Son of Sombra - Journey of a Demon Alicorn

Chapters

Chapter 1 - Room for Retrospect
Chapter 2 - Blade to Shining Blade
Chapter 3 - Cold Heart Melting
Chapter 4 - It's not a Mess...
Prologue - Under Your Hoof

Chapter 1 - Room for Retrospect

“And you’re sure that that is where our next fragment lies, North Star?”

“I’m as sure as I’ve ever been, otherwise I would not live up to my cutie mark.” North Star ruffled and stroked his graying beard and looked at his flank underneath his dirtied brown robe. It revealed a star on the northern arrow of a compass, set against a whole flurry of smaller stars.

The ever-aging pony was pondering the time he and the Warrior-Prince, now a teenage rebel with a cause, have spent together. It had been years since that fateful day when they were forced to leave the Crystal Empire for good. Since that day, they had traveled around parts of Equestria with no leads, honing the Prince’s weapon skills and his own dark magic. Even if either of them wanted to go back, where would they go back to? Or a better question, what would they go back to? The Crystal Empire had fallen without a trace with the King.

Right now, their focus was on reclaiming the scattered fragments of Prince Ostrath’s broken horn. The Prince and the ever-loyal North Star embarked upon this quest years ago, with the Warrior-Prince in the belief that it would help make him a great king in the future, honored by all in the land…

…Unfortunately, that was a lie concocted by King Sombra himself…

It was only a week since they first left the Crystal Empire as it fell to pieces. The pair had already found themselves resting at the Neighagra Falls. The ruins of a village were nearby – a sight that was hard for North Star to look at. It would be hard to look at any site of ruins when those ruins used to be your home, and everypony you knew and loved was either taken away as captives, or killed… or left for dead.

Yet North Star felt compelled to return here, because the area was familiar to him. Interestingly enough, too, was that the forest around the village was virtually untouched. Indeed, not a single scorch or hoofmark reached close enough to the tall Oakhoof trees, which remained as beautifully lush green as ever. What drew him back here most of all was the waterfall. The glistening Neighagra Falls were a pure sky blue rather than a murky dark green like what was present in most ponds or lakes and in the water farther upstream.

Up until recently, their journey had gone well, especially with the training that North Star had mentioned. Primarily, it was for etiquette, which he promised the Prince’s mother. However, things took an unexpected turn when North Star had begun hearing a very familiar voice – one that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

“…NORTH STAR… YOUR KING HAS RETURNED…”

The elder cringed slightly. He had never thought once that the King would call back to him from the shadows. Suddenly the world around him seemed to become enshrouded in pitch-black darkness.

“SEEK THEE OUT… THE FRAGMENTS OF HIS HORN… HE MUST REALIZE HIS FULL POWER…”

Defiant as he was of the evil King, he bravely responded, “I know you’re dead, King Sombra! I have no reason to fear you now! And I certainly don’t have to take orders from you any longer!”

“…AH, NORTH STAR, STILL THE OLD FOOL I’VE KNOWN YOU TO BE… I MAY BE LOST, BUT I KNOW YOU’LL OBEY ME, FOR MY DARK HOOVES HAVE A TIGHT GRIP AROUND YOUR WEAK, OLD HEART… ALLOW ME TO DEMONSTRATE!”

Suddenly, North Star gave way, falling to the ground. He grabbed his chest and tried to hang on for dear life like there was no tomorrow. “W-what kind of sorcery is this…?!”

“I’LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO WATCH YOU SUFFER, BUT THAT WON’T GET MY SON ANY CLOSER TO BECOMING MY SUCCESSOR… NOW… SEEK THEE OUT…”

The voice and the grip soon faded away, and both left a lasting impression upon North Star as the rest of the world faded back into his view. The Prince even took notice of how strange his new mentor had suddenly been acting.

“North Star… are you OK?”

“Y… yes child,” he said, righting himself, “I am fine.” He was lying, but he did not want the Warrior-Prince-in-training to worry over an old pony who was already nearing his time. “I believe I have your very first quest’ one that will help you to become a great king.”

The Prince’s face lit up like fireworks in the night sky. “Really? What’s the quest?!” He always dreamed of the day when he would become a king like his father. Their run from the Crystal Empire had essentially extinguished the fire of any and all hope for that dream to come true, but the mere mention of a quest to become one brought it all back to life.

“From this day forth, we are going to find the fragments of your broken horn.”

“Fixing my horn will make me a great king? …Really?” the Prince asked in quiet disbelief.

“B-but of course, it will! I would not dare lead you astray on your greatest wish, would I?”

Prince Ostrath had to admit – North Star had not once ever lied to him as long as they’ve known each other, and he had no such reason to doubt him now.”Well, that sounds simple enough. Let’s get started, then!”

“Hold on there, young one! We need to figure out a place to start, first.”

“…Where to, then?”

“We will have to ask around if anyone has seen any fragments float about,” the old pony answered with a sigh. North Star could only pray that the Queen, wherever she was, would be able to forgive him.

It was here that North Star’s recollection of the beginning of the end suddenly faded from his mind as he gathered himself in the present.

“No dawdling, North Star. I must claim my place as King, and I want to do it as soon as possible.”

The world could wait for his rule a little longer, North Star playfully mused to himself. He then checked his bearings by looking to the night sky above. Naturally, North Star’s talent was to use the sky as his map, allowing him to know where he was at any given point in time. Telling from what part of the sky was above, he found that he was just at the edge of the Foal Mountains – pretty close to Canterlot, but neither of them had a reason to go there unless they wanted to face possible expulsion to the moon, let alone let the Princesses know of the Prince’s existence and his connection to King Sombra. From their current position and from their need to avoid Canterlot, the Prince and his astronomical guide planned to move due south towards the Badlands, where the dragons roam – and possibly the next horn fragment.

Far away, several pairs of guarded eyes watched two hikers traveling along a nearby small mountain range, both wearing strange clothes – TOO strange to be average hikers.

“A peculiar pair walkin’ ‘round nowhere,” spoke one pony in a Flanklyn accent.

“Quite,” another pony said, also eying the pair.

“Where do you think they’re going?” a third voice asked authoritatively from the shadows of the room behind them.

“Looks like they’re southbound, possibly towards Horseshoe Bay,” answered the first voice.

“I’ll cut them off there,” the third voice said, just as a purple tail swung around out of the darkness of the overlooking room, high off the ground, made to see all of Equestria.

“What about these travelers has suddenly got you suspicious over ‘em, sir?” the first voice asked.

The movement of a pony of great authority stopped, pausing only to reply to this valid question. “I don’t know who they are, but they’re certainly not from around here by the look of them. Plus I’ve had this bad feeling running up and down my spine for a while now. Maybe, just maybe…” The voice paused again.

“…this could be my chance to do something about it.”

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter 2 - Blade to Shining Blade

Prince Ostrath and the ever-loyal North Star were indeed going southward ho, trying to both search for the Prince’s horn fragments and keep away from the center of Equestria – Sombra would surely not want anypony “helping” the two on their quest. Now the two were in a dense forest, having gotten far from the Foal Mountains, and it wouldn’t be long before they reached Horseshoe Bay, which, according to North Star, would be the perfect place to stop and rest for the day.

“I can see it from here, old man,” exclaimed the Prince as he pushed aside several bushes. “It’s about time too. My hooves are getting to be quite the royal pain.”

North Star could not help but reply, “I’m sure, young master,” heartily. Calling the Prince “master” was an easy adjustment since leaving the King, and even with Prince Ostrath’s commanding-yet-juvenile style of being a would-be King, he was still a good pony at heart – deep at heart – a sign that his goodwill teachings may have gotten to the Warrior-Prince.

“North Star, how many times must I tell you to not call me Master-“

A rustling in the trees and bushes in the distance. Somepony was approaching – fast. Prince Ostrath’s years of training had taught him to be ready for everything, and to be ready before you ever need to be. He had his guarding arm already out in front of him. His guarding arm was basically his right arm, completely covered in a plate of steel armor, made to be lightweight and last the wearer for years’ worth of battles.

Suddenly, out of the bushes, a purple blur came and stood between the Prince and the open clearing of the Bay.

“Stop right there!”

The Prince maintained a solid defensive stance, not budging even at the purple pony’s speedy entrance. North Star took in the stranger’s appearance; lightly armored with an officer’s coat and many small badges on his chest, indicating his extremely high rank as a commander of an army. His coat underneath was white, while his mane and tail were purple with several different streaks of indigo. He was also a unicorn, rounded and with a scratch mark or two. Whoever he was, he has to have a large knowledge base, filled with quite a library of experience, thought North Star, and yet he looks so young. He then spoke up. “Um, e-excuse me, Sir… does there seem to be a problem?”

