The Unknown History and The Magical Future

Luna and Ambrose had just returned from their two month honeymoon about two weeks ago. Celestia sat on her throne reading letters from foreign diplomats and local mayors confessing their problems. She always found these letters boring, how the people always ranted on and on about their troubles and misfortunes waiting for the rulers of Equestria to come save them. Celestia had finished writing her last letter and rose from her throne. There was a loud bang and a unicorn with a sparkling yellow mane materialized before her. Her hooves were raw and bloody, her tail was missing and in its place was a large patch of blood that covered her flank. The female's back of her hind legs had deep gashes and claw marks, and her head had a large blood stained bump on it. The normally white armor she wore was burnt, and stained with red liquid, and the cape that had once been attached to the back of her outfit was torn and ravaged. The sides of Ezra's face were damp with tears. The princess rushed to her side, and her horn illuminated with a sun glow shade of light, magically healing some of her wounds. She then looked up into her eyes, the pupils were small, and jittery as they darted from surface to surface. The soldier's eyes finally focused on the princess's and with her last breathe she spoke.

"He's back: Metus, and he opened the Gates of Tartarus."

Three days prior

Metus stood before the ball of swirling stars, planets, and magic. His search was concluded, he had found her, the guardian of life, death, and everything in between. Metus knew what was at the center of the hollow sphere of magic and destiny: Omnia. She was the creator of Metus, Amora, Celestia and Luna's parents, and all the races of the universe. Here she slept in a deep slumber, a cocoon of magic. The situation was extremely delicate, the slightest tremor would wake the sleeping ruler from her sleep that had began at the beginning of time. He ran as fast as he could through the massive bubble of power and fate. He slipped into the hollow circle, his body burning. He looked down and all his skin had been burned and removed by the magic, and his nerves sent his signals of pain as they came in contact with the air. His three horns became surrounded by his aura of evil magic and new skin stretched across his body connecting and resuming the place of his earlier skin. The pain ceased. He was levitating in the magical atmosphere her aura created. He looked up, and stared into the open eyes of the creator. He stumbled backwards in astonishment. He then realized her black eyes were open, but stared off into space. Her long, flowing black mane was streaked with gold, and her dark skin was stripped with glowing, blue stripes. Her wings were outfitted with purple glowing braces, and on her long legs were four bronze rings, with golden gems at their center. She was in the same position Celestia had displayed when rising the sun at the Summer Sun Festival: her wings spread wide, her fore legs extended, and her head raised high. Metus once again returned to his objective more cautious then ever. He moved up until her long pointed horn rested between his three. His mind pushed its way into hers, ever so slowly. He accessed her subconscious careful not to awaken her or her magic. After what seemed like hours he found what he was looking for: a spell. He left her mind, and ran as fast as he could to get away from the powerful ruler. To find the creator who could not be found, you needed to be lost. Metus stopped galloping once several hundred miles were between him and the pony. He then smiled, relieved. The dark unicorn became shrouded in darkness and with an eruption of flame he appeared before the gates of Tartarus.

In the same black tongue his journal had been written in, Metus spoke the spell of Tartarus. It is roughly translated to "I accept the duty. I will bear the burden. Give me reign of all darkness, my heart can take it, it will hold the universe's sins and abominations. I will share its cruelty, its malice, and its corruption. I will open the gate, I will govern the power it holds. I shall become evil and evil shall become me." Metus concluded the incantation he stole from Omnia, and the black, metal gates opened, pushing the skeleton of Cerberus off the cliff into the deep crevice of stone. Metus's voice then rang out loud and clear into the now open entrance as he spoke to the corrupt souls inside. BREAK YOUR CURSED BONDS, SHATTER YOUR MAGICAL IMPRISONMENTS, AND SHED THE CHAINS THAT SHACKLE YOU! YOUR REVENGE IS AT HAD! WE WILL RISE NOW, WE WILL RISE TO RULE THE WORLD! A long stream of magic burst from the doorway circling around Metus; it then found his horn and touched the tip of it being sucked into his body. The swirling magic disappeared, and Metus rose from the ground filled with the ancient magic that the underworld possessed. Roars of rage and vengeance erupted from the heat and darkness that the doorway shown.

