
Oh yes, you are the Princess’s most trustworthy student, after all.
Twilight frowned in confusion, before speaking out loud. “Faithful student. I am Celestia's faithful student. Also, I speak to myself in first person, not second.” Silence followed Twilight’s statement, as if the dark was considering something.
“Clever girl,” a voice eventually boomed out of the darkness. Twilight’s knees buckled under the force of the shout, which easily rivaled the Royal Canterlot Voice in strength. “I wondered how long it would take before you figured it out. I must say, it was a lot sooner than I expected. Of course, I will not underestimate you again.”
“Who are you?” Twilight asked the darkness, standing up and glancing around her, seeing nothing but darkness.
“To explain that, my dear Twilight, would be like explaining to an ant what an unicorn is. It is so beyond your understanding of the world, that such an attempt would prove fruitless. However, mortals such as yourself once called me... Erebus... yes, you can call me Erebus.”
“Erebus, are you the one who attacked Ponyville?” Twilight asked, her voice sounding weak and insignificant against Erebus’. “Are you the one who inflicted my friends with madness?”
“Yes.”
“What? Why?” Twilight asked, spinning on the spot, trying to find the direction the voice came from.
“Because, little pony, it amused me. But I have grown tired of that game, so let us play another.”
“A game? What sort of game?” Twilight asked, panic rising in her voice.
“A simple game- I will throw three challenges at you. If you can overcome them, then you may choose to either return to the surface, or face me in my lair. What happens then is anyponies guess.”
“What is stopping me from just leaving, anyway?” Twilight asked, pointing at the tunnel behind her.
“Why don’t you take a look and see?” Erebus said, an unspoken laugh undercutting its words. Twilight turned and gasped, for the tunnel that lead to the surface was gone, replaced by a blank wall that glowed purple from the spell Twilight had cast earlier. Turning back, she gasped again, as all but one of the corridors had disappeared, leaving only one direction to walk in. “This is my realm, Twilight Sparkle, and I am free to change it at will. The first challenge awaits you at the end of the corridor.”
Twilight gulped, but marched onwards into the darkness. “If we are just ants to you, why are you doing all this, anyway?”
Erebus laughed. “Thats what I love about you ponies, always asking questions, even if you fear the answers. As I said before, it amuses me to see you scurry around in panic, facing that which you cannot comprehend. And we, Twilight, are going to have so much fun.”
Silence stretched between the two as Twilight continued up the corridor. Eventually, it opened up into a large chamber. Twilight gagged as a foul stench assaulted her nostrils. Walking into the room, the walls shone with purple light, revealing the source of the smell.
“Aggh!” Twilight yelled, leaping back. The floor was covered in corpses, and Twilight had come close to stepping on a particularly ripe specimen.
“Do you like it? I have spent a millenia collecting these bodies. Over fifty lie within this chamber. This is the last resting place of many great warriors, kings, mages and heroes. Princess Platinum, Star Swirl the bearded, Typhoon the Terrible, all are sleeping here.”
“Star Swirl the Bearded? You have Star Swirl’s body?” Twilight's voice raised in anger. “You desecrated the tomb of the most important conjurer of the pre-classical era? How dare you!?”
Erebus replied with a mocking laugh. “It gets better. Just watch and see.”
Twilight looked on anxiously at the mound of corpses before her. A motion caught her eye, and her blood froze. One of the corpses had picked itself up of the ground, a pegasi centurion, judging by the armour attached to its rotting body. It took a step towards Twilight, who stepped backwards in response, bumping into something. Turning around, she looked into the missing eyes of a unicorn mare, half her face rotted away, a silver crown and moth eaten robe adorning her.
“For your first challenge, Twilight Sparkle, you must merely... Survive,” Erebus said, laughing.
Twilight let out a shriek of terror and lashed out, kicking the corpse of Princess Platinum in the face, black blood and green puss spurting out of what little flesh was on her face. The zompony fell back, emitting a dry rattle from its throat. Twilight spun around, a blasting spell prepared, and fired at a cluster of skeletons, which fell apart under the force of the spell.
A savage kick knocked Twilight to the floor and the centurion stepped into view, a sword clamped between its teeth. Twilight rolled to one side, just as the sword swung down, loping a lock of her mane off. With a strength fueled by fear, she bucked the zompony in the chest, feeling brittle bones snap and decomposing organs explode. She quickly jumped to her hooves and prepared another spell, but her horn exploded with pain. Twilight heard the jingle-jangle of bells behind her, and she froze once more with fear. Turning around despite her bodies protests, she faced the mage that had countered her spell- Star Swirl the bearded, bells and all.
