//------------------------------//
// Blood and Damnation 
// Story: Mischmasch 
// by SpiralWriter 
//------------------------------//

My head was calculating several things at once. The first was something's on me. The second was sending bursts of adrenaline to restore vigor and life to me for a possible fight ahead. The third was I could really use a drink right about now, maybe some rum? My eyes roved over the cave, noticing the smallest of details. I could make out the minute cracks in the rock, zig-zagging this way and that in the most random of ways, probably caused by centuries of tectonic plate pressure that was slowly building up on the walls around me. My nose and flicking tongue picked up multiple scents and distinguishable tastes. The earthy taste and moisture in the cold air, the sweat on my body, and the strange scent of something incredibly old on whatever was digging its claws into my back.

The thing that had jumped on me wasn't heavy, but it was dense, like every last inch of its body was packed tight with muscle. It had hammered on me with enough momentum to knock me to the dirt, sending the two of us sprawling to try and gain the upper hand, or whatever this thing had, in a wrestling contest. In the blind heat of combat, I pulled and I scratched and I tore and I choked, but the beast did the same. I struck it over and over with mighty blows and punches, but the beast did the same. I unleashed a roar befitting of my dragon part, and the beast did the same, except theirs sounded like a snarling, howling dog. Whatever this thing was, it had fought for a long, long time, and it was advanced in what it did. In a few moments time, I was flat on my back, staring up at a set of angry fangs just ready to chomp down into me.

I could feel the heat of its breath, almost taste the primal thoughts emitting from it. But, for a brief moment, the creature that had me pinned sniffed me. With that slight whiff, it was off of me, the weight boring down on my chest gone. I slowly stood up, my entire body aching all over again. I really needed to learn how not to run into trouble at every turn, or at least how to keep it from finding me.

"You are different prey. You bear the taint."

I looked up, my brow furrowing slightly and my slitted eyes of grey and incarnadine narrowing at the sight before me. A tall, gangly body, right with lean muscle gazed at me. It stood on all fours, it's fur a dirty white, but patches were missing, and some bloodstains were on it, mostly its paws and maw. It was canine in appearance, almost like an anthropomorphic greyhound, except oddly familiar.

"A...diamond dog?"I exclaimed as I gazed upon the creature.

The dog stood up on it's haunches, almost as tall as me, coming right under my chin. The strangest part of the creature was that it's eyes were dead, pupil-less, and a milky white glow emitted from them. When it stared back at me with those soulless peepers, I felt a small shiver run down my spine.

"And you are a jabberwocky, a lesser breed of a draconequus."It replied in a tinny, echoing voice, as if multiple beings were speaking all at once. Chalk up another weirdo here. How many was that I've met so far? I wanted to say at least five, including myself....I think. My memory was still a bit laggy, only coming back in bits and pieces.

"Pretty educated for a mutt that lives in a cave."I replied, still a bit wary of the stark white hound before me who had so easily bested me and then just gave up the hunt with but a scent. Did I reek that bad? I could imagine so.

"You are tense,"He spoke in an odd, mellow tone. It would be calming if multiple voices didn't come out of his mouth when he talked."Do not be, for we will not harm you anymore. No creature would dare devour you knowing that you have the taint within."

"Forgive me for being a bit...wary."I replied.

He nodded slowly."Cautious, a wise trait to hold, jabberwock."

"What's this...'taint' you're talking about?"

"Something very old and very powerful. Only those cursed by the Chaotic One wield it."

Chaotic One...Chaotic One...ringing a few bells. I blinked as several memories rushed right back like a speeding bullet, giving me quite the headache. I was Oddjob, or at least, that's the name I gave myself when I left earth and found myself dumped into Equestria by Discord.

"...Cursed?"

The dog nodded once again."It corrupts your very soul and mind until you are just like him."He paused briefly before continuing, his gaze taking that of concentration, as if he were listening to a conversation between several other beings. He blinked, and returned to being quite freaky with his emotionless stare."It is a very twisted path into insanity."

I gulped, feeling more than shivers run through me. Was that it? Was that the pit that's been in me, existing beside the fire? I shook away the nasty thought for later despite the sick feeling in my gut, making me want to vomit all of the place. I had priorities right now.

