The Messenger

by Mindhawk

Chapter 4 The Masters Call

This forest that stands ahead is a green and pleasant land, with singing birds and tall trees all around. But as soon as you look close enough, it is not the area of serenity you’d come to expect.
The animals that are strewn on the ground are either dead or dying, the stench of decay lingers in the air. The scenery takes a drastic turn from a dreamscape, to that of a living embodiment of fear. The further you delve into these woods, the clearer it becomes, that a dark and powerful magic has taken over these coppices. Dead trees litter the lands deep to the east. And the smell of ash and death is all around, enough to send even the bravest of all the stallions into a poison induced fit.

There stands a lonely castle, abandoned long ago, with walls crumbling, covered in dead ivy and branches. Its roof black from appeared to be a massive fire, from a time long forgotten by the world of which you stand in. A howl creeks upon the wind, a cry from a massive pack of changelings. These monsters are not grounded by the natures of physical appearance, insect like in their stance, they possess no morals, nor do they have any sense of good or evil, they just consume, then move on to their next target. These mindless beasts seem to be taking refuge of this woodland without a master, or so it would appear. From out of the woods, a lone creature appears, with the vilest sneer. A Minotaur, but not of the kind you would expect from the passages of ancient Greece. This Minotaur seemed to possess armour made from the blackest, and darkest of all known metals, wielding a large battle axe in its right hand, and a crooked whip made of tail and bone in the other. Such a being seems to take precedence over the smaller changelings, keeping them in order with a crack of his whip.

Looking to his right, he notices the old castles tallest tower, encircled by a cyclone of grey and black clouds, lightning cast overhead. A lone dark figure stands at the window of this dark desolate land, looking over her so called mighty kingdom. For this was Queen Chrysalis, ruler of the changeling army. She once tried to conquer all of Equestria with the help of her vast army. But was thwarted by the now legendary mane six, and the new prince and princess of the great and powerful crystal empire. Long has she waited for a chance to exact her ungodly revenge on the inhabitants of Equestria, and rule with utter prejudice against all those who oppose her mighty sovereignty.

Looming over from the tall tower, she gazes upon her vast army of changelings, scattering and moving like an army of flies, moving over a large landscape. As far as the eyes can see, all there remains is a grey landscape, dotted with dying trees and large stones, on the edge of what seems to be a never ending forest. She savours this sight, breathing in the poisonous air, smiling, knowing that her forces have almost regained their full strength since their last attempt of conquering the land of the pure.
A giggling emanates from behind her. Turning, she looks towards her only true friend she has ever made in this world. A pink fluffy earth pony by the name of Fluffel Puff. Innocent as she may seem, this naïve little earth pony does hold a much more sadistic side under her happy exterior, holding a grudge against the ponies who had bullied her in her years as a filly in kindergarten. She seems to be having a fun time, colouring in what appears to be a rainbow on a piece of paper of the ground.

“Isn’t it marvellous my pink friend?” she says, smiling back to the little wannabe unicorn.

But she barely looks up from her collection of colourful rainbows she has managed to design for herself.
“Soon, we shall be at full strength, and we will take back the kingdom which is so rightfully ours”, turning back to her evil army of minions.
Just as she finishes her outer monologue, there comes a loud but quick knocking at the door. Seeming annoyed, she uses her aura of magic, emanating from her horn, to quickly open it. There stands a lone changelings, seeming to be petrified by the queen’s sudden action of opening her chamber’s doors so quickly. It stands there, looking too nervous to even let words pass from behind its lips.

“Make it quick” she orders the changeling.

“Your majesty….” Stuttering in pure terror, “T-t-the M-master is calling for you through the m-mirror….”

The Master it speaks of, is none other than the presence of the Nightmare itself. Now, since the nightmare cannot take on a full form, it can channel its thoughts and orders through special portals, which appear through magic mirrors, leading to its dark chasm. The evil queen’s eyes grow wide. She may seem very powerful, her force is nothing compared to her dark mentors sheer power of nightmares.

She shudders for a split second, then turns around, gaining her composure as she trots through her chambers wide doors. Making her way down the old corridors in her castle, she comes to a door. Behind this door, is a room so dark, that even the slightest inch of light coming from the sky over the dark clouds couldn’t even scratch its surface. She enters the chamber, the door slamming shut behind her, due to some unknown force coming from inside. There stands a dark mirror, her reflection being the only thing visible in its exterior.

As quickly as she entered the room, a large flash of light comes from the mirror, showing a dark pair of red eyes, slit as if they were very angry with the queen’s current actions. She cowers at the sight, bowing down to them in an obedient manner. Gaining her wits about her, she composes herself by taking a deep breath, upon which the mirror seems to do the same, but with shorter breaths, looking down at the insect queen.

“What are thy orders, my lord?” She asks the mirror.

A short whisper comes from the darkness all around her, then the sound of a dark grizzled voice comes from out of nowhere.

“The messengers have located the last whereabouts of the accursed Starswirl. It appears that he seeks to return to the world of Equestria. Make sure that this does not come to pass.”

Three figures circle around the dying bartender. He is covered head to toe in blood and ash, lit only by the blazes that have taken vacancy of what was once a prosperous communal. Trying desperately to get away, he starts to crawl away on his left side, whilst his right is badly charred. With barely enough strength left in his body, he tries to call for help. But in vain, as the closest figure takes a slight step forward, towering over the poor man’s soon to be lifeless corpse.

A whisper escapes the creature’s mouth, but sounds more like a screech from a bat.
“Starswirl…………Knightley”.

The poor man looks up in fear, not knowing what would happen next. The words the hooded demon seems to have uttered, have prevented any words to pass his lips. In a desperate bid to stay alive, he tries to plea with the three visitors.
“Please………don’t……”, but these words fall upon deaf ears. As the man starts to tear up, the hand of this evil being is raised, and with one blow, the man’s life is ended, without so much as a last word.
The three beings circle each other, when all of a sudden, a faceless voice calls upon them.

“Find the wizard, at all costs, do not rest until you find him. Kill anyone else he is with”.

And with that order, the three beings float at a high speed over the fields, they have a target. And nothing is going to stop them.