//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: The First Death // Story: Deeper Than Tartarus // by SolarCloak //------------------------------// Twilight and Cadence arrived at Canterlot together. The sisters in law had been having a spa weekend when they were called to Canterlot by Princess Luna. The ponies headed straight for the royal palace. Upon arrival they noticed an increase in the amount of guards stationed throughout the city. An armed escort brought them from Ponyville to the palace. They went through the palace until they arrived at the throne room. The guards opened the large golden doors for the two princesses. Inside was Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, aswell as multiple other ponies. Each was a high ranking official in the Equestrian army. They were all seated at a round table that had been brought into the throne room for this meeting. The princesses took their seats so the meeting could begin. "Thank you everypony for coming on such short notice." Celestia said the the ponies gathered before her."This is a matter of the utmost importance." the princess of the sun said. All the ponies looked at one another with worried expressions on their faces."We have gathered you all to tell you that a great foe has returned to Equestria. He is unlike any enemy anypony here has ever faced. I first encoutered him five hundred years ago, whilst my sister was banished to the moon. I am the only living pony with first hoof experience with this foe" the solar princess said. The ponies broke into small converstaions with one another, discussing their foe. Spitfire, the captain of the wonderbolts, stood up. "Who is our foe, your majesty? And how has he been able to live for the past five hundred years?" the yellow pegasus asked. The other ponies in attendance nodded at the question, looking at their princess for answers. "His name is Ignatius. He is a species that is unknown to us. When I encoutered him all those years ago I fought him. I only just defeated him. I was left very weak after the battle. I had him imprisoned on an island to the west of Equestria, where I was sure he would never hurt anypony again." the princess of the day said."I assumed he would die of old age, but this however did not happen and now princess Luna has sensed his return." princess Celestia said. The ponies broke into small conversations once again. Shining Armour then stood up. "Surely, your majesty, if you could defeat him once you could defeat him again. Also, last time you were on your own, this time you have three other alicorns ready to aid you" the captain of the guard spoke. The officials nodded their heads once again. "I fear that he may have grown stronger during his capture." the princess of the sun said."We need to proceed into this with caution. If we go rushing in, hundreds of lives could be lost again." the solar princess said. There was silence from the ponies. Twilight spoke up. "Do we even know where he is? Maybe he mightn't even return to Equestria." the purple alicorn said. Celestia looked at her star pupil. "I am certain he will return. Ane this time he will need to be stopped. Perminently." the princess said sternly. "I will have the wonderbolts out looking for him immediatly." Spitfire said getting out of her chair to leave the throne room. "This meeting is adjourned." the lunar princess said. All the officials got up and left the throne room, leaving only the four princesses. Twilight walked over to her mentor. "Is he really as bad as the books I've read say?" Twilight asked Celestia. The solar princess looked her in the eyes. "I'm afraid so. Equestria is in deep trouble now. We need a miracle." the princess of the sun said. *** A boot slammed into the sand, leaving a deep footprint. Ignatius looked around. There was nopony around him. He looked back in the direction he had come. Footprints could been seen on the waters surface. He had used his magic to allow him to walk on the surface of the water. He turned back to the beach infront of him. He pictured the map in his head once again. The city of Canterlot was a three day walk, east of his current location. He made his way up the beach. As he did he thought of a quote from a famous warrior from his world."We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender". That is what Ignatius planned to do if they tried to capture him again. He would fight to the death. He marched up the beach, the sand crunching underneath his weight. Last time he had set foot on Equestrian soil he left destruction and bodies in his wake. The ponies assumed that he killed them all. They were wrong. He tried to explain his innocence but they refused to listen. He remebered the pony that would come every now and then, he couldn't keep track of time in the cell. He would ask him where he came from and how he got his power. The answer was he didn't know. When he tried to explain that they would shock him with a spell and call him a liar. They wanted to find out how to harness his power and use it to Equestria's benefit. Eventually they gave up asking him. Ignatius reached the end of the beach and looked at the horizon. In the