Night will fall and the Dark will Rise

Chapters

1. The New Reign
2. All Hail Lord Knightmare
3. Blackhoof Hold
4. The Start of a Revolution
5. I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire
6. The Lord of Wrath
7. The Battle's Won, But The Child is Lost
8. Rending Hope

1. The New Reign

It was a glorious day in Equestria. It had been 4 weeks since the Crystal Empire was freed of Sombra's control, and had become a part of Equestria in that time. The ponies of Canterlot and Ponyville, alongside every city amd town in the country of Equestria, were preparing for the 1 year anniversary of Princess Luna's return. Though none were more busy, than the Princesses themselves.

As Celestia ate a quick breakfast of hay noodles and tea, Princess Luna was sitting on her bed, her cuirass, shoes, and tiara shone. In her hooves she held a locket which hung around her neck, a picture withinh, which she caressed, fondly.

"Oh, my dear, dear, Clockwork, how I miss you, and our sweet night angel." Luna sobbed, as her tears flowed down her midnight blue cheeks onto the photo of a tan furred stallion. Her door opened slowly, and the face of her sister, Celestia appeared from the gap.

"LuLu, are you alright?" Celestia asked, worry in her eyes at seeing tears on her little sister's face. Luna, turning at her head at the combination of her sister's voice and her pet name. A tiny blush appeared on her cheeks, as Luna wiped away the tears with a hoof, and turned to her sister, who nuzzled her slowly, before saying, "O-of course Tia. Let us go to the celebration." to which a small smile appeared on Celestia's face, as they got up, and went to the Starshine balcony, named after Celestia and Luna's great uncle Starshine the Magnificent, ruler of the Crystal Empire eons ago.

As the two Guards of the Balcony (Luna's idea) a Royal Guard named Wind Waker, and a Night Guard named Shadow Stalker moved aside, saluting their respective Princess as they opened the doors.

Celestia and Luna were surprised at the enormous crowd. The applause of over 200,000 ponies reached their ears. In the crowd, they noticed the Elements of Harmony in the front.

"Greetings everypony, as you all know, not only is it the anniversary of my beloved sister, Princess Luna Solaris Anne-" Celestia said, before being cut off by her sister's hoof.

"That's enough Celly, I don't think everypony needs to know my FULL name." Luna said, withdrawing her hoof, before pulling out a piece of paper from her cuirass, then coughed into her hoof, before adressing the crowd once more.

"Ahem, also, to the pony who's gamertag is "ShadowStalk44" to what you said during our Haylo 4 match, that you'd "Plow me into the ground, hard." I would like to inform you, that, my ground has already been plowed, hehehe." Princess Luna chuckled, causing everypony (except Shadow Stalker to blush and try to hide his face) to laugh.

"Well, now we can-" Celestia said, before noticing that large, black storm clouds were forming above the, as a beam of blood red light burst from the center, striking the balcony a hoof or two away from the Princesses, as they disappered in the same way. in a burst of crimson light and energy, as the sun turned Obsidian Black, leaving a washed out light, and the moon turned into the Blood Moon, much like Hircine's.

What appeared in their place was a tall, muscular, black alicorn stallion. He was wearing what appeared to be daedric looking armor, though, it was the reverse, main parts were obsidian and ebony black with red accents.

"Citizens of Equestria, and of all Solaria, I have taken away the tyrants Celestia and Luna. For too long have they done nothing as ponies living far from their castle have suffered. But, no longer, for now Equestria will be will be under the rule of a new ruler. All will be equal and find security in the new justice system in my new kingdom. All of you will be safe under the rule of Lord Knightmare!" The stallion voice blasted out in the Royal Canterlot Voice.

The only thing anypony could do was look on in both awe, and fear.......

2. All Hail Lord Knightmare

The changes Knightmare made were swift. He enployed the Royal and Night Guards, renaming them the Guardians of Order, to act as the police force of all Equestria. He also made radical changes to the justice system, high ranking criminals such as traitors and arsonits would be sent into exile, while petty theives or muggers would be sent to community service. Finally, on the day he changed Canerlot Palace into his mystical, if not a bit dark, fortress, he called the Elements into his throne room.

