Sweetie Belle and the School of Shadows

Chapters

Realm Letters
Danger
Thrack's Memories
The Dead
Missing Days
Arrival
Awakening
First Class
Explaining
Duel
Plans
Confrontation
Atar's Decision
Flying Arrival
Aftermath

Realm Letters

Dear Princess Nightmare Moon,

I have received your latest letter and am relieved that the school is finally complete. I have talked to my sister again and I can tell that the idea of a joint school still disturbs her. She clearly fears that something bad is going to happen at the school, despite how many times I tell her that the school will have the best teachers and staff. She worries that the monster Thrack is still alive and do harm to our side.

On a happier note I have prepared the letters for the students that will be from our side, still being objected to by my sister. I have decided to include the Cutie Mark Crusaders among my selection. The role reason for including them, besides my sisters insistence on the matter, is because they cause a lot of chaos in Ponyville and I wanted that to be gone for as long as possible. Celestia’s reason is because she thinks that the filly known as Sweetie Belle is really Thrack and wants her under a watchful eye.

I haven’t asked with all the construction going on, but how is Reginald and Atar doing on your side? I know that Reginald, with as long as he has served both sets of Princesses, is likely enjoying some manner of peace without Darkstar’s warmongering. Atar, on the other hoof, will always remain a mystery to me for as long as he lives. I’m not planning on killing him, but it would be nice to know what is going through his mind at times.

And how is the whole of Shadowlot holding up? I haven’t seen any mention of the citizens or the destruction that was caused during our little war. I have feared that your citizens might resent us for destroying parts of their homes and workplaces.

Your Light Counterpart,

Princess Luna of the Light Realm

Princess Luna looked over her letter and lifted an eyebrow as she wondered if she should add her own worries to it. She couldn’t needlessly worry her counterpart with the possibility of Thrack still being alive, despite her sister’s worries. Luna shook her head and rolled up the parchment, sealing it with her seal before allowing it to vanish into a puff of silvery smoke. She looked out the window of the Throne Room and stared at the moon, enjoying the light it gave to the world.

-The Shadow Realm-

Princess Nightmare Moon was enjoying a cup of lunar tea, a special brew that her counterpart suggested that she tried, when the long awaited letter arrived. She smiled and lowered her cup, picking up the scroll and unrolling it. She, like Luna in Canterlot, was sitting in the Throne Room of Shadowlot, enjoying the light of her own moon. Nightmare began to read the letter and her eyebrows lowered that the mere mention of the monster Thrack.

“How fares the Light Lunar Princess?” asked a voice that belonged to none other than Reginald himself.

“Apparently she is doing well enough,” Nightmare Moon said, surprised that he was still in the room, “It seems that Princess Celestia still fears that Thrack is alive and is waiting for a perfect opportunity to kill her again. But Luna and I seem to agree that she is overreacting to the extreme.”

“Thrack died when Darkstar killed her,” Reginald commented, brushing his mustache just a bit, “though I am sure that her counterpart is still alive and that might be what she fears. Princess Celestia, always the worrier she is, fears that Thrack’s soul or powers might awaken in her counterpart and take over. And then I am sure you know what might happen after that.”

“Yes,” Nightmare slowly said, “Thrack, the monster I created, will be reborn and she’ll want her revenge on both Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and, likely, myself. I do hope that Thrack is dead and her powers don’t come back at all.”

As Reginald nodded his agreement Nightmare lifted a clean piece of parchment and her inkwell up to her writing perch.

Dear Princess Luna,

While I am glad to have received your letter I must admit that Reginald and I are both in some sort of agreement with Princess Celestia. We are equally afraid that Thrack might be reborn and choose to kill all of us. But I am truly thinking that the monster is dead and we have nothing to fear from her ever again.

Reginald is indeed happy with my sister Darkstar dead. He finally relaxed yesterday and enjoyed the day for once. He wasn’t in the Throne Room for once in his life and finally enjoyed what Shadowlot had to offer him. The citizens wanted to revere him as the God that he was, but he insisted that he just wanted to be treated like the Steward he always was. If I had been him I would have taken the God treatment, but that was his own choice.

Atar, on the other hoof, has been silent ever since my sister died. Since she was a Princess we built a tomb for her and he’s been near it almost all the time. The only times he has left my sister’s side is when Darkened Armor makes him come and teach the guards some of his tricks. I’ve seen the look in his eyes and it’s like I’m staring into a void. He misses Darkstar.

I talked with the citizens of Shadowlot a few days ago and asked them how they felt about the war. I was surprised to find that they weren’t resentful towards you and your ponies. A few of them even told me that the destruction of their homes and workplaces was worth it to see Darkstar fall at last. So I guess they might praise you the next time they see you.

In case you haven’t realized it is tiring to raise both the Sun and the Moon each and every day on my own. I know that we are both alicorns and the moon is our sole responsibility, but you’re lucky to have your sister with you. With Celestia still alive I would have thought that my own sister would have returned, but as of yet she has not. If she doesn’t return soon I’ll have to get Atar or Reginald to start doing her job for me before I collapse from exhaustion.

On the matter of the school itself we have, as you have already stated, finished the construction of the building and our own train. The train is designed to stop in both Canterlot and Shadowlot to pick up the students before entering the Realm Between Worlds. I am sure that everypony could come up with a better name for the new realm, but what I said is the best we have right now.

The School of Shadows is scheduled to open in a week, which will allow those that receive the letters to get ready. Reginald and I are unsure of how many students will actually come to the school, but we are sure that quite a number will arrive. Be sure to give Celestia our best and ask her advice on the problem I seem to have.

Your Shadow Counterpart,

Princess Nightmare Moon of the Shadow Realm

Nightmare Moon smiled and, like Luna did, rolled up the parchment and gave it her own seal before sending it on its way. She put down her writing tools and picked up her cup, taking a drink of the ancient tea. Luna had been right when she suggested it to her; it was quite delicious and absolutely addicting. This cup was likely her fifth cup that day alone and she smiled yet again.

-The Light Realm-

Luna snatched the letter out of the air and quickly broke the seal of Nightmare Moon, unrolling the piece of parchment. With a smile on her face she pulled out a stack of scrolls and called for one of her guards.

“Make sure this pile of scrolls makes it to the post office before the morning,” Luna requested, passing the stack to the guard.

The guard saluted her and put the scrolls in a bag before he left the Throne Room, leaving Luna to her other duties. She, too, was drinking a cup of the lunar tea, though she drank at least one to two cups a day. She knew that the School of Shadows would be the perfect way to make sure that both sides of the soul could live in peace with each other. Luna hoped that her sister was wrong and that the monster was gone.

-Ponyville, Rarity’s Boutique-

Sweetie Belle tossed and turned in her bed, her sweet dreams quickly turning to absolute nightmares. She snapped her eyes open and her eye color was now a deep blood red.

Danger

“Hey girls,” Apple Bloom said, entering the Cutie Mark Crusaders tree house and sitting down with her friends, “am I the only one that got a strange letter in the mail today?”

“You got one as well?” Scootaloo asked, pulling out a piece of paper with a royal seal on it, “Sweetie Belle and I got them as well. Do you think it’s a prank from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?”

“Nah,” Sweetie Belle, whose eyes were now their normal color, said, “They don’t have the guts to fake a letter from Princess Luna herself. I know Diamond Tiara wouldn’t want to have her father bail her out of jail for faking a royal letter.”

Apple Bloom looked over the piece of paper that Scootaloo held and read the same lines that were on her letter, except that her name was on hers.

Dear Scootaloo,

You have been chosen to attend the grand opening of the School of Shadows in one week’s time. There you will learn all about the nature of the Shadow Realm, the ponies that call the realm their home, and about your own Shadow as well. You will be able to learn how to live in harmony with your Shadow.

All books and supplies related to the studies you’ll be doing at the school will be prepared ahead of your arrival. You are not required to buy anything before you arrive at school, but it recommended that you pack some personal belongings. You will be gone for an entire year’s worth of school time and it will count towards your overall education.

In the end you will need the permission of a parent, guardian, or older sibling before you can board the train that will be stopping in Canterlot in a week’s time. At the bottom of this letter is a place for a signature to be placed. If you receive permission and a signature just roll up the scroll and it will instantly be teleported back to Canterlot so we’ll know how many students have accepted.

Your still-trying-to-modernize-herself Nighttime Ruler,

Princess Luna

“So we all got invited to a new school?” Apple Bloom said, raising an eyebrow, “A school to learn about our counterparts and how to live in harmony with them? Why does this sound like something that Twilight Sparkle came up with?”

“I don’t know,” Scootaloo replied, shaking her head, “but I need to see if I can go, which I am sure that the two of you need to do as well.”

“I’m sure Applejack and Rarity will let us go,” Apple Bloom said, “Why don’t we all head home and see what our family says on the matter?”

Scootaloo quickly agreed with her and Sweetie Belle nodded her head, though she seemed almost lost in thought. The three friends went their separate ways, though Scootaloo and Apple Bloom seemed worried about Sweetie. She was never this quite. They were sure that whatever had come over their friend would be quick and she’d be back to normal.

-Sweet Apple Acres-

“Hey Applejack,” Apple Bloom called, seeing her sister sitting next to the door of their house, “I got a strange letter in the mail today. My friends happened to receive similar letters as well.”

“You want to do to the School of Shadows don’t ya?” Applejack asked, nearly laughing at her sister’s shocked face as she pulled out a slightly longer piece of paper. “My friends and I have been asked to become teachers for the Shadows in the school. We gathered like you and your friends did and discussed the possibility of us all going. The Elements of Harmony are going to the School of Shadows and you are so coming along with me.

Now go upstairs and pack up a case. We still have a week to prepare before we leave.”

Apple Bloom smiled and ran upstairs to prepare what she was going to take in a week’s time to the train station.

-Rainbow Dash’s house-

“Hey Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo called up into at the house made of clouds, “You up there? I need to talk with you?”

Scootaloo waited for a few minutes before trying again, this time much louder. A couple more minutes passed before she got on her scooter to find Pinkie Pie. She came back ten minutes later with Pinkie and launched herself up into the clouds, landing on the soft surface. She quickly shook herself before knocking on the door, which was soon opened from the other side.

“Scootaloo!?” Rainbow Dash said, surprised to find the little filly outside her house, “How’d you get up here?”

“I had Pinkie launch me up here,” Scootaloo said, “I tried calling you, but since you didn’t hear me I had to resort to something dangerous.”

“I am going to get Pinkie for that later,” Dash said, sighing as she stared into the little filly’s eyes, “Let me guess, you need somepony to sign a piece of paper saying that you’ll accept the invitation to the School of Shadows?”

Scootaloo’s jaw dropped. How did Rainbow Dash know about the letter?

“Yeah, I do,” Scootaloo said, pulling her letter out, “How’d you know about the letter?”

“The Elements are invited as well,” was Dash’s reply, “something about being teachers or something. But never mind that. If I’m going to the School of Shadows then so is my number one fan.”

Scootaloo’s eyes lit up, this was what she wanted to hear. She was going to the new school with her idol and the mare she often thought of as her sister.

-Rarity’s Boutique-

Sweetie Belle watched her sister run around the room, gathering items for a dress that she was working on. Rarity had explained that the Elements of Harmony had been invited to be teachers at the School of Shadows, which seemed like a big coincidence to Sweetie. Her paper had been signed the moment she had stepped into the room and now all she could do was stare at Rarity. The only thing Sweetie wanted was for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to not be invited at all.

Rarity noticed her sister and stopped what she was doing. Sweetie Belle was the sweetest filly she knew and she loved her for it. Rarity remembered when the monster Thrack had destroyed her peaceful world, but that had changed when Sweetie arrived at her house. Rarity was determined to make sure that Sweetie never discovered what had happened that day and was glad she was going a good job at it.

“Why don’t you go find your friends Sweetie,” Rarity said, the filly raising her head, “You don’t need to sit here and watch me get my orders done all day long. I’m sure that Applejack and Rainbow Dash agreed to allow Apple Bloom and Scootaloo go to the school as well. Go ahead and celebrate with them.”

“Thanks Rarity,” Sweetie said, running over and hugging her sister before she bolted out the door.

Rarity laughed. “That filly will never change,” she said, returning to her work.

-Near the Everfree Forest-

Sweetie had met up with Apple Bloom, who had been dropped off at Twilight’s while her sister went to get supplies, and Scootaloo just outside the library. Twilight was in a good mood to teach the Shadows all about her side of the realms and was quick to shoo the three on their way. The Crusaders decided to try for their Cutie Marks yet again and thought they might trap a small creature in the Everfree Woods. Unbeknownst to them Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon followed the three right into the woods.

“Are you girls excited?” Apple Bloom asked, “We’re all going to visit a new school and learn about our own Shadows. I wonder what the classes will be like.”

“Maybe the Elements of Discord will be teaching,” Scootaloo said, “I wonder if Rainbow’s Shadow will be anything like her. You know; as awesome and cool as Dash is.”

“I don’t know,” Sweetie said, looking around, “I would like to learn some magic and be better at it than I am right now. Other than that I don’t really know what else there is for me to learn. It’s almost as if there is something missing.”

A rock hit Sweetie Belle in the head, forcing her onto the ground for a few seconds while her friends tried to find the source of the thrown rock. Then the three of them found who had thrown the rock; Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. The two bullies were standing in front of them, blocking their way.

“Not you guys,” Apple Bloom said, trying to keep the venom out of her voice, “Can’t you leave us alone for once?”

“Afraid not losers,” Diamond Tiara said, “but we will not be joining the blank flanks on their train ride to the School of Shadows. I was invited, but both my father and I decided it was a waste of time to bother with. So enjoy your time away from me while you got it because I’ll be hitting you with something fierce when you return. Well, at least one of you I’ll be hitting more than the other two.”

“What are you talking about,” Scootaloo said, noticing that Diamond Tiara was looking behind her and not at her, “and why won’t you look me in the eye?”

“She’s talking to the monster,” Silver Spoon snapped, shaking Scootaloo and Apple Bloom to their cores as she tossed another rock at Sweetie Belle, “not to the two of you.”

“What are you talking about,” Sweetie said, batting the weakly thrown rock away with her hoof, “None of us are monsters. Lyra and Bon Bon are since they happen to be wereponies, but not the Crusaders.”

“Shut up Thrack,” Diamond Tiara coldly said, “We know who you are and what you’re capable of doing with your terrible power. Just a little over three months ago you revealed yourself and fought the Royal Princesses, nearly killing them in the process. Then you vanished and came back as ‘Sweetie Belle’, hoping to lick your wounds before taking another go at Princess Celestia.

Everypony thought you died a week ago when the evil Princess Darkstar easily killed your form and ate your soul. But not me, I saw through your pitiful plan. You wanted Princess Celestia to fight her own Shadow so you could kill a weakened opponent. Now that that plan has failed you plan on visiting Canterlot to board the train for the School of Shadows so you can kill her and have an ironclad alibi. I will not allow you to do that, so prepare to die.”

To Sweetie’s horror Silver Spoon kicked something as her friends approached the two bullies. A rock hit her square in the head and knocked her out, her body hitting the ground hard. Apple Bloom, seeing her fallen friend, rushed to her side while Scootaloo fought off the two fillies. Though she quickly found out the two were armed with more than rocks as they whipped out small knives.

“Come on Sweetie,” Apple Bloom said, shaking her friend, “Come on, we got to move.”

“Don’t you dare move that monster,” Diamond Tiara shouted, the anger clear in her voice, “She doesn’t deserve your kindness and friendship. She’ll kill you and Scootaloo once you’re far away from your home so she can assume a new life.”

Red magic energy began to gather around Sweetie’s body, forcing Apple Bloom to quickly back away. Sweetie’s coat dulled in color just a bit as her hair became a greyer color, not quite the colors of Thrack. Her body convulsed as her limbs became the werepony limbs and the two vampony wings sprouted from her back. Her head stayed the same, except for the fangs coming out of her mouth.

-Canterlot Throne Room-

“Tia,” Luna shouted, barging into the Throne Room and surprising her sister, “Can you not feel that unnatural energy in the air? Thrack’s power has awakened and it’s about to go berserk. We have to stop it before something happens.”

Celestia, knowing how dangerous the threat was, nodded and the two sisters flew out of the Throne Room, heading directly towards the Everfree Forest.

-Ponyville Library-

Twilight lifted her head up from her book and looked towards the forest, wondering what the Crusaders did this time. She sighed, placed a bookmark in the book before closing it, and ran outside, hoping to stop whatever it was in time.

-Crusaders-

“See!?” Diamond Tiara shouted, getting ready to impale Sweetie with her small knife, “I told you that she’s the monster she has always been. Now I will end her before she destroys all of us gathered here.”

A paw hit her in the chest and threw her into Silver Spoon, causing the two to hit a tree. Sweetie staggered as she got up, her body feeling like it was on fire as she looked at her friends. Scootaloo was scared; there was no way she could be brave when her friend was like this. Apple Bloom cowered by a different tree, hoping that her friend didn’t turn on her like Diamond Tiara said she would.

“Apple…Bloom…Scoot…aloo…” their friend said, though her voice made her sound like she was possessed, “Run…away…please…”

Then she raised a claw and pointed at the two bullies, the red energy gathering around the paw. The energy built up, clearly gathering to form some sort of magical attack that resembled an orb. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon continued to sit by the tree, somehow frozen to the ground and directly in front of the attack.

Just when the attack was released two shields went up around the two fillies, causing the attack to break in half. It was pure energy blowing out of the orb, but once it hit the barrier it split in half, destroying the forest around the barriers. When the attack died down the barriers broke and two alicorns stood above the fillies.

“Stop this madness Sweetie Belle,” Luna commanded, stomping her hoof on the ground, “Do not let the powers of Thrack take you over and use you like a mindless beast. We both know you are better than that.”

“If you don’t stop,” Celestia said, her horn lighting up, “then we will have to detain your powers.”

“There will be no need for that my Princesses,” a voice said as four silver shackles appeared on Sweetie’s limbs, “I will seal her powers away and only allow a small fraction of them to remain behind for her to use.”

Now standing directly behind Sweetie Belle was none other than Reginald himself, though his Godly power radiated off of him as he stared into her eyes. Sweetie thrashed and tried to remove the shackles, which meant that the power was trying to take over, but Reginald wouldn’t allow it. Using the same spell that the Princesses had used on him, with his permission of course, in the past he made the power recede into the shackles.

Steam radiated from Sweetie Belle’s body as the vampony fangs and wings began to slowly turn to dust. Once those were gone her body violently shook as her limbs reverted back to their original pony shape and not the werepony limbs they had been. Sweetie screamed as her eyes, the last piece of Thrack’s power, slowly shifted back to their normal shape and color. Then, as the shackles faded from view altogether, Sweetie looked up at those gathered around her.

“Th…thanks…” she said will all her strength before passing out and hitting the ground hard.

Though try as they might her friends could not wake their friend from her magically induced slumber.

Thrack's Memories

Sweetie Belle found herself floating in what seemed to be complete darkness. No matter which direction she looked Sweetie was greeted by blackness. She turned to her right and continued in that direction, looking for anything that might lead her out of her prison.

Suddenly she stopped walking and looked at the strange mirror that she found in front of her. Images moved across the surface of the mirror, but what she was watching frightened her. It wasn’t Sweetie Belle doing quests with her fellow Crusaders, but the monster Thrack completing missions for her master Nightmare Moon. And as she tried to back away she quickly realized that three more mirrors appeared, trapping her in the center of the four.

-The First Mirror-

“Thrack,” Nightmare Moon, the evil alicorn that tried to take over Equestria, said to the young filly in front of her, “that will be your new name. You will serve me throughout the ages and do whatever I command, whenever I command it. You hate the mare known as Princess Celestia, the Solar Goddess as she chooses to call herself. You will serve, fight, and die in the name of Nightmare Moon, who is I. What do you say for yourself?”

The young filly coughed and opened her eyes, revealing the deep blood red color.

“I will obey,” the filly said, looking up into the eyes of Nightmare Moon, “I will take the name Thrack and do what is needed for you, Nightmare Moon, my Master, to destroy the one known as Celestia. What will you have me do first?”

