Dark Conflict: The Solaris Chronicle

by Six Quills

Prelude

DARK CONFLICT
The Solaris Chronicle
by Six Quills

PRELUDE:
A Brief History of the World
The following is a brief account of the creation and growth of the pony world, of which is intended to only supply key information and facts that will be of later importance

Of The Creation of the World

Very little is known about the origins of the Pony World. Only a small portion of written knowledge has survived over the hundreds of millennia. Most of what is known comes from stories passed down through the generations.

At the beginning of time, the world was empty; a barren, lifeless wasteland of deserts and volcanic fissures under a sky of endless twilight. The Ancient Deities, whose names have long since been lost to the endless river of time, looked down upon this desolate land and took pity on it. They then breathed life into the world, and from that breath, the world was covered in green. The great chasms of fiery rock were drowned in oceanic waters, and the vast, arid deserts were smothered in vegetation. They then created the great canopy of the sky, and it was filled with winds and storms to nurture the new life below.

The Deities were pleased with their creation, but the world needed more. Thus they cast into the sky two great lights, which became known as the Sun and the Moon, and the dark twilight was shed from the skies. They thrust the two celestial bodies into motion, and began their infinite dance across the skies. Finally, the Gods breathed life into the world once again, and created all the life forms that would thrive under them.

Of the Dawn of the Alicorns

For a time, the Great Ones witnessed their world grow, and they were pleased. To aid in the continuing growth of the world, the Gods released another breath of life, and gave birth to the alicorn race, created in their own image. The alicorns were made as demi-gods; possessing sheer power, wisdom, and immortality. They were tasked by the Gods to be guides to the world, and to act as a bridge between life and the heavens. For thousands of years the alicorns were the shepherds of the world and the growth of all life.

Of the Birth and Care of Pony-kind

As the world grew, the Gods looked down upon the life forms of the world, and felt a void. The life that already existed was not of the quality the Gods desired. It was then conceived that a new life would be made, one that would be the centerfold of all life. The Gods breathed life into the world once again, and gave birth to the Earth Pony, Unicorn, and Pegasi races. The great alicorns were immediately tasked with giving special care to these ponies. For millenia, the alicorns dutifully performed this task. The Earth Ponies were taught the care of plants and animals and developed a strong spiritual connection with the world. The Pegasi were taught control of the winds and clouds. The Unicorns were instructed in the ways of magic and the power to guide the sun and moon. The advancement of the world brought much satisfaction to the Deities, and so they left to rest for a time, leaving the world under the guard of the alicorns.

Of the Conception of Evil

With the Gods departed, the alicorns made decisions for the world without the guidance of their deities, and only a small set of laws of which to follow. A small part of the alicorn race began to question the Gods and their intentions. Among many things, they felt it was unfair to be chained to the world and to never enter the heavens. Defying the laws of their Gods, the rogue alicorns set into motion their own agenda. It was from this that evil was given birth. The evil alicorns, violating one of the most sacred laws set forth by the Gods, began to create their own forms of life, which inherited their evil essence.

Of the War of the Alicorns

Now that some alicorns were defying the laws set forth by the Gods, horrible conflicts began to stir. The good alicorns pleaded for their corrupted brethren to return to the right path, but the evil alicorns had already chosen their path. Thus began the Great Alicorn War. Horrible battles between the demi-gods broke out, flinging the world into a chaotic state. Each side recruited the life of the world to fight for them, causing every nation to divide. For hundreds of years the war raged on, and the once lively facade of the world had become a desecrated wasteland of destruction and death.

Of the Anger of the Gods and the Mortalization of the Alicorns

After some time, the Gods concluded their resting, and returned. Upon their return they were filled with dread and anger at what had become of their world. In a single burst of rage, the Gods forced the end of the war. The Gods, furious with their alicorn servants, punished them harshly. They were stricken of their god-like state, and were mortalized. From that day forward, the alicorns had been reduced into the fourth race of pony, and were to live and die as all other ponies did. With only a small portion of pity within them, the Gods left the alicorn race with their natural affinity for wisdom and magical ability, and granted them extensive life spans. The Gods allowed the life forms created by the evil alicorns to live, for although they were created by evil, the Gods treasured the value of life and all of its forms.