Luna's dreams were of the time before she and her sister grew up. Images of her parents faded in and out, and replays of Celestia and herself playing were displayed. Suddenly they vanished. Her subconsciousness was now filled with the thoughts she had had while on the moon and under the control of Nightmare Moon. She once again saw the white, rock like surface of the moon. But also she saw a blue figure, an alicorn crying, laying on her stomach. A handsome, seductive voice then spoke, "Was it fair? Was it her choice to make?" Celestia's image flashed across Luna's nightmare, and the scene changed. Now there was a training camp. From the sky view the watcher seemed to zoom in the small figures that soon became as clear as day. Ponies with distinctive skin tones were whipped and beaten when they slowed down. They were being marched by a scar faced sergeant. He shouted crude, humiliating statements at the ponies. The soldiers' bare hooves were cracked, bloody, and bruised. One of the third generation Malhornesi in back fell over, unconscious from the heat and exhaustion. The sergeant commanded the trainees to stop. He then walked over to the resting pony and with his magic he raised the nine ended whip high. It came down time and time again on the hide of the laying pony. He just laid there. The whip continued to fall prying flesh from bone with every swing. The life in the small pony's eyes flickered and went out. The sergeant then turned to the rest and commanded them to resume the marching, reminding them of the consequences. The voice rang out again, "Was it fair? Was it just?" The image faded, and the voice continued. "We could change it. No longer would all choices and responsibilities fall on one pony's shoulders. We could reforge your society where everypony was equal. We could create a new republic, a new government: A New Lunar Republic."

Luna jolted upright in bed, hoof at her chest. She was sweating and she breathed heavily. She slowly laid back down and stared up at the ceiling, the only sound was the breathing that her sleeping husband emitted.

After wandering the Barren Lands for more than a year, Leech grew angry. He searched vigorously, going deeper and deeper into the Unknown Territory. He woke, in darkness. Darkness. Ever since the land had been destroyed in the wake of Discord and Metus, it had never fell to shadow. It was not possible for cloud to be created. The land was always filled with light, and heat of that of a desert. The only water there was was several meters underground, and even that was scarce. Leech now looked up seeing one massive cloud of black blocking out all light. It rumbled and red lightning could be seen crackling all across its underside. He stood on all fours and shouted out into the black. "Metus! It is I, Leech and I have returned to claim my reward!"

There was spectacular, dark laughter. It raged on and on, and the black could above Leech was now live with red electricity. The ground shook, and the thunder rolled. A gap opened in the large thunderous cloud, and the night sky beyond it shown through. A black, flaming carriage began to descend towards Leech. It was drawn by two pegesi skeletons. And as the carriage landed the two skeletons looked in Leech's eyes and each one transformed into an image of Rosetta. The two dead changeling's skeletons's still possessed their magic. Metus gently exited the vehicle, smiling at Leech as he approached him. Upon his back were two yellow wings of flame and smoke, forged from dark magic.

"You Malhornesi, so strong willed, sometimes I wonder why I created you so." Metus spoke in his usual handsome, seductive tone. "I thought we had already discussed this: you have nothing of value to me. In fact I'm contemplating whether or not to kill you right now for wasting my time." The short pony stepped forward with confidence.

"That's where you are wrong O' Great Metus. Not only do you possess something I require, but I too have something you desire. The thing that has been locked away from you for thousands of years..."

"Alas you are too late my young friend, I already possess the key to Tartarus. Now, if you are done wasting my time I have more important matters to attend to." And as Metus turned his back on the Malhornesi, and began to walk away, he was then rooted to the spot by what the pony said next.

"It is not the key I speak of Metus, it is your sister, Amora."

"So we have an agreement?" Asked Metus.

"Yes, now bind it." Leech said turning to the changeling queen. Her hole covered horn glowed green and a chunk of magic surged through both Leech, and Metus binding their hooves together for a moment before the spell faded and their hooves were released.

"Perfect." Exclaimed Metus before he faded into darkness and flames, dragging Chrysalis with him. Leech was then teleported to the front lines of Metus's troops. The creatures of hate, and sin who had been trapped in Tartarus for eons were free and they all turned about to face their new leader: Metus. He used his wings of yellow magic to fly far above his minions, but his booming voice could be her for miles around. His speech of vengeance and return to power went on for hours. With the conclusion of his speech, roars, flames, and eruptions of dark magic sprung forth from the army.