"If you'd be so kind to explain, what in the bloody hell am I doing in a pit like this?"I pointed a claw at him, as if it was his fault. He only replied with a blank, emotionless stare and a blink of his eyes.

"You are in no mere 'pit', jabberwock."The diamond dog began walking down a narrow pathway through the rock carved walls, motioning for me to follow him. I watched him go, reluctance holding me back, but finally, I breathed an exasperated sigh and trotted behind after him, my hoof and the bottom of my pawpad creating an odd stepping sound of clacks and patters on the hard rock floor.

What stood before me caused my jaw to hit the floor. The tunnel opened out to a vast expanse of interconnected pillars and pathways, all surrounded by a vast gloom barely illuminated with a sickly green glow from neon fungi growing along various patches of the rocky walls. I could hear sounds, various echoes that reverberated off the walls constantly until the noise died out. I looked up, and could see no end to the pillars and dark. I looked down and was met with the same sight.

"You are in Tartarus, jabberwocky."The diamond dog stated calmly."The place where all evil is banished to rot for eternity."





"Is everypony present?"

Celestia, the wise and powerful ruler of Equestria gazed out amongst a round table reserved for meetings of dire emergencies. She looked from pony to pony, with each movement of her head, her flowing mane of chromatic colors billowing softly around her. Her sister of the night, princess Luna, sat vigil beside her, her gaze just as stern and ready. Captain Shining Armor was present, as was one of his knights, Sir Vorpal.

The Captain of the Guard stood up, bowing his head slightly before continuing."Yes, your majesty. We woud like to bring to attention the events of what happened the past few days."

The sun alicorn nodded for him to continue.

"The city hovering over Applewood that was formerly Los Pegasus transformed into a massive storm from unknown causes. From sources that would like to remain disclosed at this time,"He gulped slightly."This is possibly due to the crime boss known as the 'King'. He had his control over nearly every single cloud in that region of Equestria, but his body was found dead several miles outside the storm and the vicinity of Applewood."

Celestia raised a curious eyebrow."...Dead?"

"Yes, your highness. Dozens of...stab wounds, possibly a knife, all over his body. Strangely enough, there seems to be traces of some kind of...poison in his system, slowly corroding over time, making him decay at a much faster rate."

She shook her head slowly. Her forces, both known and unknown, had been over the King for many years, just waiting for him to slip up. Finding him dead and an entire city transformed into a hurricane didn't make things any better.

"Any reports of the storm, Captain?"Luna asked.

"There's not a thing we can do about it, your highness. We've sent in our best pegasi squads, but they can't penetrate the clouds or get it to disperse...something inside is keeping them from doing so. And it's slowly making it's way across Equestria towards...Cloudsdale."

Everypony in the room knew that would certainly spell disaster. If the massive storm managed to reach the largest cloud city in the land, it would become a force that would devastate everything in it's wake.

"The citizens of Cloudsdale have been evacuated, but no matter what we do, that storm is going to hit it and merge into something really...really big."

"Double your efforts, Captain. Have weather ponies join your pegasi guards in trying to be rid of the storm, they could help."Celestia commanded. Shining Armor nodded with a salute."Is there anything else, Captain?"

"Yes, princess. Sir Vorpal here would like to report something."Shining motioned at the unicorn sitting across from him. The knight stood up and briefly coughed, removing his visored helmet out of respect, bowing to both princesses before speaking.

"In the sight of the storm, there was something very...odd."

"...Odd?"

"Yes, odd. From the very eye of the storm itself, a monster fell to the ground, a dead pegasus in it's terrible grasp."

"A monster? Could this monster have been the cause of the storm?"

Vorpal shook his head."No, your highness. The beast was brutal, but too instinctual and stupid to create such a thing. It showed no signs of weather manipulation, only ferocity and anger towards all around it."

"Did you subdue the beast?"Celestia asked.

"We did, though at the cost of several wounded soldiers and plenty of property damage from where it landed. We restrained it and sent it tumbling down into Tartarus."

Celestia nodded in approval."Good work, noble knight."

"Just...one more thing, princess."

"Yes?"

"The monster was a...jabberwocky."