"Lord Knightmare, why did you send Quill Weave (the clerk at Quills and Sofas, and a former royal guard of 2 years) into the Pojave Desert to find this, this Gem of Sorrows?!" Twilight Sparkle yelled, outraged, her hoof stomping on the obsidian marble floor, a faint trail of dust rising.

"You ask me why? Do you not know of his crimes? Ho he abandoned his unit durning the Changling attack 7 months ago and hid in a bakery, or how bout how he embezzled money from Filthy Rich hen he worked as a guard for them?" Knightmare asked, his voice eerily calm, before speaking again. "The only way criminals will take penenace is by fear. A great ruler, Calfligula once said, "Let them hate me, so long as they fear me." and that is true. The criminals hate me, and they fear me. Thus, they would do nothing wrong ever again. Besides, his unit would have gotten the Gem anyay, it would have ben their next mission, if they weren't in the infirmary for broken bones!" Knightmare stated, his voice raising a few octaves at the end.

Twilight Sparkle and her friends' faces showed a mix bag of expressions between horror, anger, and disgust. Twilight looked like she was about to speak more, by intead trotted in a huff out of the room, the others following suit. Lord Knightmare did nothing, but sat back slowly on his throne, and placed a hoof under his chin, pondering over what Twilight had just said to him, and looked at his helmet, sitting silently on the amrs rest, and then at his crown, flickering from the purest gold with a royal blue amethyst placed in the center to obsidian black, with a crimson fire ruby placed in the center, brooding.

"I can't beliveve he won't listen to us!" Rainbow Dash said, throwing her head and hooves back, before placing her head on her arms on Twilight's mahognony desk.

"Don't worry Dashie, everything will be fine." Fluttershy, RD's marefirend said, placing a hoof on Rainbow's back and rubbing circles into it.

"Fluttershy's right. Cell-Princess Celestia once told me to never give up hope. no matter what. First things first, we find the Princesses! Who's with me?" Twilight said, getting her saddbags ready. She got cheers of approval from her friends.

"I think I can help" A mysterious voice said, a light shining from the opem doorway.

(Another chapter down, who could be the owner of the voice, cast your votes in the comments below. I'll choose who the voice belongs to from the votes, if its a tie, then, I'll either choose one of the two, or choose someone on my own. Ciao until next time, readers!)

3. Blackhoof Hold

"I think I can help" a voice said, coming from the doorway, as an array of light appeared from within. Everypony gasped at who the speaker was.

"Aw, don't look so shocked, its just old me." The voice said, revealing the owner to be Doctor Whooves, the Time Lord who had just arrived in Ponyville from his wife, Derpy/Ditzy Hooves' (Long story short the Hooves sisters were fused in the same body by a Dalek, though they can separate at will) 22 birthday.

"Using the Trans-mystical Harmonizer, I've managed to locate the Princesses, they're being imprisoned in Blackhoof Hold, a neigh impenetrable fortress-prison located off the coast of Fillydelphia. Its heavily guarded, but we have to do something, Come on!" The Doctor stated, waving a hoof at the TARDIS. The Elements nodded at each other before climbing aboard.

"It never ceases to amaze me." Twilight said, grinning as she noticed the control station.Twilight had traveled with Whooves back in his tenth regeneration, before he married Derpy and Ditzy, and brought their daughters, Sparkler and Dinky along for the ride, shortly after her freakout over not having created a Friendship lesson for Princess Celestia.

The Doctor smiled at this, before flipping the switches on the control center, before resting his hoof on a large lever. "Ready?" He asked the mares (and drake) standing or sitting nearby. Everypony, except Fluttershy who gave a nervous smile, stated they were.

"Well the, GERONIMO!" the Doctor yelled,before flipping the lever down. The TARDIS engines hummed,as she faded, faded away from Twilight's room, and into the time vortex.

(Cue Doctor Who theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL20_ID7fqY)

The TARDIS touched down on the island carrying the massive magma rock prison. As everypony exited, they felt somewhat nauseous. "We've arrived, about 3 hours after we left." The Doctor stated, pulling out a pocketwatch. "You know, I wonder, Twilight, do you remember, on Neighstrom XI, when you were attacked by that energy being calling itself Kleric?" The Doctor asked, turning to Twilight.