“There’s no problem here,” the Prince answered for him, “just two travelers taking in the sights.” He began to walk towards the Bay, making sure his guarding arm was always between him and the stranger. As he calmly passed him, he heard the unicorn yell to him, “I said stop!” Without turning back towards him or stopping, he uttered back, “Buzz off, little filly.”

Immediately, a sense of bewilderment caught the unicorn commander.”Who are you to call me a-“ He stopped himself before his emotions took hold of everything.

“I apologize on behalf of my young master.” North Star said. “He is, uh… not one to take orders so well.” He hoped to keep the tension as low as possible, as he feared the Prince’s “endearing and humble” attitude was already forcing it on the rise.

“So I’ve noticed,” the unicorn concurred without looking to North Star. “I am Dawn Guard, Captain of the Canterlot Pegasus Army. As a figure of high authority, I demand to know your intentions here.”

“None of your business,” snapped the Prince.

North Star got out of the forest hedge to stand next to Dawn Guard. “Excuse me again, but what qualities would pin your interest on us?”

“One of my watchponies caught sight of the both of you walking along the Foal Mountains. What primarily attracted me to you was the attire that you don. I’ve only seen warriors ripe for battle or thugs wear such gear. Plus, for quite a while now, I’ve sensed that war was looming over the kingdom.”

Prince Ostrath immediately interjected, “Well, we’re not here to fight or steal anything. You’re wasting your time, so feel free to leave ASAP.”

“I’m not going anywhere until I know what you’re up to!” The Prince could care less about the Commander’s concerns. He was intent on getting his quest done and getting off of his feet, and nopony would stand in his way – not even the Princess’s right-hoof ponyowar. “Didn’t I tell you to stop?”

Prince Ostrath kept walking, heading toward the Bay so he could take a well-deserved break. Right then and there, however, Dawn Guard used his unicorn magic to send a small bolt of thunder at the Prince to stun him. It worked, jolting him in his big cape and making him hop where he stood. He soon recovered and turned to look at Dawn Guard with eyes full of warning. “Yes, you did tell me to stop…” He paused to unlock his Crescent Circle chain blade, the same weapon he had been training to use for combat, behind his back. Dawn Guard was watching him with suspicion. Finally, the Prince broke the cone of silence.

“…AND I SAID BUZZ OFF!!” The Prince bellowed as he vertically swung his weapon over his head, forcing it to come crashing down towards Dawn Guard, who dodged just in time. The moon-shaped blade had lodged itself into the ground hard and fast enough to cause a small fissure, breaking the earth around it.

“Would you calm down?! I merely stunned you! No need to be threatened by a small stun spell!”

“Yes, young master, he was also asking a question in a reasonable manner!” North Star still hoped to ease tensions, though at this point, it seemed too late already.

“Well, he doesn’t need to know ANYTHING!” The Prince replied.

“I do if it means I can assure the safety of my kingdom,” Commander Dawn Guard said.

Prince Ostrath laughed at this remark and smugly said, “Then I guess you’ve failed.”

“Not so fast,” Dawn Guard bravely called out, ”I’ve got one other trick up my armored sleeve.” He quickly pulled out a sharp steel spear from his back. “I’ll force the answer out of you!”

The Prince had gone quiet after the Commander spoke, but he was hardly about to flinch at any committee of words.

“Big mistake.”

North Star jumped back into the hedge at the foot of the forest – he obviously knew what was coming next. It came at the flash of a pan, with the Warrior-Prince rolling up the chains of his weapon back to himself to ready for a wide, sweeping horizontal swing at Dawn Guard, who promptly blocked it with his spear and charged forward. This scene had brought up a memory of him from one of his many days of training.

“…Quickly now, Prince Ostrath! Do it!”

“But I can’t do it!”

“Yes you can! I know you have it in you to do it!”

“But how-“

“DO A BARREL ROLL!”

The Prince ended his flashback just as the Commander got close to him. He did just as his old mentor had taught him, jumping in the air and spinning like a screw above his opponent. While he was in the air, Dawn Guard attempted another stun spell, but it missed by a foot. He landed smoothly on the ground behind the Commander and followed up with one more horizontal sweep. Dawn Guard had been slightly disoriented from casting another stun spell so soon, and a little more so from missing. He managed to block the sweep, but he was delayed in doing so and was unable to push back just as it came at him, and he thus got pushed off to the side.

The Commander bounced hard on the ground like a skipping stone, then landed on his hooves sliding. The Prince rolled up his chain once more, feeling confident that this battle would be his just as quickly as it started. Yet his experienced opponent would not let failure come so easily. He swiftly threw his spear at Prince Ostrath, who blocked it with his guarding arm. The spear came slowly at him in the air, which made it hardly a challenge to deflect it. It caught him by surprise, then, that when he moved his arm out of view, he found himself suddenly facing Dawn Guard, just a few feet away, charging right at him. The next thing the Prince knew was that he was tackled and forced on his back after rolling with the Commander on top.

“Still not gonna talk?” Dawn Guard stoutly questioned while pinning the Prince down.

“I’ll talk – when you start using REAL magic,” came the sarcastic response, delivered with a smile.

“Thought you would say that.” Dawn Guard grabbed his spear and prepared to go for a finishing blow. Yet the Commander stopped, holding the spear above his head. He noticed an unnatural black patch between the Prince’s right arm and shoulder. Dawn Guard wasn’t sure if he was seeing what he thought he saw, and forgot for a moment that he was in the middle of a battle. Noticing that he was distracted, the Prince took the opportunity to send his own brand of thunder magic the Commander’s way – a bolt as black as darkness and very powerful to boot. This came naturally, as Prince Ostrath’s specialty was dark magic. The bolt sent Dawn Guard flying back, hitting the ground hard on his side. The Commander got up soon after, albeit in pain from the dark magic attack. The Prince thought that he could have just as easily kicked his opponent off with his back hooves, but why waste his breath with physical force when a little magic involves less effort and can cause just as much pain?

Basic math, the Prince told himself; logic was meaningless. Just basic math at work.

Dawn Guard used his magic to summon his spear at his side, prepared to defend himself even further against any more tactics that the Prince may unleash.

“Yeah, in case you didn’t notice earlier, I’m a unicorn, too. Yeah, sure, my horn is broken, but that doesn’t mean I can’t pull a few magic tricks of my own, buddy.”

“I’m not your buddy, pal.”

“Well, then, PAL, it’s been nice knowing you, but all good things must come to an end sometime.” Immediately, Prince Ostrath sent another dark bolt of thunder towards the Commander. Dawn Guard followed up with a bolt of thunder of his own, stronger than any of the ones he had been firing before. When the two different bolts clashed, an explosive force had rung out, picking up dust and blowing smoke all around Horseshoe Bay.

To the distance at the Canterlot towers, the watchponies had been eying the entire battle. Even from far away, the billowing smoke was of a large magnitude.

“Hahahaha, oh MAN, that was epic!” spoke the first watchpony.

“Eeeeeeeyup,” said the second watchpony.

“You don’t talk much, do you, Jasper?” the first watchpony asked, looking away from the explosion to face his partner.

“NOPE.” Jasper replied with a southern drawl.

After a moment of silent watching, the first watchpony spoke up again. “Man, we gotta show this to Quincy. YO, QUINCY, COME OUT BRO, YOU GOTTA SEE THIS!”

A third pony came out. He was dressed more as a Pegasus Guard unlike the other two. “You called me, Frankie- OH, SNAP!!”

“Yeah, and that was caused by the Captain, too!”

“DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN.” The trio of guards watched in awe as the battle far away raged on.

All around, dirt was kicked up. A bowl had even formed around Prince Ostrath and Dawn Guard, making for a natural arena. They both stood their ground, watching the others’ every move while catching their breath. The Prince soon rolled up his chain once more and locked the crescent blade to his arm, effectively turning it into a melee weapon to wreak close-quarters havoc. He then beckoned the Commander to come at him with all that he’s got. Dawn Guard did just that, with his spear in his mouth, ready to take a stab or two. Prince Ostrath hopped forward with his blade being swung diagonally, which caused both weapons to clash, the metal ringing out in a single note. It was then that the duel began. Spear pushed Chain blade back. Chain blade forced Spear up against the wall. The two were scraping each other, bit by bit, spark by spark. Neither Spear nor Chain blade would falter at this point.