A look of mild shock spread across both Celestia's and Luna's faces, sending the room into utter silence. Sir Vorpal swallowed dry spit before speaking again."A very...touchy subject, your majesty."

"I thought the princess killed all of the jabberwockies...ages ago!"Shining Armor interceded, receiving a sharp glance from the knight.

"...I did."Celestia answered, though her voice had taken on a hard tone.





A small bag of jingling bits sat beside him, the only memento left of the former city of Los Pegasus. Alamo Wall gazed out at the passing scenery, his poncho wrapped tightly around his shriveled body and his hat tuckered low over his eyes. He was in a very depressed mood.

"Is this seat already had? If so, too bad."

He lifted up his hat ever so slightly, a black and white body of elegance seating herself in the row across from him. Alamo briefly regarded the zebra with a grunt."What is it that ya want?"

She shrugged, her dreads sending a clatter of noise from her movements, several colorful beads now in different locks of her hairstyle."I have nowhere else to go since Los Pegasus in no more. So, I'll follow you, see what's in store."

"Tcht. The desert's no place for a zebra."

"I do not see how it is so much different that Zebrafrica. Maybe it's better, maybe worse, huh?"

He blew out a stream of air in annoyance at her smart reply."Fine, but don't come complainin' to me when all the Appleloosians look at ya funny."

For a few minutes, they only sat in silence between them, either staring out the window or into the corner of the trolley they were in, only the brief mutter of conversations from few other ponies aboard breaking the quiet. Zola took in a breath of air to speak.

"Do you believe he is okay? We never saw him after the guards kept us away."

"Ah don't know."

"Surely you must be worried? He saved our lives in quite the hurry."

"Ah said Ah don't know!"

"...Do you even care?"She stopped her rhyming voice, narrowing her eyes at him.

Alamo did not reply, only stared out the window, the town of Appleloosa and it's desert landscape coming up fast.





"Tartarus?!"

"Yes."

"The place where hundreds-"

"Thousands. Possibly more."

"....Thousands of evil monsters, and who knows what else, are trapped in, basically the pony equivalent of hell."

"...?"

"I'm deep, deep underground...trapped in hell with every monster and evil thing imaginable...with no way out..."I felt hysterical, lightheaded. A few nervous chuckles even escaped my mouth.

"Oh, there is a way out, but it is guarded by Cerberus."

"...Just great."

"It is not worth fretting over, jabberwocky."

That, I had to disagree with. I whirred around on him, my eyes wide and my body erratically twitching. I felt like foaming at the mouth."Not fucking worth fretting over?!"

He remained maddeningly calm, his face and tone ever constant in their blank expression.

"How is this NOT worth fretting over?!"

"We have been here for centuries. You will either learn to survive down here, or die, jabberwocky."

"Stop calling me that!"I shouted abruptly, my voice echoing across the vast expanse around us. The bugger of a mutt only tilted his head slightly, but the blank stare remained."That is what you are."

"I know...it's just that I have a name. It's Oddjob."I took in a deep breath to calm myself. Couldn't overreact, had to get myself under control.

"Very well, Oddjob. As per the customs dictated by common etiquette, Our name is Legion, for we are many."

I snickered."What, you get that out of a book?"

"We fail to see the humor in our name."

I deadpanned, the reference to the bible soaring right overhead this guy. I should've known better, anything on earth would be lost upon these Equestrians."Okay...Legion. Nice to meet you."

"And to you as well, Oddjob. Now, if you'll excuse us, we must be off."

Legion turned around on his backpaws and began to walk away to me alone in the god-forsaken hole."Wait!"I dashed around him, blocking his path."Where uh...where are you going?"

"To hide."

"...Why?"

At that moment, multiple roars of varying degree of ferociousness echoed across the massive cave system and began to make the very ground shake.

"It is feeding time."





"Is there...something I need to know here?"Shining Armor looked around curiously, the harsh gazes of both princesses and a knight upon him. He really wished Cadence was by his side right now to weaken the heavy atmosphere, but she was off tending to business in the Crystal Empire.