"Yes, and I remember having precognition and the ability to sense energy due to temporal energies being given off."Twilight stated, rubbing her head.

"Did you sense anything odd about this Knightmare fellow?" He said, helping Derpy to her hooves, as she and Ditzy had split on landing.

"Yeah, I could sense his thoughts. This "Gem of Sorrows" he wants to find would grant the wielder power over the joy or sorrow of the ponies around them. It also turns out the clerk job Quill-Weave had was just a secondary job, He was called to guard Canterlot shortly before the attack. Also, I sensed a very familiar, very dark energy surrounding him. When I looked into his eyes, I sensed very little of that darkness, sure there was a hint of anger, but what I found beneath those pupils was a sense of loss, betrayal, and sadness. He was't always like this. The power that captured the Princesses wasn't his, at least, only two percent of it was. The rest belonged to the thing making him do this." Twilight said, huffing.

The Doctor puzzled over this, before asking if Twilight and Rarity could teleport them inside. Charging their magic, a violet-white aura appeared around the nine ponies and one drake,and in a flash, they were gone.

The group had been teleported inside, as the Doctor pulled out a map of the facility he had gotten from the TARDIS, before speaking. "Now, Princess Celestia is being held here, by three guards, plus the Warden, name unknown,here." he said, placing a hoof on an area name the Mages' Bane. "It distrupts all magic!" Fluttershy stated, wondering what physical tortures were befalling their elder Princess. "Quite, and Princess Luna is being held here, under guard by about seven ponies" he said,placing his other hoof on a smaller area, labeled as The Safehouse. "Fluttershy, Rarity, Derpy, if you mind, Spike,and Pinkie, you spring Princess Luna." He told the others, who grabbed their gear and headed east. "Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Ditzy, and myself will rescue Princess Celestia." He stated, rolling up the map as he lead the group westward.

Team Beta (Twilight's group) had managed to avoid the guards, only having to stun one her own baton. They made it to the cell, where Celestia lay asleep, suspended in midair by an electro-magnetic containment device. "Now!" The Doctor yelled, rushing at the guards. Using his Sonic Screwdriver, he blew the head of the first guard (all the guards, except a few, including the Warden, were robots designed by Equestrial Security, a manufacturer of security systems, alongside home and business defense wares, headquarters in Manehatten,) as Rainbow Dash and Applejack bucked the other. Ditzy fished out a keycard from the robotic guards pocket, and deactivated the device holding Princess Celestia.

Twilight jumped onto the Warden. "Why would you betray the Princesses and work for that monster Knightmare?!" she said, shaking the Warden.

He raised and shook his hooves at her, before stating, in his electronic filtered "Stop, Stop!" before taking off his helmet, and revealing his face.

"I had to do it Twiley, to protect the Princesses." The face of the warden was that of Royal Guard captain, Twilight's brother, Shining Armor.

4. The Start of a Revolution

Shining Armor, on their way back to Twilight's home/library explained everything. The guard Applejack and Rainbow had bucked, Steel Hoof, alongside many others had been giving information to the Princesses for the weeks they had been held captive. The news shocked and appalled the Elements.

Whereas, during the rule of Celestia and Luna, criminals such as arsonists, murderers, and the like were given a fair amount of jail time, a year or two, and 3 years under probation, where they had to do community service. Now, under Lord Knightmare, or as he called himself, and had changed soon after, Lord Tyrael, the ancient Equestrian word for "Justicar", criminals of that caliber were either forced into exile, or, execution.

"Tyrael believes that, if criminals fear him,that they won't hurt others. But how he's doing this is wrong!" Fluttershy stated, an uncharacteristic fire in her eyes and in her words. Shining Armor sadly shook his head.

"It is, but we can't openly fight him, not now. The poor and the outcasts of Equestria have ralliedwith him, alongside many of the citizens. What we need is a counter-revolution, and for that we'd need an army." Shining said, sighing, and slumping into a nearby oak chair.

"We already have the start of one, we just need more, not just ponies,we need griffons, donkies, zebras, every race that our planet of Loria holds. As long as Tyrael holds the throne, everyone WILL suffer for it, and by Solaria will we stop that from happening." Twilight said, standing on a table, having given the short speech to her friends, brother, and Cadence, who had been with Shining when they left Blackhoof, to which they all applauded with a quick stomp of hooves.

