//------------------------------//
// The Creation of Tartarus 
// Story: The Legend of the Light Kingdom 
// by Rakoon1 
//------------------------------//

	Despite the fact that the followers of Order were dominating the Pony World almost completely, that did not prevent the Lord of Chaos’ servants of trying to change the balance of power.

First, there were the beings who inhabited the Desolate Area, the place in the Pony World that had been irreparably corrupted by the Lord of Chaos. Those shapeshifter beings called Changelings loved consuming the love of the ponies, which gave them immense power. Their queen, Queen Chrysalis, was immensely cruel and mean, but Aurora and the Generals could always keep her and Changelings in order.

But there were also other villains trying to get their way.

Pandora had tried to retrieve her box which was hidden at Everfree Forest, but Purple Smoke and Melody were able to stop her. Unfortunately, this did not stop the evil filly from discover the location of the box, something that she would use later to obtain it.

Mirror Coat could stop the Gorgon sisters, who threatened to turn ponies into stone. Despite the danger that their stare represented, the General of Knowledge, using his magic over the mirrors, managed to use their stare look against them and turn them into stone.

A mysterious nine-tailed fox called Kitsune also represented an immense danger to the ponies, due to his ability to manipulate fire. Fortunately, Leaf Mane managed to contain this creature, despite her weakness against fire.

But beyond these villains, there were also those who were more dangerous.

From the most remote seas, the Sirens tried to bring disharmony and conflict to the ponies, using their siren voices to manipulate them. Their voices could even affect the Generals of Order, causing them immense pain. But there was one pony who wasn't affected by them: Melody. Using her powerful voice, she managed to put an end to the threat of the Sirens.

Feeling the suffering of his subjects, Arbor, the King of Trees, left his home at the Enchanted Forest, the realm that was in direct contact with the Pony World, and began using his control over plants to make the ponies pay for what they have been doing to them. But his power over nature was not enough to combat Leaf Mane’s who managed to defeat him, being forced to imprison him.

From Wonderland, that was cursed by her and then sealed by the Generals, the Queen of Hearts tried to dominate the Pony World, ripping out the hearts of ponies to control them. However, there was a pony that she was not able to rip the heart: Purple Smoke, whose abilities to become smoke and imitate talents of others have proved to be useful. He was able to rip the heart of the Queen of Hearts and thus subdue her.

A dark creature that could suck love and happiness called Wraith started haunting the Pony World, wanting to invade the Crystal Empire. But Mirror Coat was able to stop him, trapping him in an isolated part of the Mirror Realm.

Due to her broken heart caused by Celestia, Ingrid became the Snow Queen, threatening the entire Pony World with an eternal winter. Fearing that her sister could do because of her, Celestia asked the Lord of Order to stop her, but without anyone knowing the reason that led to her corruption, as she wished that Ingrid could find forgiveness if she get to know what she was doing. It was then that Heartbeat, using a magical urn, managed to imprison Ingrid.

All these arrests were filling quickly the dungeons of the Light Kingdom in such a way that probably wouldn't be more cells available. There was also the problem that probably the cells would not be able to contain these villains for a long time. This was a problem that Golden Paladin was trying to solve.

While walking by the border of the Light Kingdom, Golden Paladin thought the perfect way to contain villains. He knew he would have to create a specialized prison to contain all those villains. But he would have to find a guard who was trusted to keep that same prison. 

It was then that he heard a sound coming from some bushes nearby. Golden turned to there, preparing for anything that might show up. It was then that he saw a young black-haired dog appearing. The amazing thing was that it had three heads. Seeing Golden, the three-headed dog began to growl. 

The General of Peace, not wanting that the young dog attacked him, intended to win its confidence. Ceasing his magic, Golden approached cautiously, without making any sudden movements. The dog, continuing to think that Golden Paladin was a threat, continued growing to him.

"Relax..." Golden said, continuing to approach with caution. "I’m your friend. Don't be afraid."