"As we have said...the jabberwocky went extinct centuries ago, right after the rule of Discord had come to an end."Celestia said, her voice never wavering."When Luna and I reclaimed the throne, we had thought the elements of harmony had wiped all of Discord's magic from the land, except for some curious reason...one creation of his remained. So, we had our best knights scour the land in pursuit of the beasts. We either had them slain or sent into Tartarus. No creature crafted by Discord could possibly bring any peace to Equestria. After the last one died, we had assumed the last bit of the draconequus had been snuffed out of the world."

"Perhaps,"Luna theorized."When Discord returned not too long ago, he brought jabberwockies back with him, and they are still immune to the elements?"

"Or..."Celestia jerked out of her seat, nearly sending the others right out of their skin."Where is the statue of Discord?!"

"In the maze, your majesty."Shining replied."You deemed it to dangerous for him...it to be out in the gardens for everypony to see, so we had the statue tucked away into the depths of the garden maze."

Just as he finished, Celestia was already walking out of the room with a stern expression upon her normally placid face.

"Where are you going, your majesty?"The others stood up to follow her.

"To visit a dear old friend."She headed through halls in the direction of the castle gardens.





"Well, this is it, ol' Appleloosa."

"...Quaint. Not the best, but I shall not faint."

The two trotted down the dusty roads, Alamo nodding to several ponies, each one nodding back at him with varying levels of interest.

"Alamo."

The cowpony stopped short at the gruff voice. He turned around with a wide, nervous grin to meet a mustachioed pony who only glared at him.

"Sheriff!"Alamo chuckled."G-good ta see ya! How's...the ol' noggin treatin' yer?"

"The swelling's gone down."A faint bruise from when Alamo pistol-whipped him still remained on his forehead.

"Good....good."

"Who's yer friend?"

"Oh her?"Alamo pointed at Zola."Zebra. Picked her up from Los Legasus."

" 'Picked me up'?"Zola raised an eye at him with a accusing tone.

"...Ah take it that whole 'Los Pegasus transformin' into a raging storm' thing had nothing to do with y'all?"The Sheriff asked suspiciously. The two shook their heads slowly simultaneously.

"Noooo....."Alamo averted his eyes.

"..."

The Sheriff only trotted off back to his office.





I ran, the two of us furiously trying to keep pace ahead of whatever roared behind us. The moment Legion had answered me, the stomping of something big followed up from one of the nearby caves, ready to chase us as a meal. I galloped behind as fast i could with my awkward legging, Legion running with graceful strides from his long limbs, each motion carrying him faster and faster.

"Does this happen a lot?!"I gasped out, the two of us turning a corner sharply, the big thing behind us crashing into a wall, but it did not give up the hunt.

"Every day."

"And you deal with it?! Every. Single. Day?!"

"Yes. We must, or we die."

At that moment, I felt a touch of sympathy for the poor blighter. He said he's spent centuries down here, centuries. Every day of his life in this rothole spent running from everything that had claws and fangs and probably fighting just to get a decent meal every once in a while. Hell, by his slick frame, I could tell he didn't eat a lot. How long has he suffered in the dark of Tartarus?

I followed him, running at a mad speed, until the sounds of roars had dimmed to a faint mumble far off in our ears. Good riddance. Legion slowed, and I did the same, every muscle within me burning and my lungs furiously trying to keep me breathing. He stood up on his backlegs to his full height, giving me a slight wave.

"You have come this far without falling behind, we applaud you. Most others would have been devoured by now."

"Thanks..."I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes.

"It was most fortuitous for you that we stumbled upon you when we did, Oddjob."He continued walking down a narrow pathway. I strayed behind, still trying to catch my breath.

We continued on down a sloping path, going deeper and deeper into the bowels of this terrible place. Scrawled upon the walls in giant carvings were scratchings of an unknown language that I did comprehend. I rubbed my hand against it, some of the bits of wall crumbling away at my touch. I wiped the dust off on my jacket, which surprisingly, was still attached to me. Alas, it was utterly ripped and torn beyond any fashionable condition, and with a heavy sigh, I shed the garb.

"What is this?"I asked, pointing at the words along the wall as we walked.

"Old Equestrian,"Legion answered."A forgotten language only known by the ones who built this place."

"What does it say?"

"Mostly they are prayers of those trapped, but some are ancient sayings of power to make sure whatever is down here,"A moan of pain from something unearthly interrupted him, carrying on for a long time."...Stays down here."