Unfortunately, unbeknownst to them, Tyrael had been watching them through his scrying portal beside his throne.

"So, the Elements think they can stop me from saving Equestria, no matter, they are of trivial worth in this game of mine. All of them, Celestia, Luna, Twilight Sparkle, you are just pawns on the multidimensional chessboard known as life. Once Celestia and Luna are fall, then, my dear Twilight, I'm afraid it's Check Mate" Lord Tyrael said, turning back to the chessboard placed in front of him. Using his gold on black aura, he levitated a figure resembling Twilight up a space.

"Your move."

"Did anypony hear that?" Twilight said, looking around. The members of the group in front of her shook their heads, puzzled expressions on their faces. "I thought I heard Tyrael's voice, must be my imagination." She said, dismissing it as exhaustion from the night's events. As she bid everypony goodnight, she settled in her bed, her Smarty Pants doll (the one Big Macintosh had was one of four, Shining and Cadence had the other two) as everypony and Spike, settle themselves into either a spare bed, matress, or, in Spike's case, his basket by Twilight's bed.

Yawning, Twilight Sparkle slept, but as she slept, a lucid dream came to her from the vast reaches of her brilliant mind....

(4th chapter down! Whoo!)

5. I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire

Twilight Sparkle smelled smoke, the smell of ashes reached her nose. She opened her eyes, finding herself on a field,but the grass was burnt and shriveled. Turning around, she found the source of the smoke.

A city was on fire. She knew what town it was, Hoofsburg. Hoofsburg was a fairly large town a few miles from the Griffonhala/Equestria border. She had visited this town a few years ago, delivering a letter to the head professor of atomic physics, Atom Glow, at the Hoofsburg Community College.

Flames danced through streets, billowing out windows, onto the limestone roofs of the homes and businesses, licking the sky. She saw the still forms of the bodies of ponies in the streets, some being chased by horrific beings. pitch black, flames surrounding their bodies and massive arms.

She tried to fire a magic bolt at one, but it just impacted the creature, as it proceeded to grab one pony, a gray earth pony with a lance for her cutie mark, raising her into the air. Twilight shut her eyes, but heard the horrific CRUNCH of bone being crushed. She turned, and saw a wisp of pale bluish-white energy went out from the fallen mare's body, before joining the rest in flying toward a giant machine of some sort. The sight of the machine caused Twilight to manure herself in fear,the thing was GIGANTIC. "What in Equestria?" Twilight said, staring up at the monstrosity that was before her.

Twilight then heard a loud, dark chuckling from behind the massive machine. She saw Lord Tyrael's grinning face loom over them all, turning to Twilight he spoke to her,his booming voice sending out a shockwave that could put the Royal Canterlot Voice to shame, "Hehehe, don't you see Twilight? You and your puny resistance cannot possibly stop me from saving Equestria from the dark forces that threaten her. Watch as I purify Hoofsburg of this dark taint that has corrupted her! FIRE!" Tyrael said, pointing a hoof at the scorched city of Hoofsburg.

Twilight looked up, and saw a large, crimson red beam emerge from a huge circular hole in the machine's stomach. Twilight, who found her body immobalized with fear, could only watch as the beam hit the town reliquary, and a resounding sonic shockwave and a fiery explosion knocked Twilight back, sending her crashing into a large rock. As she lost consciousness, the sound of wailing screams reached her perked ears, and the smell of cinders brushed past her snout.

Twilight awoke a short time time later, and stood up. Trotting back to where Hoofsburg was gone. In its place lay a smoking crater, the grassy fields around it were now barren desert, dust billowing in the arid winds.

As salty tears fell from Twilight's eyes, she heard the mocking laughter of Tyrael. "No!" She yelled,covering her ears with her hooves, but the laughter kept coming. "No! No!"

"NO!" Twilight said, waking up in her bed in a cold sweat, a strange substance beneath her flank, and saw Princess Cadence's hoof at her shoulder, the same soothing, motherly look in her eyes. "It's alright Twiley, it was just a nightmare.

