//------------------------------//
// Balance 
// Story: Before Time Began to Flow 
// by Humanity 
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Much changed in what felt like little time as I swiftly rose to power. I quickly found that ponies were not the only beings in the world who came to know and speak my name, although they were by far the most plentiful. The foul corrupted beasts that plagued the world were no longer present wherever I roamed, instead replaced by countless creatures of varying forms and sizes. Some were harmless while others were fearsome. Some would even seek to feast upon my subjects to varying degrees of success. Steps would need to be taken to insure the survival of my people. And thus, society began to bud across the planet. 

Times were simple. Civilization was only in its infancy while my people created humble communities, often taking shelter in caves to hide from predators. I soon found that the ponies were not entirely alike. There were a total of three races of ponies. The simplest of the ponies were the ones that would come to be called earth ponies. They showed impressive strength, able to haul and carry loads that most other races could not hope to lift with the exception of the minotaurs and an innate talent at cultivating the earth itself. Another race of pony were ones that had pairs of wings at their sides that allowed for flight. They would come to be known as pegasi and could manipulate air currents and even the weather itself. Clouds to them were as solid as a feather cushion. The third race of ponies possessed small horns on their heads that possessed magic much like my own, though on a far weaker level. These magic-using ponies came to be known as unicorns. Magic was largely alien to them and I had difficulty explaining its functions. But over time, they would come to grasp their latent abilities better. Furthermore, all of these ponies would ultimately acquire unique patches or designs upon both flanks with the first being the youngest. These children, apparently out of a form of endearment, would refer to these markings as "cutie marks". Even as the adult ponies began to acquire their own in time, the name of cutie mark somehow stuck. 

There was one other race that stood out among my people. A race that I came to pity initially as one of the weakest races of them all. Tall in stature and lacking of claws or fangs, they would form large communities in fields to increase their odds of survival. This race of hapless beings came to be known as humans. Inferior in strength to the mighty earth ponies and minotaurs and lacking the capabilities of the pegasi, unicorns, and even griffons, I felt certain that they would not last in this cold bleak world.

Indeed, the world remained cold. With no light, it remained dark and the air cool at best. The world was somehow sustained by traces of some inexplicable magical force that flowed through the world, but only barely. My people struggled to sustain themselves as the cool air would stunt the growth of crops, forcing them to rely on bare weeds and other flora that managed to endure the bitter cold for sustenance. I had to do something to make life more sustainable to the world now that they required more than just hunting each other. 

There was little I could do to bring light to this world of darkness. My power was steeped in the element of darkness itself, not light. However, I began to ponder if there would be a way to bring warmth to this world. The same warmth one feels when near an open flame. At one time during my travels before my rise to power, I witnessed an impressive sight that left me awestruck. A mountain in the far distance ruptured with liquid fire that glowed a spectacular inviting orange. When I drew near, I found that the glowing liquid was the very molten blood of the planet itself. It radiated both light and soothing heat. Soothing so long as I made no contact with it. In my curiosity, I plunged my hand into the molten earth only to be wracked with searing pain. Upon pulling my arm from the substance that would come to be called "lava", I found my flesh having be melted away to the bone. But my initial horror was quickly washed away as I witnessed darkness itself ooze forth from my scorched flesh before gaining mass and becoming the arm I had just lost. 

Even though I knew I had no need to fear death as I was simply beyond its reach, I knew that my subjects had no such luxury. Even so, the key to bringing warmth to this world lied just below my hooves. But how was I to draw it out? And how would I keep the warmth exposed to the world?

I journeyed to the mountain that I had witnessed bleed its molten blood with an entourage of my followers. I had come to memorize its location out of a lingering fascination I had held for the mountain after seeing it erupt once. I would venture by it every once in a great while to see if I could catch it in the act again. Even though it still seemed to be a mighty looming mountain against the dark sky, I knew that the heat of its lava lurked within. But the question remained of how I could keep its molten blood constantly exposed. And how would I share it with the world?

As we approached the mountain, I heard something whisper to me. Not truly a voice, but a presence. And it was very near. My subjects never once responded to it, as if my ears were the only ones who detected it. I quickly found that the source of the sound was the sack that hung from my throat. The twisted evils within beckoned to me, although I knew I had nothing to fear from them. But as I listened to its whispering, I contemplated its properties. The miasma I had contained possessed the uncanny ability to twist and corrupt that which it consumed. It changes things. And my magic can influence and control it. Perhaps this evil presence could serve me well in some way.