Suddenly, Dawn Guard broke off from the duel in a final attempt to fire off a stun bolt. Prince Ostrath was forced into distraction as he dodged the playful bolt of thunder, then unlocked his chain blade and readied for another vertical swing. The Commander simply stood there, not looking to dodge the oncoming attack. When the Prince made the swing over his head and upon his opponent, more dirt and dust was kicked up – it had seemed that the Prince had actually made a powerful blow on the Commander. However, when the dust around the strike area cleared, Dawn Guard’s body was nowhere to be found. The Prince stared at the ground where he was and walked over to the spot. In disbelief, he noticed what appeared to be the remains of a magical energy. Then realization struck him like a brick wall.
“Magical silhouette…” the Prince whispered to himself. He then looked up ahead towards a pathway leading out of Horseshoe Bay and noticed his opponent running with his spear on his back. The Prince rolled up his chain and was about to give chase when North Star stepped out of the bushes and called to him.

“Young master, wait!” The Prince did so, primarily because he was so caught up in the heat of battle that he forgot all about North Star having hid himself in the bushes; had the fight gone on any longer, Prince Ostrath would have resorted to much stronger dark magic, which could have caught the old pony in its wake. He wouldn’t dwell on the thought any longer. “Leave him be, Prince. If I know stallions like him, then he’ll be back.” North Star placed a hoof on the Prince’s shoulder.

“What, you can see the future now?”

“No, you could just say it’s intuition… and I could tell by the time you called him a filly, he almost remarked on it. It actually reminded me of you a little.”

The Prince did a double-take on this comment. “Me? Like HIM? Now you’re talkin’ crazy! That brain of your must have fried over the years of using it to look at the sky.” He looked to the sky on this note, seeing an already-setting sun that gave a warm fading glow of orange. “Night approaches. Why don’t you help me set up camp by the bay so I can finally get off my hooves?” Prince Ostrath walked away towards the bay to prepare for the oncoming night.

North Star simply laughed and shook his head, saying “Teenagers.” He opened up his worn cloak to reveal a traveling bag, opening it up and following his younger companion to set up camp.

“…And you ponies remember how much dirt was flying around from those two going at it? Stallion alive, it was IN-TENSE!” Frankie exclaimed, recapping on the battle he and his companions had been witnessing.

“Very,” came the response from Jasper, cool and careful in his word choice as always.

“Yeah, that was quite a sight, alright,” said Quincy, who then swallowed in awkwardness after realizing that he just rhymed.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget that battle for as long as I live!” Frankie energetically declared.

“So, you three enjoyed the show?”

The voice caught the three watchponies by surprise, making them jump where they stood. They knew very well who it came from.

“C-captain!” Jasper squealed out, jumping up.

“Y-you’re not m-mad at us, are you, Sir?” Frankie asked, also in shock.

“No, it’s fine,” Dawn Guard said as he stepped towards the balcony where everypony else was. “I’m glad I have witnesses to that display of defiance of the law that that unicorn-thing pulled off.”

“Unicorn-thing?” Quincy inquired. “I’m guessing that that other pony was more than just another unicorn with knowledge of good magic.”

“I saw something that I’m not sure if I know what it was,” answered the Commander, staring at the wide view of Horseshoe Bay, where a lone flame was lit, “but that one… he’s no ordinary unicorn. He’s hiding something, and one way or another, I’m gonna find out what that something is for the sake of Equestria.” The Captain left the trio on that note, walking to his quarters to call it a day.

“Well, THIS is gonna be good” Frankie said with a grin.

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Note

Posted early because 1) Chapter 1 may have come out too short, and 2) It was finished a while ago.

Chapter 3 - Cold Heart Melting

…The Moon Riseth…

A warm circular fire was lit a few feet from the bay, with two tents and some logs placed nearby. The Prince sat in front of a log nearest the tent, taking in the night air as if it were a loved one, leaning back with his front hooves behind his head. North Star sat like any other pony on the log in front of his tent. He kept his cloak on to protect him from the caress of the cold air, which did not seem to bother the Prince at all. Then the Prince’s eyes opened up, and his relaxed smile turned into a neutral crease. He looked over at North Star, who wasn’t shivering from the cold, but kept his hooves towards the fire.

“Hey, gramps.” North Star looked up, giving a grunt and a look of concern. “I’ve been thinking about what you said… about me being like that unicorn I fought earlier…”

“I did not say you were like him,” interjected North Star, “just that he reminded me of you.”

“Whatever! I got to thinking just now, and… erm…” Prince Ostrath paused. He knew the words that he wanted to say, but the way he was conditioned made it difficult to even utter them to himself.

“Yes?”

“…Well… th-th… th-thaaa… thiii... thhhhhheeeaaaa-“

“…Thank you?”

“You said it, not me.” The Prince turned away, slightly embarrassed. After a moment’s pause, he turned back and noticed that North Star was wearing a smile on his face. “Well, what are YOU smiling about?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing at all.” He continued to smirk.

“Look, don’t get any ideas now! Just because I- well, you kno- just- BAH, I’m going to bed! I’ll see you when the sun rises!” Off Prince Ostrath went into his tent. North Star sat there in disbelief and excitement at what he had witnessed; the Prince had shown an inkling of appreciation! It seems, he thought, that my goodwill teachings have made their mark. He turned towards a bucket next to him, picking it up by the handle with his mouth and bringing it over to the bay. North Star filled the bucket to the brim with the Bay water and dumped it over the fire. He couldn’t help but smile as he did so, even as he went into his tent to sleep. Already he couldn’t wait for the sun to rise to see what other developments would unfold.

Morning came. The skies over Canterlot were clear, hold for several clouds and the Pegasus Guards that roamed within it. Nevertheless, the sun shined brightly over the castle walls and the city below. Pegasus Guards lined not only the skies, but the castle walls and stood around the city, ever vigilant to defend the heart of their kingdom. Their golden armor gleamed in the sunshine.

One particular pony on watch duty was Princess Luna, who watched through a mystical scope on the highest tower in Canterlot. With it, she could see all of Equestria and its beautiful rolling hills, wide fields, dense forests, tall mountains, and expansive skylines. With nothing to do in the daytime until nightfall, when she would move the moon into everypony’s view as she was known to do, watch duty was better than just signing papers like her older sister always did. It was also better than nothing at all. However, the serenity and perfection of the day had caught on to her, forcing boredom to rear its ugly head. Though it was only morning, she ventured to guess that nothing major or any minor problems would pop up today. Even if one does, the Princess thought, the Pegasus Guards should be more than able to handle it. Satisfied with her guess, Princess Luna walked down the tower towards Canterlot’s Main Hall and into the Throne Room, where her older sister, Princess Celestia, the ruler and sole idol of Equestria, currently presided.

When Princess Luna reached her, she was working on paperwork, wearing reading glasses and holding a quill and a scrap of paper with the power of her magic.

“Big sister!” Princess Luna called.

Princess Celestia looked up from her papers with a sweet smile. “Well, hello, Luna! Watch duty keeping you busy?”

“I guess. It sure is… quiet… and boring…”

“Well, watch duty can’t be all fun and games.”

“True, but hardly anything happens, and what little that does happen, the Guards handle it quickly… Did I happen to mention it was QUIET?”

“Yes, and that should be a good thing. It means we are in good standing with security.” Princess Celestia had a quick thought and gave a look of horror to Princess Luna. “You don’t want something bad to happen to Equestria, do you?”

“N-no, of course not! But-“ Stammering, Luna took a deep breath, then heard her older sister laughing.

“Calm down, Luna. I was just messing with you.”

Princess Luna rolled her eyes and spoke to herself. Of course you were.

“So just what were you getting at?” Princess Celestia inquired.

“I wanted to ask you if I could take a break…”

Princess Celestia thought this thoroughly. “I guess a break from watch duty wouldn’t hurt. Why not?” She answered with a smile.

“…and take a walk around the kingdom.”

The eldest Princess looked at a clock hanging on the wall. “Well, I suppose I can take a break, too. I’ll just put this paperwork away and-“

“Alone.”

At this, Princess Celestia paused and looked with surprise at her younger sister. “By yourself? Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Luna started, “I think a stroll around wherever the wind takes me – or maybe the road – would be just what I need to change things up for myself. Now I know what you’re thinking – ‘I’m too young to be out on my own,’ or ‘I don’t know what’s out there,’ or even-“

“All right, then.”

Now it was Princess Luna’s turn to have a face that said “Wait, WHAT?”

“You seem pretty confident about being able to travel on your own, and you make some fine points about it.”

Luna was even more confused now. ”But… I didn’t make any points… yet…”

“I know. I just figure that your great self-confidence was enough, and I thought I’d just skip that part.”

At this point, Luna became suspicious. “OK, who are you and what have you done with my sister?”

Princess Celestia laughed. “Oh, just go out and enjoy the fresh air. I’ll have Caesar cover the position while you’re gone.”

Luna just stared at her, still in suspicion and expecting some sense to be made of how her older sister was acting. Princess Celestia simply kept her face beaming with joy, her eyes closed all the while. After a moment of staring and silence, Princess Luna spoke. “Um… OK… I’m gonna go out now.”