Nightmare Moon smiled, she was pleased that the filly was so eager to please her new master.

“Simple,” she said, beckoning to the group of ten bound adult ponies, “Turn your parents and the parents of the other fallen fillies into your new brothers and sisters. Try to create five vamponies and five wereponies.”

Thrack nodded and got up, advancing on the group of bound ponies as she licked her lips. Sweetie watched in horror as she bit the necks of the mothers, turning them into vamponies, and bit the front leg of the fathers, turning them into wereponies. The ten turned ponies stood before Nightmare Moon, their bindings broken, waiting at attention.

“You ten will be the start of my grand army,” Nightmare Moon said, “You will aid in the creation of the army that will take down the tyrant known as Princess Celestia. Thrack, the pony standing next to me, will be my right hand mare, so if you cannot find me then find her. Vamponies, avoid the sunlight and travel during the night. Wereponies, hunt at night and turn whoever you please. You are given one week to turn as many ponies as you can before you return to this castle in the Everfree Forest. You are dismissed.”

As the assembled ponies left the room Nightmare Moon turned to Thrack, who was waiting patiently for her to speak.

“I have another task for you to complete,” she said, “Are you up to the task Thrack?”

“Of course Master,” Thrack said, kneeling before the alicorn, “What will you have me do?”

Nightmare smiled. “Simple,” she said, “I want you to infiltrate Canterlot and kill the Co-Captain of the Guard. His name is Red Star and he wears a set of dull silver armor, so keep an eye out for him. Maybe learn the guards plan while you’re at it.”

“I will carry out your mission,” Thrack said, getting up and walking towards the door, “and the one called Red Star will be dead at my hooves.”

“And keep an eye out for a red coated pony called Atar,” Nightmare called, “You’ll know him by his power. Do not get into a fight with him at all costs.”

-The Darkness-

“Please,” Sweetie cried, “I don’t want see anymore of Thrack’s memories. I’m not her. Please, stop showing me this madness.”

Whatever was showing her the memories didn’t pay any heed to her words as the second mirror lit up to show her Canterlot, the version of it before the war between the Sister’s happened.

-The Second Mirror-

Canterlot’s walls provided a challenge for Thrack to get over, but nothing would stop her from completing her mission. She found her way to an outdoor guard station and quickly realized that it was empty of guards, but it had plenty of gear still in it. She grabbed a container of spears and pulled them to her spot near the wall, tossing the first one into the wall. After a couple of tries she managed to get it stuck between the stones and created several stepping places for her to climb on.

A few minutes later she was on the other side of the wall, walking through the streets of Canterlot as she looked for the one called Red Star. As she searched she hid herself whenever the guards got close to her, hoping to overhear something important to her search. But even that didn’t seem to help until she heard one guard say something to his partner.

“Captain Atar seems more pissed off than he usually is,” the left one said, the right one nodding, “I guess the fact that Reginald was chosen over him to be the Element of Loyalty bruised his ego or something. The Captain of the Guard, the most loyal pony in all of Canterlot, if not all of Equestria, not chosen to be Loyalty itself? I can see why he is so pissed off.”

“I agree with you dude,” the other pony said, “but Red Star said that it will blow over in time and he’ll forget about the disappointment. Though I don’t know why Red Star spends so much time in the Royal Gardens. I guess he likes to stare at the statue of Discord whenever he has the time to do so.”

Thrack smiled and unleashed a sleeping spell on the two guards, causing them to quickly collapse. Before she moved on she used a quick memory wipe spell to clear the guard’s minds so they would think they fell asleep on the job and not by a spell. Confident that her spells had worked Thrack moved on and found her way to the gardens, quietly passing ponies on her way. If a pony were to turn back and question the filly they would find themselves slowly drifting off to sleep.

Soon she reached the gardens and began looking for the statue of Discord, who she had no idea what he looked like. Thrack figured that the statue had to be something strange for somepony to visit so many times. And sure enough she found a statue of a creature that seemed to be a mixture of some many races with an armored pony sitting before it.

“Co-Captain of the Guard Red Star,” Thrack said, the pony sighing before turning around, “Am I correct?”

“Yes you are,” the stallion said, surprised to find a filly behind him before facing the statue again, “What can I do for you today?”

“You can start by dying peacefully,” Thrack said, quickly grabbing the stallion with her magic and trapping him in an orb designed to prevent noise from escaping, “Long live Nightmare Moon.”

Red Star’s eyes widened at the mention of Nightmare Moon as the magic obliterated his heart an instant later. Thrack dropped the body and walked over to it, casting a memory spell on it. Slowly the corpse got up and almost looked like it was alive, but it was just reanimated to answer her questions. Even the eyes, once having a hint of light in them, were now dull and lifeless, making it easy for others to tell that Red Star was dead.

“The layout of the guards,” Thrack said, “where do you keep it?”

“The Guards Barracks,” the reanimated pony said, “We keep several copies there.”

“How much will it take to meet the Captain of the Guard,” Thrack asked, “the one known as Atar?”

“A serious threat to the Princess herself,” was the corpse’s reply.

“Very well then,” Thrack said, “You will go into the Barracks and retrieve a copy of the guards’ layout. You will bring it back to me right here, in front of Discord’s statue. Once you have brought me the copy you will stay here until you get a chance to talk with this Atar. Tell him that he had better watch himself in the next few days. Once you have delivered my message you are free to leave this world behind and die at last. Do you understand?”

“I understand,” the corpse said.

“You are free to carry out my orders,” Thrack said, “and don’t keep me waiting Red Star.”

An hour after the corpse left the gardens he returned baring a scroll that contained the layout of the Guards. Thrack smiled and took it from the dead guard, allowing him to basically turn to stone while he waited for Atar to arrive. Thrack then left the gardens and made her way out of Canterlot, barely able to keep herself from laughing when she heard citizens scream. They had found Red Star quicker than she had expected, but that barely mattered to her.

-The Darkness-

Sweetie rolled up into a ball to prevent herself from seeing what the mirrors wanted to show her, but it didn’t work. Even now she could see Thrack doing evil in whatever missions Nightmare Moon wanted her to do. Thrack enjoyed invading Canterlot and killing whoever the evil alicorn wanted dead. Sweetie didn’t want to see anymore, but the mirrors showed her more regardless of her own wishes.

-The Third Mirror-

Nightmare Moon had been pleased to hear the Co-Captain was dead and had quickly ordered Thrack to kill other key members within Canterlot. She, however, had been a little disappointed to learn that her right hand mare had threatened Atar himself. Her use of magic was better than her master could hope for and she taught her more after each kill.

The very next day Thrack went back into Canterlot under a disguise that she concocted the previous night. It was designed to allow her to enter the city as a lost filly and find her way into the hooves of one pegasus by the name of Shadow Blitz. She was supposed to be the Captain of the Pegasus Division of the Royal Army and a key piece of the line of information.

Needless to say that she found her way into the care of Shadow Blitz, who was a grey coated mare with silver hair. She seemed confused as to why there was a unicorn filly waiting for her, but gladly took her to her home. It was best for the Captain to take her home and figure out why she wanted to talk with her.

Of course the two left the house not a few minutes later, but nopony seemed to notice the difference in the Captain’s eyes. Thrack led the pegasus out of the city and into a waiting carriage, which took them as close as they could to the Everfree Forest. The carriage was created by Thrack from the undead corpses of randomly slain ponies that choose not to serve Nightmare Moon. And the reason for keeping Shadow Blitz in the reanimated afterlife was to get the last bits of information out of her.

Though Thrack hadn’t kept her word to Red Star and forced him to stay in his cursed state, neither alive nor dead. He was the first of Thrack’s own undead army and was, even now, slumbering somewhere in the Everfree Forest. Thrack, in her spare time, had designed a large network of catacombs, which was small since she wasn’t given much free time. Shadow Blitz would make an excellent addition to her army as her second commander.

Nightmare Moon questioned the pegasus mare for what seemed like hours, allowing Thrack to leave for an hour. She learned much more about the plans Celestia had for her army and knew how to better improve her own. When Thrack returned she ordered her to dispose of the reanimated mare and return the following morning for her next assignment. Thrack took Shadow Blitz to the hidden catacombs and laid her into a slumber until she was needed again.

-The scene shifted to the final mirror-

-The Fourth Mirror-

Thrack was standing outside Canterlot, waiting by her carriage. It was a few days after she gave Atar the threat and now she was waiting for him to come outside. Today she was supposed to kill a unicorn noble that went by the name of Lord Blackwood, somepony that was in control of the magical supplies for Celestia’s army. She had already done in the poor stallion, forcing him off the top of his tower and crashing him into the ground of Canterlot’s streets.

It was designed to look like a suicide and from the looks of the ponies near the body it seemed like she was successful.She had attached a note to the stallion’s body to force Atar to show himself so she could attempt to fight him. Nightmare had known that Thrack would eventually try to end Atar before the war started, so she had been taught to better spells related to battle. Though after Atar discovered the body the stallion was supposed to reawaken and led Atar directly to Thrack.

“So, you’re the mare I’ve been receiving threats from,” a voice said as a red stallion appeared next to her, unsurprised to find that she could stand on her hind legs without discomfort, “I was expecting Nightmare Moon herself and what I get is a filly? Please tell me this is a joke.”

“I’m afraid not,” Thrack said, allowing the corpse of Blackwood to board the carriage, “I am the one known as Thrack, the monster that Celestia has likely told you and your guard all about. I have come here to fight and destroy you.”

“Good luck with that my dear,” Atar laughed, his armor rattling just a bit, “I happen to possess quite a number of tricks and powers that have defeated many foes. Though I wonder what Nightmare Moon wants to gain from slaying the Elements of Harmony. She had you kill Red Star, Element of Laughter, Shadow Blitz, Element of Kindness, and Blackwood, Element of Generosity.”

“Then they were weak for the Elements,” Thrack said, climbing into the carriage, “now come along. I haven’t got all day before I have to report back.”

“Must you use the dead like this?” Atar asked, disgusted just by looking at the carriage drivers, “Can’t we just ride a normal carriage like all the other ponies do?”

“No, we won’t,” Thrack said, “This way I can make sure that we are alone. If I so much as catch a whiff of any guards following us I will kill them and then reanimate them to serve me. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal clear,” Atar said, climbing into the carriage and sitting across from Thrack. He tried not to gag himself when he looked at the reanimated Blackwood.

Not a few minutes later the two stood in a clearing near Canterlot, the wind blowing through their manes. Thrack wasted no time attacking Atar, who raised a magical barrier to defend himself before drawing his spear. He relented and she prevented the spear from reaching her. Thrack tossed the spear away and their magic battered against each other, the land around them breaking under the pressure.

The sky darkened and fires raged as the two engaged in a magic duel, the horns blazing with magic. Atar conjured his lance and advanced on Thrack, who continued to blast him with magic. The magic of Thrack and Atar destroyed the ground around them, shards of stone cutting them as they passed. Atar’s lance swung left and right as Thrack countered with shields before relenting.

When it was over the two were still facing each other, but they were both bruised and cut multiple times. Neither of them wanted to expose their full power to the other and that left the two in a stalemate. Thrack and Atar laughed at each other and the magic faded away.

“I think we’ll leave it at this,” Thrack said, healing her major wounds so she didn’t faint before returning to her master, “I look forward to fighting you again Atar. Even if I can’t kill you now there is always next time.”

“Again, good luck with that,” Atar replied, likewise healing his major wounds, “but it would be nice to fight you again, as long as we don’t destroy as much as we did this time. I will have to tell Princess Celestia about your powers just so you know.”

“And I with Nightmare,” Thrack said, turning to the carriage, “Be seeing you Atar.”

Atar waved and the carriage departed, returning to the Everfree Forest and leaving the unicorn behind. He chuckled and returned to Canterlot, knowing that he had a lot of explaining to do when he got there.

Thrack, on the other hoof, made her new reanimated corpse join the other two she had. The carriage went in as well, allowing the drivers to rest until she called on them. She had to report to her master and see what else she needed done.

Of course Nightmare Moon was defeated and sealed away while her brothers and sisters were hunted like dogs. Those that were the toughest fighters Thrack reanimated into her army and hid them away, keeping them safe until they were needed. Any ponies she killed over the next thousand years were reanimated and added to her forces. She didn’t unleash them on Celestia when she confronted her nor did she use them when she returned to the Light Realm. Thrack had been planning on using them for something, but never did.

-The Real World-

Sweetie Belle, finally breaking out of her dreams, found herself in Twilight’s bed. She was sweating a little, which she knew was because of the dreams. She looked at the closed door and walked over, stopping when she heard voices on the other side. She tried to make them out, but whatever they were saying she couldn’t make out and that meant there was a spell in place that prevented ease dropping.

The knob slowly began to turn, forcing Sweetie back towards the bed. The door burst open and a pony leapt on her, pinning her to the ground as a spear just barely rested above her heart. The spear was stopped by a yellow magical aura, preventing it from harming Sweetie Belle. When she looked up at the pony she immediately recognized who he was.

“Atar?” she whispered, “Is that you?”

“Yes,” was the stallion’s shocked reply, “Thrack? Is it truly you?”

“No Atar,” said another voice as he was lifted off Sweetie Belle, “She is not the one known as Thrack, but Sweetie Belle. She was the Shadow of her, but reversed places so she could survive. Please, do not try to kill her.”

Atar growled when he landed, putting the spear away as he turned to the ponies behind him. “Fine Celestia,” he said, backing away, “I won’t try to.”

“Thank you,” the Solar Princess said, turning to Sweetie, “How much of the last few days do you remember?”

“Not much,” Sweetie Belle said, shaking her head, “Wait. What do you mean by a few days? It was only yesterday that I, umm, lost control.”

“Sweete,” a voice said, Rarity appearing behind the princess, “You’ve been asleep for six whole days. Tomorrow is the day you’re supposed to board the train for the School of Shadows.”

“What did you see?” Luna asked, allowing the filly to walk into the filled room, “I tried to find out, but I think Thrack’s magic prevented me from entering your dreams.”

Sweetie was surprised to find that her friends Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were still hanging around, considering what had happened. The Elements were gathered around the Princesses and Spike was somewhere near. Plus she noticed Reginald and Atar by a wall, Atar looking like he was hoping that she was Thrack to finish their fight.

“I saw Thrack’s creation,” she slowly said, “and the ponies that Nightmare Moon ordered her to turn to her side. I witnessed her killing other ponies throughout Canterlot. And Thrack fighting Atar in a field to a stalemate, after which they both said that they would meet up again and finish what they started.”

Sweetie couldn’t bear to tell them about the reanimated ponies that slumbered beneath the Everfree Forest. Something was preventing her from speaking about them and it didn’t sit well with her. She really felt that she should tell them about the army, but didn’t want to be carted off and separated from her friends. So she kept her mouth shut and waited for them to say something.

“Sweetie Belle,” Princess Luna said, “I will make this short and sweet. In your current state you cannot control the powers of Thrack and will likely succumb to them again. Celestia and I have considered locking them away deep within you so they never resurface again, but we decided against it. You notice the silver shackles on your legs? They are there to keep the energy of Thrack at bay so you can learn to control yourself.

In short you have no choice but to attend the School of Shadows and defeat your inner monster.”

The Dead

Sweetie Belle sighed, looking down at the silver shackles that rested on her legs. She couldn’t believe that this was happening to her. Thanks to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon she had turned into the monster and nearly destroyed them. The bullies were lucky that they stopped her from succeeding and that Reginald happened to appear at the right moment to seal away the power. Then she had to watch Track’s past, the horrible past that made her sick to her stomach.

“Sweetie,” Rarity said, “You need to eat something. If you don’t eat you’ll collapse.”

It seemed like Sweetie had no choice in the matter as Spike brought out some hay fries and some salad for her. While it wasn’t much compared to what she usually ate at home it was great to get something in her now rumbling belly. Sweetie looked out the window once and noticed it was nighttime, the time of Princess Luna’s rule. Somehow the moonlight made Sweetie more comfortable then she already felt, which was perfectly odd.

As she ate her food her friends began to discuss the preparations for visiting the School of Shadows. She didn’t really listen to what they were saying as Spike placed a cup next to her plates. Sweetie really didn’t care that the liquid in the cup was a bright red color and she downed it regardless. It tasted bitter sweet, but whatever type of juice it was she didn’t recognize it.

“So what happened to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?” Sweetie asked once she finished the food and juice.

“They were grounded dear,” Rarity said, “Turns out their fathers didn’t want the jail time to reflect on the family and promised to make them behave better from now on. Plus Princess Celestia doesn’t think sending fillies to jail at such a young age is appropriate. It could send the wrong message to the public if she started doing it. And if they had accepted to invitation to become students at the School of Shadows they would have been removed from the list.”

“I guess they got what they deserved,” Sweetie slowly said.

Oh that they did, said a voice inside Sweetie’s head, but it would have been so much better if I had obliterated the two of them completely. And that wasn’t juice that you were drinking my dear.

Wow. One; who the buck are you? Sweetie mentally replied, surprised to find another voice in her head, and two; what do you mean that that wasn’t juice? It tasted exactly like some type of juice that Rarity would keep hidden from me.

Hmm, let me see here, the voice replied, you, my dear, can call me by my old name; Thrack. And to answer the juice question it is simple; you drank blood dear Sweetie Belle.

WHAT!? Sweetie replied, That was blood? And shouldn’t you be dead?

All in good time my dear Sweetie Belle, Thrack whispered, Right now you had better return to your friends. They’re looking at you like your spacing out on them.

“Sweetie dear,” her sister said, “Are you feeling o.k.? You just spaced out on all of us.”

“What?” Sweetie said, shaking her head a bit before seeing the worried faces all around her, “Oh, I was just thinking and it seems that I got too deep into my thoughts.”

Again something was preventing her from saying anything about the other voice in her head, the one that identified itself as Thrack. Whatever the voice wanted to call itself didn’t matter, but what did matter was what it told her. Apparently Sweetie had been tricked into drinking the foulest substance she could think of in the entire world.

“So, um…” Sweetie started to say, unsure if she should even bother getting the suspicion verified.

“Yes Sweetie Belle?” Princess Luna said, hoping that the question wasn’t related to Thrack in anyway.

“That was blood wasn’t it?” she blurted out, forcing herself to say the words before she had lost her nerve.

Rarity and the Princess sighed. They had both hoped that it would never come to this.

“Yes, it was,” Rarity said, seeing the shocked look on her sister’s face, “It was the Princess’ idea to give you blood to drink. It was in case more of Thrack’s powers entered you then what we already knew about. It seems that you now have some more magical abilities than you had before and you don’t need the blood to survive.”

Sweetie didn’t want to hear any more so she ran for the door and quickly got caught by Luna’s magic. Without warning her own red coated magic ejected her from the Princess’ magic and threw her outside, where she safely landed on the ground. It seemed that Thrack wanted her to run, so Sweetie would run. But Sweetie would have to return the next day to board the train for the School of Shadows.

“It seems that Thrack’s powers don’t want us to have her,” Luna remarked, having been surprised by the magical outburst, “We’ll just have to follow her and intercept her whenever we can. Anypony know where she might go?”

Everypony shook their heads and decided to follow the young mare. So Rainbow, Fluttershy, and the Princesses took off into the sky, using Twilight’s balcony and not destroying the house. Applejack, Rarity, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo turned to the eastern side of the town while the remainder of the group searched the western side. Atar stayed in the library, meaning that Reginald stayed behind to watch him.

Sweetie stopped near the entrance of the Everfree Forest and finally snapped out of her magical daze. She didn’t know why Thrack had insisted that she come all the way out here, but it couldn’t be for a good reason. So Sweetie Belle sat at the edge of the Everfree Forest, staring at the trees for no reason.

Is there a reason you made me come here? She asked the other voice, Other than to bore me out of my mind?

Yes, I did, Thrack said, I want you to reawaken one of my subordinates and learn from him. I want you to awaken Blackwood.