And he began to approach his hoof to the dog. Then the middle head approached and started sniffing his hoof and, after a while, licked it.

"It looks like we're friends" Golden Paladin said, starting to pet each of the heads of the dog. "But tell me, what are you doing here?"

The dog lay down on its back and Golden Paladin started petting it.

"Don't tell me you're lost" he said. "Wait, don’t you have a home? Well, if is that so, would you like to come with me?"

The dog barked, something Golden accepted as an affirmative answer.

He then took the dog to the castle, but not everypony was very pleased with this decision.

"You have to be kidding" Mirror Coat said, while the dog explored the throne room. "You can't be thinking of leaving this creature living here?"

"Mirror Coat, don't be so serious" Golden Paladin said.

"Yeah, it's not so bad" Heartbeat said, approaching the dog and starting to cuddle him. "It's not true? Yes, it is. Yes, it is."

And the dog then went to Heartbeat and started to lick her, while she laughed.

"I have to agree with Golden, Mirror Coat" Aurora said, sitting on her throne and seeing the dog. "This dog seems to be quite lovely."

"It's lovely now" Mirror Coat said. "But when three-headed dogs grow, they become very aggressive. They are almost practically unbeatable creatures."

"Don't tell me..." Golden Paladin said, thoughtful.

The doors of the throne room opened and Melody entered, saying:

"Hi, guys! You won't believe what I did today. I climbed the Everhoof Mountain and it was so much fun. Well, besides the fact that there is little breathable air up there, but it's one of the advantages of being immortal. Hey, who's the dog?"

"It doesn't have a name yet" Heartbeat said, while petting the dog. "But it's so cute."

"Yes" Melody said. "Come here, boy."

The dog then went to her with its tongues out. Melody began to pet the dog and then began to sing for him. That's when the dog suddenly started sleeping.

"Look, he fell asleep" Melody said.

"It's normal" Mirror Coat said. "Three-headed dogs fall asleep when they listen music."

"Oh, it's so cute sleeping" Melody said.

"Yes, you're right" Heartbeat agreed, approaching.

"Of course it is" Mirror Coat said. "Until it wakes up. Why don't we take it while it is asleep and put it far away from here. I can get a portal."

"Mirror Coat, take it easy" Aurora said. "This dog still does not represent any threat to us."

"At this moment" the General of Knowledge said.

"I had an idea" Golden Paladin said. "Mirror Coat, you said that three-headed dogs tend to be quite strong when they grow up, right? And what if I train this dog to be a guard dog?"

That left everypony pretty surprised.

"Are you crazy?" Mirror Coat asked. "Do you really think you can train it?"

"Why not?" Golden Paladin asked. "All creatures can be tamed in one way or another. In addition, Melody can put it asleep, if it gets out of control."

"That's not a bad idea" Aurora said. "We need all the help we can get."

Mirror Coat tried to refute that idea, but he knew that his warnings would not be heard. Then he said:

"As you want. But don't count on me to walk him. I go to my library. I have a lot of work to do there."

And he created a portal that he crossed.

Golden turned to the sleeping dog and said, smiling:

"Welcome to your new home... Cerberus."

And so, Golden Paladin adopted Cerberus and trained him to be an excellent guard dog. Soon Cerberus really grew to be a big strong dog. 

Finally, Golden Paladin managed to outline a way to control all the villains that had been locked and still get more space for other villains. He created a golden tower full of cells on the walls, with the largest ones at the bottom and the smallest ones on the top. Golden Paladin even created a solitary under the tower where he put the most terrifying villains he and his brothers and sisters faced: the Sirens, Arbor, the Queen of Hearts, the Wraith, the Snow Queen and… Perfect Scale. He put this tower within a mountain and in the cave leading to the entrance of the prison, he put Cerberus, charging him of its protection, something he did for centuries, always doing a good job.

And this was how Tartarus was born...