“Enjoy, then! Don’t be out too late – preferably before sunset!”

“…OK.” Out the door Luna went, still confused, but nevertheless happy about gaining some freedom from doing nothing but royal business. Now all she had to think about was where she wanted to go first. Luna got right to thinking on it as she hopped, skipped, and jumped around Canterlot, while taking in just how refreshed since she got off work. It was strange – walking around outside felt different since she didn’t have any regal work to attend to. Soon, an idea hit her.

“Well… I’ve never gotten a good look around Hayseed Swamps… or explored where the dragons roam, either…”

“Celestia, I grow weary of walking”

“Best get used to it, young master. I’ve told you when we started this journey when you were but a small colt, and I’ll tell you again as a teenage stallion – there will be a LOT of walking involved; nopony got where they were today without putting forth the effort necessary. Plus those shriveled wings of yours won’t do you much good, and even if they could get you up in the air, you would not be able to carry us both.” The Prince had forgotten all about his small changeling wings, which were also a genetic add-on from being half-unicorn, half-changeling. He had to admit that North Star was, again, right in all respects. So with a sigh, he moved on. “Don’t worry, Prince – our first fragment still lies in the Badlands, which is in the next area over after these swamps.”

“Wonderful.”

“Just beyond the Macintosh Hills!”

Prince Ostrath stopped right where he was and gave a look to his old companion, who just looked back with a grin. He gave an annoyed groan.

“…Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.”

For the past few hours, the duo had been walking from the Bay into a forest as dense as the last, and it was only recently that it began to turn into a thick swamp. The ground became noticeably softer, and there were varying spots where it was nothing but mush, wet dirt, mud, and murky water. It would be worse it there wasn’t just enough sunlight peeking through the thick trees.

The swamp seemed to stretch on forever. Their journey into it would only last several more hours, but it would feel like days, even weeks, had passed. An unusual quietness had settled around wherever they trudged, and it seemed to go on in an endless loop for the Prince.

Princess Luna had finally flown her way to Hayseed Swamps, ecstatic to explore a place considered dangerous – even forbidden – by some.

“I can only wonder what to expect in such a large place. Maybe some wondrous birds of an exotic sort? Or perhaps a beautiful flower amongst the eau natural swamp life?” the Princess said as she hopped from tree trunk to tree trunk, looking about for whatever would jump out at her. She stuck to the main pathway since she arrived at the entrance, clearly marked with signs of various sorts, such as “Beware” or “You have been warned,” but Luna had the spirit of adventure burning brightly inside her. After a while of walking, however, things started to grow dull, and her high interest in exploration even begun to sink, yet Luna marched on with the high hopes of finding whatever could be the highlight of her off-day. “Well, there could even be strange creatures lurking around that would make this trip worth it.”

It was as if the swamp answered her call, as bubbles suddenly rose in the swamp water to her left. Then it happened again on her right. Soon, she heard heavy footsteps behind her. Princess Luna could not help but slowly turn around, fear crawling up her spine and wings. Then she stopped where she stood, completely frozen at what she saw – a behemoth of a swamp monster covered in seaweed and vines, staring right back at her.

Princess Luna wondered why she wasn’t already screaming.

Prince Ostrath and North Star continued along the thickening swamp waterway.

“You know, young master, it was a good thing that Dawn Guard didn’t notice your wings, or get a good look at all your changeling parts back at Horseshoe bay. We wouldn’t want anypony knowing what kind of pony you REALLY are.”

“True, but I’m not exactly sure how that would-“

Then they both heard it – a high-pitched scream of pure fear coming from a young mare.

“That sounded close!”

“It did, didn’t it?” the Prince added with a chuckle. He just walked on.

“Well, shouldn’t we go over and see what happened to cause somepony to scream like that?”

“We have much more important things to do than see who’s screaming over some stupid-“

“PRINCE!” North Star shouted, attempting to set his priorities straight.

“OK, OK, FINE…” Prince Ostrath shouted back, finally on the move to see what happened where the scream took place. Normally not one to take orders from the likes of anypony whatsoever, he was surprised not only that he was listening to somepony else, but that North Star had yelled right at him. Not once in his short life had he yelled at the Prince; it was quite the moment to think about. In fact, he wasn’t sure if he was impressed by North Star’s sudden challenge of his power, or if he was just being respectful of his elders. If it be the latter, he thought, then I must be changing… Right now, he had to focus on the source of the scream.

The Princess found herself overcome with fear of the hulking, seaweed-covered beast that stood tall before her. She wanted so desperately to run away or fly out of the swamps and get back to Canterlot to return to the comfort of being at her sister’s side. But that was just it; she couldn’t move at all. Her mind willed her to budge, but her body wouldn’t listen, and fear was the culprit for her paralysis.

All Luna could do was close her eyes and pray for a miracle to happen.

“BACK OFF, CUCUMBER!!”

The Princess opened her eyes to see that a black-and-red-maned pony… or perhaps a unicorn? She thought. But… his horn is broken… She hardly had time to think as the pony swooped in and pulled out a blade attached to his left arm by a chain. He immediately loosened the blade and swung it around for momentum, ending with three slashes coming at the monster at different angles. After a flash of white light passed, the beast had fallen on its back, groaning in pain. The mysterious pony had frozen in place after making his move, but when his short-lived foe had fell, he locked his weapon back on his foreleg and turned to the Princess.

“Are you OK-“

He stopped mid-question as he had begun to stare at Luna, who stared back contently. They seemed so focused on each other when their eyes met that neither of them said a word. The only thing that would break the spell between them was the sudden appearance of another, more elderly pony covered under a frayed brown cloak.

“Well, North Star, you sure took your sweet time getting here.” The mysterious colt spoke.

“I’m not as limber as I used to be, young master.” Replied the elder with a chuckle and a sigh. He paused once he reached his young companion and noticed the young Alicorn standing next to him. His face lit up in recognition of who she was, but he still begged the question of her identity. “Who might this beautiful young mare be?”

“She is, uh… erm…” started the young colt, but he, of course, did not know.

“Hello there, I’m-“ The Princess began, yet her royal code begged her to be formal around all other ponies, with the exception of her older sister. “I am Princess Luna, mover of the Moon and ruler alongside my sister, Princess Celestia, of Equestria.”

“Well, what is a pony of royalty doing all alone in the Hayseed Swamps? And without guards for protection?” North Star asked.

Luna turned to the elder. “Back at Canterlot, I’ve had important duties to attend to, but today, I felt that I should take what one calls a ‘day off’…”
“…And your idea of a day off is to go looking for trouble in random places?”

“No! But… you see… um…” The Princess tried her best to maintain her confidence and regality, but both seemed to falter before all three ponies. Finally, after giving pause to think, Princess Luna sighed and spoke. “I’ll be honest. I am not very good with keeping to my royal stance, even with how I speak. My sister is the one who speaks for me usually, anyhow.”

“Well, I don’t see why we need to speak formally here… especially in a swamp.” Said the younger stranger. “I mean, if that’s fine with you, Princess.” He turned around, slightly embarrassed by his complete change in attitude.

Princess Luna turned back to face her savior. “So, how shall I refer to the pony that saved my life?”

The Prince thought it was about time to reveal himself to such a beautiful mare. “I am called Prince Ostr-“ He stopped. His conscience told him that maybe it would be best if his true name isn’t revealed to anypony else, lest there be complications in his quest to become King. The Prince quickly coughed and continued. “Excuse me. My name is Prince Rhymestone, and I hail from the Flankerlands.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Prince Rhymestone. The Flankerlands are quite far away – what brings a Euroquestrian all the way here?”

“My father apparently scattered fragments of… a gemstone… and has sent me on a quest that would help me to become King.”

“Interesting…” The Princess said with a growing curiosity. “Do you know where the pieces are, exactly?”

“No, but that’s why North Star is accompanying me. He can read the sky like a map, and he tells me that the next fragment lies somewhere in the Badlands.”

The Princess immediately got an idea. “Hey, maybe I can get my sister to help you! I’ll go ask her right now-“

“NO! Uh, I mean, I can’t get any help from the Princesses of Equestria. I must gather the fragments on my own with North Star as a guide.”

“Oh… well, OK…” Princess Luna had just felt a surge of interest from this unexpected turn of events, but they too soon faded when she learned she couldn’t help the Prince.

“We should be off, then.” The Prince spoke, a little disheartened himself. He began to make his leave.

“Wait! Prince Rhymestone!”

The Prince turned to Princess Luna.

“If it’s not too much trouble, may I accompany you anyway? I wouldn’t feel too comfortable walking on my own… and believe it or not, I was heading towards the Badlands myself, to get a good look at the dragon colony.”

