//------------------------------// // It Begins // Story: Keyblades in Equestria // by Zeryurijin //------------------------------// You who understand nothing, know nothing.~Ansem, the seeker of Darkness The world of Equestria. A land ruled and governed by the majestic Alicorn sisters who were goddesses of day and night, the lands and its inhabitants had shared centuries of peace and harmony. But it was not always so. Back in the day when the lands were young and the ponies still adjusting to their towns, a spat of jealousy and envy had risen among the sisters. Luna, Goddess of the Moon who brought the night was jealous towards Celestia, Goddess of the Sun. Over time, this envy slowly festered, corrupting the once kind Luna and eventually awakened a dark entity known as Nightmare Moon. Despite her sister's caution of controlling her emotions, it only fueled Luna's hatred towards her sister and how no one would consider admiring the work she had put in for night. When Nightmare Moon refused to lower the moon one fateful day, Celestia was forced to take action. Summoning the Elements of Harmony, sister was forced to turn on sister, defeating Nightmare Moon and banishing her to the moon for a thousand years. It pained the Alicorn's heart, but with little success on turning her sister's mind, there was no choice. A thousand year old prophecy came to pass as the Princess's most promising student, Twilight Sparkle read that Nightmare Moon would return and once more plunge the world into darkness. Together with her five new friends, the ponies confronted Nightmare Moon in the ruins that housed the Elements of Harmony. Though the dark princess was triumphant on destroying the orbs, her victory was short lived as Twilight, along with Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, each represented the Elements of Harmony. With the purple unicorn being the key that unlocked them all, Magic Nightmare Moon was defeated, thus releasing Princess Luna from its dark influence and saving all of Equestria. Twilight and her friends became legends to forever be told in the grand halls of Canterlot, while Luna having been away for so long, took up her role again as raising and lowering the moon (and catching up on lost time with her sister.) Days passed, lessons were learned and the bonds of family and friendship grew. In time Twilight and her friends were called once again to aide Equestria at Celestia's beckoning. For a mischevious spirit known as Discord had escaped his stone prison and would once again cause chaos across the lands. Their victory however, was not easily gained as Discord corrupted each bearer of the Elements. Little did he know that by disrupting the balance of Harmony, he set off a chain reaction that would bring forth an even darker force. . .a force never heard of before. As Discord's chaos spread across Ponyville and the surrounding lands, its effect drew over Ever Free Forest and soon swallowed up the ruins which once held the Elements. Inside, huddling in a dark corner, was the remenants of Nightmare Moon's taint. Now just a huddled pathetic creature, it laid there in misery and hatred, idle thoughts of revenge were met with despair and lost hope. As the magical disruption started to take hold, it "sensed" Discord's effect. A strange vibration started to thrum along the hallowed walls, drawing the creature to follow its source. It paused then turned and found itself staring at a door, a door in the back where the orbs once sat. Strange. . . it was never there before, not in all its time here brooding. A loud click! sounded, its echo reverberated off the walls and stretched across the lands. As the creature shook off the effects of the noise, a slow groaning creak, drew its attention once more. The door was open and dark, inky mists started to pour forth. It covered the floor like a thick fog, sucking any source of light it found and left nothing but shadow in its wake. The taint was puzzled as it never felt an aura like this before. It "watched" as the shadows took form, strange beings emerging from the black inky pool. They looked. .strange. Little beings with glowing yellow eyes and antennae from their heads. They moved in strange, awkward motions which stilled when footsteps sounded upon the stone. The taint turned and found itself staring at something different. This.. creature was tall. . .and its aura, dark.. powerful, fearing. . and hungry. All it could make out was that it was shrouded in a robe of some sort, its face masked and covered by the cowl. It was. . frightening. It could "feel" eyes staring down upon it, eyes unseen by the blackness of the shade the cowl created. And then. .. its spoke. "Poor pitiful creature. Huddled to be forgotten by time once more and left to fade away into nothing. Yet within you lies a power still great and a thirst for vengeance against those who did you harm. I am in need of. . some in world help by a denizen such as yourself. Pledge yourself to me.. and I