For the safety of my entourage, I ordered them to stand back lest they be consumed and corrupted back into the devilish beasts they had once been. I stepped forward with the mountain looming in the distance. With some hesitation, I pulled upon the string that held the miasma's prison shut. The instant the pouch's mouth opened, the billowing condensed evils within burst forth once more. But rather than immediately expand and consume the world once again, it merely floated above me as it pulsed and sparked with evil power. My followers cowered at the very sight of it, fearing that I had just called forth a demon. But I showed no fear. It would harm no one so long as it was shackled to its prison. So long as its cage hung from my neck, it would never escape. 

I began to weave my magic with the miasma swirling around me at my call. My intention was to breathe life into the earth itself so it may share its heat with my world. With my magic mingling with the miasma, it rushed forth and expanded vastly before setting upon the entire mountain miles away like a storm crackling with lightning. And mere moments later, its craggy outer shell was obliterated as something within burst free with a deafening roar that carried for miles. The miasma rushed back to me as I held its prison open for it before it was contained once more. And only then did I behold the monstrosity that towered before us. 

A being as colossal as a mountain and completely composed of the earth's molten blood, my entourage and I could already feel the great heat radiating off of the creature as the land around it basked in its warm fiery glow. With arms miles long and glowing aquamarine eyes, the beast glared down at us. My subjects screamed in terror as the beast growled, but it froze the moment I threw up my hand. I declared that I was its master and that it would serve me and my people. And it did. The beast held its ground, almost docile. As fearsome as it seemed, the living mountain of lava seemed largely mindless and even lazy. But it would serve me well in time. As it was now a living creature bound to the earth itself, I felt the need to name it. With it being vital to my world's well-being, it needed a means to be identified. And thus, I named the entity Lavan. Although in time, my people would even give it the title known as "The Burning Mountain". 



Now that a source of great heat had been established, I needed to find a means to share that warmth with the rest of the world. Many of my people flocked to Lavan to establish communities within his warm glow and even just to witness such a spectacle. He was largely disinterested in the gawkers and merely remained where I had left him. But while those who went to Lavan basked in his warmth, the rest of my world was being chilled in the darkness. And while Lavan was capable of traveling beneath the planet's crust, he could not expose himself to the entire planet at once. And yet, inspiration struck me once more during a howling thunderstorm. 

Rain fell across the land while my people took shelter in their huts. Lightning streaked across the sky as thunder rumbled through the dark air. And as I stood there in the downpour, I felt it. Wind. Powerful wind carrying cool air wherever it blew. Wind that could carry heat. I had already tamed the earth. It was time to shackle the sky.

Unleashing the miasma from its prison once more, I weaved my magic through it before it rushed skyward. The clouds that brought forth the rain were drawn right out of the sky and down to me. They condensed and crackled with electric energy as the miasma surged through them with my magic. Once the clouds had condensed together to form a thundercloud that was no larger than a human man, I called the miasma back into its prison and sealed the opening. The cloud before me sparked and glowed before it finally began to unfurl. With two tendrils bearing the appearance of arms, two glowing yellow beacons appeared on what could only be referred to as a head. They pulsed with electric energy, its face remaining entirely featureless. A type of cloud apparition. 

Once more, I spoke of its purpose and myself as its master. My newest minion would serve my people by circulating Lavan's warmth throughout the world by manipulating the planet's air currents. Although I did find myself mildly surprised to find that unlike the largely mindless Lavan, this entity spoke to me. He displayed a smug air of etiquette in his whispering soft voice, his polite mannerisms oozing with intelligence. And he performed his duties well. Mere hours later, I felt the air around me become warmer. Feeling that my new creation needed a name, I chose to name this cloud entity Arabus. And much like Lavan, my people would come to label him with a most fitting title. "The Whispering Fog". 



The world greatly benefited from the two elemental entities. The world developed its own unique climates depending on the location. Arabus soon reported to me that at the extreme north and south locations on the planet, the air still remained freezing cold while those closer to the equator gathered the most heat. Crops grew in greater abundance and speed as my people truly began to thrive in the shadows. But after some time, a total of three particular entities made their presence known. Each of them being some of the most powerful individuals I have ever come across.