“No...” Twilight whispered as Erebus’ mocking laugh echoed around the room. Cut off from her magic by her childhood hero and surrounded on all sides by the advancing undead, Twilight felt despair creep into her heart. “No. No! I will not die here!” She yelled, charging at the unicorn before her. She easily knocked Star Swirl to the ground and reared up on her hind legs. “I have faced down Nightmare Moon!” She shouted, bringing down her forehooves upon the zompony. She reared up again. “Discord! Chrysalis! Sombra!” Each name was punctuated with another stomp. “And I will not be stopped here!” Twilight declared, descending upon the zompony one last time.
She looked down at the pulverised remains of the great conjurer, certain that this foe was defeated. Tears in her eyes, she turned to the rest of the undead abominations. As they shambled forwards, a strange mixture of zomponies and skeletons, Twilight began to cast a spell. Rather than the simple burst of force she used before, this one she fueled with her passion and anger, flames spitting from her horn. Finally she released the spell and a torrent of flame blew away from her, consuming those in front of her. Had they been alive, they wouldn’t have had the opportunity to scream before the flames reached them. As they were, the undead merely collapsed where they stood, the enchanted flame eating at both their flesh and the spell that animated them. Twilight span around, spreading the fire to all corners of the room. A sob burst from her throat as she saw a blue hat decorated with stars and bells burn up under the flame.
Seeing that all the undead had been defeated, Twilight ended the spell, allowing what flames remained to continue burning- an impromptu funeral pyre for some of Equestria's greatest. Twilight gasped for air, and in a rush of understanding panicked- she was many miles underground, in a sealed off room. The stench of burning assailed Twilights senses as smoke covered up the ceiling, the oxygen in the room decreasing as the fires consumed it. Twilight staggered over to to the wall where she had seen the exit, but was met by cold, hard stone. Sobbing, the smoke burning her throat and eyes, she collapsed, waiting for the end as Erebus continued to laugh.
When Twilight awoke, the first sensation she felt was pain. Coughing through a raw throat, she stood up, noticing the many burns that now adorned her body.
“I... I’m alive?” She rasped out, wincing at the pain the words caused.
“No, you died and this is your eternal reward,” Erebus said, its voice thick with sarcasm. “I wouldn’t try talking just yet- you breathed in a lot of smoke.”
“Wh...Why?” Twilight said, reaching for a water bottle.
“Why are you alive, you mean?” Erebus asked, to which Twilight nodded. “Its quite simple- you destroyed my collection of corpses. A millenia spent building it, all gone in a few minutes. Dying from your own stupidity is too good for you. I mean, really, fire? Underground? No, I have much better plans for you.”
Twilight shivered in fear. Gone was the mocking laugh, replaced by cold anger. Taking a draught from her water bottle, she sighed as the cool water soothed her throat. Quickly replacing it, she trotted forwards down the corridor before her, not caring where it went.
A long silence stretched out, broken only by Twilights hoofsteps and her ragged breathing. It still hurt to talk, and it appeared Erebus was content to stay silent. After a while, the silence grew unbearable and Twilight had to break it.
“I...I will defeat you.” She paused and leant against the wall for stability. “I will protect Equestria.”
“Ho-ho, thats rich, considering you can barely stand up at this point." Erebus said, the unspoken laugh returning to its voice. "That fight must have taken a lot out of you. That light spell looks exhausting too. Here, let me help you with that.” As soon as Erebus finished speaking, Twilight felt her illumination spell end, plunging her into total, concealing blackness. Twilight couldn't even see the hoof in front of her face. “Much better.” This time, its voice seemed to originate from right next to Twilight. Yelping in surprise, she spun her head around, only to smack it on an unseen wall. Erebus’ mocking laughter echoed from all around her, crawling over her skin and down her spine.
Twilight tried to recast the spell, but failed several times. Eventually she gave up and consigned herself to walking in the oppressive dark, running one hoof along the wall.
“What's the next challenge?” She asked. Talking was growing easier for her now, and the pain of the burn wounds had receded to a dull itch.
“Oh, wouldn’t you just love to know,” Erebus taunted.
“Well, yeah, that is why I asked,” Twilight deadpanned back, eliciting a laugh from Erebus that chilled Twilight to the bone. Suddenly, Twilight saw a light ahead of her. She quickly limped towards it, finding herself in another cavern lit by a glowing green gem hanging from the roof. Beneath it sat an earth pony, although in the green light it was difficult to pick out colours.