will give you this power...and a chance of retribution." It knelt before the small taint and hissed,"What say you?" A chance to get back at Twilight Sparkle, her friends and even the Princesses? This was something it was not going to pass up on. The creature felt it "bowed" and grovel in silent alliegence, gracing its boot with its dark body. A limb rose and a hand plunged into the taint. The taint shrieked in shock and surprise as this dark power surged into its very core, giving it form and strength to grow. The creature soon withdrew its limb and the shadows quivered as a body now laid upon the cold stone floor. It struggled to rise, but rise it did as it took shape and visage. The coat was as black as the darkest night, the mane and tail shimmered like a starless sky, de-void of any color save for the saddest, darkest blue. Wings adorned the sides while a horn jutted from the head, covered in a helm. At its chest it wore plated armor, bearing a strange insignia. The newly re-made Nightmare Moon opened her eyes to see the world in a new way. She felt the presence behind her and slowly turned to see the hooded creature standing. Wings trembling with some unknown fear, she bowed on her front legs and whispered,"G.. great master. I am.. yours to command. . . what is it you wish to know." Dark violet, draconian eyes looked up as the being rose and again she felt it's aura thrum with power,"Tell me everything of this world. . . and its people. . .. and its hearts. . . ." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Another day blossomed over Ponyville, the sun sharing its warmth to the land and ponies every where. Flowers bloomed and swayed in the winds, animals all over awoke and stirred before going about their business. And in Ponyville its citizens came alive and started once more, their daily routine. On this day, a pony named Sunflower was journeying into Ever Free Forest to seek help from the only pony who would ever dream of living there, Zecora. Her daughter it seemed, had the same patience as the infamous group, The Cutie Mark Crusaders and sought to obtained her own through a potion from the Zebra's hut. The result as before was the onset of Cutie Pox and so the mother entered the forest with a sigh, hoping Zecora had more of the Truth Flower. Though part of her was going to hold off on giving the antidote, so her daughter would learn a lesson or two about the dangers of impatience and taking things without another pony's permission. The forest was for boding and unpleasant regardless of the day and time. But the pony felt it was safer to traverse during daylight where the risks was smaller compared to at night, when its more. .nocturnal residents awoke and began the prowl. She sighed and fussed as the path to the zebra's hut was always troubling. The plants and wildlife here had a strange knack for growing so quickly. Even if a herd of cattle were to charge through and tear the place apart, it would all have grown back overnight. Such was the strange power of Ever Free. The mare sat down with a soft groan, the rough road was hard on the hooves. Thankfully the light of the sun above made the surrounding are at least a little pleasant. A sudden rustle from the bushes startled Sunflower as she jumped to all four feet,"H. ..hello?. .. is any pony there? ..Z..Zecora?" Nothing. . just the occasional breeze that swayed the huge overlaying canopy above the pony's head,"The sooner I get to her hut and get the antidote, the sooner I can leave this place." Sunflower picked up her pace and continued on, following Twilight's directions on how to get to the zebra's home. Another rustle came nearby and Sunflower started to feel panicky,"W. .who ever you are. . .back off! . .I got a bat with me. . and I'm not afraid to use it!" Again silence and the occasional groan of the trees swaying overhead. Gulping, Sunflower turned around and decided to come back later. Making quick steps she started back down the path when she came to a sudden halt. The path. . it was. . .gone! Towering trees blocked the way and the mare swore they were not there before. Or the strange mists that started to creep along the floor. The pony freaked out and turned to run in the other direction. She perhaps got about five hundred feet when vines whipped out of no where and grabbed at her legs, toppling the pony to the forest floor. The mists rushed at her as she saw with huge fearful eyes, that they began to take shape. Black creepy creatures with yellow eyes, short limbs and legs and antenna appeared and they all grabbed for the mare. She screamed and struggled, tearing the vines from her legs and tried to make a break. . .only to bump into another body. Eyes turned up to see a dark glaring Alicorn face staring right back with a malicious smile and Sunflower screamed louder. The scream cut off abruptly and then. . silence. The only sound was the breeze slowly swaying the tree branches and the groans they made over the once more vacant forest.