The Prince thought this over. Technically, she wasn’t helping him get the fragments – she just wanted some protection while travelling. He also felt a warm sensation where his heart was with her around, which he wanted to explore further. It didn’t take him long for his decision to be made. “I don’t see a problem in that. Sure, you may join us.”

“YAY- uh, good, yes.” The Princess exclaimed with joy, now slightly embarrassed. “Very well. Onward, then!” The truth was, she could take good care of herself, as she knew some good defensive magic. Yet there was something about the Prince that intrigued her, and she figured a journey alone wouldn’t be as fun as a journey with new friends. So off they were on a quest as a trio. North Star, however, immediately came up to the Prince’s side.

“Excuse me, ‘Prince Rhymestone.’ What did I just hear back there?” he questioned.

“It was just a few lies. I can’t exactly trust EVERYPONY I meet, you know.” Replied the Prince.

“Well, I hardly see a necessity to give false identity to royalty. Or ANYPONY, for that matter!”

“I just don’t want too many roadblocks on my quest. Besides, she probably won’t be with us for too long, anyway.”

“Then I hope you know what you’re doing from here on out. Let’s just get your ‘Euroquestrian’ butt moving for those fragments of your ‘amulet.’”

“Aye, aye, Cap’n!” The Prince jokingly responded and begun to take march, but then stopped as he realized the ground was solid and firm. “Well, this, erm… the ground is stable here.”

“It is.” The Princess spoke. “Don’t tell me you’ve been walking in swamp water the whole time.”

“We had no idea of any solid ground existing this deep into the swamps. We’ve been traveling along the coast of Equestria and through various detours for quite a while.” North Star explained as the Prince put his hoof straight into his face in realization and self-disappointment.

“Let’s just get going.” The Prince capped off. The Princess followed suit.

Before following the other two, North Star stopped and looked at the fallen monster still on the ground and said, “My goodness… Equestria never ceases to amaze me.”

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Note

This was the last chapter I had finished writing before I became a member and posted the story. From here on out, the chapters may not come out so quickly. ENJOY!

Chapter 4 - It's not a Mess...

Chapter 4 – It’s Not a Mess…

The newly formed trio had spent a few hours moving along the main path of the swamps, still with the intent of heading for the Badlands. The Prince was still slightly annoyed about having treaded off the beaten path, but was glad enough that he could get his hooves dry and stand on stable ground long enough to speed up travel though and out the swamps.

Further up the road, a tall, dark object came into everypony’s view.

“Something’s coming up along the path.” The Prince stated with his supreme power of obviousness.

“What could it be?” asked Princess Luna. No one had an answer except to run towards the object. When they finally reached the object, they all stopped before getting too close, bewilderment in their faces.

A good close look at the object revealed it to be a house. Yet it didn’t look like any average house. From the foundation up, the walls were slanted, going in different directions rather than being built parallel to each other. Even the roof seemed off-kilter. The entire house, in fact, was too small for anypony to actually live in. Nopony knew what was stranger – the design of the house, or its location. Its being built in the Hayseed Swamps was quite freaky alone, and it was placed dead center in a small clearing – a perfect circle of open space to move in. The owner’s desire for seclusion could explain the choice of a location, but why such a strange design?

“Classy place.” Commented Prince Ostrath.

“Very peculiar location to build a home.” North Star said. The Prince then started walking up the structure. “Uh, Master-“

“Didn’t I tell you to stop calling me ‘Master’?” the young Prince interrupted.

“Erm…” North Star began again, “my Prince, what do you think you’re doing?”

“Getting a closer look at the funhouse. I’m pretty curious as to who lives in a jumbled mess of a puzzle picture like this.” The Prince answered as he examined the walls and windows.

“A bit of an intrusion, don’t you think?” Princess Luna had to inquire. “I’ll admit, though, I am a bit curious myself. One can’t help but wonder…”

“Let’s wonder no longer!” The Prince cheerfully and confidently spoke as he knocked on the black door.

Now North Star felt a need to step up in the open. “Now you’re confusing me, Prince Os- er, Rhymestone. If you want to go on this quest so badly, then why take this unnecessary detour?”

“Look at it this way. Whoever owns a weird house like this probably knows a thing or two about legends and myths. Maybe he’s been witness to a couple of strange things around here.”

“Like a shaman!” The Princess added, though she was just as confused as North Star.

“Probably.”

“Now just wait a minute!” North Star begrudgingly started. “I’ve let you off the leash for long enough! I say we should just move on with our journey-“

He wouldn’t be able to finish, as the door swung open and a giant claw reached out from the dark space within the house and grabbed the Prince. It pulled him into darkness and closed the door. The other two were left standing speechless.

“…Prince?”

The Warrior-Prince was being pulled through multiple hallways filled with portraits and mirrors shaped in different ways. Some had no borders; others, no color; more others didn’t even have canvases – only the golden borders remained. The arm dragged him in to a zigzagging hall, going left to right and back repetitively. It made Prince Ostrath sick to his stomach at how fast everything passed by. The house was as much of a funhouse inside as it was on the outside.

The end of the maze led to another painting – one of a pony’s mouth open wide to an unnatural extent, the throat being where the arm ended. The Prince suddenly found himself pulled into the throat and let go, free-falling in pitch-black darkness. He eventually slammed hard on to a solid floor, with only a single light to see above him. The Prince was greeted by a laugh full of delight and insanity.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen – RIGHT ON TO MY DOORSTEP!” the mysterious voice cackled. With all the shrouded insanity that the Prince experienced, he could not help but be a little paranoid of the voice that echoed around him. “Oh, don’t be scared, little guy. I don’t bite THAT much!”

“WHO IN CELESTIA’S GOOD NAME GRABBED ME!?”

“Now, now, be a nice house guest, otherwise you won’t be treated to my fresh-baked cookies! I made them with extra chocolate chips this time!” The Prince looked all around him at complete darkness. He felt a lingering rush from being pulled into the house, and it showed as he was bouncing in place. “What, do you have someplace to be? Please… stay awhile… I INSIST... meet my friends at the very least…”

Six polyester dolls slowly descended from above, each hanging by thin wires. They soon started to circle around the Prince, who stopped bouncing in place to get a look at the life-like detail of the mare’s faces. The first was of a deep lavender coat with a purple mane & tail, both of which were frayed all around, and her mouth was zigzagging up and down. The eyes were hypnotic swirls made to pull you in. A second mare had a pink mane and a wide, stitched smile with two buttons for eyes. The mane was smooth and straight, completely subject to gravity, and was a darker shade of pink. The third in the circle was golden-maned & coated. Her mane was also frayed, but both the mane and tail were held together by bands. She also wore a worn-out cowboy hat, which looked as if it wouldn’t last the rest of the year. Three stitch lines made her mouth, and “X’s” were in place of her eyes.

“I can see you are already opening up! One look at you, and I would have never thought you were the friendly type.” The voice spoke again with a chuckle. Prince Ostrath was too busy staring at the puppets, which were so heavily detailed, one would almost think that they could come to life... or were alive themselves. The fourth mare had a well-groomed violet mane & tail, both of which curled smoothly. They even sparkled and glittered in the light. The pretty head was tainted solely by a gash that went through her visible eye on the right side. The mouth was also completely missing. The next mare had a faded rainbow pattern on her mane & tail. Stitched lines and scars surrounded her head, with a single dead eye. The last doll was especially difficult to look at – the mane was a light pink; the coat, cream colored. Like the fourth puppet, whose purple mane sparkled in the light, both of the last puppet’s eyes were blank white, but they looked sad, as if she were on the verge of tears. Dark marks looked like bruises, and duct tape covered her mouth. Overall, she looked like a complete mess – a tortured soul bludgeoned for answers that she didn’t have, and for reasons that made no sense.

The Prince’s brain was scrambling to try to figure out what would happen next.

“Do you like them? I met then not that long ago. They’re WONDERFUL to be around. Though, sometimes…” the voice paused just as the heads and limbs of the floating dolls began to rise on their own, looking at the Prince. “…They can get a little testy.”

Metal pins & needles started to grow from the hooves of the puppets. The dashed string lines began to glow on their faces as well. It was there that this strange dream would become a true-as-life nightmare, and the Prince knew he couldn’t wake up.

But he knew he could fight back in this bad dream.

It took no more than four seconds to unhook his chainblade and another three to gain a little spin, which helped keep the murderous dolls at bay around him. The one with the faded rainbow patterns broke from the circle, lunging with fierce speed and tenacity the likes of which the Prince had never seen before. A hoof was stretched outward at him, the metal twigs that represented claws aiming for vulnerable flesh. Ostrath was ready for it, and used the momentum to propel his blade against the doll’s claws, knocking the mare’s front hooves back, but also flipping the puppet backwards. The Prince suddenly felt a hard kick to his face and stumbled backwards. The rainbow Pegasus hung in the air now, as if it were dead again, but the glittering white unicorn found this to be an opportune moment to strike and continue putting pressure.