Fresh tears sprang from Twilight's eyes,stinging them, as she nuzzled the soft chest of her old foalsitter/step-sister. Acting on instinct, Cadence rubbed the back of Twilight's head, just as she had done when Twilight was a filly before saying, an amused smirk, "It also seems the OTHER side effect of your nightmares had come back to haunt you." Twilight put on a sheepish smile and a blush enveloped her lavender cheeks. Whenever she had nightmares as a filly, she would either wet, mess,or do both to her bed, which caused the occasional light tease from Shining Armor, but as she grew older, this stopped....mostly. After a quick bath and a change of bedding, Twilight asked Cadence, scuffing her hoof on the floor,

"Erm, can I sleep with you and Shiney?" She asked, a faint blush rising to her cheeks, she had done this as a filly many times when she was scared.

"Of course Twiley." Cadence said, she had been waiting for Twilight to ask that, she was adorable, even as a full-grown mare. She added, a teasing tone entering her voice "As long as the SOMEPONY doesn't have another accident in our bed." Before giggling. Twilight giggled, albeit a blush once again growing on her cheeks.

Getting into the covers, Twilight snuggled under the still forms of her brother and Cadence. Cadence kissed Twilight softly on the forehead, before whispering "Sleep tight, don't let the parasprites bite." Twilight smiled as Cadence said what she always did when Twilight would go to bed.

Twilight pulled the blanket around them, before snuggling in herself, a faint melody reaching her dreams.

Meanwhile, far away in the floating Justicar Fortress of Lord Tyrael.....

"My lord, Hoofburg had been purified of the Smooze as you commanded. The souls of those lost have been cleanesed and stored in The Heart of Lorkhan (A powerful relic from the ruins lost Unicorn city of Keening, in the Dragon's Tongue mountains in northern Equestria, that can use whatever stored energy to power the wielder to unimaginable lenghts) Purity Squad Delta Leader Storm Wind said, placing an armored hoof to his chest, and bowing to Lord Tyrael, who sat on his throne, fully armored, rubbing his chin with a hoof.

Soon after, Lord Tyrael sat back up on his throne, before saying, "The Smooze were just the cannon fodder for' Domius Umbra Vastator (Lord Shadow Destroyer) and his Generals of Order. We have to strike at their main force. Send Gale Wind's fleet to Manticore's Stinger (A large rock formation in the shape of a manticore's stinger) at once, I want Order General Penumbra captured and brought back here." He said, rising from his throne.

"At once my liege." Storm Wind said, bowing before flying out of the throne room.

"It looks like it's my move Umbra." Tyrael said, levitating a chess piece shaped like Gale Wind's flagship, the ESS Amethyst, across the board, right going above the chess piece in the shape of a large ape like creature with small bony blades sprouting out of its large knuckles.

Tyrael smiled, as the ape like the ape like creature, known as a Wraizon, was checked and sentenced to the side of the board alongside 3 other black white, though grayed with age, pieces.

"Your move Umbra." Tyrael said, a mischievous flicker in his eyes as he sat cross legged, his front hoof's clasped together at chest level.

He turned his head to view the glorious stars of the solar system.

(Ah, the plot thickens, who is this Lord Umbra Vastator? Find out next time on "Night will fall and the Dark will Rise" Ciao!)

6. The Lord of Wrath

Twilight and the others were roused from their slumber by the sound of a large BOOM resounding from the center of Ponyville. "Whatever that was, we have to check it out!" Rainbow Dash yelled, wings pumping, rushing through the door, the others following quickly behind outside.

Outside was a creature like the one from Twilight's nightmare, but in the shape of a large spider-crab.

"What in my name is that?!" Princess Celestia asked, staring at the massive creature. The beast grabbed the straw roof of a two-story house, tossing it to the horizon, the frightened ponies within scattered, screaming out of the house.

Luna fired a navy blue beam of magic,in the shape of a spear at the monster. The spear impacted a chink in the beast's armor, and erupted, sending arcs of 200 volts of lightning coursing along the thing's right-most arm. The shock caused it to let out a roar, and rise up, stepping back, crushing a banana cart in the process, The creature turned its sight to Luna, and sped it's red claw towards Luna.

The creature roared, as a house-sized flaming bolt crashed into its claw, sending it to the ground, the bolt landing in front of the group, smoke rising from the miniature crater it had landed in.