distance he could see a large forest. To the right of the village he managed to make out the outline of a city. He decided he would make a small stop before heading to Canterlot. He began to walk in the direction of the city. *** Equestria was on high alert. All the guards in each city were told to expect an attack at any time. All borders had been closed and citizens were starting to sense that something was wrong. When they would ask the guards what was going on, they were told it was a drill organised by Celestia. None of the citizens beleived this, and so a state of panic began to emerge. Celestia realised that she could not keep the matter a secret for much longer or she would soon have riots on her hooves. She decided to issue a statement saying that an extremely dangerous criminal was on the loose. This calmed the citizens slightly but they were still worried at the thought of a dangerous criminal on the loose. Celestia then told everypony not to worry, that the soldiers were working day and night to capture the criminal. Eventually there was a reasonable amount of calmness from the citizens. Celestia paced around her study. It had been three days since the meeting. There had been no sign of the escaped prisoner. This worried Celestia greatly. She knew he would be coming straight for her. As she was pacing a guard bursted in. "Your majesty, there has been a possible sighting." the guard said. Celestia rushed over to him, grabbing him by his armour. "Where was the sighting?" she asked the guard. "A farmer reported seeing a hooded figure walking through the countryside near Vanhoover a day ago. He thought nothing of it until he arrived home and heard about the escaped criminal. The report just arrived here this morning." the guard said. Celestia released her grip on his armour. "I want a battalion sent to Vanhoover immediatly. I also want you to get word to my sister, Twilight and Cadence. Tell them all to head to Vanhoover. We must stop the prisoner there before he can go any further." Celestia barked. The guard saluted and ran out of the room, Celestia following close behind. *** Celestia met up with her sister, Twilight and Cadence enroute to Vanhoover. They had linked up with the battalion also. The ponies stormed their way to Vanhoover. Since they were all on hoof, the battalion moved at a very slow pace. Luna had sent scouts ahead to warn the city guard at Vanhoover. As they were nearly at the city they saw somethine running towards them. The battalion readied itself for battle but realised it was one of the scouts. He was panting and out of breath. He collapsed infront of the princesses. Twilight helped him up. "Your majesty, I just came from Vanhoover." the scout heaved. "Is Ignatius there?" the solar princess questioned the scout. The scout looked at the princess. "He was there, but he's long gone." the scout said. Celestia froze. Luna spoke to the scout. "Where is the rest of your squad?" she asked him. The scout gave her a dark look. "They're in what's left of the city, looking for survivors." the scout said. Luna looked at him confused. "What do you mean, what's left of the city?" she questioned the scout. Before she got an answer, the battalion had arrived at the city. The sight was horrific. The city was ablaze, many of the buildings were destoyed, clouds of smoke rose from the rubble. The city had been destroyed. The battalion rushed towards to the city to aid the scouts looking for survivors. The four princesses stood where they were, looking at the ruin of the city. Tears began to roll down Celetia's cheeks. "We were too late." the princess sobbed. The princesses walked through the ruined streets of Vanhoover. The soldiers were going from building to building looking for survivors. So far they had only found fourteen. The streets were covered in rubble. Bodies could be seen beneath some of the boulders that had fallen off buildings. Large, dark rainclouds began to form above th city. The rain began to pour down onto the city below. Celestia looked at the chaos that surrounded her. Her foe had become much stronger since there last encounter. This level of destruction was even beyond that of Discord. Luna walked over to her sister and placed a wing on her back. "You could not have prevented this." the lunar princess said. "I could have tried." the solar princess responded, fresh tears forming at her eyes. "The best thing we can do now is to continue to look for survivors, and then bury the dead." the princess of the night said softly. Celestia looked at the pile of bodies that the soldiers had collected. Each pony had a family. Each pony had a life, and it had been taken from them. Celestia promised she would avenge her fallen ponies. *** Ignatius stood stop a large hill overlooking the ruins of Vanhoover. He watched as the battalion stormed into the city. He looked at the chaos that stood before him. This had not been his doing. He raised a hand, forming dark rainclouds above the city. The rain poured down into the city. The remaining fires that were still ablaze in the city went out. Ignatius looked at the city, before turning and continuing in the direction of Canterlot.