The Prince still managed to block the attacks coming, but his balance was off, making each direct block more difficult than the last as he simultaneously tried to regain his stance. Yet the force of the puppets would not die down for a single second. Not one chance would come for him to regain balance and go for the offensive.

In a change-up of strategy, the Prince gave up trying to stay up and fell back. Instantly, he rolled off to the side and around the unicorn to initiate a swift back attack. The blade sliced clean across the middle of the body, severing the entire lower section from the upper. White stuffing poured out by the large bits. A short-lived first success, for the other five were still itching to give Ostrath a meet ‘n greet he wouldn’t forget.

Now the lavender unicorn joined the fray. She didn’t swoop in with ferocious speed like the rainbow Pegasus, or with serene grace like the glittering unicorn. She zigged and zagged erratically towards the Prince, who tried to follow her movements and think of a plan of attack at the same time. He instead found himself blocking again, but after some blade scrapes, the Prince managed to force the lavender unicorn onto the ground with a strong, impure hoof. His father’s words echoed in his mind, followed by a hint of questionable disgust.

“Under your hoof.”

The grounded puppet struggled to push Ostrath off as he took a good look at the surrounding five that craved the blood of the powerful being before them.

“Ah, I get it,” the Prince began. He looked down at the unicorn and continued, “You must be the unpredictable smartass!” Looking back up, he started again. “And there’s the Fast Flyer, the Deviant Dressmaker, the Sweet Tooth, the Animal Lover, and the-“

SMACK!

Ostrath felt his entire face break from a powerful two-legged kick that pushed him far back. And it sure hurt like hell.

“Apple fritter…” he spoke with a groan of pain. He soon noticed that the orange doll that had kicked him was coming in for seconds. Instinct drove his muscles to roll his body out of the way, with the enemy crashing straight into the floor. She suffered many cuts and scratches from the broken edges of the floorboards. When she finally pulled herself free, both of the dolls legs were ripped off. The cotton stuffing did not fall fast, but the magical glow of the Apple Fritter’s face seemed to fade away. The Prince took note of this, and gave a curious smile.

“Take away their strengths, and they’re sitting ducks. Interesting.” He turned towards the rest of the troupe with a spark of confidence instead of unease. He had hatched a plan that, if he cut the right spots, would ensure victory.

The time to test the plan came when the unicorn that was still grounded to the floor had slipped away from the Prince and got up to try his luck. He figured that he could let loose with any attack – it was just a puppet fueled by magic, after all, and not some living being. So he fired off a black ball of fire from his mouth, charged in quick succession by his broken horn. The challenge was soon met with a bolt of thunder from the doll’s plush horn. When the two spells met, much like last time, an explosion shook everypony inside. The Prince allowed himself to feel the full knockback this time, and was sent flying once more. Having planned for this, he curled up his hind legs to get ready to push off of the wall. Though it was hard to see any wall with only a single spotlight illuminating the center of the room, he knew it was there. The wall did turn up as expected, and Ostrath launched himself straight at the not-so-unpredictable unicorn. Mid-air, he locked his blade in place on his foreleg and hid it behind his back. The unicorn didn’t see the Prince’s next attack coming as quickly as it did, as she didn’t try to block against a lunging stab that went through the plush horn and head in a singular swift motion. With its power of magic out of its grasp, the glow of the lavender unicorn faded away.

“Two down, four to go,” Ostrath said.

The unicorn’s plush body dropped to the ground as the Prince pulled his blade away. The Dressmaker, still only left with its upper half, danced forward to get back in the fight, but she would not last. Immediately, the Prince unlocked his weapon and flung it at her hair, splitting the ends and roots. She tried to counter the blade, but her extreme loss of stuffing made her arm limp and weak. It was easily pushed back by the blade in the end. The Dressmaker soon fell and died just as gracefully as it had lived, falling slowly and waving its arms and claws like a conductor until finally settling onto the ground with the gentleness of a leaf.

The long maned pink puppet – the Sweet Tooth – soon joined in on Ostrath’s fun. She came in from behind with her claws over his eyes. The Prince could have sworn he heard playful giggling behind him. Though he was caught by surprise, he put up a struggle to rip the doll’s arms off, while she clung tightly around his head and neck with her polyester coils. It felt like precious time had been lost before he broke free, when he was greeted with a wide unnerving smile from the Sweet Tooth. It may have just been in his head, but he had heard a wicked scream emanating around the room when he saw the doll’s face. He jumped back in surprise, feeling a strange chill run up and down his spine. When she was noticed, she flew away with her legs spread out as if she were a pegasus, then came back at the Prince with her claws dangling over her head like a ghost. He found no use keeping his chainblade loose and dragging on the floor now and hastily rolled up the chain while dodging the Sweet Tooth’s specter-like sweep from the air.

And none too soon, as he got his blade on his leg and blocked a deadly swipe that came for his neck. In reply, the Prince tried to bite the pink puppet with his own fangs, coming a few inches out of reach. He followed up with his own swipe, making the blade go across the Sweet Tooth’s face. Yet just as his foreleg finished sweeping, his opponent had vanished completely. Suddenly, the previous rush of fear for the unknown surged in his body, lasting until his vision was lost again. He knew who – or what- had caused it.

“Celestia dammit, not again!” the Prince cried out as his enemy giggled away and clung on once more for a blind piggyback ride. But soon, that same fear became a surge of rage that was further fueled by the annoyance of the Sweet Tooth’s playful antics. This new surge gave him a burst in strength that helped him tear away the pink puppets arms and gain a tight grip on her long mane. Here, he made a single swipe across her neck with his locked chainblade, with cotton pouring downward from both the fallen body and the severed head. He dropped it when the magical glow disappeared.

Ostrath could not help but smile when he dropped her head. He felt as though he finally conquered a deep, hidden nightmare. For once, the Prince was at peace. But the moment ended quickly, as he remembered he was still in combat for survival, and turned to the remaining two dolls. He saw the Fast Flyer, with its faded rainbow mane & tail streaking behind once more, already setting out for him, and it was too late to even attempt to block. The Fast Flyer’s claws tore through the side of his face. Fresh blood spurted to the floor, but the damage wasn’t too extensive. When the blood did fall, however, the two puppets went into a frenzy. The entire time, Ostrath seemed invincible to any attack they made; he thought they weren’t trying hard enough to hurt him, let alone go in for the kill. Nevertheless, the odds seemed stacked in the Prince’s favor, so this small exposure ignited a fire in the puppet’s magically-enforced will. The two launched themselves to take on the near-immortal monster that had already slaughtered four of their kind.

The Prince’s scratch still stung well, and something about it told him to watch himself more carefully. Already, a barrage of slashes was being landed against his blade, coming from two sides at once. Ostrath never thought he would face two enemies simultaneously, yet despite how frightful the dolls looked, nothing stopped him from decimating over half of the group already.

And frankly, he was tired of fighting. So it was time to try something new.

The Prince parried both of his foes and then unlocked the blade again, throwing it around his body in a circular sphere of steel. It once again pushed the puppets back, but it didn’t keep them at bay for long. The Animal Lover slid by the flying blade with gentle ease. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the Prince faced her. She was still hard to look at, and when the doll got close, Ostrath freaked out and stopped spinning the blade. Instead of dropping it, however, it swung around the Animal Lover’s neck and caught on tightly. Naturally, the doll tried to free itself, but the Prince took the chance to finish the job by pulling back. With the two opposing forces going at it, the moment seemed like a struggle. Only one conclusion could come to fruition, though. The blade finally started sliding off, but the sharp tip dragged itself across the neck, cotton once again falling out like blood. The doll kept moving and struggling, but like her sisters, she, too, ceased to move and fell freely to the ground. Her pain-filled face resonated with Ostrath in her last moments.

Now it was just him and the Fast Flyer, who hung still for the moment. The Prince already made a move to pull back on his chain. In an act of desperation, the remaining doll lunged forward. This time, the Prince was too quick for her as he forced the blade forward again, jolting like a whip. Then it went from a whip into a sharp anchor as it tore into her and stayed inside of the body. All that was left to do was pull back one last time. The pegasus was pulled around everywhere as the Prince swung the chain where he pleased. The enjoyment was bittersweet and desensitizing. He finished with a downward snap when he was through with his sick fun, slamming the puppet right into the ground in an explosion of white stuffing and fake skin. It was finally all over.

“Congratulations,” the voice spoke again, “you have survived the blood party, six-to-one.”