Another shudder from me. If I had regular skin right now, I'd be crawling with goosebumps. This was not natural...it was utterly and terribly evil.

"...What about that?"I pointed overhead, the largest writing outlined in some strange green glow.

Legion paused as he read it."...'Whoever treads deeper into Tartarus shall be safer, but whoever is safer is in most danger."

"...What the bollocks does that even mean?"

"You shall see."

"Like being all enigmatic and confounding, don't ya?"I said flatly. The sloping path before us evened out again as we walked on.

After several more minutes of trodding through the darkened gloom, the only visible thing in front of me legion's ghostly white body, something began to play through the air. I could hear the rushing of water, a violent river of liquid flowing. In only a matter of footsteps, we came upon a massive river of sickly green water, the rapid flow giving off an eerie glow.

"The River Styx."Legion proclaimed bluntly.

I breathed a gasp of wonder as I gazed down into it's depths. For a brief moment, I thought my eyes to be playing tricks on me, but when I blinked again and stared harder, it was all too real to ever be imagined. I could make out faces in the water, ghastly, horrible faces of things long dead. Skeletons of ponies and griffins and other creatures all crying out to be released from their aquatic prison. I took a step back out of fear alone.

"Do not fear, Oddjob. They are merely apparitions of things that once were, they hold no power."

A roar that shook the entire area, sending crumbling bits of rock down to splash into the river, making the skeletons dissapear for now.

"What was that?!"

"Gaze into the Styx, and you shall have your answer."

I slowly approached the riverbank once more, peering into the depths of the river that carried with the dead. Deep beneath the water's surface, at the very bottom, i could make out something moving. It slithered, then blinked, revealing a bloodshot eye more massive than anything I had ever seen to gaze up at me. Welp, let's take the nopetrain all the way to fuckthatville. I backed up, clutching my chest, my heart pounding furiously.

"That is the meaning to the words earlier, Oddjob. No other beast dares come down here for fear of what lies beneath Tartarus, something old...and very evil."

"Then why do you come down here?!"

"We are safe, as long as we do not disturb the Trapped One. His presence alone wards off other predators."

"..."

"Is there something the matter, Oddjob?"

"Is there a place I can vomit in peace?"





"See princess? Right where I told you."

The four ponies walked into the center of the vast and extensive maze within the gardens, anypony rarely making it this far in without getting lost. It was made this way to protect, or more correctly, protect others from what stood in the center of the maze. The petrified body of Discord stood upon a pedestal, exactly in the pose he had been defeated by the elements of harmony not too long ago. Celestia was very proud of her student and her friends at defeating such a foe, and so quickly as well. With a sigh of relief and her fears put to rest, Celestia nodded at the others.

"...It appears the worst has not come to pass. Come, we must prepare plans for being rid of this storm."

As they turned around and made their way back to the grounds of the castle, nopony noticed that the statue of the spirit flickered ever so slightly before vanishing all together once they left, the sound of mad cackling on the winds...





Alamo trotted into the saloon, Zola following behind at a casual pace. He seated himself right up at the counter, the barkeep already handing a jug of whiskey to him. Alamo flicked three bits out of the bag with his magic, the barkeep catching them swiftly in his hooves, nodding back.

"...Is this really all you do?"

"Just drink, spit and chew."Alamo chuckled in reply, to which Zola gave him the deadest and unnerving of her stares, his laughter dying down almost instantly.

"Hey, Alamo."

The auburn pony turned to see several other cowponies sitting at a table across from him, their grizzled eyes all upon him."What happened to that wonky-lookin' feller that went after ya?"

"..."

"He okay?"

"..."

"Huh, Alamo Wall with nothin' ta say."

The ponies at the table turned around, their interest in Alamo over. The cowpony simply downed his whiskey harder and faster, enough to make his throat burn incredibly and make tears roll down his face. When he was done, he let out a mighty belch and motioned for a refill.

"Drinkin' away some sorrows as usual, Alamo?"The barkeep asked, topping the bottle. He was only met with silence. The barkeep turned to Zola with an odd expression."What's wrong with him?"

"Oddjob."

"Y'know him?"

"We had a meeting, a little friendship worth out of the mob."