Hello, I can’t use magic, Sweetie said, and besides, even if I could I don’t know what spell you used to reanimate and command the dead.

Oh, that isn’t a problem, the voice said as Sweetie’s horn lit up, I will ensure that Blackwood comes here and does what I will command him to do.

Energy pulsed out of Sweetie’s horn, traveling to some location deep in the Everfree Forest. Sweetie didn’t know if the Princesses would be able to get a fix on Thrack’s power with the short pulses, but she hoped they would. She didn’t want the power to continue to use her like this, despite that she had been told she should be in control of it.

-The Catacombs-

Deep in the Everfree Forest, well hidden during the time of Nightmare Moon, rested a forgotten cemetery. That was just a cover developed by Thrack to hide the truth of what rested below it. The cemetery itself was located in a cave large enough to hold at least thirty graves and a mausoleum.

Underground, below the cemetery, sat layer upon layer of catacombs. Resting within each layer of tunnels were hundreds of dead ponies, though their flesh had not been touched by time. One of the bodies, an adult unicorn stallion with a light green coat, slowly woke up from his slumber. His once lifeless eyes snapped open and gave off a faint red glow as he stretched his legs.

Blackwood, called a voice, Blackwood, can you hear me?

Yes Mistress, Blackwood mentally replied, What would you have me do?

Retrieve my Black Book of Spells, Thrack commanded, the minor version of it if you would.

Of course, Blackwood replied as he realized something was off, The MINOR version? Did something happen that I am not aware of?

I am trapped in my weakest form, my Shadow’s form, Thrack whispered, her name is Sweetie Belle and my power has been bound deep within her. I need to train her so I can eventually escape this cursed prison I am in. The minor version will allow me to teach her the basics before I advance to the more powerful spells.

I understand, Blackwood said, I will bring her the book and teach her what I can before she departs.

Blackwood quickly trotted through the levels of the catacombs, his mind retracing the steps he needed to take before coming to a black door with a silver and red seal. His magic opened the door and he crossed the threshold, stopping to close the door behind him. The room he found himself in was Thrack’s personal archive room where she kept all sorts of books, scrolls, powered up crystals, and legendary items that ponies only saw in their imaginations.

He walked up to a bookshelf and pulled out the book that he was searching for, placing it in a bag that he placed on his back. As he made for the door he stopped to admire the set of armor that seemed to float in the center of the room. It was an old set of armor made from true silver and crafted to house the immense powers of Thrack’s true form. Blackwood had never seen the armor worn before and he doubted that he would ever see it on his master.

Minutes later the door of the mausoleum opened and Blackwood emerged from the depths, making sure it closed before continuing on. He quickly made his way out of the cemetery and into the trees. The clouds gathered and lightning flashed as it started to rain, but he would not be stopped by such a small thing.

-The Princesses-

“Rainbow Dash could you please get rid of the rain,” Luna shouted over the thunder, “We won’t be able to find Sweetie Belle if it continues like this.”

Rainbow saluted the Princess and flew towards the clouds, blowing them away with her wings as fast as she could. Destroying storm clouds wasn’t as easy as kicking apart the normal clouds everypony saw almost every single day. There were dangers to these clouds and they needed to be moved before something happened.

“Do you think we’ll find Sweetie Belle?” Fluttershy gently asked, “I mean, what if we don’t find her? What do you think will happen to her?”

“We’ll find her Fluttershy,” Celestia said, her eyes searching everywhere for the young mare, “and we’ll make sure that Thrack’s power have no chance at escaping or running rampart with Sweetie’s body.”

-Sweetie Belle-

Sweetie, having been slightly showered by the rain, was surprised to see the cloud directly above her move. Then she noticed the rainbow trail next to the cloud and realized that Rainbow Dash was right above her. If she were to shout at the mare she would turn to look and find exactly who she was searching for. But, of course, the voice that was Thrack was preventing her from saying anything.

Then she saw a pony emerge from the Everfree Forest, coming her way. The pony was an adult unicorn stallion with a light green coat and a burning pile of wood for a cutie mark. He carried a bag on his back that even Sweetie could tell contained a book. But the most shocking aspect of the pony was his eyes. Where normal eyes would usually be located this stallion’s eyes radiated a red aura and in the center rested a black slit that seemed to act as his eyes.

“Are you the one known as Sweetie Belle?” the stallion asked as he stopped in front of the young mare, “Speak quickly.”

“Y…Yes I am,” Sweetie answered, already afraid of the stallion, “Who…who are you?”

“Lord Blackwood of Thrack’s reanimated army,” the stallion replied, dropping the bag in front of her, “Inside that bag is a book that my master bade me to bring to you. You are going to take it with you and learn from what rests within the pages.”

“And if I don’t take it?” Sweetie asked, trying to be as courageous as she could in front of the long dead stallion.

“I’m sure that Thrack will make you take it anyway,” Blackwood said, turning back towards the trees, “A few words of warning though. Do not read the book while other ponies are around, do not practice the magic in front of others, and tell no one that the book is in your possession. My Master has made her books indestructible, so don’t even bother trying to dispose of it later. I’ll be seeing you around Sweetie Belle.”

Before Sweetie could say anything more the stallion high tailed it back into the Everfree Forest, vanishing from her sight. She sighed and picked up the bag, placing it on her back before turning around. She began to walk back to her house so she could put the book in with the rest of her belongings before somepony noticed her. Sweetie only hoped that she could master the power of Thrack before it tried to consume her altogether.

Blackwood watched the young mare walk back into the town behind her and a small smile appeared on his face. He disappeared with a slight use of his magic as he traveled back to the cemetery, only reappearing when he arrived.

Is there anything else you would like me to do Thrack? Blackwood questioned, hoping to hear something from his mistress.

Yes, was the reply, Prepare my army and consume every inch of the Everfree Forest. Be sure to activate my special barrier before you do so.

As you wish, Blackwood replied, cutting the connection before entering the catacombs once again.

This time when Blackwood entered the catacombs the other corpses began to awaken as well. The majority of them would have the same lifeless eyes that Blackwood had had over a thousand years ago. The only reanimated ponies that didn’t have those eyes were the commanders of the various parts of Thrack’s army, such as Blackwood of the unicorns. And as he walked he noticed that there were also bodies of the griffins.

“Blackwood, I was wondering if I would ever see you again,” said a red coated earth pony with dull armor on, “though I was hoping that we would never have to meet under these circumstances.”

“Neither did I Red Star,” Blackwood said, “Have you seen Shadow Blitz anywhere?”

“She should be here any moment,” said the old Co-Captain of Celestia’s army, “No doubt she went to find the Commander of the Griffin Legion and the Commander of the Changeling Armada.”

“Five Commanders then,” Blackwood said, allowing the lifeless ponies to pass by him, “I have received orders from the Mistress and they are very important.”

“It usually is important if it’s coming from Her,” said a voice as three more figures arrived, “though I still despise her for killing me way back when.”

“Yes, we know that you hate her from deceiving you Shadow Blitz,” Blackwood said, “Care to introduce our allies to us?”

“No need,” the tall Changeling said, wearing the crown of the queen, “I was known as Queen Allure of the Changelings, the first Queen of the Changelings. Seeing how I was the first Queen I was the most powerful of all the Queens. Even now I still don’t know what went wrong that caused me to fall to the young mare.”

“Silverwing,” the grey coated griffin said, “King Silverwing to be exact. I’m sure that the two of you have heard about me during the time I considered destroying Canterlot during the war between the sisters?”

“I have,” Blackwood said, “So we have the most brutal of all of the Griffin Kings, the most cunning of the Changeling Queens, an earth pony whose legs could split the very ground everypony walked on, a pegasus whose wing power is high enough to whip up a hurricane whenever she pleases, and me, a unicorn whose magical powers can clash with the very Gods themselves. And to top it off our master is a monster that has the power to reanimate the dead and can fight on equal ground with the Princesses.”

“I guess the Mistress was thinking ahead,” Shadow Blitz said, “So, what does she want us to do exactly?”

“She wants us to awaken her army and clear the area known as the Everfree Forest,” Blackwood said, “I’m sure that whatever creatures are in these woods will be a fine addition to her army. And I have to activate the barrier that will allow us to be unseen by Celestia until the time is right.”

“So it is time to build the Necropolis,” Red Star said, “otherwise known as the City of the Dead. In our case it’s known as the Kingdom of Thrack, the Realm of the Dead, and the home of the Reanimated Army.”

Not soon after the awakening of the uppermost layers of the catacombs the barrier went up, surrounding the whole of the Everfree Forest. It went unnoticed by the Princesses as they noticed Sweetie Belle enter her home and felt Thrack’s energy. It was enough for the groups to somehow not notice the light blue ring appear all the way around the trees. Even if they had somehow seen the barrier the magic would have made it so their eyes had blinked.

Sweetie, on the other hoof, knew something was up and couldn’t do a thing as she laid the book in her suitcase. It quickly became hidden under her belongings and she closed the lid, returning to her bed. It seemed odd that everything was happening to her and yet the monster let her stay in control. As Sweetie closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep she vowed that she would master the powers that Thrack could use and make it so that she couldn’t take over her body.

Missing Days

-Six days earlier in the Changeling Hive-

Chrysalis sat on her throne, rereading the letter that she received from Princess Luna yesterday evening. She still wondered how the mailmare had found her way to the Changeling Hive and delivered the letter. They were located in the middle of what seemed like a desert and there were barely any landmarks for anypony to use. It wasn’t like the mare could have walked up to a fancy palace and dropped off the letter, but she had somehow found her way to the Hive. Naturally Chrysalis wanted to blame the pink coated mare called Pinkie Pie for everything, but she couldn’t this time.

That mare was lucky, she eventually decided, lucky enough to find my Hive. I should have turned that Derpy Hooves when I had the chance.

Chrysalis sighed and returned to the letter floating in her magical grasp, still wondering what the Princess of the Night was up to. According to the letter Princess Luna was inviting her own daughter to attend the first year of a school called the School of Shadows. She had also mentioned that the old Shadow of Thrack, Sweetie Belle, would be attending so she could control whatever powers she still had. And Chrysalis didn’t like the fact that her daughter might be going to the same school as the monster that broke her horn and nearly made her lose her magical touch. She was glad that the doctors in the Canterlot Hospital managed to repair the damage before it had been too late.

Though it was clear that Princess Luna wasn’t completely sure of what Chrysalis would choose for her daughter and sent along the acceptance letter. Chrysalis sighed and lowered the first letter, keeping the second one suspended while she thought everything through. On one hoof if her daughter befriended Sweetie Belle and she turned into Thrack she could likely break the monsters hold on her. On the other hoof if that happened then the monster might turn on her daughter and hurt her. Chrysalis didn’t know which was she supposed to choose; deny her daughter the chance to meet new friends and learn about the other species or allow her to go and hope she wasn’t harmed.

“Guards,” she finally shouted, the doors to her throne room opening and two Changeling guards flew in before landing at the base of her throne, “Go find my daughter and bring her to me. She keeps shutting me out.”

“As you command,” the two said, quickly bowing before they left the throne room.

Chrysalis sighed yet again. It was time to see if she should send her daughter to this new school or not.

-The Changeling Hive, the Royal Library-

The two guards opened the doors to the Royal Library, where all sorts of books were located for the Queen and her daughter to read. It seemed that the Princess was keeping her mother out of her mind and that in turn prevented her from knowing where she was. It was dangerous for the Princess to be doing that, but she couldn’t block the thousands of Changelings just like that. Besides, the Princess had two or three personal guards that could tell where she was at all times. The two knew she was safe and inside the library, but had to follow their Queen’s orders and bring the Princess to her.

“Princess,” the one on the right called, “We know you’re in here. The Queen has ordered us to find you and bring you to the throne room. Please do not make us use force.”

A slight humming sound came out from behind the shelves as several books were put back in their places. A few more flew across the room to other shelves, fitting in where they used to belong. A moment later a filly sized Changeling emerged from an aisle of books, looking quite pleased with the book she now carried in her magical grasp. A small black crown with tiny neon green bubbles sat at the top of her head, which allowed the other species to know who she was.

“Oh, it’s you two again,” the Princess said, looking up from her book long enough to see who wanted to see her, “Of course mother sends the only two guards that I allow to know the exact location of where I am to find me. One of these days I’m going to have to remove that tiny detail from my life. Very well then…”
Her once light green eyes turned red as she finished her sentence.

“…take me to Mother.”

-The Changeling Hive, the Royal Throne Room-

“You used the same technique on them again,” Chrysalis said once her guards returned with her daughter and she noticed the change in eye color, “Mea darling, how many times must I tell you that making our guards face their own fears will eventually destroy them? I can’t just fix every single one of them that you decide to use that bucking power on.”

“It wasn’t the same this time mother,” the Princess, Mea, replied, “I was allowing them to enjoy the one thing that they couldn’t get in life, which was new for me to use. And you know I like going by Stardust.”

“You are the Changeling Princess, Heir to my Hive,” Chrysalis said, nearly shouting at her daughter, “and as such you should go by your formal royal name, not the one you designed for when you want to personally obtain love on your own. Seriously, where did you even come up with a name like Stardust?”

“I just thought of it and like the way it sounded,” Mea said, shaking her head, “besides, I was reading up on that monster you had the privilege to fight. I think I might have discovered a prophecy that relates to her.”

“Mea, you have to stop being so obsessed over Thrack,” Chrysalis said, resisting the urge to facehoof in front of her daughter, “She was destroyed once by tasting Celestia’s blood, which contained the undiluted essence of the Sun and burned her alive. Then when she returned with the Shadows three months later she was slain by Princess Darkstar. The monster that Equestria knew as Thrack is dead and there is no reason to bother looking for prophecies related to or involving her.”

“Oh really?” Mea said, pointing at the letters her mother kept close to her, “I recall you thinking about a letter that came from Princess Luna not too long ago that mentioned Thrack’s shadow was still alive. Yes mother, I know all about the one called Sweetie Belle and the fact that she contains the vast powers of the monster. You fear that if I was to attend the same school and she lost control that I might end up hurt in the process, but you’re forgetting what my magic is like.”

Chrysalis sighed and said, “You are right, I have forgotten what your personal magic feels like when it’s used against those you target. You can force those you target to face their own fears, experience the one thing they can never hope to achieve, or their descent into utter madness. You can calm the fiercest of foes and toughen the weakest of allies.”

She tossed the second letter to her daughter, who caught it in her own magical grasp. Chrysalis was sure that allowing her daughter to attend the school might very well be a mistake she couldn’t afford, but if Mea wanted to go then she would go.

“Take a look,” she said, “and give this as much thought as you would the monster Thrack. Tell me where you truly believe is the best place to be and learn all about magic.”

Mea unrolled the letter and scanned over it, the words sinking into her head. Princess Luna was basically trying to establish good relations with the Changelings by allowing Chrysalis to admit her child into the new school. She would personally take the chance to go to the new school to learn about the Shadows and their abilities, but it was more than that. If she could do so much to her fellow Changelings then maybe, just maybe, Mea could stop a rampaging Thrack.

“Sign me up,” Mea said, passing the letter back to her mother, “I think I have the power to stop the Shadow of Thrack from rampaging if she were to ever lose control of herself.”

“Fine then,” Chrysalis said, sighing as she picked up and signed the place on the letter, “I just hope that we don’t have to…”

Mea wondered why her mother abruptly stopped talking when she felt the exact same thing. The two of them could feel the energy of Thrack, the monster herself, awaken from within the filly that was her Shadow. Mea could tell that only a God, or in this case Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, could stop the monster from destroying whatever she was attacking. And then she felt the presence of another Godly creature, one that wasn’t the Princesses or their Shadows. From the story her mother told her Mea could tell that it had to be none other than Reginald, the stallion who defeated Darkstar in the Shadow Realm.

“If you think you can still stop Thrack,” Chrysalis said, turning to face her daughter, “then you had best get started practicing the higher levels of magic. And the only place where you can learn at a quick pace is in the School of Shadows, learning from Twilight Sparkle herself.”

-The following morning-

Mea yawned and climbed out of her bed, shaking herself awake before moving to the door. Her mother had sent a letter to Princess Celestia and had asked if her daughter could learn from her student. Mea had been up for five hours straight as the two conversed by magical magic, something that she and Luna didn’t have yet.

At first Celestia had been surprised by the fact that Chrysalis had a child and was sending her to the newly established School of Schadows. She had reminded Chrysalis that due to her invading Canterlot she had half a mind not to allow her daughter to attend regardless what Luna said. She hadn’t even included the fact that she had tried to stop Thrack and helped fight the Shadows at all. They had to wait one long hour while Celestia confronted her sister about including the child of the Changeling Queen in the list of students for the new school.

-The argument-

“What is wrong with you Luna?” Celestia asked, sitting in her sister’s room and staring at her tired sister, “I have been conversing with the Changeling Queen for the last hour and I have found out that you invited her daughter to the School of Shadows.”

“Yeah,” Luna asked, yawning slightly, “so?”

“She invaded Canterlot and took over a year ago,” Celestia shouted, “and even after her defeat you decide to go behind my back and invite the daughter of one of my rivals to attend the same school as my precious ponies. No doubt to rile them up and get them all to rebel against me.”

“Calm yourself sister,” Luna said, interrupting her angry sister, “I, too, have conversed with Chrysalis before I made the official offer for young Mea to join the rest of the students. Chrysalis insisted that her daughter learn from your student, young Twilight Sparkle, and Equestria’s best young flier, Rainbow Dash. She said that her daughter is skilled in both the art of flying and the art of magic.”

“I cannot simply allow the daughter of the Changeling Queen to attend the School of Shadows,” Celestia shouted, getting up in her sister’s face, “I trusted you to build a school with our counterparts and to make a list of all the fillies that would be attending. I did not say that you could invite an enemy to the very place you were building. Take her off the list Luna.”

“You cannot tell me who I can and cannot allow at the school,” Luna said, stomping her hoof on the carpet, “I am your sister, the Princess of the Night, and I would think that you would trust my judgment. Princess Mea has done nothing wrong and deserves a chance. You can’t ask me to deny her that.”

“Take. Her. Off. The. List.” Celestia said, deliberately saying the sentence in parts.

“I will not,” Luna said, standing her ground in front of her sister.

“Fine then,” Celestia said, locking the doors to her sister’s room and closing the blinds, “We’ll do this the hard way.”

-The Hive-

According to the letter that Mea and her mother received after a very long hour wait Celestia had challenged Luna to a game of normal chess and had her flank kicked. Seems she had thought that a thousand years on the moon and barely five years back would leave Luna in defeat and settle their argument. What she didn’t take into account was the fact that Luna had spent every day and night learning the newest games that the fillies liked to play. And as such she was a master at chess and defeated Celestia.

Since Celestia lost to her sister that meant that she couldn’t force Luna to take anypony off the student list, no matter how much she wanted too. And that meant that Princess Mea would be welcomed to the School of Shadows. She then learned that the train would be leaving for the Realm Between Worlds within a couple of days, just a week after all the letters had been sent out. So, after learning that she would be expected to arrive in Canterlot in six days, Mea almost ran back to her room and began packing.

“That silly filly,” Chrysalis said, laughing to herself, “she doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into. But if it’s her desire to learn from the Elements of Harmony themselves than who am I to say that she should stay here? I’m sure that whoever they get to guard the students will make sure no harm comes to any of them…”

The Changeling Queen shook her head and called over a guard, who ran up to her and kneeled before the throne.

“I asked the Princesses if they would allow me to send one guard to watch over my daughter,” Chrysalis said, “and you, my dear Silver, will make sure she is safe. I have no doubt that you will do whatever you can to make sure that she is unharmed.”

“Of course my Queen,” the Changeling, Silver, said, “I will guard the Princess with my life. No harm will come to her during her studies.”

“You are dismissed then,” Chrysalis said, allowing the guard to vanish into a silver mist and disappear from view.

Not an hour later Mea was walking out of the Changeling Hive with a bag of supplies that would last her till she reached Ponyville. She could have sworn that her mother had been sad to see her go, but with the Changeling Queen emotions were hard to read. But she had been supportive and gave her a hug before she had left. Now Mea stood in a sandy desert region, the entrance of the Hive disappearing in the sand behind her. She sighed and started walking south, completely aware that one of the royal guards was behind her.