“Hello, Twilight,” the pony, a mare, judging by the voice, said. Twilight frowned and leaned forwards, looking at the pony, before giving a gasp of recognition.
“Carrot Top? Is that you? What are you doing here?” Twilight asked, stepping towards the mare.
“My family has served the Master for generations,” she replied, sadness in her eyes.
“Quite right. Carrot Top here is one of my favourite slaves.”
“Thank you, Master,” Carrot Top said, bowing her head.
“Now, the second challenge. Twilight, you must defeat Carrot Top. Carrot Top, kill Twilight.” The moment Erebus finished speaking, Carrot top reached down and picked up a sword with her mouth, before charging at Twilight. As she approached, she swung her sword, Twilight barely dodging at the last second.
“Carrot Top, wait! There isn’t any need for this!” Twilight yelled, backing away from the swinging sword.
“Oh, but there is. I take the conditioning of my ponies very seriously. She knows better than to ignore one of my orders,” Erebus said, talking for Carrot Top as she charged Twilight again. “Indeed, I wonder if I could tame you, Twilight Sparkle. You would make an excellent slave.”
Twilight didn't have time to answer as Carrot Top reached her and began to attack with the sword. Twilight was forced to jump backwards quickly in order to just avoid it, but soon found herself backed up against the wall. Nowhere to go, Twilight looked on in horror as her former friend slashed at her face. Panicking, Twilight tried to throw the sword away with her telekinesis, turning what should have been a killing blow into a glancing cut, leaving a jagged line just below Twilight’s eye and throwing Carrot Top off-balance. Capitalising on this, Twilight threw herself forwards, knocking the sword out of Carrot Top’s mouth. A short telekinetic shove sent the cream mare sliding across the floor. Rushing forwards, Twilight grabbed the sword with her magic and held it over Carrot Top’s neck, one hoof pinning her to the floor.
“I did it, Erebus. I defeated Carrot Top, just as you said.” Twilight called out, panting heavily.
“Correct Twilight, you have completed the second challenge. As for you, Carrot Top,” Erebus said, its voice turning to anger, “you have failed me.”
“No, master, I’m sor–,” Carrot Top began, but a shadowy tendril shot out of an alcove, wrapped itself around her hoof and dragged her into the darkness.
“Now, Twilight, hear the sounds of your victory,” Erebus said, as Carrot Top began to scream from somewhere in the darkness.
"No! Master, I'm s– AHHHHH! AHH AH AHHHHH! Master, forg– AHHHHHH! Mercy, Mas– AHHH AHH AHH AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Twilight, save– AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Twilight backed away in shock, before galloping through an opening in the rock, trying to escape the sounds of Carrot Top’s cries of pain and agony, but the sound followed Twilight through the pitch black tunnels, haunting her with the cost of her victory.
It was a whole hour before Carrot Top stopped screaming; pleading and begging for mercy, for Twilight to save her– anything to make the pain stop. It was only shortly afterwards that Twilight finally collapsed from exhaustion, tears streaming down her face.
An immeasurable amount of time passed before Twilight was able stand again, locking away her failure to protect Carrot Top in a distant corner of her mind.
“Equestria needs me. Equestria needs me.” She chanted over and over again, strengthening her will to go on.
“You know, Carrot Top also needed you back there,” Erebus taunted with glee. Twilight’s knees buckled at the mention of Carrot Tops name, but she carried on walking through the inky blackness.
“Did... did you...”
“Kill her? Heh, I think I’ll keep that answer to myself.”
“You monster,” Twilight said, her voice growling with anger.
“Maybe from your perspective- remember, I am above your comprehension.”
“If you are so above my comprehension, how is it that we are able to communicate, then?”
“Oh, it is a small task to delegate a portion of my mind to thinking on your level. If I dedicated any more of myself to interacting with you, the result will be quite painful for you. I may do that anyway.”
“Try me,” Twilight said, anger and determination tainting her words. Suddenly she froze, the oppressive darkness becoming a physical barrier, closing in on all sides. Twilight felt pain shoot through her entire body, as the darkness squeezed her, tightening like a vice over every inch of her body. Unable to move, even unable to open her mouth to scream, Twilight felt a despair matched only by the pain she felt take hold of her heart.
As quickly as it arrived, the sensation left and Twilight collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath in between sobs which shook her body. The darkness now seemed as bright as daylight compared to before, despite the fact that she was still blind.
“You’re... You’re not just a voice in the dark, you are the Darkness itself,” she said after a moment of silence, wonder in her voice.