Disgraced by the path the world had gone, the Gods departed once again and left for a higher plane. They never again interfered or made their presence known in this world.

Of the Retreat of the Alicorns and the Separation of Ponies

As the millenia continued on, the alicorns continued to guide and teach the races of ponies, and the world was slowly restored to its previous state of prosperity. But as the alicorns no longer possessed their god-like power and immortality, pony-kind began to neglect them, and the three races themselves began to divide. Amongst many nations that were formed, three tribes had taken precedence. Each of these tribes was home to a single race of pony. The alicorns, no longer with a divine purpose, departed for a far off land to make their home.

Although content with their newly established homes, the ponies soon came to realize how much they needed each other in order to survive. Earth Ponies were the only ones capable of growing a good crop, Pegasi could control the weather, and the Unicorns were guides to the sun and moon. With much reluctance, the three tribes decided on a trade agreement. The Earth Ponies would offer food in return for controlled weather and the guidance of the celestial bodies.

Of the Journey of the Alicorns

The alicorn population was always considerably small, even when compared to a single race of pony. They traveled for many years and never created a single nation of their own. In their travels, groups and families separated from the rest and went their own way, resulting in many small, sporadic settlements. When all the alicorns had finally settled, they began their own expanse of civilization. While there was no united government, several settlements worked together to build many temples and libraries to house their vast knowledge inherited from the Gods. For hundreds of years they lived in these distant lands, and never made any appearances in the lands of the ponies.

Of the Hearth's Warming, the founding of Equestria, and return of the Alicorns

The pony tribes continued to live in their distrustful state for several hundred years which came to a peak during the Great Blizzard. The windigos which created the blizzard were creatures spawned by the evil alicorns during the Great War. With the casting of the Fire of Friendship and the events of the Hearths Warming, the three tribes finally united together, forming the nation of Equestria.

Eventually, word of this new nation had reached the distant alicorn settlements. Tired of living in seclusion, they decided to leave their settlements and travel to Equestria, where they would rejoin with the rest of pony-kind. At first, the return of the alicorn race startled much of pony society, but they were quickly accepted into civilization. It wasn't long before alicorns even began to be accepted as Equestrian leaders.

Of the Rise of Malicious Shadow

Alicorn families that descended from the original evil alicorns had always lived separately and quite distanced from other alicorn tribes. When alicorn leadership was established in Equestria, one particular group, known as the Shadow family, felt they deserved a portion of the power. They tried for many years to obtain a seat of power within the Equestrian government, but because of their ancestry and obvious evil intent, they were never allowed, and were later banished from Equestria for all eternity.

Several hundred years later, one particular alicorn of the Shadow family entered Equestria under disguise. He spent several years spreading lies and deceit about the Equestrian monarchy in and amongst the settlements and towns, and eventually amassed a large following of ponies which he formulated into an army. With his own army, he shed his disguise and revealed himself as Malicious Shadow, the 'Pride of the Shadow Family'. Malicious Shadow was born with an unnatural talent for dark magic, and spent his youth feeding his knowledge and practice of it. His pure evil power, combined with his army of followers, gave him the strength he needed to easily overthrow and kill the leading figures of Equestria, and take the nation as his own, bringing the dawn of the dark times of Equestria.

Malicious Shadow took great comfort in his newfound seat of power, and it wasn't long until his lust for power became his ultimate goal. When the Shadow Family journeyed back into Equestria and demanded their share of power, Malicious was filled with rage, and murdered his entire family in cold blood. With no one to challenge him, he extended his dark reign out across the world...

Comments

[chaos2012]

good opening chapter. i would just recommend a little longer. seemed a little rushed.