-Three days later, The Everfree Forest-

Mea was running with a pack of timberwolves, heading for the tree line of the Everfree Forest so she could get into Ponyville. She had encountered the wolves not three hours ago near what looked like a cemetery hidden in the side of a mountain. They were intending to eat her, but with a look from her red eyes she had managed to tame the three wolves. Then they had set off towards Ponyville, acting as if she was actually just another timberwolf in their pack. They had made some stops along the way, but now it seemed like they were approaching the edge of the trees.

When they emerged from the trees they finally slowed to a stop and took a break, thought Mea’s eyes keep watch for the ponies who would be waiting for her arrival. And sure enough she noticed a certain lavender mare with a star shaped cutie mark and a small dragon assistant approaching the pack. The timberwolves, true to their nature, growled at the approaching figures, but Mea stopped that with a quick glance. And before they did anything else towards the two Mea sent them back into the woods, where they would soon be released from her magic and return to their natural state.

“Princess Mea?” the lavender mare, Twilight Sparkle, asked the young filly, receiving a slight nod, “I am so glad you arrived safely. As you have no doubt assumed I am Twilight Sparkle and this is my assistant Spike.”

“Hi,” Spike said, waving a clawed hand at the young filly.

“Hello Twilight Sparkle,” Mea said, shaking the leaves out of her coat before relaxing, “and Spike. I know of your reputation and hope that you and I can get along. Plus I have heard that you know quite a lot about the monster Thrack and how she was defeated. Maybe I can help you understand her more.”

“Please Princess Mea,” Twilight said, “I have no wish to understand the monster Thrack, but I do want to help her Shadow learn to use her powers without succumbing to the inner beast.”

“I don’t wish to be called a Princess in front of the others,” Mea said, “So, um, could you please call me Mea instead?”

Twilight laughed and said, “Sure Mea, whatever you like. Come along then.”

Mea smiled and followed after Twilight as she was led back into Ponyville, which was quite since it was night out.

“My bed is currently occupied by Sweetie Belle,” Twilight said, “who was Thrack’s Shadow and I’ve been sleeping downstairs ever since. I guess I could always use the spare bed down in the basement and let you sleep downstairs. We can talk in the morning about Thrack and whatever else you want before I start teaching you magic.”

-The current day-

While everypony was out searching for Sweetie Belle, who now wore the silver chains that trapped Thrack deep within her, Mea stood on the balcony of the library, staring out into the night. Lying next to her on a bookstand was the book she had found back in the Changeling Library. The one book, likely the only book in existence, that contained a prophecy on the monster Thrack. Even now the book was open to the page that contained the prophecy that was disturbing her. The prophecy foretold the war that Thrack would wage against all of Equestria to destroy Celestia and make Nightmare Moon the ruler of everything.

The first time Thrack went to war she’d lose to Celestia’s Sun Energy
The second time Thrack went to war she’d lose to Celestia’s Shadow, Darkstar
The third time Thrack went to war she’d bring about an army so terrible that not even the combined forces of the Light and Darkness could defeat her
And the world as everypony knew it would no longer belong to the living, but to the dead

Mea thought back to the hidden cemetery that she had found a few days ago and wondered if it had anything to do with Thrack. What she did know was that the world was in trouble if Thrack even gained control of her Shadow and went to war once more.

Arrival

The sun was shining as morning stretched across Equestria. Rolling to a stop in Canterlot was a train that contained many passengers. Fillies, colts, and mares of all ages filed out of the compartments, though two young fillies caught the eye of all the ponies present. The filly that walked off the train first was none other than a young Changeling Princess, who seemed a little scared with everypony staring at her. But when the second filly emerged from the train all the attention shifted to her.

Sweetie Belle walked off the train and scolded herself for not applying her new magic to hide her strange colors. Now it was far too late for her to hide her black hair and slightly grey colored coat. Not to mention that her eyes were slightly red and she still wore the silver shackles that kept her dark power within herself. The only difference from the other day was the fact that she had found Thrack’s cape and put it on.

As the train from Ponyville rolled away another train stopped in the station, this time coming from a strange dark blue colored gateway. The train itself was larger than most trains and seemed to be the color of the Spectrum, shifting colors every few minutes. All the doors opened at once, but who was standing on the other side nearly made several ponies faint. Nightmare Moon herself stood next to Princess Luna as they debarked from the train.

“Fear not my little ponies,” came a voice as Princess Celestia appeared by magic, “Princess Nightmare is an ally of ours. She’s just making sure that her subjects arrive at the School of Shadows without any incident. There is no reason for any of you to fear getting on the train.”

Ponies began to board the train, passing by the two Lunar Princesses or passing through empty doors. Sweetie Belle and her friends approached the two Princesses and passed by; though Sweetie was sure she got a look from Nightmare Moon. Mea, on the other hoof, walked through an empty set of doors and quickly found herself an empty cabin. A moment later a silver mist appeared and her guard materialized out of nothing, kneeling to her before she could stop him.

“Stop it Silver,” Mea said, allowing the Changeling to get up, “You know how much I hate ponies bowing and kneeling to me. Especially ponies that are of my own kind.”

“I am only here to protect you,” the Changeling said, sitting on the opposite bench, “as per the commands of Queen Chrysalis. You know that I cannot disobey the commands of the Queen.”

Mea sighed and shook her head as she pulled out the book that held the information on Thrack. “I know,” she said, “though I am still surprised that she didn’t send Sucker Punch or Surprise as back up. She knows that those two could use some time away from the Hive.”

“Yes, about them,” Silver said, two more Changelings appearing beside him, “the Queen saw fit to assign you two more guards, who just happen to be Sucker Punch and Surprise.”

“Princess,” the two said, quickly kneeling before getting back up.

“I hope Princess Celestia knows you two are here,” Mea said, “Otherwise my mother will likely be receiving an angry letter from her soon.”

The door to her cabin slowly opened and three fillies fell into the room, surprising the four Changelings. Mea regained her composure and immediately recognized Sweetie Belle, due to the shackles and the color of her coat. That meant that the other two were her friends Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. Mea figured that they had been trying to get into an unoccupied cabin for a while and they finally found hers.

“Awww,” Apple Bloom said, looking up to see four Changelings staring at her, “another occupied cabin.”

“Seriously?” Scootaloo asked, getting out from under Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, “How are they almost all occupied already?”

“I told you the majority were occupied,” Sweetie Belle said, getting up and staring around the cabin, “I also said that I didn’t know how they were occupied. Must be more of Thrack’s magic I guess.”

“Do you guys need a cabin?” Mea asked, watching the Crusaders with interest, “Because we have enough room in here for three more to join us.”

“Might as well,” Apple Bloom said, “seeing how Sweetie Belle can tell which room does and doesn’t have room for us and forgot to tell us.”

“I told you a thousand times and you failed to listen,” Sweetie said, giving a quick bow to the Changeling filly, “and if I am not mistaken you are none other than the Changeling Princess Mea?”

“That I am,” Mea replied, surprised that the filly knew who she was but figured Thrack’s magic was at work, “and you must be Sweetie Belle, the ex-Shadow of the monster Thrack.”

Sweetie Belle looked away from Mea, clearly hating that she was all that remained of the monster that nearly killed the Royal Sisters.

“I AM Sweetie Belle,” she said, staring at the carpet, “I am not the monster that everypony remembers. I don’t want this power around anymore than everypony else does.”

Sweetie found herself held against the wall of the train by the light green colored magic of Mea. Her eyes had changed to a red color and she seemed to be staring into Sweetie’s very soul.

“Seriously now,” Mea said, “most ponies want to see the power of Thrack either eradicated or brought under control. I am not like most ponies. I would rather make friends with Sweetie Belle, not the monster Thrack, and help her regain control.”

Sweetie’s head snapped to her left before returning to normal, though her eyes were the same draconic eyes that Thrack had.

“You will perish like everypony else my dear Mea,” Sweetie Belle said, though it came out eviler than her normal voice, “Everypony will burn when this is over.”

“Be gone Thrack,” Mea said, her magic quickly working on the shackles, “and may you never return.”

Sweetie’s body shook against Mea’s magic, but the Changeling held her ground as the filly reverted to her normal personality. Her eyes reverted to their normal shape and she hit the wood with a thud. Mea sighed and ended her magic, leaning against the window of the cabin. She noticed that the train had started moving and that meant they were well on their way to the School of Shadows.

“Um…I might not understand magic,” Scootaloo said, “but what did you do to Sweetie Belle?”

“I sealed Thrack deep within Sweetie Belle,” Mea explained, the two pulling the fallen filly onto a bench before doing so themselves, “Right now the mind of Thrack, or what remains of her after her second defeat, is racing through the prison of the shackles. Her vast power is open to Sweetie Belle, ready to be used if she were to ever call on them. Thrack herself cannot escape the prison without harming herself against the magic of the Princesses and my extra layer.”

“So she can’t escape then?” Apple Bloom asked.

“She still can,” Mea said, “but the chance of that happening is very small, so don’t worry about her taking over any time soon.”

Over the next hour the ponies on the train conversed with each other, traveling between the cabins and compartments to do so. Sweetie Belle, having woken up not twenty minutes after hitting the ground, stayed with her friends and tried to stay away from the Shadows of her friends. She suspected that the two would not be happy to see Sweetie Belle, considering that Sweetie was supposed to be the Shadow of Thrack and had been living in the Shadow Realm for her whole life.

The two Lunar Princesses and Celestia patrolled the upper section of the train while Reginald oversaw Atar’s patrol of the lower section. They knew about Thrack’s small outburst and the fact that Mea, the Changeling Princess, had suppressed the spirit. Celestia was glad that she had been forced to allow the filly to come to the school and Luna was happy to be proven right at last. The three Princesses needed to be ready in case anything tried to stop them from reaching the school.

When the train rolled to a stop and opened the doors of their compartments Mea was surprised to see what the school looked like. Resting before the collective ponies stood a five story building that had five different towers and walls protecting the inside. The inner building of the school was a full six stories tall and seemed like it contained a meeting hall. And the very bricks of the school seemed to radiate dark, shadowy energy that protected the foundation.

“Welcome to the School of Shadows,” Luna and Nightmare Moon proclaimed, “where you all will learn to live in harmony with your counterparts.”

Awakening

The large group of fillies was led inside the School of Shadows, passing through the large metal gates that served as the entrance. Everywhere a pony could look was covered by guards, be they from the Light Realm or the Shadow Realm. Behind them the train rolled out of the station and vanished from sight not a few moments later, making it impossible for anypony to leave where they were. Now the only way for a pony to leave was for the Princesses, any of the three, to summon the train back.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie welcomes all of you to the School of Shadows,” said a voice as the cape wearing showmare appeared in front of them, “and beckons you all to follow her to the main hall. Oh, and feel free to dispel any illusions that you might be hiding from those around you. Trixie knows she will do just that.”

Sweetie Belle instantly noticed Trixie’s eye color change as she grew a small set of fangs, marking the mare as a vampony. All around her she noticed fillies becoming wereponies and some of the adults becoming older vamponies. She even spotted a couple dozen white colored Changelings, who seemed interested in seeing Mea and her guards. Sweetie kept her colors and hoped that none of the teachers, or the Princesses themselves, wanted to see her monstrous form. Even Pinkie Pie, a pony who was as chaotic as Discord himself, shifted into another form that closely resembled Discord’s own form.

“It seems that there is one who doesn’t wish to reveal their inner monster,” Trixie said, her eyes turning to regard Sweetie with interest, “and I am surprised by who that is. I would think that the Shadow of Thrack, the monster of the night herself, would enjoy being around the same creatures that she was.”

“Do not fear the change young one,” the vampony mare continued, a scythe appearing on her back, “but rather accept who you truly are.”

Sweetie’s body convulsed yet again, which was seriously getting old for her. She could feel her body changing, turning into the form of the dreaded Thrack that everypony hated. Even the cape became a small necklace as the bat wings grew out of her back. Yet despite the pain Sweetie felt that she could control some portion of Thrack’s power in her untrained state. She wasn’t going to test it, but she was glad it was there none the less.

“That was dangerous Trixie,” Twilight Sparkle said, flanked by her friends and their collective Shadows, “You know that the power of Thrack must be contained at all costs. We can’t have the seals suddenly shatter just because you want everypony to reveal their other sides.”

Trixie grumbled something and turned to lead the group towards the main hall of the school, but not before passing a courtyard. Sweetie looked past the stone pillars and felt her breath turn cold as she noticed what was resting in a huge chunk of solid ice. Resting in suspended animation was a long sword with a handle that made it a two handed weapon and runes on the blade. The jagged edge of the blade and the designs caught she eye, though she couldn’t remember where the sword was from.

I don’t believe it, Thrack whispered to Sweetie, I’ve been searching for that bloody weapon for all these years and it’s been here the entire time.

Excuse me, who said you could talk to me? Sweetie mentally asked, and second, what the heck is that weapon?

Frostmourne, Thrack replied, a weapon of untold power that can raise the dead from their slumber, no matter how old the corpses might be. It is said that the sword eats the soul of the wielder and marks the pony as the next ruler of the undead. With the matching set of armor the pony could become the Lich King or the Lich Queen, commander of legions.

No, bad Thrack, Sweetie said, you will not have such a dangerous weapon under your control. Besides, you already have an army of the undead somewhere in the Everfree Forest ready to do whatever you command them to do.

Party crasher, Thrack said before retreating into the shackles again.

Sweetie took one last look at the frozen weapon, the sword called Frostmourne, and ran to join the group. She had a bad feeling about that Thrack was planning on doing something with that weapon, but as long as she stayed in control that wouldn’t happen. She was also glad that none of the other ponies were treating her like the monster that rested within her.

“To put everything in the simplest of terms,” Nightmare Moon said, walking ahead of Trixie and her group, “all of you will learn to control the various sides of your nature, be they vampony, werepony, or even a hybrid. In addition you all will learn the various arts that are attuned to who you truly are. So say that you’re a unicorn, you’ll be taking lessons from the masters of magic and everything dealing with the art of magic itself. Or a pegasus learning to correctly fly off the ground and commanding the weather as they see fit.

The five towers are where all of you will be staying for the entire school year. There is no division amongst houses if any of you are wondering, but maybe in a few more years we might have some houses. Inside the towers is a housing space that is designed to grow as needed and we have already determined who is going to be in which tower. The teachers will be wearing a metal band around one of their front hooves and will be handing out class schedules once we reach the main hall.”

“What’s the deal with that strange weapon frozen in ice,” a pony from the group called out, Sweetie sighing in relief that she didn’t have to ask the question.

“Oh, Frostmourne?” Nightmare asked, “Over a thousand years ago it was wielded by a monster known only as the Lich King. Whoever he was before that we never knew, but he was somepony who crafted that dangerous weapon. He caused the first invasion of the undead scourge, consuming much of Equestria before turning towards Shadowlot. When Darkstar and I crushed him we banished him from the realm, hoping that he and his cursed sword would end up destroyed.

From what Luna has told me the Lich King arrived in her version of Equestria and tried to build another army, but failed due to his weapon missing. He escaped again and went into hiding, but time passed before Luna and I switched realms. I found and destroyed him for the final time and then used some of his undead essence to power up the filly that became Thrack at the time. I don’t know if she found the armor or it was destroyed by time, but there is absolutely no chance of that weapon being used ever again.”

Sweetie resisted the urge to sigh to herself as she wondered why Thrack was so interested in the weapon. She already commanded legions of the dead, as she claimed, without such a weapon. So why did the legendary monster need a dark weapon in the first place? Was there some other legendary monster that was killed and she wanted to bring it back? Sweetie didn’t know and she didn’t care either way; Thrack wasn’t getting control again.

Then she heard the familiar beat of a stereo, which meant that Vinyl Scratch was in town. But there was a second set beating a very different beat, which Sweetie figured must have been Vinyl’s Shadow. And by the look on the Princesses faces they knew the two were there.

“I sent them ahead to prepare the tables and everything,” Nightmare explained when the Light Princesses gave her a look,

“I seriously didn’t think they’d start blasting music at each other. I didn’t think Vinyl and Bass would do that without an audience.”

“Somepony call our names,” came two voices as soon as the group entered the main hall and two mares appeared.

One the left stood the familiar white coated, light blue haired mare that wore sunglasses all the time. She was none other than Vinyl Scratch, DJ of the Light Equestria. To her left stood a dark haired, grey coated mare who wore silver sunglasses. She had to be Bass, DJ of the Shadow Equestria.

“It’s time to get this party started,” the two shouted as the room exploded into a party.

Music started to blare as the two popped on their stereos, receiving head shakes from the Princesses. All the ponies, be they Light or Shadow, began to party as the three Princesses left the main hall. They figured they could get everything dealt with in the morning and not waste their precious magic trying to fix the problem.

-The Royal Cemetery, Shadowlot-

It was silent during the nighttime of the Shadow Realm due to all the lights being off and all the ponies being asleep. None of them would know that a dark blue portal opened near the tomb of the tyrant Darkstar. Two ponies emerged from the portal, quickly closing it before entering the tomb. The unicorn of the group silently blasted the door into smoke and they passed through with ease.

“Seems I was right,” the unicorn said, “Nightmare Moon put the most wicked of curses to prevent ponies from defacing her sister’s body.”

“Quiet my brother,” the other, a pegasus, said, “We must be quick before Atar arrives to check on her again.”

In little time the two approached the casket of the evil Princess and broke open the top, forcing it to the side with a loud thud. In front of them rested the nearly dried up form of a grey Celestia with pure black flame hair. The body was clearly the body of Darkstar, still dressed up with the royal jewelry.

The unicorn smiled and pulled out a large spell book that radiated pure darkness. The book opened to a page somewhere in the center of the book and the runes started to glow as the unicorn began to recite the darkest of spells. It was a special spell developed by Thrack to create necromancers to raise the dead when she couldn’t do it herself. It chained the mind of the dead to the will of Thrack and made them follow her orders, even if they didn’t want to. And in her current form she needed somepony to run the army and resurrect more members for her.

The ground shook and the magic that would have alarmed Nightmare Moon if somepony other than her and Atar opened the door to the tomb. Darkness erupted from out of nowhere around Darkstar’s body, almost as if her magic was alive and had a mind of its own. In a few minutes Nightmare Moon would be there and all they had done would be unraveled in an instant. Then the casket exploded in a fury of darkness and the body hit the ground, landing on its hooves hard enough to make a sound.

“So I have returned,” came the very eerie voice of Princess Darkstar as her mane erupted to live yet again, “I have only one thing to say right now.”

“I’m going to KILL REGINALD.”

First Class

-The Next Morning, the Main Hall-

Nightmare Moon was absolutely furious. Everypony could tell just by looking at her that something terrible had happened during the party. To prevent the students from eavesdropping on them a barrier had been erected and an array of spells to prevent others from hearing or listening in was placed around Nightmare and the Light Princesses.

“So what’s eating you Nightmare?” Celestia asked, “There must be something wrong to make you go through all this trouble of protecting a conversation.”

Nightmare Moon took a deep breath and said, “My sister’s tomb has been tampered with.”

“What do you mean ‘tampered with’?” Luna said, utterly confused, “You set the correct spells in place to warn you the minute somepony other than you and Atar opened the door. Celestia and I watched you do so. There is no way that somepony got passed the door without you knowing about it.”

“That’s just the thing,” Nightmare said, “Somepony got passed the spells and did the one thing I’ve been dreading since the day she died. Somepony resurrected Darkstar and disappeared with her.”

“You mean to tell me she’s out there right now?” Celestia said, “Doing who knows what to whoever she meets?”

“She’ll be weak without her collection of souls,” Nightmare quickly said, “but it gives her time and she’ll eventually regain her dark powers. You need to focus on teaching the young ones while I hunt down my sister.”