“Great, do I get a cookie?” the Prince replied, as wise as always.

“Yeeeeaaaahh… about that,” the voice answered Lumberghishly, “there’s just one problem.”

The bodies of the murderous dolls began to put themselves back together, body parts sewing up with their loose and ripped ends by a magical force. They rose up when they were done, looking at the Prince altogether.
“My friends don’t exactly appreciate being roughed up on the welcome wagon like that. Let’s try this again, shall we?”

The puppets surrounded their only foe once more. History was repeating itself a bit too soon, wasn’t it? For Ostrath, enough was enough. And he had ENOUGH.

“Oh, BUCK THIS.” He yelled, perturbed, as he swung his chainblade around again, more wildly and with a greater range than prior. Soon, in a single revolution, he snagged on a string attached to the foreleg of a puppet. The heat of the long battle caused the blatantly obviousness of the detail to slip his mind. So he kept spinning…

…and spinning…

…spinning stronger and faster…

…catching more of the puppet strings…

…until…

…SNAP!

The strings collectively broke, causing the dolls to fall together again, dead and useless without a master as ever. While the chain was still spinning, the Prince let out a hearty woop for his official victory.

BREAK!

Another break… but this one sounded like metal. Ostrath looked to his left and discovered with dumbfounded surprise that his chain finally gave way to years of use and constant pressure. Then he heard the sound of shattering glass and various falling objects, along with further breaking that went on for seconds.

“OK, STOP, stop, stopstopstopstopstopstopstop!” the voice called out. The lights for the entire room came on, revealing it to be a large living space with furniture of all sorts lined on the walls and ceiling. Absolutely nothing about this house was normal. Not even the owner, who came out of nowhere, was anything close to the word – he was comprised of an assortment of body parts from different animals. Ostrath had never seen such a creature before, but being half-changeling himself, who was he to judge? “Oh, look at this – you broke my mirror! That bad luck is all on YOU, y’know. And do you even realize how difficult AND expensive it is to get reflective glass in this day and age?”

The Prince was still speechless by the literal freak of nature that stood in front of him.

“No. Of course you don’t.” the figure said as he snapped his fingers to make an apron appear with a brush & dust pan in his hands. He went over to the pile of shattered mirror fragments and cleaned them up. The figure snapped his fingers again to make everything disappear again and then turned back to the Prince. “So, do you like getting charge for breaking & entering?”

The Prince broke his silence. “No, that’s not- Erm… well, when there’s a weird looking house in the middle of a swamp, of all places, somepony is bound to get curious.”

“You make a point. Ironic, given that I moved out to gain total seclusion, yet HERE I AM, finding a pony stopping by for Celestia knows what.”

“I’m surprised that anypony would want to be away from everypony else for any reason at all.”

“Yes, well, I didn’t move away by choice, exactly.”

The Prince felt awkward by this, but replied regardless. “Oh… so… other than the obvious question of identity, I saw this house and wondered if you may have seen anything out of the ordinary, like some sort of falling star that may have landed near here?”

The slender creature ruffled his chin and spoke. “Well, first of all, I should be asking who YOU are. But yes, I’ve taken notice to a couple of strange events happening outside my window.”

“Outside your window? Haven’t you ever actually went outside? I hear there’s a better view that way.”

“No. Believe it or not, I am magically bound to the interior of this house. I was long ago forced away by a certain god-like individual whose name shall go unspoken specifically for crimes of a great magnitude.”

“What could you have possible done that-“

“I murdered a king and sent this land into decades of complete chaos.”

“…And all you got for that was imprisonment inside a funhouse?”

“Ah-ah-ah! MY funhouse. You should have seen what it was before I gave it the extreme makeover.” The figure remarked with a witty laugh. “But yes, I’m quite lucky; the punishment for such a crime is much more severe now.” He laid back in the air on an invisible hammock, making a glass of apple cider appear in his paw. “Were it not for that, my “nephew” would have exacted his full revenge.”

“…Um… yeah…” The Prince felt a need to respond. He felt awkward once more.

“But why would you ask me something you already know about?”

“Huh?”

“Yes, I can tell you know about that little ‘fallen star’ that landed not far off from here. In fact, just from you mentioning it, it must mean something to you.” The Prince was surprised that a complete stranger could possibly know something more just from a first impression. “Just tell me who you are and what’s so special about this fallen star,” the figure continued.

With a sigh, he got his answer. “I am Prince Rhymestone of the Flankerlands. That star may contain a part of a gemstone that I was told will help me become king someday.”

“Ah, a mystical quest to become a king – how cliché.” The figure sipped the glass itself, keeping the apple cider in its shape. He subsequently threw the cider away. “Well, I’ll just fix that chain of yours and you may be out of my hair already.” With the snap of his fingers, his will was done. Ostrath’s chain was repaired and made unbreakable by a chaotic magic. The blade was back on his foreleg soon enough.

“Thanks. No business being here anymore, then.” The Prince walked off to a door that had opened. He stopped just before stepping out for one last statement. The slender creature smiled at this and spoke very clearly.

“Discord – Lord of Chaos.”

North Star and Princess Luna had patiently waited outside by the strange house. The Princess sat still, her eyes closed as she was lost in thought, while North Star paced back and forth in such worry over the Prince.

“Oh… dear… do I go in to look for him, or do I get help? What a predicament…” He rubbed his head nervously. Princess Luna looked to the old earth pony to speak her mind.

“Not to sound unconcerned, North Star, but I think he’ll do OK on his own… don’t quote me on it, though.”

“Yes, he has some survival qualities, indeed… I just can’t help but worry for him. I made a promise to raise him as my own child.”

This caught the Princess off guard all of a sudden. “Oh… so he’s-“

“…Yes.” North Star knew what Luna was getting at, and it made the both of them fall silent. Soon, the front door of the house opened. The Prince came out with but a scratch, and North Star was the first to respond. “Oh, thank heavens, you are OK.”

“I had a feeling you’d make it, but I was a tad worried, to be honest.”

“Y’see, Star,” Ostrath said, “the Princess, who’s barely been with us, already is confident in my abilities.” He gave a smug look as North Star rolled his eyes.

“Look, guys, a path just opened!” Luna said, pointing west of the house. An opening had indeed appeared in the swamp forest, which hadn’t been there before. North Star took one good look at it.

“Macintosh Trail – our way to the Badlands.”

“Excellent,” said the Prince. “Let us move.” The party continued through the path to the Trail as the Prince explained what had happened inside the strange house.

Discord looked out from a front window as the travelers walked on the previously hidden path, which revealed itself with the snap of a finger. He then thought back on the conversation he had with the Prince. The reasons he gave for his passing by made him laugh. Heck, the entire thing amused him. It had been so long since he had thought of his old acquaintance, which Discord immediately saw in the Prince. He wondered if the two were, in fact, related, and when the Prince battled the puppets with mastery of magic, weaponry, and strategy, he was sure his thoughts were spot on. So it was then that he smiled once more, that devious smile of his, tips of his fingers touching together, and spoke aloud.

“If you really are his son, then this journey could mean more than just a rite of kingship…

…Prince Ostrath.”

END OF CHAPTER 4

Prologue - Under Your Hoof

Son of Sombra - Journey of a Demon Alicorn

Prologue - Under Your Hoof

In the beautiful land of Equestria, long ago, there stood the Crystal Empire, a place one could quite literally call its own kingdom, with buildings made of pure crystal, surrounding the main attraction – a towering behemoth of a crystal skyscraper, the tallest of all, that literally cuts into the sky. Even the citizens were crystallized, their bodies glistening wherever they went. It’s a wonderful thing to know that such a kingdom stands even today. However, its early history is also one that intrigues many, and it’s that very same history that inspired an annual ceremony that involves a shining crystal heart.

It was eons in the past. No, even further than that. Before you and I had ever existed as a twinkling in our mother’s eyes. Yes, it was ages ago when the Crystal Empire was ruled by a king whose heard was blackened by darkness. He was King Sombra, a ruling unicorn who was at one with the darkness inside his heart. His evil was, in fact, great enough to challenge the authority of Princess Celestia and her younger sister, Princess Luna. From there, a battle as destructive as any war ensued, but eventually the true rulers of Equestria had emerged the victors. It was then that King Sombra had become nothing more than a mere shadowy mist, banished from Equestria and cast away as an enemy, and, as time passed, a shadow of a memory in everyponies minds. Today, thanks to the powerful magic of Shining Armor and his wife, Princess Cadence, who both preside as the Empire’s rulers, protect it and the Crystal Heart with their lives.