A muscular armored bidped, wearing alabaster white and pure gold armor, with a crimson red cape, being emerged from the smoke, fists clenched in anger, a flaming red aura blazed around his (for the armor showed no signs of female anatomy,so they assumed it was male) helmet, and white sparks raged around it.

The being thrust out one fist, bent with the fist pointing skyward, before saying in a brassy voice filled with pure, uncontrolled raged, "I am Varkin, Guardian Knight Three of Lord Tyrael, Protector of the Innocent and Avatar of Wrath. I shall not allow you to harm the lives of these innocent ponies!" sprouting large golden wings, clenched fists glowing with crimson lightning.

(Epic fight time! Play this music when reading)

Varkin rushed at the creature, its fist colliding with its chin, the uppercut blasting it into the air, where Varkin landed a scissor kick to 2 of its arms, severing them, they dissapeared into thin air soon after. The beast, which Varkin called a Gaeeoris, sent a ball of purple energy the way of Varkin and the mares (plus 1 stallion and drake). Varkin crossed his arms into an X,the blast going through him, pushing him back a few inches and barely singing his armor, Shining and Twilight blocked the remaining energy with a combined shield/energy absorption spell.

Varkin huffed a bit, before charging back into the fray. Dodging a claw and destroying the other, The Gaeeoris back-clawed Varkin into a stone wall, after which he fired an orange beam at the creature, destroying its almost all of its arms except 2. The Gaeerois tried to crush Varkin, who dodged the claw, ripping it out,before using it to toss the creature into the sky. Headbutting it further, he fired rapid amber energy blasts at the Gaeeoris, injuring it. After, Varking put his hands together, palms out, a white glow surrounding them, sparks flickering off every few seconds.

The ground shook as power coursed through Varkin, who's body glowed with a pure white aura, a flaming azure circle was now attached to his back, he now possessed four wings instead of 2, and two halo's floated, shimmering above his armored helmet. Varkin snarled, before yelling in a rage to the still skyborn Gaeeoris, 'NOW, IMPURE SCUM, PREPARE TO FEEL MY HOLY WRATH AND THE PURIFICATION OF LORD TYRAEL!" before thrusting his hands foward, a white beam shot towards the creature as it roared in pain and anger. The creature vanished in a blinding flash of light, but not before letting out one more scream of rage. (End music here)

Rarity and the others looked back, and saw the monster vanquished, and Varkin, now wearing a somewhat dirty, worn hood and cloak, reaching a few meters above his armored boots. Applejack called out to him "Wait, where did yall come from, why'd ya help us?" but Varkin save no response, and kept on walking for a few more minutes, before spreading his once again two wings, and took off into the sky, a couple feathers falling back to the ground with the steady, and cool, Autumn breeze. The only thing they could do was look on for a few more seconds, before going to assist any and all injured and repair any damaged properties.

The repairs were soon done, and the injured cared for. Shining Armor came up to Princess Luna and said, "I've managed to contact with Empress Jarlisia of Griffonhala, she's agreed to meet us in Las Pegasus, in the Buck-aneers Den Casino and Night Club." Princess Luna nodded, before relaying the message to the others, who agreed to go.

"We better get moving." Twilight said, as the group trotted north-west to "Sin City" Las Pegasus.

7. The Battle's Won, But The Child is Lost

The group had made it to Las Pegasus, the capitol of gambling, and vice of Equestria. The Princesses had gone to discuss the negotiations with the Griffons, while everypony else was left on their own. There were only two things you could lose in the brightly lit city, and those were your money, and your virginity.

Twilight cast a nervous glance towards Rainbow. After coughing into her hoof, Twilight asked, "Are you sure it was a good idea to bring Nyx here?" Rainbow, alongside a few other of her friends, had insisted on bringing Twilight's now 10 year old daughter, the reincarnation of Nightmare Moon, who Twilight had raised and nurtured, Their belief was, that if Lord Tyrael knew they had broken Princess Celestia and Luna out of Blackhoof Hold, and thus, were actively working against him, they would come for the most powerful unicorn affiliated with Twilight, and that would be her adopted arch-enemy turned filly daughter.