With that Nightmare Moon turned into a mist and exited the room as her barrier fell apart. Ponies either noticed her exit or were occupied with something to notice. Celestia sighed and turned towards the entrance of the main hall, where Applejack was confronting her brother Big Macintosh. The colt in question looked the exact same as he always did, though for three small differences; he wasn’t wearing his work harness, he was dressed in armor, and he carried a book that radiated a yellow energy.

“Big Mac, what are you doing here?” Applejack asked, stopping her brother in his tracks, “I thought you were staying at the farm while Apple Bloom and I stayed here.”

“Applejack,” her brother said, “we have enough family members that can watch over the farm while we’re here and ah’m sure that nothing will go wrong. Now if you’ll excuse me, ah have a class to prepare for.”

As Big Macintosh walked down the hallway Applejack remained where she was, confused by what she had heard. Her brother never spoke that much of a completed sentence and never sounded like that. And there was the armor he was wearing and the book that he carried. And she didn’t remember her brother receiving a letter like she and Apple Bloom did.

“If you must know he is a Paladin.”

Applejack turned around and saw Princess Celestia standing behind her. She was surprised and thought she’d be with her sister at the head of the table.

“A Paladin you say?” Applejack asked, “What’s that Princess?”

“I can’t say much,” was the reply as the Princess turned towards the entrance of the school, “but he is a soldier blessed by the light and a protector of the innocent. I’ll see you little ponies later, Canterlot needs me there. Besides, this was Luna’s idea, so she’s the Headmistress of the school.”

With that said the Princess walked towards the train’s platform, leaving the students in her sister’s capable hooves. Celestia had no doubt that Luna would teach the students and their Shadows how to live in harmony and would do what was necessary if Thrack began to take over yet again. Mist covered her body and she vanished, returning to her realm so she could bring order to the nobles again.

“So girls,” Sweetie asked, sitting next to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo with some juice next to her plate, “what did the two of you get for your first class? I got a class called Paladin 101.”

“So did us,” Scootaloo said, “though neither of us has ever heard of this ‘paladin’. Our schedules don’t even say who the teacher is.”

“That’s that same with mine,” Sweetie replied, drinking some of her apple juice, “though I’ve got classes to train my magic and control the power coursing through my veins.”

“It almost looks like you have a hangover,” Scootaloo said, getting a surprised glance from her friends, “Rainbow Dash taught me what that meant one time. I bet staying in that form is draining you of your energy.”

“It’s not the form,” came the reply as Sweetie shook her head, “it’s the dreams that tell me more and more about Thrack’s ugly past. I want to learn what I came here to learn so I can destroy all that remains of her.”

Sweetie’s glass cup shattered in her hand, which she was not used to using since she had never assumed Thrack’s form willingly. The clawed limb allowed her to grip cups without her magic and could do many other things, but she needed to control it. She sighed and lowered her right claw, glancing around to see if anypony had noticed the glass shatter. To her relief none turned to look for the source of the noise and were still chatting or eating like everything was normal. She failed to notice Princess Luna staring at her and her friends the entire time.

-Paladin 101 Classroom-

Sweetie Belle looked around the classroom after the Crusaders had a hard time finding the door and was surprised to find Applejack had come into the room as well. She was also surprised to find that the classroom was none other than the center of what appeared to be a cathedral, with Big Macintosh standing in the teachers spot. And she was sure that Apple Bloom was shocked to see her brother dressed in armor and carrying a book around.

“Take you’re seats,” Big Mac said, watching the ponies in front of him move to the desks with their names on them, “Thank you. Now ah’m sure that you are all wondering what a Paladin is and what this class is all about. Truth be told ah am not the one that will be teaching the class, but ah can tell you who WILL be teaching the class instead.”

That was when Sweetie noticed a second armor suited pony appear in the cathedral, standing behind Big Mac and still wearing a helmet. And floating next to the other Paladin was a weird set of stairs made out of some strange yellow glowing material. Though Sweetie was sure that she could see through it and observe whatever was behind the stairs. She was sure that the second Paladin was the one Big Macintosh was talking about, but then she heard something thud on one of the steps.

“Who is that,” one pony curiously said.

“I don’t know, but he looks brave,” another said.

“And he seems fierce as well,” a third added.

The pony who finally stopped behind Big Mac was also dressed in armor like the other two, but different at the same time. His coat was white colored, similar to Shining Armor’s own color except that it was just a bit lighter than his, and his mane, while short on his head, was light brown. His eyes, while they held a kind and gentle look to them, were light blue and held an air of experience in them. Big Mac stepped off to the side and allowed the newcomer to take his place before standing at attention.

“I am called Uther the Lightbringer,” the stallion said, his voice calm and collected as he surveyed the classroom, “I was a Paladin of the Silver Hand, but now that order is known as the Silver Hoof. I am the leader of the order, trainer of Paladins across the ages. I will spare you all my long story, but know I am here to train you to defeat whatever darkness lies in your hearts. I know you all have met Big Macintosh, but allow me to introduce my other associate.”

The other pony removed its helmet and there stood Pinkie Pie in all her chaotic glory. To think that she of all ponies would be a Paladin. Sweetie Belle and her fellow students were very surprised.

“Yes,” Uther said, “Pinkie Pie, the energetic pony who represents the Element of Laughter and trained by the Spirit of Chaos himself. Trust me, she has been made aware that it is important to keep calm and not be a bundle of energy. We three will teach you all what it means to be a Paladin.”

-Cavern below the School-

“I must say all the dirt on the way here is going to make me visit the spa later,” Rarity complained as she entered a busy workshop filled with spinning gears and the works, “not that a pony like you would know anything about the spa.”

The room itself was huge; nearly the size of her entire boutique, and each wall was covered in some sort of machinery. Each wall held some strange long barreled and short barreled weapons, which Rarity was sure she’d learn the names of eventually. One wall was open to a canyon with a bridge stretching across to another opened area, where there sat some strange flying contraption. And there was another opening further down that faced a canyon wall to practice firing some sort of large barreled weapon.

“Sorry lass, I wasn’t expecting yah to arrive until this afternoon,” said a voice as a door opened in the wall to Rarity’s right, “if yah want to quickly wash up there is a small shower in that room. Don’t worry about if all the parts working, I made sure they worked before you arrived.”

Rarity was surprised to hear that there actually was a shower down under the school and that it was actually working. She smiled and closed the door behind her, leaving the other pony to whatever he was doing at the moment.

Ten minutes later she emerged from the room, feeling refreshed and ready for whatever her partner was planning.
Princess Luna had invited Rarity to the School of Shadows to help the strange pony she found create whatever he was working on. She turned a corner and found her partner working on something long with some sort of telescope attached to the top. Her partner had a light brown coat that was dirty from all the work he was doing and a short spiked gray mane with a similar colored small beard. According to Princess Luna the stallion called himself the Mechanic, which matched his gear shaped cutie mark.

“Ah, I see you’ve come out at last,” the stallion said, barely turning back to look at her, “that is good. I need yah to test this weapon out and see if it needs any fixing.”

Whatever weapon he had been working on he tossed over his shoulder and Rarity snatched it in her magical grasp, surprised to find what she held.

“Where I am from we had a name for a weapon like this,” the stallion said, finally turning around to face her and smiling at her, “it was called a rifle, a weapon of the Hunters. Sometimes they carried much smaller versions of that and were simply known as a gun, but I have made none of those yet. These ones are designed to use concentrated magic without having to cast the more taxing spells.”

The Mechanic led Rarity to what appeared to be a shooting range, an area of the second chamber filled with circular boards with multiple colors and bottles hanging in the air. From the mess that she could see it was clear that the Mechanic was fond of firing off his own creations in his spare time. Testing and fixing whatever he found that was wrong in each of his designs.

“Fire at whatever yah want,” the Mechanic said, taking a seat as Rarity faced the targets, “whenever yah want.”

“One small question dear,” Rarity said, taking aim on one of the boards, “what is that huge flying contraption your building in the third chamber?”

“Oh, that,” the Mechanic asked, “That, my dear Rarity, is an airship we used quite frequently back on my world. If yah meet a Paladin called Uther he’d tell yah more about it.”

Rarity smiled at the thought of an airship flying through the sky of Equestria. Right now the nobles had larger balloons and ships carried by said balloons, but an airship would be new. Rarity magically pulled the trigger and a hole punched through the center of the target she had been aiming at. She could definitely get used to using something this.

-Luna’s Office-

“Seems that everything is going according to what each teacher planned,” Luna said, recounting what she had been told so far, “Uther is training the next order of Paladins and the Mechanic is perfecting the art of weapons we have never seen before. Derpy Hooves will train the students in the way of using the airships once they are completed. And it seems that Twilight Sparkle is going to train the next line of sages while she prefects her fire elemental powers.”

She chuckled and looked up at the mirror in front of her, showing Luna her sister in Canterlot. A set of mirrors created so the two could chat while they were apart and exchange information. Celestia seemed surprised to hear that Rarity was helping some stallion called the Mechanic build new weapons, Derpy was actually not causing destruction, and Twilight was taming another element.

“That is good to hear,” Celestia replied, “I do hope that all of this training isn’t necessary and we’re wasting our time in the false hope that Thrack doesn’t return.”

“Do not worry sister,” Luna said, “Sweetie Belle will hold the monster back will all her might and we can finally put an end to the curse once and for all.”

Author's Note

Added a new tag to the story for obvious reasons.

Explaining

The rest of Sweetie’s day was, surprisingly, uneventful after the alicorn stallion called Prince Midnight arrived during her second class. Sure, learning magic from Twilight Sparkle was always fun, but it was mostly the basics for the first class. And her fourth and final class was about controlling the inner beast, so she was stuck in a classroom filled with vamponies and wereponies.

She didn’t feel like talking to her friends very much during the lunch and dinner times. Even when it was after dinner she avoided them and went to bed early, mostly so she could think. But even then she managed to fall into a sleep where she didn’t have to learn about the monster for once.

-Luna’s Office-

“Care to run that by us again Tia,” Luna asked, facehoofing while she sat at her desk in her office.

In the room sat Nightmare Moon, she sat on a couch near a bookshelf, Cadence and Shadence, who were talking about the barrier by the front door, and her sister, who was sitting in a couch in front of Luna’s desk. Oh, and the stallion called Midnight sat next to Celestia, his red colored eyes looking around while the sisters talked.

“Luna, you were so set on finding the Paragons that I asked for some extra help,” Celestia said, for what seemed like the third time so far that day, “You had already found the Mechanic and I’m sure that the Whisperer is somewhere in the forest. Of the five we hid away in case of absolute emergency we have only uncovered one at least, two at the most.”

“Yes, yes, I know all of this,” Luna impatiently said, “but what about Him?”

“I asked the Doctor to search for an ally that could aid us,” her sister said, “and the Prince here is from another world, one very similar to ours. According to the Doctor Midnight is skilled in the art of all Magic, be it light or dark, and is called the Prince of Magic in his version of Equestria.”

“Another Equestria,” Luna sighed, “I’m getting a headache with everything I learn. So, are there anymore coming from his realm or not? I’d like to know if it’s going to be a three realm war against Thrack if she escapes.”

“I’m the only one coming,” Midnight said, surprising the two since he hadn’t said a word since his arrival.

“I asked the Doctor to see if we could borrow Midnight for an undetermined amount of time,” Celestia said, “and according to him we can borrow him for as long as we wish. Though there will be some problems with his power and your power mixing…”

“What PROBLEMS?” Luna demanded, nearly shouting at her sister and succeeded in turning the attention to them anyway.

“He is the Lord of the Dreamscape in his realm,” Celestia replied, speaking of the world that Luna always visited to make sure their subjects were o.k.

“But that’s mine and Luna’s job,” Nightmare said.

“I’ll stay out of the Dreamscape,” Midnight said, which must have shocked the gathered ponies since several of them gasped, “What? If you two are in control of it here than who am I to overstep my welcome by invading your realm? Besides, in my realm Luna was given the Dreamscape before I was sealed away by my family.”

“The other problem,” Celestia muttered softly before speaking louder, “Midnight was evil at one point, which led to the finding of the Elements and the building of Canterlot for his realm.”

“Oh dear Faust,” Luna said, preventing herself from slamming her head into the desk, “Tell me, what else do we need to know about you before I make up my mind on what to do with you?”

“Let’s see here,” Midnight slowly said, “Was once evil, check. Sealed away due to being evil, check. Lord of the Dreamscape, check. Who my family is, haven’t done that one yet. Guess I know what I’m going to tell you now.
In my realm I am the brother of Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, brother of Queen Chrysalis and King Sombra, and friend of the God of Chaos, Discord.”

For a couple minutes none of the assembled ponies spoke. It was clear to Midnight that they didn’t believe what he had just told them. Even Celestia, who had talked with the Doctor, was surprised by what she had heard. And this time Luna really did slam her head into her desk, shattering the wood easily.

“Did you know about this Celestia?” Luna accused, cleaning her face of any chips that might have lingered from the explosion.

“No, the Doctor never told me that part,” Celestia confessed, “which makes me wonder what else he forgot to mention to me.”

“He likely forgot to mention that I am bound to something called the Nexus,” Midnight said, drawing more confused looks from them all, “Ugh, I can tell that I am going to need something strong to keep me energized if I’m going to tell you all about the Nexus and my connection to it. What do you drink in times like this?”

“Starbucks Coffee,” Celestia answered.

“Lunar Tea,” Luna and Nightmare piped up.

“Diamond Latte,” Cadence and Shadence said, earning looks from the others, “What? It takes good and keeps us awake.”

“I guess some Lunar Tea will do,” Midnight sighed, “and I would recommend that you all get something as well. I have much to say and not enough patience to repeat myself.”

Not twenty minutes later the five of them were sitting in couches that were facing the board that Midnight would be using. Midnight himself was standing next to it, taking a quick sip from his mug before he put it on a nearby stand. It was clear that he had a lot to go through and they just happened to be waiting patiently for him to begin.

“So, the Nexus,” Midnight started, his magic already changing the board to a crystalline structure, “The structures themselves are crafted from a combination of pure magic and crystals, which emits a special barrier to protect the Bastion from invaders.”

“The Bastion?” Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow.

“The Lost Bastion of Magic it is known as,” Midnight continued, the picture moving out to reveal a crater, “hidden away in the Artic North near the Crystal Kingdom inside a crater big enough to hide the whole of Canterlot inside. Or more like two and a half to three Canterlots. Four gates surround the entire complex, providing a second barrier in case an enemy was to break through the first one. And directly past that lies the second ring, which holds the Nexus itself at the very center.”

“So it’s the Core then?” Celestia asked.

“Yes,” Midnight answered, “The Bastion’s center, the Core if you will, is the house of the Nexus like I said. It is the third and final layer of protection the Nexus needs against anything and anypony. Of course if something were to get that far without an invitation they would quickly find me there to fend them off. And since I am the Prince of Magic there is almost nothing that I am scared of fighting.”

“And the Nexus?” Celestia asked.

“Oh Faust almighty will you just shut up already Celestia?” Nightmare said angrily, turning to the ancient mare, “We won’t get the whole picture with you asking so many questions.”

“The Nexus is the source of all Magic,” Midnight answered, though it was clear he was also getting annoyed, “just like the honest and negative emotions that could emit from the Crystal Kingdom. It requires a special key to open the gates, an invitation from me to pass into the second ring, and my special necklace to open the Core to access the Nexus. Now say somepony foul, dark, and completely evil were to overpower me and take the items to pass through the rings. What do you think would happen to all the magic in the world then?”

“It would become tainted,” Nightmare immediately said, “and it would corrupt and destroy anypony or everypony in the entirety of Equestria.”

“Exactly,” Midnight said slowly, “If the Bastion was to ever fall then all the magic in Equestria would bow to a corrupted pony who would abuse it. And the only ponies I know that could rip that away from me are the Shadows known by the names of Darkstar and Thrack.”

“So my long dead Shadow and a monster,” Celestia said, shaking her head, “Reginald killed Darkstar months ago and Thrack has been locked away within her other side, Sweetie Belle.”

Midnight burst out laughing.

“Silly Celestia,” he said, “I know that you know Darkstar is very much alive. In fact you all know she has been alive for a few hours and hasn’t moved since her reawakening. And I can tell you exactly where she currently is.”

“WHERE. IS. MY. SISTER!?” Nightmare said, nearly shouting the words at him.

“The Catacombs under the Everfree Forest,” Midnight answered, “surrounded by a vast army of long dead ponies that serve Thrack in their unnatural afterlife. Yes she came back, as all Shadows eventually do, but now she is in the lair of the monster Thrack. You can call her weak now, but soon she’ll have enough power to try taking the Nexus and using it’s magic to conquer all the existing realms.”

“What,” Nightmare said, started by the new information.

“She knows I’m here,” Midnight said, “and she can feel the Nexus pulsing with magic. She’ll gather her power back together and come to the Artic North alone. She will challenge me for control of the Nexus and if she beats me she will overtake everything.”

Midnight knocked on the board and it tore itself in half, a magical gateway opening before the eyes of the assembled group. On the other side rested a crystalline structure that stretched upwards into the sky.

“Allow me to invite the five of you to the Lost Bastion of Magic,” Midnight said, beckoning to the portal, “and I will show you something that not even Star Swirl the Bearded knew about.”

As the group walked through the portal they found themselves standing in front of a huge light blue crystalline gate. Behind them, just barely visible to their eyes, was the edge a near white barrier that matched the snow around it. As Midnight appeared on their side of the portal he withdrew a blue crystal key and the gate slowly opened.

“Welcome,” he said, the portal closing once he was out, “to the Lost Bastion of Magic.”

Crystalline buildings stood in almost every direction that the five mares looked in as the group journeyed into the Bastion’s first ring, the gate closing behind them. The magic in the air was enough to refresh all of them and then some. Nightmare felt as if she could fight and defeat her sister in single combat.

The ground moved slightly and a huge form emerged, growing to the height of one of the buildings before looking down on them. The creature, make of crystal like everything else in the Bastion, was none other than a crystal golem. Celestia, familiar with the creature, knew they would be in trouble if such a creature attacked them.

“Prince Midnight,” the golem said, its eyes resting on the light purple alicorn, “We’ve been awaiting your return to the Bastion. Are these ponies your guests?”

“Yes they are,” Midnight replied, a smaller gate ahead of them slowly opening, “Princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadence of the Light Realm and Princesses Nightmare and Shadence of the Shadow Realm.”

“Good, good,” the golem said, rising up to a straight standing position, “I welcome the Princesses of the Light and Shadow Realms to the Lost Bastion of Magic. Enjoy your visit.”

And just like that the golem returned to the ground below them and soon it was no longer visible.

“You have a crystal golem protecting the Bastion,” Celestia said, “I can’t believe they still exist.”

“There are more golems where he came from,” Midnight said, continuing towards the second ring, “and there are other Guardians that exist to defend against invaders besides the golems. You haven’t seen what I truly wanted to show you yet.”

The second ring, though slightly smaller than the one before it, was busy with all sorts of creatures running about.
Creatures made of stone, wind, fire, water, and magic filled the area. Celestia knew that if Midnight were to attack anypony with these creatures then he’d destroy whatever he was facing. She was glad that he was on their side.

“Welcome to the Core,” Midnight said, just as the group entered a large domed building and came to meet nothing.

“What gives Midnight,” Nightmare asked, “If this is the location of the Nexus then shouldn’t there be something that resembles a source of power?”

“Come on Nex, show yourself.” Midnight called out to the empty space as if there was something else in the room.

The body of a light blue serpent appeared before the group, though seeing the magic around it caught the eyes of everypony but Midnight. The serpent looked down at them all and gave what must have been its version of a smile. Luna could have sworn that the serpent was made out of the stars one minute and then flesh the next minute. Even the mighty Celestia couldn’t shake the feeling of meeting an ancient creature off so easily.

“I am the serpent Nex,” the being said, its voice light and kind, “the physical form of what is called the Nexus. I have only shown my true form to Midnight and I trust the five of you to keep it a secret as well.”

“We will do so,” Cadence said, watching the ancient dragon lower to the ground and phasing into a fleshy form.