The first two eventually sought me out together. They were clearly ponies, although their bodies exhibited truly dazzling attributes that were not present in the other three races. Standing at roughly half my height, their bodies were sleek and elegant while seemingly possessing traits of both unicorns and pegasi. Large majestic wings were folded at their sides while very long and pointed horns jutted from their foreheads. But even more peculiar were the five tiny horns set at the bases of the central horn. One, a stallion, had a coat as dark as the night sky and a flowing shimmering silver mane and tail. His calm inviting eyes of a sky blue hue gazed at me while he bowed as he introduced himself as Orbash, though his companion who he would identify as his wife showed a more rigid disposition as if she did not entirely trust me. Perhaps a wariness gained from spending many decades within the shadows. With a coat of a fiery white hue and with a mane and tail flickering as if composed of actual fire, she exuded a powerful if not frightful presence. She too possessed a total of six horns upon her head as her harsh yellow eyes gazed at me sternly while introducing herself as Sunflare. Their cutie marks were nearly identical, Orbash's displaying a circular orb engulfed in shades of silvery gray while Sunflare's showed a white circle surrounded by an edge of shining blue light. This rare and powerful breed of pony would come to be known as alicorns in time. They swore allegiance to me as ambassadors of their people, the many ponies who roamed the world. Since I could not be in more than one place at a time, my people had likely come to look towards these very powerful individuals for guidance. I accepted their offer and appointed them as my subordinates to aid me in governing the world.

The third entity who came to me was the living definition of pandemonium. With a long slender body made up of at least a dozen different creatures and holding a penchant for completely random actions that defied everything I had come to know, the entity introduced himself as Discord. What further intrigued me was that he seemed to detect the miasma within the pouch that hung from my neck, referring to it as his "other half". Regardless of what he meant by this, he showed no interest in being reunited with his other half and expressed relief that it had been so thoroughly contained. I soon found myself laughing in his presence, the buffoon being quick witted and cunning while possessing extraordinary power that was only surpassed by my own. Even so, he was far from menacing and even proved himself as being friendly and accommodating. He soon became my advisor and even served as my court jester.

With the world finally at balance, my people were content. Even so, Discord advised me to find a place to set my throne as the world's ruler. I pondered on this for some time before taking note of a cave I had discovered during my early travels. A cave within one of the most menacing mountain ranges I had ever stumbled across. A cave so massive that one could scarcely hear an echo while speaking. It was this particular mountain that would come to be called the Devil's Mountain. 

At the far edge of the cavern where no light could reach, my people began to erect a mighty fortress. The cave walls around us provided ample amounts of stone. There was no way of knowing how many years passed before it was complete. But once the fortress stood, it was truly an imposing structure tucked away from the world. In a massive cavern miles across where the darkness almost felt alive, anyone who would dare become my enemy would struggle to reach me on my throne. To make clear that it served as my home and seat of power, I named my permanent dwelling Midnight Castle.

And thus my reign reached its zenith. But before long, my attention was drawn to the sack that contained the miasma. It frequently whispered to me while I rested upon my throne, my only immediate company being Discord. Even he seemed to show no signs of hearing the distorted whispers of the evils within the miasma's prison. Of course, I knew better than to release it and send the world right back to the dark ages from whence it began. It would never escape me. But even so... So long as it remained bound to me, what else could I use it for?

At one occasion, I noticed a lonely bat hanging from the high ceiling of my throne room. Discord was helping himself to a spot of tea at the time, thus not noticing the intruder. Hearing the miasma speak to me once more, I decided to humor its wordless beckoning and tugged at the pouch's string to release it. The miasma burst forth and rushed for the hapless bat as it let out a screech while trying to fly away, wisely identifying the incoming swirling mass of dark colors as a threat. It did not get far.

The bat screeched in a struggle as my court jester turned away from his drink to behold the miasma at work. The bat's screeches became increasingly distorted and twisted before I called the swirling mass of evil back into its prison. Discord could only look on in abject horror as the bat hovered in the air, a corrupted beastly shell of its former self. Not at all unlike the demons that walked the world before the miasma was corralled and contained. It did not flee or attempt to attack us. It knew that I was its master. When Discord inquired as to what I had just done, I insisted that it was merely an act of boredom. I do not believe Discord ever completely trusted me again after that.

While I gazed at this demonic little pet that hovered before me, I felt a sense of excitement come over me while stroking the pouch that hung from my neck. The miasma pulsed within, begging for release. With it, I had breathed life into the earth and sky themselves and could even corrupt creatures back into the beastly forms they were at the world's beginning. The evils that corrupted the world were now mine to control, a mere tool and pet to play with. I had drawn the world out of oblivion and brought it to life. I was not merely the Lord of Midnight. I was no mere king.

I was a god. And this world and everything in it was mine to do with as I pleased.