"Well, good on ya. If he ever shows his face round these parts again, tell 'im drinks are on the house. He saved all our hides."

Zola nodded, the keep turning back to his duties of dusting and making sure his bottles were all aligned.





"...Feeling better, Oddjob?"

"Y.....y-yeah..."

I wiped away the bits of remaining bile from my chin, holding back the dry heaves that were trying to force their way through my chest. I padded up to Legion, my eyes bleary and the acidic taste of stomach chunks still in my mouth.

"Come."Legion waved me over, walking down the riverbank of the accursed Styx. I followed behind slowly, but dared not stare back into the water, lest whatever lay beneath stare back at me as well.

We began walking once again, this trip much sorter and less dangerous than the previous one. We arrived at a small despot indented into the wall, a cavern. We stepped inside, the smell of smoke sizzling from a fire and the dampness that came with an underground cave greeting us.

"Welcome to our humble abode."Legion spread out his arms to the small cave. A crackling fire was in the center, giving the cave a flickering red and yellow glow about it. Runes and carvings were scratched and painted into the walls. Some were red, so I was going to guess that it was magical underground berry juice it was painted with and not blood. A mass of fur and crunched-up bones laid in the corner, presumably Legion's bedding.

Legion plopped himself down by the fire, and I did the same, warming my hands up to it. Boy, did that heat feel good after the longest time in darkness and cold. I breathed an sigh of utter relief as the warmth washed over me, ridding all thoughts of before away from my body.

"...Thank you."

The white diamond dog perked up at my words.

"...You're very...kind for letting me follow you, and all that."

"Think nothing of it. Normally, we would have killed you and eaten your various fleshes for a meal,"He said this as if it were a normal conversation. I stared at him with wide eyes as he spoke."But, considering that you have the taint, we believe you would be the most helpful of repellants."

"...I'm just some kind of bug spray to you."

"Whatever this 'bug spray' is, we imagine that you mean your presence with the taint will keep other monsters away, then yes."

"You have the fucking 'Trapped One' out there, why would you need me?!"

"There is no such thing as 'too careful', Oddjob."Legion reached over with his long arms and pulled a bowl from beside his bundled bed, picking out some unknown substance and gobbling it down hungrily. He offered it to me, some squishy goo with black chunklets in it greeting me."Grounded cave grubs, very nutritious."

I shook my head at his offer with a sick face."No thank you...I'll pass."

"Food is very sparse down here unless you're willing to hunt for it, I would take it if we were you."

Slowly, I scooped out some of the gunk with my hand, shakily bringing it up to my lips and taking a dainty lick of the stuff. I smacked my mouth a little to get the whole flavor over my tastebuds and gums, and found it quite...palatable. It reminded me of salsa in consistency, expect it was so much less flavorful and more slimy. With a shrug, I horked it down with a gulp, feeling it slide all the way down my throat, and with an elongated neck like mine, the feeling was utterly repulsive as it moved down my stretched esophagus.

"So...I have a question."

"Proceed."Legion blankly stated in monotone.

"Why do you speak so formally, and with all the 'we' and 'our' stuff? Most diamond dogs, I hear, are pretty..."I tried not to judge him based off of the single appearance of diamond dogs in the show, but it was so hard not to.

"Unintelligent?"He finished. I nodded slowly.

"It is true, our brethren who live higher up are not as refined as we are, but we are a different breed of diamond dog. We are diamond dogs, a collective with enough learning capacity to match that of Canterlot in tone and voice."He paused, doing that little shuffle of his face as if listening to something else."...Is Canterlot still standing?"

I nodded.

"Good. The ponies were stupid, but their rulers were smart, smart enough to banish us down here."

"...How old are you?"

"Oh, we want to say...four hundred? Or was it three hundred?"

"I take it...normal diamond dogs don't live as long as you."

"Like we said, we are not a diamond dog, we are diamond dogs, as in plural."

"...I don't follow."I shook my head, confused.

"We are not a single diamond dog. Nay, multiple diamond dogs reside in this single body."

"You lost me there."

"Surely you do not know the story of the 'Lost Legion'?"

"Can't say that I do..."

"Then you may wish to relax, Oddjob, for it is a long and complicated tale..."