“How are you feeling in this realm Nex,” Midnight asked the serpent, “adjusting to the magic easily?”

“I am adjusting quite well,” the serpent replied, “I take it you are preparing for the eventual confrontation with the one known as Darkstar?”

“Wait a minute,” Nightmare said, “You sound as if my sister is on her way here. Why is that?”

“The one named Darkstar is already on her way here,” the dragon replied, “She is on her way here right now to seize control of the Bastion and the vast magic I contain.”

-Area just outside the Bastion’s walls-

Walls of darkness sprout up out of the ground and separated to reveal an alicorn standing there. Her coat was colored grey like the rest of the Shadows from her native realm while her flowing tail and mane had the form of black flames. Her royal armor and crown were neatly resting in their respective locations as her light blue eyes scanned the area before her. Darkstar had returned to the Light Realm and she was going to gain the power to conquer everything.

The evil mare approached the first wall of protection, the barrier, and placed a hoof on the shimmering surface. Her magic ate away at the bindings of the spell, almost like it was rotting it away, and it quickly snapped. The barrier began to vanish as it was slowly eaten by the foul magic of Darkstar, who smirked as she passed the threshold. She would defeat the one who held the Bastion and take all the magic it contained.

Duel

“She’s right outside the Bastion,” Midnight said, suddenly turning back to face the doors of the Core, “I should have seen this coming.”

“Seen what?” Shadence asked, the group following the stallion out of the Core.

“That when I brought you all here she would have figured out where the Bastion was located,” Midnight answered, “She’s the Shadow of Celestia and knows everything she knows. If I told Celestia where the Bastion was or brought her here than Darkstar would have known as well.”

The group stopped behind Midnight, who had stopped to watch the progress of the fading barrier. His magic, from what Celestia could see, was bubbling as the barrier broke piece of piece to the power of Darkstar. She realized that her own Shadow hadn’t gotten weaker, but had remained at the same level of unbelievable power she had been at last time. She didn’t even know if Midnight had enough magical energy to overcome the evil alicorn that was waiting for him.

“Take this portal and return to the school,” Midnight calmly said, trying to suppress his anger as a gateway opened next to him, “I will take care of this.”

“But Midnight…” Luna started, approaching the alicorn.

“I said go,” Midnight shouted, causing them all to flinch, “I don’t want you to get harmed by any stray spells that she might fire.”

Luna looked like she wanted to say something, anything at all, to the stallion, but found that she couldn’t. She looked back at the others and quickly found that they were in the same predicament that she was in. The Princess of the Night turned towards the stallion and gave him a quick hug for encouragement.

“We’ll see you when you return,” she said, backing away towards the gateway, “So feel free to let loose when you fight Darkstar.”

“I intend to do that,” Midnight said, turning back to watch the group leave before closing the gateway.

The next instant Midnight flew past the gates of the first and second rings and slammed right into the body of Darkstar, momentarily throwing her concentration off and tossing her backwards. The mare was quick to react and instantly threw black flames at Midnight, who barrel rolled out of the way before they touched him. He, in turn, summoned a bolt of lightning and threw it at her, though Darkstar managed to dodge it before it could even touch her.

“Impressive,” Darkstar said, sounding genuinely impressed, “it has been quite a long time since I have had the pleasure of fighting somepony of your unique caliber Prince Midnight. I must say that nopony has ever dodged my flames or come that close to hitting me in the few seconds we were fighting.”

“The last pony you fought was Thrack,” Midnight said quickly getting up before she attacked him, “and you snapped her neck before she could lift a clawed hoof against you. My caliber of magic is completely unique because I am the Prince of Magic, though I know you knew that since you found the Bastion with no problems.”

“Celestia should have thanked me for killing Thrack,” Darkstar spat, her anger already boiling, “I never cared for the creations of my sister, no matter how powerful or how useful they eventually turned out in the end. So the hybrid monster created an army of undead ponies to do her will while she’s stuck inside a foolish filly? I didn’t really care much for that, but they gave me information on the fact that a school had been built. Maybe I should erase that place once I have control of the Bastion.”

“You’ll destroy everything and everypony if you corrupt the Nexus,” Midnight shouted, “Only I can communicate with the Nexus and direct the flow of magic that comes from it. You would open a gateway to the abyss and bring all the known worlds into oblivion if you commanded my power.”

“I will obliterate you,” Darkstar screamed, the sky darkening in an instant, “and I will harness the vast amounts of magic that reside in the Nexus.”

“Try it,” Midnight replied, unleashing his magic.

The earth quaked and split around Darkstar, who immediately noticed and launched herself into the air to avoid the spikes. Before Midnight could throw a second spell he jumped to the side to avoid a pillar of darkness that erupted from below where he was standing. He leapt into the air and their horns connected, but the two were thrown backwards from the magical contact.

Darkstar seized her chance and summoned up an assortment of shadow weapons, each of them held in her magical grasp. She tossed her knives at him and was pleased to find that they shattered against a barrier that appeared to protect him. The pieces turned into darkness and floated around him as she wasted even more of the weapons on him. The more pieces she generated gave her a much bigger mist of darkness that floated around the Prince.

She smiled and converted the darkness to a mass of huge spikes that floated around the barrier, their points poised to strike. Midnight looked around and held his barrier up, his mind racing to find a way out of his predicament. Just as he figured it out and cast the spell Darkstar activated the spikes and punctured the barrier with ease. Darkstar quickly realized that he wasn’t there and back flipped into the air, dodging another lightning bolt.

Then pain ripped through her right wing as a third lightning bolt passed through her bone, knocking her right out of the air. She quickly caught herself and safely landed on the ground before jumping to the side as more spikes erupted out of the ground. Her flames broke out of the ground and launched themselves at Midnight, hitting his side before his barrier could spring up. He hit the ground and began to put them out as he stared at Darkstar, who was healing her own wound.

“I will say it again, I am impressed,” Darkstar commented, standing up straight, “though you may be a little redundant with your choice of spells. The same earth and lighting spells repeatedly will not get you anywhere fast.”

“They were enough to wound you,” Midnight replied, getting up and focusing on the mare, “though I can tell that this isn’t all of your power. I thought the powerful Princess Darkstar of the Shadow Realm was supposed to have much more power than this.”

“I am much more powerful than I currently am,” Darkstar said, flames lingering in her eyes as the magic began to bubble around her, “If you know all about me then you should know about my truest and most deadly power of all.”

A pillar of magic erupted all around Darkstar, rising into the air as she began to unleash her ultimate power. Midnight gathered his magic spells and his strength for when she emerged, he was seriously going to need it. The ground literally began to break all around where the pillar was, sinking into the ground with ease. Midnight thought himself prepared, but when the pillar vanished and the shaking ground stopped he started to sweat.

Standing there in the center of a charred crater, on her hind legs no less, was Darkstar, but at the same time it didn’t look like her. Her legs were now that of the wereponies, all clawed and ready to rend the life out of whomever Darkstar wished to use them against. Her pegasus wings were now dreadful looking vampony wings and she had small fangs in her mouth. She even had pitch black draconic colored eyes that seemed to stare into Midnight’s very soul. And in one of Darkstar’s clawed hooves rested a scythe that seemed to ooze darkness.

“This is the form of Thrack,” Midnight said, his barrier ready for any attack she sent at him, “A form you stole from her when you first ate her soul.”

“That is in the past now,” the evil mare replied, her voice void of all emotion, “Now I will use my full power and take what you have so I can conquer all the known worlds and then some. Do you really think that I came unprepared to face you without using my full power? You, the Prince of Magic, must have a trick or two hidden around to use if things get desperate.”

Before Midnight said anything he threw up his barrier in time to stop her from taking his life with the scythe, which cut through the barrier like it was made of paper. He backed up quickly and threw up a three layered barrier, hoping that the extra layers would keep her out longer. His hopes were dashed as she easily cut through them all as well and cut into the upper part of his front left leg.

Midnight leapt back and threw up a holding cube around Darkstar, a prison designed to stop her in her tracks and force her to succumb to sleep. It was a cheap move, but if it helped him take the mare down then he was willing to use it and more. Unfortunately for him it didn’t appear that the barrier was doing anything to Darkstar at all, which annoyed him.

“Allow me to show you the full extent of my power,” Darkstar said, lifting her empty clawed limb to the wall of the barrier.

A few seconds passed before anything actually happened, but when it did happen the barrier began to slowly break apart. When the barrier exploded Midnight threw himself into the air and barely missed the head of the scythe attack. He turned around and kicked Darkstar in the head, but even his protected hoof proved to be no match for her now. She grabbed him by the neck and tossed him at the closed doors of the Bastion, shattering them and opening the way into the place.

Darkstar took a step into the Bastion and immediately stopped as a wooden door erupted out of nowhere in front of her. She smiled and raised the scythe, but stopped as she noticed a diamond door appear to the right of her. On her left side now stood a door fashioned from darkness and behind her was a door crafted from fire. Below her was a fifth door crafted from the earth she walked on and above her was a final door make of obsidian.

“The Six Layer Prison,” Midnight said, groaning as he stood up, “With this I will destroy all your strength and make it so you cannot fight me anymore. Though you may have taken a step into the Bastion it will be as far as you will ever get to go.”

“You are seriously underestimating me Prince Midnight,” Darkstar said, laughing at his attempts to defeat her, “You cannot simply trap me and expect me to lose the will to fight you. You even saw what happened to the last barrier you put me in. What makes you think this one will last longer than that last one?”

“I honestly don’t,” Midnight said, “I expect it to disappear within the next minute, which just happens to be all the time I need.”

The area in front of Darkstar lit up as pure magic flooded the prison and exploded before she could even raise a limb to move. Midnight sighed and fully faced the prison, expecting it to stand now that he believed Darkstar to be defeated. It stood for a couple of seconds, but then it shattered and the evil mare rushed right out and grabbed him by the neck once more. Darkstar, Midnight soon realized, was only lightly wounded and still had so much more fight left in her. And, once again, he was tossed at the gate of the Bastion and passed through it, making an opening to the second ring and the Core.

“Not even you can stop me,” Darkstar said, appearing above Midnight’s body with her scythe ready to end him, “You should have just given me the Bastion when we first started fighting and I would have spared your life. Oh well, now you will fade from existence and be a forgotten memory.”

Darkstar swung the scythe and hit the ground where Midnight was supposed to be, but he wasn’t lying there anymore. She looked around and found nothing, no hints that a body had been lying anywhere near her location. She suspected that something was happening, but she either couldn’t see it or it wasn’t meant for her to be seen. Not that Midnight really mattered that much, seeing how close she was to the doors of the Core and the ultimate magic.

She took a step forward and lightning crashed near where she was standing, which seemed strange that it missed her. If Midnight was actually attacking her then he must have been weakened from all the injuries that he had taken while fighting Darkstar. Darkstar chuckled and took another step forward and another lightning bolt nearly missed her. The first time it was funny, but now it was getting lame.

“Come and fight me like a real stallion would Midnight,” Darkstar shouted at the black sky, “Don’t hide behind the clouds like a weakling that can’t face the truth that he doesn’t have the power to overcome his opponent.”

“It’s not him that was underestimating you,” said a voice as a dragon appeared in front of the Core, “but it was you who was underestimating him.”

“What are you talking about,” Darkstar commanded, swinging the scythe around to face the dragon, “I am more powerful than Luna, Nightmare Moon, and even Celestia. I am certainly more powerful than an alicorn who commands magic and doesn’t use all his power against me.”

“All his power you say?” the dragon asked, grinning, “Personally, I would focus on the clouds instead of a bystander to your fight.”

Darkstar turned around and the clouds split in half, momentarily blinding her before the light faded. Standing in the sky was Midnight, but while he didn’t look any different he seemed to be pulsing with pure magic. Darkstar grinned and tossed black flames into the sky, aimed directly at Midnight. A light breeze passed over her and something strange happened, Midnight instantly appeared behind her without using his horn.

“How…” Darkstar started before a hoof a thrown in her face and crushed her into a crystal building. She growled and pried herself off the wall before throwing herself at the stallion, bringing the scythe down on his head.

Midnight raised his hoof and blocked the scythe with a small barrier shield, which caused the blade to shatter into a thousand tiny pieces. Before Darkstar could react Midnight’s unguarded hoof slammed into her stomach and crushed her into the ground. The ground seemed to shatter around her before Midnight released her.

“Three strikes and you’re out,” Midnight said, his horn now lighting up.

“You…you haven’t hit me three times yet,” Darkstar said, feeling a slight tug on her body, “that was only two hits.”

“I’m sorry, but you miss counted,” Midnight replied, “Once on the head while you were distracted, second to shatter your scythe, and third to crush you into the ground. And I didn’t say normal ordinary hits considering we are both magical alicorns.”

“Now what will you do with me?” Darkstar asked, coughing as she stared up at the stallion, “Banish me back to my realm and make it so I can never travel to other realms again? Bring me before Celestia so she can finish me off and make it so I can never return?”

“I will dissolve you into magic,” Midnight said, “but you will eventually return to the Shadow Realm and you beloved sister Nightmare Moon. However, when you do return you will not have the soul eating and ability gaining ability that you currently possess. That cursed ability, along with all your stolen powers, will be returned to the magic that they belong to.”

“I’LL KILL YOU,” Darkstar shouted, jumping into the air and realizing that her wings were no longer vampony wings.

“The magic has already been working its hand on you the moment I hit you the third time,” Midnight explained, watching the mare slowly disappear like she had done to the barriers, “Now you will pay for attacking the Bastion. This is good bye Princess Darkstar.”

“I will find you,” Darkstar promised, her body beginning to fade faster, “and when I do I will take your magic from you.”

“Good luck with that Darkstar,” Midnight said, turning around as Darkstar faded into nothingness.

Plans

The Everfree Forest, home to dozens of monsters that ponykind has feared for many years and the resting place of the Royal Sister’s first castle. The small town Ponyville rested near it, but far enough that the citizens could sleep easy and not be scared of what could come out of the woods. It was also the home of a very witty zebra that went by the name Zecora, though she was currently not home. She had returned to her homeland to spend time with her family.

And deep underground it was home to the vast catacombs that housed the reanimated army of ponies that served Thrack. Ever since Blackwood, the unicorn in charge of the Unicorn Division, had been reawakened the activity around the cemetery was building. With a special barrier devised by their master they had a way to work without sound escaping or images being shown. Just behind the barrier stood a wall that started at the edge near Ponyville and stretched across the whole of the forest, eventually ending up at where it started.

They had changed the old castle into the beginnings of a tall fortress that would serve as Thrack’s palace. The workers hauled carts to and from, dropping off materials and picking up completed portions of structures. The portions would be driven to their destinations and dropped off before being placed within the desired spot. And overseeing the construction was Red Star, who was shouting orders at everypony around him.

Blackwood had been spending time in front of an orb that showed him how the dead’s master was doing in the School of Shadows. It was he who discovered the resting place of Darkstar and had broken into the tomb to speed up her regeneration. It was he who discovered the arrival of the one named Midnight, an alicorn whose magical power could threaten their master. He was not worried and knew that Thrack had a plan for both Midnight and the filly whose body she was trapped in.

With the utter destruction of Darkstar the unicorn sighed and stored the orb inside a bag that could contain the magical properties of the very orb he held. The other commanders watched Red Star from within the palace of Thrack, taking turns every couple of hours. The black throne itself stood near the back of the room, empty of the one who was supposed to sit in it. Blackwood was sure that the four would soon start fighting with each other to determine who was best suited to lead the undead until Thrack returned.

“Must we constantly fight over who rules while the Master is gone?” Shadow Blitz asked, throwing down the newspaper she had been reading.

“Some of us aren’t fighting,” Queen Allure answered, discarding the silver unicorn disguise she had been wearing so she could get updates on the rest of Equestria, “We’re simply studying our adversary’s movements before we make our move.”

“Take me for instance,” King Silverwing said, settling down on a couch before turning his attention to the others, “When I was alive the griffins would study the magic holding our opponents shields together and powering their disastrous weapons. The same could be said for right now; I could study Blackwood and easily defeat him if the need were to arise.”

“But you won’t be fighting me,” Blackwood remarked, “You’ll be fighting the citizens and the remains of the Royal Army of Canterlot when the order is given. Even now I can feel Sweetie’s will breaking under the stress of keeping our master locked up. Darkstar, on the other hoof, will not be joining us anytime soon.”

“It happened again?” Allure asked, receiving a nod from the unicorn, “She went and got herself destroyed by another opponent again. First Reginald and now the one you call Midnight. At least nopony else knows of our existence or our plans.”

“And that is the way it must stay,” Blackwood said, pulling out a second orb made of pure ruby, “This orb will allow me to invade the mind or dreams of Sweetie Belle so I can weaken her to the point where she will break. Once her will is broken Thrack will escape and assume control before she destroys Celestia once and for all.”

“The one called Midnight might find out before the others do,” Shadow Blitz commented, “If he’s powerful enough to take down the Shadow of Celestia then he might do the same with our Master when she escapes.”

“If Thrack were to escape soon Midnight wouldn’t be able to stop her,” the unicorn stated, “He’s expanded too much of his energy fighting Darkstar and won’t be ready for another fight for some days. It is my hope that Sweetie breaks and Thrack escapes before Midnight has the chance to recover all his strength.”

“I’ve heard rumors about a Changeling mare that knocked Thrack back into her prison while she was on the train,” Silverwing said, turning to the Changeling Queen, “a young filly by the name of Princess Mea, the daughter of Chrysalis herself. Care to explain that one Allure?”

“Certainly you jest at the idea of me divulging ancient Changeling Secrets,” Allure dramatically said, faking her emotion towards the griffin king.

“I do not jest,” the griffin growled, looking the Changeling in the eyes, “and unless you want to die a second time I suggest that you tell me about this ‘ability’ that the young princess seems to possess.”

“Very well then,” Allure sighed, “It is an ancient Changeling power that awakens within the body of a Princess Changeling either once every thousand years or whenever it is needed. It gives the Princess, in this case Mea, the magical power to command the very minds of those she comes into contact with. Or, as she demonstrated on the train, it can be used to silence those who have great power of their own. Right now she’s in the first stage of the power, the stage where she can break minds for minutes at a time, but she’ll eventually reach the second stage.

Once she reaches the point where she has either used the ability long enough or has suffered a personal loss, like her mother for instance, the power grows. It is at this point where she can manipulate the physical realm and twist it to her will, much like Discord does. If she were to achieve that point she could stand hoof to hoof with Thrack and could quite possibly destroy her. This stage has another name amongst the Changelings; it is referred to as the Eternal Stage.”

“Can Mea be defeated?” Shadow Blitz asked, though it was clear that Blackwood was thinking the same thing.

“She is but a filly,” Allure stated, shaking her hoof in the air, “A young filly who doesn’t realize what power sleeps within her, waiting to be unleashed on whatever she uses it against. And the reason I know so much is because I was the first Changeling Princess in all of Equestria to obtain the power. With my Eternal Stage power I could render the filly harmless in seconds. Nothing can stop us from freeing Thrack.”

-The School of Shadows, Morning-

That’s it Thrack, Sweetie shouted in her mind, I am through listening to you day in and day out about your evil plans. I’m tired of watching you kill ponies for the sake of destroying Celestia. I’m tired of being treated differently because of you.

What are you doing you foolish filly, Thrack commanded, my plans cannot be made known to anypony just yet. Stop, I command you to return to your bed and forget about this plan of yours. You will listen to me!

I will not, Sweetie countered, the energy of her words hitting the spirit of Thrack hard, I am not your plaything. You think that just because you’re so ancient and powerful you get to boss me around and expect me to listen. In case you haven’t noticed, Thrack, you lost the last two times you tried to take over Equestria by killing Celestia.

This time I will destroy her you insolent filly, Thrack shrieked, you cannot stop my undead army from destroying everything in their path. They will eradicate Ponyville and Canterlot before they board the special train that comes here and destroy the entire school.