"Re-lax Twi, Nyx is safe in the Lotus Hotel and Casino, atleast its better than Casino Poyale. She's being guarded by my cousin, Roaring Thunder, one of the best cousins and Royal Guards ever, and Steel Hoof, she's taken care of." Rainbow said, sweeping her hoof in a horizontal angle, trying to reassure Twilight.

Sighing, Twilight thought it over a bit, before replying,"Well. I guess your right. Your cousin DID win the Silver Wing, one of the highest honors a Lieutenant-ranked Royal Guard could earn. Erm, what exactly did he earn it for again?' with a puzzling frown on her face.

Rainbow smirked, having outwitted her "egghead" friend. Giggling a bit into her hooves, Rainbow flew into the air a few feet off the ground, before stating, pride in her voice, "Thunder got it from saving that Zebra family from those Minotaur/Unicorn "Horn,Masters", or, as they like to be called "Horny Masters" gang members. Urgh, even I could come up with something better." After the brief groan at the group name, Rainbow floated back to the ground. Just as the three other Elements came back, each holding an ice cream cone in her hoof, Rarity holding two more with her magic. They all ate the frozen treat, the cool taste refreshing the five mares in the mid-afternoon Ponivada heat.

They toured the sights of Las Pegasus. They saw the imposing sight of the Trump Et Tower. They marveled at the famous Lucky 38 Casino, rumored to be run by a pony as old as having been around when Star Swirl the Bearded was known as Star Swirl the Clean Shaven. They ventured past the Hoofer Dam, and back again.

By now Celestia's sun had started to set. The sky was turning from a bright orange to a darker, lavender-purple hue. Princess Cadence came out of the meeting place, munching on a daisy and mayo sandwich from the Hungry Horse Cafe and Diner.

'Hi girls." Cadence said, waving the group over. "Should we check on Little Nyxy-Wyxie?" Using her pet name for her adopted niece-in-law. Twilight and the others nodded, before trotting over to the looming building that was the Lotus Hotel and Casino.

As the group neared the doorway, they noticed a large all-black aircraft approach the 5th floor, and two well built Unicorns fired twin bolts at a window, blowing the room open. Multiple armored Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth Ponies jumped from the V-POL and landed in the room, Nyx's room. "Nyx!" Twilight yelled, as the group teleported on the floor, a right at the top of the staircase. The door had been blown off its hinges, smoke and flames bellowed from the room.

Twilight and the others entered the doorway. A group of five obsidian armored ponies were standing in the remains of the room. One, a tall, lean Pegasus was holding Nyx in a kind of headlock, pressing her into his chest, who was securing a cable to his back.

"Let go of my daughter!" Twilight yelled, firing a beam in rage. She knocked two unconscious. A large muscular Earth Pony mare cracked his hooves, before inhaling.

"You should be lucky Mrs Sparkle. Your beloved daughter will power the purification of Equestria-" the mare was knocked out as Twilight slammed a hoof into the mare's helmet, knocking her into a cabinet. Twilight tried to pull away away from the stallion, but the force was too great.

"Nyx!" Twilight yelled, as he daughter was yanked into the V-POL. Tears streaming both their faces.

"Mommy!" Nyx screamed, as she was loaded into the vehicle, thrashing. The vehicle hovered for a while longer.

The armored stallion who had grabbed Nyx turned to the group, as his uncovered mouth twisted into a smile. "You know Mrs. Sparkle, you've met the Doctor have you not? You traveled with him. You remember Demon's Run, well, the Battle's won, but the Child is lost. This isn't just about saving Equestria from the vile corruption that has been rotting it's core, this is about getting you back for Demon's Run!" Before slamming the door shut,and flying away into the night.

Twilight felt fresh, salty tears sting her eyes, as she fell to her knees. The tears created a puddle on the floor. Nyx was gone.

(Chapter 7 is up. Am I a bad person for making Twilight Sparkle cry?)

8. Rending Hope

It had been a few days since Nyx was foalnapped by Lord Tyrael's Titan Guards, a regiment of the former Lunar Guard, who were known as the Eclipse Guardians. Twilight had calmed down somewhat, though still teared up at points. They had met up with the Ponyville Underground, another group of freedom fighters. Their leader was Spitfire, who had managed to flee with the members of the Wonderbolts.