Once upon a time, as most stories begin with, there was a diamond dog. He was known as Fenrir, a feared and respected pack leader of the largest diamond dog clan Equestria had ever seen. He commanded well over a thousand dogs, and they ruthlessly tore into any who opposed them or dared to stray into Fenrir Pack territory. Under his leadership, the clan prospered, while the land around them died from their thriving. Soil was turned dead of nutrients from their constant digging, precious diamonds were eaten and stolen away, and many a village disappeared overnight wherever the Fenrir Clan moved. Eventually, something had to give.

A traitor within the clan, Blackfang, Fenrir's own brother, tore him from leadership in a battle over the right to be called 'Alpha'. Blackfang used cunning and trickery to outwit his own brother's opposites of strength and might, turning the entire clan against him. Banished from the thousand dogs he once called family, Fenrir went on a exile march straight to Canterlot, the capital of Equestria. He seeked an audience with Princess Celestia herself, asking for aid in restoring him to power. In return, he would supply precious gems and even a workforce so her ponies would not have to endanger themselves in underground mining activities. The sovereign agreed, sending over a dozen score of her own guards with Fenrir to reclaim his rightful title.

Oh, the battle was long and bloody, indeed it was. Blackfang himself fought tooth and nail against Fenrir to hold onto power, but his brother proved to be the strongest in combat, slaying him and ripping Blackfang's head right off, holding it highly with a victory howl echoing all across the battlefield. All seemed won, all seemed right.

Unfortunately, Fenrir did not hold his end of the bargain. His clan moved even faster across Equestria, leaving destruction and chaos in wake everywhere they went. Fenrir believed himself higher above the princess herself. If she was so powerful, why had she sent soldiers to aid him in battle? He was stupid to forget her help with making him Alpha again, and he would greatly pay for his misdeeds and treatment of Celestia's precious ponies, the very beings she had vowed to protect since the beginning of time.

To Fenrir's surprise, the sun goddess herself landed right in the Clan's camp one day. There was battle, if it could hardly be called that. Not a single scratch had been laid upon the alicorn's head, while the entirety of Fenrir's pack had all been killed save for himself. He fell to ground, the bodies of kin laying around him in a pool of warm blood, his eyes pleadingly gazing up at the angered deity.

"Look at what you have done, Fenrir,"Her magnified voice carried across the fields."Your comrades, your kin, their blood is upon your head. Your selfishness and cruelty has cost you dearly, diamond dog. A punishment must be made for you."

"What punishment?!"Fenrir cried out, tears streaming down his red-soaked coat."Is this not enough?!"

Celestia shook her head, her horn lighting up with a brilliant glow that blinded any who would dare look upon her. Fenrir covered his face, expecting to be transformed into a pillar of ash in a matter of seconds, but that fate would be too merciful for him. He was lifted up into the air, the blood of a thousand fallen swirling around him a tempest of tragedy.

"This is your punishment, Fenrir."Her voice shook the very earth itself as the blood swirled ever closer to him, soaking into his body. All at once, voices filled his mind, those of his clan, each one crying out for retribution against his sins, each one angered at him.

"You are to forever feel the pain and suffering your clan felt by your own claws, brought down by your misdeeds. You shall be banished to Tartarus, the pit of all things black and evil."The tempest of blood had been entirely absorbed by the pack leader, his cries echoing alongside the voices of the dead.

"You are now Legion, nothing but a shell housing a thousand broken souls."

His screams were heard around the land as the earth itself opened up to swallow him.





"..."

"..."

"I...I'm sorry, Fenrir..."

"We are no longer Fenrir, we have not had that name for a long time. We are simply Legion now."

"So...I'm not speaking directly to a single being...I'm speaking to a thousand right now?"

The pure white diamond dog nodded slowly."We all hear you, we all see you, and we all have differentiating thoughts about you, though the thoughts of the Alpha and the Beta are mostly the ones that control this body."

"..."

All at once, I moved in close, clutching Legion's body close to mine. He, she, it, struggled briefly before realizing my motion was not threatening."Why...are you embracing us?"

"Man... fucking pity story!"I sobbed." I'm not emotional...I'm not!"

Legion slowly returned the hug, though a bit awkwardly.

"...You can release us now."