Sweetie, about to throw another comment at the spirit, noticed the Royal Family directly ahead of her, though their expressions weren’t what she was hoping to see. Celestia looked absolutely furious, almost like she knew exactly what Sweetie wanted to tell her. Cadence was looking around the group as if she was trying to determine where so much negativity was coming from. And Luna had an excellent poker face on; Sweetie couldn’t tell if she was angry or just calm despite her family’s expressions. And walking behind them was the alicorn she had seen yesterday during her class, Midnight.

Umm… hey Sweetie Belle…, Thrack said, though Sweetie could hear the fear that lingered in the spirit’s voice, we really should be going to the mess hall and not directly into the path of those four.

Now the high and mighty Thrack is scared? Sweetie asked, surprised, you were trained by Luna, or Nightmare Moon if you prefer, and Cadence has almost no power over you. I need not say what happened between you and Celestia. Midnight may be the Prince of Magic, but I doubt you’re scared of him too much.

That’s just the thing, Thrack whispered, He erased Darkstar when she attacked his precious Bastion of Magic. He’s got the power to do almost anything he wants.

“Ah, Sweetie Belle,” Celestia said, cutting into the talk by dragging Sweetie back to them, “Midnight here wants to see if Thrack is…misbehaving…in any way that might raise an alarm for us.”

“Misbehaving like raising an army of undead ponies, griffins, and Changelings to do her dirty work and build an empire for her?” Sweetie innocently asked, shaking as the four alicorns faced her fully.

“Something along those lines, yes,” Midnight quickly answered, staring into Sweetie’s eyes, “Are you saying that you might know something about her unusual ability to reanimate the undead?”

“I reckon that is what I meant,” Sweetie said, gathering her courage before she spoke again, “Thrack’s memories showed me that whenever she killed a pony she brought them back to serve her evil deeds. Slowly she began to gather enough ponies to build a vast underground burial chamber that rests directly beneath the Everfree Forest. The Catacombs have been awakened and now the undead army rests in the forest, tearing it apart as they prepare for Thrack’s final war.

A war between the Living and the Dead.”

Midnight studied the filly standing before him, analyzing the magic that held the monster Thrack deep within her body and the second layer that prevented her from leaving. The spells were the correct ones that he would have used in the situation, but he discovered a tiny flaw that he was sure Celestia didn’t know about. A flaw that allowed the memories of Thrack to pool into Sweetie’s dreams and that would have, eventually, led to her escape.

“I must say that you are quite skilled with such powerful magic Celestia,” Midnight said, giving this realm’s version of his sister some praise, “but that is expected of the Solar Goddess. There is but one small crack in the spell that has been allowing the memories of the monster to reveal themselves to Sweetie in her dreams.”

“And if what she says is true I have to ready my guards,” Celestia stated, turning for where the train was located, “and prepare for their arrival.”

“Yes, but first I must do something,” Midnight said, placing a hoof on Sweetie’s chest, “I must break the bonds that keep the monster tied to Sweetie and force it out of her body.”

Sweetie was about to ask what the stallion meant when the shackles on her limbs suddenly turned to dust and were swept away by the wind. Before she could even move she felt all the hate and negative emotions of Thrack suddenly leave her body. Sweetie collapsed on the ground and weakly looked back to see Midnight holding Thrack with his magic. He had literally shattered the bonds keeping her trapped inside Sweetie’s body and had dragged her out into the open.

“I will destroy you Midnight,” Thrack spat, struggling against the magic that held her, “and everypony that has come to this cursed school.”

Midnight blinked one eye and Thrack went flying into the center of the school, hitting the prison of the runeblade Frostmourne. Thrack smiled and smashed the remaining ice before gripping the handle and pulling the blade out. The cursed weapon was in her hands at last and now she could devour the souls of whoever she wanted. She turned the weapon on Midnight and stood there, waiting for the Prince to make his move before she showed her hand. At least that was what she was going to do before a portal opened beneath her hooves and she fell into open sky, directly above the Everfree Forest.

“Gather all the fighters you can,” Midnight said, barely facing Celestia, “I’m heading down to put an end to all this trouble that she has caused. Oh, and this gate will stretch as wide as it is needed, so feel free to send an airship or something through it.”

What that said Midnight spread his wings and leapt into the portal, entering the skies above the cursed forest that contained the dead. This time he planned on finishing off the monster so the realm could finally be at peace and he smiled. The sun was just a little after six in the morning and it was barely windy out.

It was a good day for a war.

Confrontation

Thrack hit the ground in the center of her growing empire and the loose ground easily gave way to her. The runeblade was still in her clawed hoof, glowing with the intense power she had imagined it contained. She could do so much with such a weapon, but she’d have to prepare quickly before her foe arrived. And she noticed the red coated earth stallion trotting over to her, his armor rustling as he moved.

“Master Thrack, we were expecting much later,” Red Star said, watching the monster mare leap out of the hole with ease, “Blackwood had come up with a plan to help you escape and it seems that he was wasting his time. The five of us have learned that your ‘special weapon’ is gone.”

“What?” Thrack angrily said, turning Frostmourne towards the stallion, “What happened to Darkstar after Blackwood brought her back?”

“Simple,” Red Star answered, “She died a second death.”

“Then why haven’t you brought her back yet,” Thrack shouted, pressing the tip of the blade into Red Star’s front shoulder, “If she died then you should have brought her back into unlife like the last time.”

“She’s gone Thrack,” Blackwood stated, walking up to the two, “Midnight defeated Darkstar and erased her from the world by converting her into magic. She’ll reappear in time, but not the time you’re willing to spend to wait.”

Thrack growled and turned towards the entrance of the catacombs, but not before staring at the hole in the sky and seeing the stallion fall through. She had barely been gone a minute and he was chasing her already.

“Tell the soldiers to prepare for war,” Thrack commanded, “Thanks to the Prince of Magic it seems we’ll be stepping up our timetable by a couple of weeks.”

If Blackwood was going to say something the mere mention of Midnight shut his mouth quickly and moved along. Midnight was a curse to their army in more ways than one, Blackwood reflected. First he destroyed the key powerhouse mare, aka Darkstar, and then he had separated Thrack from her weaker self. And it seemed that Thrack was somehow weakened from the forced extraction from the recesses of Sweetie’s being.

The more that Blackwood thought about it the more it began to make sense to him. Thrack’s armor was designed to contain her true power and could, possibly, restore her energy before her foe appeared. With the runeblade in her hooves and the power that coursed through her veins Thrack could overpower anypony. And Blackwood suspected that if Thrack, the Monster of the Night, was ever to be truly defeated then it would have to be at the hooves of Prince Midnight himself.

He and Red Star were quick to relay the orders to their fellow commanders, who were all surprised to hear that Thrack had returned. After all their collective planning on how to release her it seemed like a waste for it all to be worthless. But the army gathered and waited before them, waiting for the command to begin attacking whoever their foe was.

Of course none of them realized that their foe, if he were to arrive soon, was a master in the ways of magic.

~Midnight~

The clouds were a decent place to wait and watch your enemy Midnight decided. He had experience in fighting battles like this and he knew that it wouldn’t be pretty when it was all over. He wanted to choose the best course of action that wouldn’t make the ponies of Ponyville run in terror, though he suspected the coming of an airship could do that as well.

“I could drop a meteor on them,” he said aloud, though he was alone on his black cloud, “or I could rain fire on them and burn whatever supplies they happen to be making. Or maybe I could collapse the mountain on top of them. Maybe I should just get down there and start blasting them all into magical bits.”

“Trixie sees that you’re watching the undead’s movements carefully,” said a voice as the showmare landed on his cloud, “Any ideas pop into your head yet?”

“Several,” Midnight answered, shaking his head anyway, “though I hate the thought of scaring the ponies in Ponyville with my level of magical power.”

“They’re already gone,” Trixie stated.

“Wait, the citizens aren’t in Ponyville right now?” Midnight asked, curious as to how the mare knew that.

“Celestia already moved them the moment you told her about the catacombs,” Trixie answered, “So there is nopony in Ponyville to watch your magic and become scared. Feel free to use whatever magic you deem is necessary.”

Midnight grinned and took another look at the army below him, the perfect idea forming in his mind.

~School of Shadows~

Ponies were running in every direction, grabbing things off the walls before boarding one of the three working airships. The first ship, The Muffin, was piloted by Derpy Hooves, who seemed deadly serious as she confirmed her weapons were working. The second ship, The Loyalty, was Rainbow Dash’s pride and she walked around with a spring in her step as they awaited the order for takeoff. The final ship, The Royalty, was piloted by the Mechanic and Rarity, who had a number of barreled weapons tied around her stomach.

Sweetie and her friends waited on the deck of Rainbow’s ship, watching the chaos fold into order as the crew waited. Unfortunately for Sweetie she still had an echo of Thrack’s power, which meant she still looked like Thrack. The difference was that Sweetie’s power was now her own and it could be trained to be better later on. Sweetie didn’t know why she was on the ship anyway, but figured it was her destiny to end the threat her Shadow was causing.

Of course everything turned to chaos when Princess Celestia came out and issued the command that made the commanders grin. The portal that Midnight had opened stretched wide open and the three ships made their way through, appearing in the sky above the Everfree Forest.

“I wonder if Zecora is still around,” Scootaloo commented, “If she is then she’d be fighting the undead already and we might have heard about them sooner.”

“I think she returned to her home for a while,” Sweetie said, “we aren’t there to keep making trouble that required her help to fix it. She’s safe where Thrack and her army can’t reach her, though I have no doubt that she can handle herself in a fight.”

“O.k. everypony, here’s the plan,” Derpy shouted so they all could hear her speak, “We’re going to rain oblivion on them. No mercy for the dead.”

“Wow Derpy,” Rainbow shouted, “I didn’t know you had such fierceness within you all this time.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” Derpy replied, before turning to a soldier and shouting, “Fire the Muffin Cannons.”

Everypony expected her to be firing muffins down at their foes, but instead they were cannonballs designed to look like muffins. Plus they broke apart just before hitting the ground and caused more explosions that way.

“I’d focus my fire on the enemy ships,” Rarity said, watching at least five airships rise into the air, “otherwise we’ll be at a disadvantage soon.”

~The Catacombs~

Thrack picked up the pieces of her armor and smiled; pleased the pieces were still intact. The armor was none other than the armor of the infamous Lich King that was destroyed by her old master. Armor that could restore her damaged power and allowed her to use her abilities to the fullest with ease. She even had the helm to match, which meant she had all three of the items that the Lich King held. And sitting in a chest were six items that she knew nopony realized were currently missing from their resting place.

~Outside~

Midnight and Trixie appeared in the center of the undead army, but their arrival was due to traveling in the center of a flaming meteor that Midnight had conjured. It made Trixie uneasy to be around the stallion, but he was powerful in magic and she respected him. Though the undead were less than pleased with them and began to fight them, which gave Trixie an excuse to unleash her scythe on them.

“You know your dangerous right?” Trixie asked, sidestepping a bolt of magic before opening a foe up with her weapon, “The way you use magic is the strangest thing Trixie has ever seen.”

“What do you expect from the Prince of Magic,” Midnight replied, spinning his magic around him and freezing the first undead pony that reached him, “I know more than anypony does.”

Magic literally danced around his body and responded to his horn in an instants notice, becoming whatever he willed it to become. If he willed an orb of magic to appear then an orb would appear where he wanted it, or a fireball the size of a single story house. When he fought enemies magic would dance and listen to his commands, always changing when he needed it. And he always had that barrier that sprung up whenever it was needed.

Trixie’s illusions kept the undead busy for a few moments, making them run in circles and bash into each other. That was until Blackwood walked up to her and banished the illusions with a quick burst of magic. With her experience Trixie knew that the unicorn stallion was skilled in magic, but so was her ally.

“The Commanders are coming out to fight,” an undead stallion shouted, four more figures appearing near Blackwood.

“Trixie did not see that coming,” Trixie said, seeing the griffin and Changeling Queen standing in the group. Though the four newcomers quickly spread out and disappeared to different parts of the growing battlefield.

“I hope you’ll indulge me a little,” Trixie’s opponent said, “I am Blackwood, master of the arcane arts. I wish to fight you and only you right now.”

“Trixie gets the chance to fight a real battle with a master of the arcane arts?” Trixie asked, receiving a nod from the stallion, “Trixie accepts your challenge.”

~The Muffin Airship~

Derpy’s airship turned towards the enemy’s ships and began to lay it on them with Derpy’s special muffin cannonballs. It was quite effective until a pegasus surrounded by darkness smashed into the side of her ship and stalled the guns before appearing on a black cloud. Derpy immediately recognized her as Shadow Blitz, the fabled pegasus commander of Celestia’s army when she fought against Nightmare Moon. She was a hero among all the pegasus scattered throughout Equestria.

“Shadow Blitz, it is an honor to meet you,” Derpy said, settling on a cloud close to the ancient mare, “but I had hoped to meet you in the afterlife like everypony else. Now it seems that all your fans have been waiting for far too long to meet you.”

“Do I know you by chance kid?” Blitz asked, darkness gathering around her wings.

“No, you don’t,” Derpy answered, raising a golden spear, “I am Derpy Hooves, commander of the airship The Muffin, which you just attacked. On guard you undead muffin hater.”

~The Loyalty Airship~

Rainbow Dash had had enough of her enemies turning their weapons against her ship and proceeded to blast them out of the air. With The Muffin’s guns disabled it was up to Rainbow and the Mechanic to defeat the remaining three airships. That was what it looked like what was going to happen until something tore into the side of her ship and upset the balance.

“Girls,” Rainbow called to the Crusaders, “Hurry and get off the ship. Find somewhere safe and stay put until this is over.”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom ran to the captain’s cabin before they realized that they had left Sweetie Belle behind. When they got back to the bridge they found their friend stared at the smoke and the figure that was hiding within it.

“Nopony can mess with my friends you dweeb,” said a voice as a griffin appeared next to Rainbow, “and that includes you King Silverwing.”

“Gilda!?” Rainbow said, surprised to find her griffin friend here, “What the hay are you doing here?”

“Protecting my friends, duh,” Gilda replied, turning to the griffin that was no longer in the clouds, “but be careful, that is the Griffin Kingdom’s first king, the tyrant King Silverwing.”

“I’m honored that the griffins still remember me,” Silverwing said, “but if all they remember of me is being a tyrant then I will have to remedy that.”

~The Royalty Airship~

Applejack, who had been on Rarity’s ship the entire time, was now bucking whatever landed on the deck of the ship, knocking them off before they could harm anypony. Her Shadow, Blackjack, was helping on the other side and the two of them tried to keep the deck clear. Rarity, on the other hoof, cast a spell she learned from Twilight and jumped onto a cloud, landing softly and not falling through it. Once she established the spell had worked she quickly descended using the clouds around her until she was on the ground.

“About time somepony came here,” the Changeling Queen said, looking up at the mare before her, “though you aren’t the mare I was expecting to see here.”

“Excuse me?” Rarity asked.

“I was waiting for the one named Mea,” the changeling explained, sighing slightly, “but if you’re what I get first than who am I to complain? I just hope you put up a fight.”

“I don’t know who you are, but there is no way I am letting you touch a hair on that filly’s head,” Rarity said, her magic gripping one of her barreled weapons, “and my name is Rarity, the Element of Generosity.”

“An Element of Harmony eh?” the changeling said, mostly to herself before smiling, “Very well then, I am Queen Allure, the First Changeling Queen of the Swarm.”

~Red Star~

The ground shattered as Red Star’s attacked was blocked by a stallion earth pony wearing a suit of armor. It wasn’t every day that he fought an enemy who had some strength in their body and it seemed like the stallion before him had plenty. He flipped around and brought a hind leg down on the stallion’s back, barely putting a dent in the armor while shattering the ground again.

“Quite resistant aren’t you,” Red Star asked, “You must be one of Celestia’s special soldiers she wanted to make and never did during the war.”

“Nnope,” was the reply, “Ah’m resistant, but not special.”

Red Star grinned before he flipped away and landed by a tree, studying the red skinned stallion before him.

“What’s your name?” Red Star asked.

“Big Macintosh,” the stallion replied, “You?”

“Red Star,” he replied, “Maybe you’ve heard of me? I fought against Nightmare Moon in the war of the royal sisters.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said, “and now we fight.”

~The Catacombs~

Thrack smiled as the ground around her shook in response to the fighting happening above her. The dead were clashing with the living and her commanders were beginning to exercise their true powers. She collected the chest and continued back into the caverns that led her to her quarters, not bothering to close the door this time. If everything went as planned then the undead would have beaten the strongest foes Equestria could throw at them and it meant that the entire land was theirs.

~Aboveground~

“Something’s not right here,” Celestia said, descending into her Equestria with Luna, Cadence, and their Shadows not far behind.

“Whatever do you mean Tia?” Luna asked, “We have taken the war to Thrack’s base and we are already turning the tide in our favor. What’s not right about that?”

“It’s my old commanders,” Celestia confessed, “Take Blackwood for example; he is as skilled as Twilight is in the usage of the arcane art of battle. Red Star has hooves that can shatter the ground despite hitting or missing his foe. Shadow Blitz has the power to whip up any level of storm she wishes and the shadows eagerly follow her around.”

“So what seems to be the problem?” Nightmare asked.

“They aren’t wielding their true powers,” Celestia answered, “Blackwood would be setting the area around him ablaze with a few bursts of magic, Red Star would have already broken the ground enough to crush his own allies and his foes, and Shadow Blitz would conjure a storm of darkness to rip our forces to pieces. Nightmare you know this because you fought against them in the war.”

Nightmare looked away and focused on the field, realizing that both King Silverwing of the griffins and Queen Allure of the Changelings was still around. With all the dangerous allies Thrack had summoned from beyond the grave it was a wonder why she had waited so long to attack. It also meant that they were in serious trouble if whoever was fighting them happened to lose.

Trixie charged her weapon with magic and unleashed flames on her opponent, who quickly rolled to the side before they got to him. It allowed Trixie the chance to get close and swing the scythe right at his chest, but the stallion vanished in the blink of an eye. He reappeared behind her, grinning as she turned to face him again. She had planned something else, but now that she knew that he didn’t seem serious about the fight she could ditch her earlier plan.

Trixie’s magic began to gather around her, much like what Midnight was doing, only weaker and hard to control. Her magic could appear around her, but keeping it around to act as a barrier was what made it hard on her. But even if the spell failed it was a ploy to get past Blackwood’s defenses and strike at his core. Plus she had some copies of herself doing the exact same thing so she could confuse her enemy, who wasn’t looking confused.

“Your illusions cannot trick me,” Blackwood said, banishing a copy with a quick burst of magic, “So why bother with this charade?”

“Because Trixie is a master of illusions and tricks,” Trixie answered, being careful about talking before approaching her foe, “and to top it off you can add being a vampony to the list. Now let’s do this.”

True to her word magic leapt out of her horn and attacked the stallion before her, but the same thing happened with her copies. More than one beam rushed to meet the lone beam coming from Blackwood, but he didn’t seem worried in the slightest. Trixie wasn’t worried either, she had time and practice before she figured out how to defeat her foe. That was if Blackwood didn’t get past her guard and blast her into oblivion first.

A portion of the sky near The Muffin Airship turned dark as Derpy flew through the clouds, dodging the cloudy shadow serpents following her. Shadow Blitz, like the stories had mentioned several times, was hiding somewhere in the clouds and was using her powers to conjure creatures with her wings. In fact it was mentioned that the three commanders that led Celestia’s armies all possessed powers granting from their usage of the Elements of Harmony.

Derpy spun her spear around and pierced one of the clouds that got too close to her, forcing it to separate into pieces. Unfortunately there were at least three more of them on her trail and she still didn’t know where her enemy was hiding. She suspected Shadow Blitz was hiding in the large black cloud box not too far away, but she needed to eliminate the remaining serpents before trying anything.

Derpy smiled and spun around in the air, her spear slicing through two of the serpents before she rested behind the final serpent. This one failed to notice her and she easily separated it into pieces before turning on the box. It was time for Shadow Blitz to fight her own battle and not the serpents she could summon.