Very few knew, however, of the existence of King Sombra’s first son, Prince Ostrath. Believe it or not, he indeed had a son – in fact, two sons, but this story is about his first – with his own control over the darkness. Even the few who knew of Prince Ostrath’s existence knew very little about him. Contrary to all popular belief, the Prince was half-unicorn, half-changeling – his mother was a changeling, originally a mere worker bee for Queen Chrysalis’s army, but later on a disguised commoner amongst the crystal ponies. Unlike the others, she knew what was best for life as a whole. With this sense of goodness in her heart, she made sure that her son would not turn out like his father. To assure this, she used her own magic to shatter his horn, fracturing it and leaving it half-complete, then scattering the fragments all across the land in the hopes that they would never be found or brought together. He could still use it for casting magic, but the overpowering mix of changeling blood and darkness would not be able to consume him… the unspeakable acts of destruction that would result from their coming together… it was hard to imagine for the Changeling Queen. Before King Sombra’s end, the Prince’s mother ran away for fear of prosecution to the moon – or worse, the sun. No word on her return or being has been spoken of since.

As for the young Prince Ostrath, he stayed with his father, being raised to rule a city or even, someday, a kingdom – with an iron hoof like no other. Through their time together, the Prince learned much, but he was always curious as to why he would have to rule in that way…

“Believe me, son; there will come a day when you and you alone must step up to take charge. When that day comes, you must hold on to that power, and use it to let everypony else know their place.”

“But I still don’t understand why it must be with hate and disregard for others.”

“My foolish Prince… the world is full of those who will take anything and everything from you unless you act. Despite what anypony will tell you, you have to earn your place by force. They may say it’s through respect and honor, but they’re all full of it. No matter what, my son, take it all for yourself, and keep the rest under your hoof.”

“But father-“

“UNDER. YOUR. HOOF.”

The King knew that he was lying through his sharp teeth about how everypony was a liar, a thief, a cheater, full of all the evils of the world, but he didn’t care. Those were his rules to live by, and they would be the only truths that Prince Ostrath would live by for much of his life ahead. However, under separate orders from the Prince’s mother, the Changeling Queen, and his father, a peculiar old pony under a raggedy brown cloak would tag along with the Prince as a guide, in wake of the King’s final battle among the living.

“North Star!”

“Yes, my King?” the old voice spoke, echoing towards the King, who stood on a balcony overlooking the Crystal Empire. He watched the horizon, waiting as Princess Celestia and Luna swiftly approached from afar.

“I have one last favor to ask of you.”

“Anything, my king.”

“Take my son away.”

“M-my king… what are you-“

“You heard me, you old fool! Take the Prince far away from here. Anywhere. I sense a storm of epic proportions approaching… and I’ll be a part of it.”

“And y-you want me to-“

“Must I repeat myself!?” From this, a silence came between the two, stretching on for what felt like ages. The King soon continued. “I cannot fully trust myself to survive against two other powerful beings. That’s why I want you to get out of here, and take Prince Ostrath with you.”

The old pony stood there, slightly in shock that his King would order him to completely abandon him, and so he begged the question. “But, my King, why would you order me to just leave you alone to deal with the Princesses? You know very well I can be of some help!”

The King roared furiously back at him, “You will be of more help to me by leaving at ONCE!” The old pony was now in fear, not so much for his own life, but for the Kings; that he knew that he would perish in the battle to come brought frightening thoughts. “I want both of you gone. Anywhere but here, or in the sights of the Princesses. When you are out there in seclusion, guide my son in my ways. Show him what it takes to rule as I have. Show him how dark this world can be to him – and what power he already has.” At this, the King smiled evilly, for he knew very well what dark magic and power that lay within his son untapped. He then noticed that the old man – his most loyal captured subject – was still standing there, burdened by the sudden abandonment of his master, his ruler, his captain. “Why do you stand there, North Star? You know what they will do to me and my son when it’s all over! GO!!!”

Without any further hesitation, the old pony ran out, trying to keep his emotions in check as he ran up a long flight of a crystal stairway to the Prince’s room. A sweet voice suddenly called out to him.

“…North Star…”

The cloaked elder turned around to see the changeling Queen, her head down in a sense of depression.

“Does something trouble you, my Queen?” North Star asked.

She paused a bit, allowing North Star to take in her solemnity. “You’re going to take my son away, are you?”

Now the old pony was sure that the Queen was troubled, as well, for he also paused on this sad truth. “…I’m afraid so. Orders from the King himself.”

This time, the Queen took her time to think these words over. “…If you both must go… then please look after him with good intentions.”

Again, the old pony was shocked, this time by the Queen not trying to take her son herself. “M-my Queen?”

"If King Sombra wants you to take Prince Ostrath away, then at least teach him some worthwhile virtues."

At this, North Star had to ponder. He had close ties to the King, not only from being selected as his right-hoof pony, but because King Sombra had confided in him on several occasions. Through those small moments, they had essentially become secretive friends, but were otherwise Master and Servant, respectively. On the other hoof, however, he, too, knew what was best, because he was a father himself until he had been taken away from his family who resided in a small village near Neighagra Falls. Despite this tragedy, North Star managed to find a companion with his enslaver. Plus, he found comfort with the Queen’s company. After much thought, North Star finally spoke up. “I won’t let you down, my Queen.”

The Queen teared up and smiled at this, saying, “Thank you” ever so softly. However, North Star could not help but be concerned for the Queens well-being. “But what of you, Queen? What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to run away, as well – but in my own direction.”

“…I’m guessing the Prince may not be able to see his mother again.”

The Queen looked down with shame. “No. Probably not ever.”

“I see…” This was another truth that both North Star and Prince Ostrath would have to eventually face, and the pain of the thought showed in North Star’s face.

“I wish you great luck, North Star. Celestia watch over you. Both of you, and in good hopes.”

Immediately, the changeling Queen ran out of the Crystal Tower, heartbroken, crying. North Star reached a hoof towards her and almost willed himself to call out for her, but he knew that time was imperative. What got him going even more was when he heard the King yelling outside the castle. “I’ll fight you both! YOU WON’T TAKE MY KINGDOM AWAY FROM ME SO EASILY!!”

From this, the old pony was sure that time was shortening itself for the King – and possibly himself, with the Princesses of Equestria just outside in the midst of combat. North Star quickly climbed the final flights of stairs into Prince Ostrath’s room, a small children’s room, lit up by natural light from the outside world, shining inside magnificently.

When North Star came running in, the young Prince was watching the battle outside through his window, with neither a look of delight nor dissatisfaction. From his angle, however, he could only see his father rambling about, firing off dark bolts of thunder and dodging various spells that could only come from the Princesses. A moment later, the Prince broke from his gaze to look at North Star, standing at the doorway.

“Prince Ostrath, we must make our leave now.”

“I have to leave?”

“Yes, your father has orders for me to take you away from here.”

“My father wants me to leave? But I want to stay and watch him!”

“It’s not up to you, I’m afraid. We must go now!”

“How come I cannot stay? He’s trained me for years for something just like this, and now he expects me to just up and escape like a coward!?”

North Star had to muster up all of his courage to forcibly shout out the words at the Prince. “Your father doesn’t think he will make it out of facing the Princesses! He doesn’t want you in his position or any place worse!”

The young Prince froze right there, knowing that his father wanted him far away from home. For the past few years of his life, he had indeed been training to fight and rule at his father’s side, cutting away at training dummies made of hay, rope, and cloth with a blade attached to a chain wrapped tightly around his arm – or when all other options were exhausted, with his claws, which were a genetic mutation that came as a result of being half-changeling – and barking orders at less-dignified members of the kingdom. Combat was hardly a problem for Prince Ostrath; the real issue was in giving commands to those who ranked beneath royalty. The Prince, at first, found it quite difficult to yell at anypony without feeling guilty about treating the others horribly and considering what was going through their heads.

Before the Prince could dwell on it further, he found himself being pulled away from the window, out of his room and down the crystal stairs. North Star was already half dragging the Prince with him downwards as the entire castle began to shake; the battle was climaxing to dangerous heights.

“But where will we go?” The Prince asked. “I must know!”

“I don’t know,” replied North Star.” Anywhere but here!”

“Then what will we do?”

North Star had to think and run at the same time with this question rushing through his head like the blood through his veins. Yet he was simultaneously distracted by the falling pieces of crystals and the powerful noises of high-level magic being fired off from both sides. He was sure that this battle would be one written for the history books, if not written by him!

Suddenly, the destruction outside gave him an idea – one which he hoped he would not regret.

“Training.”

“Training? For what?”

“For the rest of your life.” On that very note, the two were outside of the castle, exiting the kingdom on a journey for new salvation. For King Sombra, his fate was already sealed, and thus he would come crashing down.

But in the case of the Warrior-Prince Ostrath, his fate had only just begun.

TO BE CONTINUED