"I can't believe SPITFIRE is leading the Underground. SQUUEE" Rainbow shrieked, as everypony stared at her. After a brief awkward silence, broken by only a few coughs, Spitfire continued, staring at a map of Equestria and her outlying lands. She looked up, a grim smile on her face.

"Now, we've been able to hit several of Tyrael's bases. In those bases, we've found they've been experimenting on ponies, the research and notes we've acquired say its some sort of "Super-Soldier" program, imbuing magisicence, by imbuing a blend of strength, speed, endurance, agility, and intelligence chemicals and spells into them. Out of every ten, three have failed. There's also reports of a MASSIVE device, capable of wiping out a city the size of Talison in Griffonhala, and that city makes Canterlot look like a mouse." Spitfire said, staring intently at the assembled group of over 200 ponies.

Twilight suddenly gasped, which caused everypony to stare at her. Inhaling sharply, Twilight stated, "I think I know what this device may be. A couple days ago, I had a dream, where Hoofsburg was destroyed by this huge machine. Tyrael said he was purifying it from some dark taint. Then, Nyx, my daughter was foalnapped by some of his thugs. I saw something else in that vision, there were these dark sapient creatures who k-killed ponies. But, among them, I saw something else, something I had only seen in Equestrian history books, dating back over seven thousand years ago!" She gasped for breath after this.

Spitfire rubbed her chin with a hoof, taking all this new information in. After about three minutes, her brows furrowed in worry, as Spitfire turned to Twilight, raising her face from a picture of Roam, in Minoturope. Staring at Twilight, Spitfire asked in a nervous tone, "What was it, if its from our ancient history?"

Twilight scuffed a hoof on the cold stone floor of the War Room, gulping down the remains of her lunch, before saying, a hint of fear in her voice, "I-it was... The Smooze."

Seven thousand, three hundred miles away, in an underground bunker east of Manehatten....

"Well, well, well. It looks like Little Moon is awake." Richtofen, Zebra vodoo expert, pyschology professor, and torturer of Facility Onyx said, striding into the dimly lit room. Richtofen's stripes were in an odd style, looking like stains on his dusty grey coat. He wore a lab coat, covered with various stain from his previous victims. A vicious grin covered his face. His ruby red, draconic "donated" eyes scanned his latest prize. Nyx, the young adopted daughter of Twilight Sparkle, and the former Nightmare Moon, lay shackled to a steel table,which was in an upright position. A vibranium (One of the few metals resistant to brute force or magic) protector shielded her horn, blocking off her magicusage, while iron coils wrapped around her wings, tying them to her forelegs, twisting them slightly.

Richtofen stepped into the light, generated by the lone lamp, swaying slightly above them, revealing himself to Nyx. She struggled against her bonds, bucking Richtofen in the muzzle, which rewarded her with a CRUNCH as she heard something crack in his mouth. He only chuckled, spitting out the loose teeth and licking the crimson hemoglobin that spurted from his muzzle, before saying, in a faint Germane accent,"Ah, a feisty one eh? No matter, Lord Tyrael will have need of your power, so, the nastier the better." He reached over with a hoof, picking up what appeared to be a greenish-gray slug-creature.

Holding it up to Nyx, Rictofen held up the slug, smirking, before saying, in a smug tone, "Do you know what this is, my Little Moon?" Nyx answered back with a no, staring intently at his eyes. "No, well, let me educate you Little Moon. This is a Yeerk, a parasitic life form that burrows into its victims brains, controlling them for the glory of their "Empire" but we've made new ones from samples of their DNA, altering them here to their, in which they long to serve Lord Tyrael. Now, shall we get down to business?"

Nyx spat at him, to which he simply opened his mouth, swallowing. "Buck you Richtofen, your sick! You do things your so called "Lord Tyrael" would have you executed for ten times over!" She said, a smug smile on her face, which was counteracted when she felt a pain in her head as Richtofen bopped her in the left ear with a hoof, causing her to flinch in pain.

Richtofen smirked, he relished the smell of fear and took pleasure in the sounds of his victims pain. "Little foals should learn to watch their language around big ponies." He said, mocking Nyx, before continuing, "Well, time for the REAL fun to begin. Open wide, Little Moon!" As he brought the Yeerk down on Nyx's terrified face.