Red Star crushed the ground below him as Big Mac rolled to the side, barely dodging it in time. Since he missed his initial attack he got up and kicked the ground in front of Big Mac, making the stallion stumble. Red Star saw this and grinned before rushing up to the falling stallion and swinging his hoof at him.

“Nnope,” Big Mac said, a shield appearing on his front leg that took the damage of the attack.

The ground split in two and the shield shattered upon impact, but it wasn’t like Big Mac really needed it. He swung his front hoof into Red Star’s chest and cracked a couple of his ribs. The undead stallion fell to the ground and rolled away, though it was clear that he was in pain. Big Mac gave a quick smile as he realized that the undead could still feel pain and suspected they could feel other emotions as well.

Gilda, unlike everypony else, went straight for the griffin that had attacked her friends airship, thought she still didn’t understand why Dashie needed a ship to begin with. Her claws racked the air where Silverwing had been a moment before and she dived before she was hit from behind. She knew how her opponent was supposed to fight, but actually fighting him was proving to be somewhat difficult.

“Your good at reading my movements,” Silverwing said, turning to face Gilda, “but not good enough to actually harm me.”

“We’ll see about that punk,” Gilda shouted, folding her wings in and diving directly for Silverwing.

Her plan was to open her wings at the last second and smash Silverwing right into the side of Dashie’s ship, but that didn’t work out like she wanted. Before she could even open her wings the king appeared behind her and slammed her into the side of the ship, breaking into the interior. Gilda groaned and realized that she would have to be quicker if she wanted to hurt the old griffin.

And she realized that King Silverwing was as strong as the legends about him claimed that he was and was equally patient as he watched her.

Rarity was the first to strike, pulling out a barreled weapon and firing a quick burst right at the Changeling Queen. She expected the magic to hit the Queen and throw her into the side of the rock standing behind her, but she couldn’t have been more wrong. The Queen simply moved to the side and the magic connected with the rock, obliterating the stone in an instant.

“Such a strange weapon you have there,” Allure remarked, eying the barreled weapons the mare had, “I didn’t know Celestia allowed such weapons to be crafted.”

“A friend of mine made them,” Rarity said, switching the weapon for a shorter one, “and I tested them out before I came here. The magic of these weapons is quite effective if I must say so.”

Allure chuckled and jumped as three more shots were made, each of them passing where she had been moments before. Rarity growled and followed the Queen, firing short bursts at the Queen whenever she landed. However, Allure seemed to be playing with her and she was apparently enjoying herself.

Sweetie watched from the deck of Rainbow’s airship, watching the chaos that was unfolding below her. Chaos that was caused by the survival of Thrack, more commonly called the Monster of the Night during the times of the war. Sweetie sighed and wondered what she could do to defeat the monster, if she arrived and fought against the combined forces of the Light and Shadows.

Her friends stood next to her, watching the very chaos that was making Sweetie sick to her stomach. None of them wanted to be there and Sweetie was sure her friends would leave if she gave them the chance, but Sweetie would stay regardless. She just needed a plan she could use to defeat her Shadow and end this before somepony close to her or her friends died.

Thrack emerged from the catacombs and smiled as she watched Allure run by with Rarity on her tail, though it was clear she was playing with the mare. Frostmourne glowed and Thrack continued walking, ignoring the chest that she had brought up with her. She noticed Celestia in the sky and she lifted the sword till the point was aligned with the Sun Goddess. The time had come to end this petty war and destroy what remained of the Light and Shadows once and for all.

Atar's Decision

Sweetie watched the evil demon mare lift the ancient weapon and point up at Celestia. The meaning behind the gesture was clear to Sweetie and it should have been clear to anypony who had seen it. Thrack was still out to kill Celestia and with the ancient weapon in her hands she could do much more damage to the Goddess and her army. And just as Sweetie Belle was about to run off the edge of the ship so she could fight Thrack a voice that she wasn't expecting spoke up.

"THRACK."

The demon mare moved the blade to defend herself as a red coated unicorn brought a lance down on her as he landed beside her. Sparks flew as the two weapons meet, but neither pony took their eyes off the other.

"I wasn't expecting you to return Atar," Thrack said, smiling as she realized they could finish their fight at long last, "Did you come to finish our fight? Or did you come to get killed by me?"

"I came to finish our fight," Atar replied, his magic already building, "but more importantly I came to end the threat that you pose to every living pony in Equestria."

"I'm getting sick of hearing every single pony mention Equestria," Thrack spat, forcing Atar into the air, "First Celestia was concerned for the safety of those who are no more innocent than her or her fallen sister. Luna cared not for the citizens and cared only for destroying her sister, but when I came around she was bent on protecting the fallen land. I could care less about Cadence and her filthy love issues.

I stood with the Shadows so I could tear down the fallen land that was quickly descending into madness with war after war destroying its army. I watched a thousand years pass before I could open the gateway to the shadows using the Elements of Harmony. I was stopped, twice by the same meddling six mares as before, but now my army has awakened and we will destroy all of you."

Atar rushed Thrack and beat the ancient weapon out of her clawed limb, but it quickly returned with a quick burst of her magic. He frowned and spun his trusted weapon around, slamming the top on the edge of the dreaded sword. Still Thrack refused to budge, but that was to be expected of the most evil mare that walked the face of Equestria.

"And what about you Atar?" Thrack asked, staring into the stallion's eyes, "You served Darkstar after Celestia banished you to the Shadow Realm. You, the second most loyal pony in her entire army, laid broken and defeated on the stones of Shadowlot and would have stayed that way if not for her. I expected you to rejoin your master when she was resurrected, but now I see that you will switch masters only when it is necessary. I bet you'll switch to my side once I destroy Celestia and the rest of the living."

"You're wrong Thrack," Atar stated, forcing Thrack back before rushing to meet her again, "Darkstar gave me the chance to serve again and she was defeated by Reginald. Now I serve Celestia, who has seen fit to allow me some time in the Light every now and then. I now defend two worlds from threats from other worlds and threats like you and your undead army."

Thrack broke the connection and swung her weapon, missing as Atar turned to dust. She spun around, her eyes looking in every which way to find the stallion before he managed to hit her. The dust swerved to her right and she followed it, slamming the edge of her weapon into the mass of dust to dispel it. To her surprise the dust swarmed around her and she swung Frostmourne around wildly, breaking whatever mass of dust she could find.

While her back was turned Thrack failed to notice a mass of dust gathering and reforming the form of Atar, whose face wore no expression. With the lance ready he swung and carved a nasty diagonal cut onto Thrack's back, causing her to stumble forwards. She let go of the handle and Frostmourne left her clawed limb, hitting the ground with a light thud, before she fell forward and hit the ground hard.

In that one instant everypony, living and undead, stopped fighting as Thrack hit the ground. The undead were surprised that their master was done in, but since they were still there that meant she wasn't dead yet. After two or three minutes of silence the fighting resumed, magic hitting magic yet again.

"Sorry Thrack," Atar said, approaching the fallen mare with his lance ready to finish the deed, "I know this isn't how you imagined going out if you lost the war, but I cannot allow you to destroy more than what you already have. At last you went out with a bang."

"I couldn't agree more."

Atar barely had time to register that somepony had spoken before he was blasted into a tree at point blank range. He hit the ground and his lance rolled away from him. Some of his ribs were broken and it reminded him of when he and Reginald fought the last time. Reginald had broken him and now it was happening all over again, but this time it was Thrack that was breaking him.

Thrack stood up as her magic healed the cut on her back, leaving a rather nasty scar that she could carry for the rest of her life. She picked up Frostmourne and approached the chest that she had brought up with her, the magical lock now laying broken before her. She barely turned around as Celestia and her fellow alicorns landed next to Atar.

"Your too late Celestia," Thrack said, turning around as six orbs appeared around her, "With the power I currently wield and the powers of Frostmourne, the Lich King's armor, and these six orbs I will erase you and the rest of the alicorn's from the face of the world. Then I will raze the rest of Equestria until only the dead are left."

"To bad for you then," Celestia replied, a smirk appearing on her face, "With the Element of Harmony me and my sister will put an end to you and the army you have risen."

"Sorry Celestia, but the Elements are no longer yours." Thrack laughed at the surprised alicorn mare, who now seemed to realize exactly what the six orbs were. "While your precious ponies were fighting their Shadows I managed to swipe the forgotten Elements and store them with the rest of my items. You shall be the first to feel the unbound power of the Elements, Celestia."

The Elements vanished and their energy entered Thrack, who pointed directly at the white mare as red energy began to gather around her. An orb began to form as the group tried to get into the air, but they soon realized that Celestia was somehow frozen where she was standing. Atar groaned and jumped towards Celestia, pushing her out of the way as the orb released a beam of energy that headed straight towards them. Just before the beam hit him a circular gateway appeared out of nowhere, absorbing the attack in seconds.

"Impossible," Thrack said, "Nothing could have absorbed that attack without being destroyed in the process."

"It is quite possible," said a voice as Reginald appeared from behind the gateway, "It put it in the most simple of terms this is a gateway to Tartarus. Or the Underworld if you prefer. Today we put an end to you, Thrack, and the crimes against the natural order that you committed with not go unpunished.

Atar, do you think you have the power to summon the chains while I stabilize the gateway?"

"Remember who your talking to Reginald," Atar replied, his lance appearing next to him, "Of course I can summon the chains. Let us finish her off."

That never happened. Before Atar could do anything the gateway was gone, with Reginald taking a deep breath. Atar sighed and backed up, approaching the Princesses and their Shadows. He kept his eyes on Thrack, who seemed to be floating there, her eyes closed as a barrier seemed to surround her. Atar took that chance to approach Celestia, who still held his full power somewhere.

"Celestia," he said, "I need my full power. It could potentially destroy Thrack and her army in an instant."

"Just do what must be done Atar," Celestia said, "Slay her and end this terrible war."

The power hit him like a ton of bricks, forcing him back just a bit as he accepted what he had once been. Where she had been keeping it he didn't know, but now he could do something better. With magic swirling around him he touched the stands of magic in the air with his horn and drew out the one strand he needed most. Midnight seemed to know exactly what he was planning, but he didn't raise a hoof to stop him.

The sky darkened and the air rippled as a form appeared behind Thrack, quickly building into the form of an ancient alicorn of terrible power. Lightning flashed as the barrier that was protecting Thrack seemed to break apart piece by piece. The evil mare opened her eyes long enough to witnessed the flash of dark flames as her body was slowly consumed. Her limbs belted and her skin burst into flames as she witnessed Princess Darkstar, the terrible Dark Princess of the Shadow Equestria, emerge from the flames in all her dark glory. That was the last thing Thrack saw as she was consumed body and soul, her army dying along with her.

"Yeah," Atar triumphantly shouted, "Exactly like I planned."

Darkstar rolled her eyes and sighed. As much as she was glad to be alive again she was going to have to get used to some changes. And none of them looked like they were going to last long regardless.

Author's Note

Sorry for the delay and...I will apologize now if you hate how Thrack dies.
Leave comments if anything.

Flying Arrival

“Is it me or was that stallion slightly crazy?” Sweetie asked her friends as they walked towards their second class.

“He must have been crazy,” Scootaloo commented, “I mean he was staring at you like you were the prize sitting amongst a sea of dull objects.”

Sweetie’s second class of the day, after the class with the strange Paladin stallion, was not what she expected it to be. She and her friends were now standing on what appeared to be the bridge of a ship, but not any ship. They were now above the school, on board an airship, with the rest of the class and the wind blowing through all their manes.

That’s right; it was a class on flying. And the instructor was none other than Rainbow Dash, much to the delight of Scootaloo.

And that wasn’t all of it. There was a second airship not too far from the one that they were standing one, but one mare seemed to stand out on that ship. She wore a huge eye patch over her left eye and a simple set of golden armor. She wore a grey coat with a blond mane and her cutie mark was bubbles. Or was it bubble wrap?

That was also right; the second captain was none other than Derpy Hooves. Though this time she seemed deadly serious as she stared at all of them from afar.

“I understand why Scootaloo is here,” Apple Bloom said, “and I understand why Sweetie Belle is here, but what the hay am I doing here? I don’t have wings at all.”

“I believe you’re here to cheer on Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo,” Mea said, planked by her Changeling guards, “Though I am sure that you’ll be allowed to go to your actual class once they are comfortable with flying.”

“And your guards,” Apple Bloom asked, watching the three Changelings, “what about them?”

“Here to protect me,” Mea replied, sighing softly, “That’s all really.”

Sweetie Belle would have said something, but Rainbow Dash slammed a hoof onto the wooden floor and gathered the attention of everypony on her ship.

“Right then,” she said, “I’m not the best teacher in the world, but I’ll have you flying better than before the day is done. Now I’m sure that your all worried about Derpy being my assistant, but with one clear eye she can see better and will not let anything harm you. And for added protection the Princesses have seen fit to allow Atar and Reginald to watch over the class.”

More like watch me, Sweetie thought as she noticed the two ponies on Derpy’s ship, and to stop Thrack if she were to suddenly take over.

She hated the idea of being watched because she had the power of a monster that wanted to destroy Princess Celestia. No, wait; it was more like she had the monster’s soul inside her and it was trying to escape so it could raise an army of the undead to do her dirty work. An army that she couldn’t tell anypony about because of Thrack’s magic. And Sweetie was sure that Darkstar had finally returned after seeing the panicked look on Nightmare’s face earlier that morning.

Yeah, she wasn’t paying attention to the class. Why would she anyway? Once she figured out how to remove Thrack and all her power from her body she could get into the classes she wanted. How she wanted to rip the monster out of her and eradicate her. That would please Princess Celestia.

Sweetie shook her head and got rid of those thoughts; Thrack was definitely getting to her. She saw fillies flying over to the other ship with Rainbow Dash close by so she could catch them if they fell. Apple Bloom was on the other ship, watching the progress while she waited for her friends to go. Mea and her guards approached the edge of the ship, the small princess jumping off and spreading her wings with ease. She did some flips before landing on the other ship with her guards not far behind.

As the line slowly got shorter Sweetie looked into the sky and saw the four layered barrier protecting the entire school. The first and third layers were colored pink, which was the standard for the Light Realms barriers. The second and fourth layers were colored grey, the new standard for the Shadow Realms barriers. It was designed to keep monsters out, but Sweetie suspected it was to keep Thrack in in case she escaped. And that really didn’t make much sense to Sweetie, but the Princesses were weird. Plus she noticed something small of the very outskirts of the barrier, but what she couldn’t tell.

“Come on Scootaloo,” she heard Apple Bloom shout, “You can do it.”

Sweetie looked towards her friend just as she leapt off the airship, trying to open her wings. Lucky for her that Rainbow Dash was paying attention and grabbed her quickly before returning her to her ship. The cyan mare gave Scootaloo some tips and pointers to help her out, which must have delighted the filly. When Scootaloo tried again she found success easily and it was clear that she was happy.

“Alright Sweetie Belle, your next,” Rainbow said.

Sweetie quickly looked around her and found that it was just her and Rainbow Dash on the airship. She had missed the majority of the class by watching the barriers and thinking about getting rid of Thrack. She gulped and approached the edge, her strange vampire wings opening just a bit. She hoped that she could do something other than fall out of the air and be saved by Rainbow Dash.

“Don’t worry Sweetie,” Rainbow said, “You saw me catch Scootaloo when she fell. I’d do the same thing for you and any other student of mine. I know you don’t approve of being in this class, but you have to follow the wishes of Princesses Luna and Nightmare. Now go show them how to fly.”

Sweetie gave her a weak smile and fully opened her wings, which actually wasn’t very hard for her to do. She took a deep breath before running forward and leaping off the ship. Just a second later her vision started to shift and she remembered to flap her wings, which immediately corrected her vision. It was her first time flying and there she was, not falling out of the sky and having to be caught by Rainbow Dash.

She broke her eyes away from the other ship for an instant and saw the object behind the barrier approaching at a dangerous speed. She quickly brought herself to the wooden floor of the second ship and stared at the object, trying to figure out what it was. Then she and everypony in the entire realm heard the worst noise that any of them could recall, the sound of multiple barriers shattering at once.

The object flew through the barriers like they were made of paper, easily making huge holes in all four of them. Whatever it was made Atar summon his special lance that radiated magical energy, which almost seemed to be dripping off it. Reginald just stood there like a statue, his mane covering his eyes and making it hard to tell what he was watching. And as the object approached the first ship the magic around it dissolved quickly until they could tell what the object actually was. And Sweetie was amazed by what she saw.

Floating, not flying, above the wooden floor was a pony shaped creature, but it had the horn of a unicorn and the wings of a pegasus. Its coat was colored a shade or two lighter than Twilight’s lavender coat, so a light purple color. Its mane and tail flowed exactly like the Princesses manes and tails did, though the colors were light blue with barely bright dark blue spots. Its cutie mark was the sun being covered by the moon halfway, which was strange. And the strange alicorn wore a familiar set of royal armor, only this set was crafted from a black material.

Before the alicorn even landed on the wooden floor Atar rushed across the air and landed beside it, the lance already in motion. The alicorn barely moved or used magic and a barrier sprung up around it, stopping the lance before it could hit it. Reginald appeared behind the alicorn and swung his front hoof at it, also getting stopped by the barrier. What was strange was that Reginald and Atar were being stopped so easily.

Then Princesses Luna, Nightmare, and Celestia landed near them, each of them looking over the scene. Out of the three it seemed that only Celestia had any idea of what was actually going on because of what she ended up saying.

“Atar, Reginald, stand down.”

That was the command that confused not only the other Princesses, but her loyal warriors as well. Reginald, loyal as he was, backed off quickly, though it took Atar a minute to do the same thing. Even Sweetie thought the command was confusing, mostly because she didn’t know if the new alicorn was a friend or foe.

“Prince Midnight,” Celestia said, “I’ve been expecting you for quite some time now.”

Aftermath

After the defeat of Thrack the Elements of Harmony were returned to their resting place in Canterlot, with all the Princesses and their Shadows in attendance. It was painfully clear that Princess Darkstar didn't want to even be there, but thanks to her sister she had to make an appearance. Nightmare Moon had created a school for the two sides to get to know each other and live in harmony, though Darkstar had no need for such foolish notions.

In the time of her return she had realized that nearly every Shadow had fallen to liking their Light sides, making them significantly weaker than her. The only pony who seemed at ease around Darkstar was Atar, her loyal soldier and dedicated follower, though he still carried the enchanted lance of his. She spotted Reginald walking next to Celestia and knew that she would never be able to trust the stallion ever again.

The throne room was packed full of ponies and their Shadows, including Discord and his counterpart Order. Despite there being too many ponies in the room Celestia still sat on her throne with her sister next to her. Darkstar shook her head and sat near Nightmare, Shadence, and the rest of the Shadows, including the Shadow Elements. Darkstar wanted to summon her scythe and rend the souls of both the Light and Shadows, but Atar was the sole reason she didn't do that.

"As you know Princess Darkstar," Princess Luna said, "Your sister and I have set up a school in a third realm called the School of Shadows. The main purpose was to prepare for the third coming of the demon Thrack, but now that she is dead at last we are going to teach normal classes. You are going to be part of the staff like the rest of us Princesses. None of us will be placed above the rest."

"Fine," Darkstar said, not really caring at all, "What class did you have in mind for me?"

"The True Essence of Darkness," Luna answered, surprising the Shadow, "Your class will be about teaching those of the Light about the true darkness of the Shadows. Though I must ask that you refrain from harming the students."

"Fine," Darkstar replied, getting up and turning for the door, "If you need me I will be in Shadowlot, preparing for when school starts again."

Darkstar didn't care about the School of Shadows, she cared about crushing the Light once and for all. Atar knew that she was up to something, but considering that Darkstar was a master of strategy and that whatever it was wouldn't be happening for a long time. Besides, he had his power back and he knew Darkstar would use it somehow. The question was when would she act and how hard would it be.

Atar sighed and grinned slightly; he may have bested Thrack by trickery, but now he had to best Reginald. He was content to wait until Darkstar was ready to do that.

Author's Note

And so ends Thrack.
There will be another part which will actually be the school.
So look out for it.