“As close a description as someone with your limited senses can conceive.” Erebus said, a grudging respect in his voice. “Now, the third challenge, and your opponent, awaits. However, unlike the second challenge, you must kill, rather than merely defeat, your opponent.”
Twilight wandered into a yet another cavern, this time lit with a red gem. Beneath it was another earth pony. Despite the glow of the lamp affecting her ability to perceive colour, Twilight was able to recognise the pony within.
“Pinkie? Please, no, it can’t be,” Twilight said with shock.
“I'm sorry Twilight," the pink mare said, steeping forwards, "the Master broke me."
"That I did. Pinkie screamed for hours on end, begging and pleading for me to stop, praying for rescue. She called out for her family, her friends, the Princesses, but do you know how she called out for the most? You, Twilight Sparkle, and when you failed to arrive, when you failed to save her from my clutches, she broke and became mine, didn't you?"
"Yes Master," Pinkie said, her voice dull and lifeless. Twilight could only gape in horror at the torment her friend had been through.
"Tell Twilight how you feel about me."
"I love you Master." Her voice was still, devoid of all emotion.
"And about Twilight?"
"I hate Twilight," Pinkie said, her voice twisted with venom, causing Twilight to flinch and step backwards.
"I'm sorry, Pinkie, I–"
"Your sorry? Your sorry!?" Pinkies voice raised in anger. "I begged for you to save me, to rescue me from the Master, but where were you?"
"I didn't know–"
"Didn't know? Didn't care, more like." Pinkie charged at Twilight, bowling her over. She raised up and stomped on Twilight's side, snapping a rib with an audible crack. "I was your friend. I loved you, but you obviously didn't care about me!"
"Pinkie–"
"SHUT UP!" Pinkie went to stomp again, but Twilight caught her with her magic and flung her across the room.
"Remember, Twilight, you must kill Pinkie to proceed." Erebus said with a laugh. "Otherwise, you will be unable to protect Equestria."
Twilight strode over to her fallen friend, keeping her pinned down with her magic.
"Do it. Finish me, if you hate me so much," Pinkie snarled. Twilight took one look at the wild, frenzied eyes and instantly saw her friend's suffering.
Pinkie is already dead, Twilight realised with a start. This is just an empty shell of pain and hate.
"Forgive me, Pinkie," Twilight said, before closing her eyes and using her magic to twist Pinkes head, breaking her neck with ease.
Eyes still closed, Twilight slumped to ground tears coursing down her cheeks as Erebus laughed in the background.
"I can't believe you did it! You actually killed one of your closest friends! This is the most fun I have had in years!"
"Don't think you've won just yet," Twilight said, her voice broken with pain.
"Oh, but I have a few more surprises left in store for you. For a start, why don't you open your eyes?"
Twilight tried to keep her eyes closed, but her natural curiosity forced them open. She was greeted by a most surprising sight– instead of Pinkie's lifeless corpse, the body of a changeling lay before her. Erebus began to laugh anew as realisation crept across Twilight's face.
"That's not Pinkie," Twilight said, relieved that she hadn't just murdered a friend, before becoming horrified at the fact that she had still killed a creature.
"To be honest, it did believe it really was Pinkie Pie. So technically, you did murder your friend. A poor copy of her, but still your friend." Erebus began laughing again, every chortle cutting Twilight to the bone.
"I completed your challenges, Erebus," Twilight said, rising shakingly to her hooves, emotionally and physically drained by her ordeal.
"Quite right," Erebus said. Two passages opened up before Twilight. "The one on the left leads back to the surface, whilst the one on the right leads to my core- the center of my being, if you will. Choose wisely, for you only get one chance."
"You are a threat to all Equestria," Twilight said, limping through the right hand passage. "I must stop you."
"Your determination would be inspiring, were it not so foolish. Had you gone to the surface you could have rested and secured help with which to fight me. As it is now, you are alone, injured and exhausted. You're making this too easy for me."
Twilight gasped as she realised the truth in Erebus' words, but as she tried to turn back she encountered a wall that had not existed previously. Twilight swallowed and continued walking in the only direction left- onwards, to Erebus' core.
Once more, Twilight emerged into a cavern, lit by a pure white crystal, but absent of any other feature.
"Where are you, then?" Twilight asked the empty room.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten already?" Erebus said as the light went out and shadow filled the room. "I am right HERE."
Twilight woke up screaming.
"What? Where am I? My room? This is my room!" Twilight looked around, identifying the features that made up her bedroom- her bed, her desk, Spike's basket. "A dream. It was just a dream." Twilight breathed a sigh of relief before sinking back into bed.
Where she came face to face with Carrot Top's decapitated head.