What if Twilight was never meant to become an alicorn through friendship?
What if she wasn't meant to help reform Discord?
What if King Sombra was to return to power?

A dark destiny awaits you now, Twilight. You weren't prepared for this.

Twilight Sparkle had to use King Sombra's Dark Magic to solve various puzzles. She claims that Celestia showed her how, but how is she perfect at the spells at the first go? Something stinks of a nefarious plot....
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I hope everpony likes this! I had this idea after watching the Season Three premier, and it wouldn't go away until I wrote it! I'm sorry if the writing isn't up to your standards, but I'll appreciate and constructive criticism!
Also romance for eventual shipping.

For a thousand years, the Code of Harmony has ruled Equestria, and the Code of Dissonance has sabotaged its works at every turn. Now the war for control over the land will come to a head, and one unicorn's decision may decide the fate of all.

For though she does not know it, Twilight Sparkle is the shining example of the Code of Harmony. Her teacher, Princess Celestia is Harmony's most powerful master and she knows her enemies are hatching a plan that threatens to cast down the Harmony of her throne and all she has sacrificed to create.

What she does not know is her foe seeks a new Apprentice to turn to his dark ways. A unicorn with seemingly limitless potential for magic, whose thirst for knowledge may yet lead her down a dark path, who is known to be such a faithful student of magic, eagerly seeking the truth no matter how forbidden it might be...

Sequel: Code of Harmony

As Twilight goes deeper into darkness, she is lost in her own descent. Going deeper into the Royal Castle which was taken over by the Shadow of Chaos. Betrayed by her own teacher, Princess Celestia, she must find her way toward the heart of the castle. Her friends are no where to be found. Finding a note that only tells her that the friends she knew, may be changed forever. Everyone she loves is in grave danger. All because of her. She must fix this large error that she has created. The shadow she has unleashed. Losing her memory she will go through the descent into darkness... (Story line is based on actual game)

On a day not well remembered, a young Changeling of unknown origin appeared in the world of Equestria. Not knowing what he was, he sought out help, only to receive the baseless assault of anyone he met. Unable to comprehend the magnitude of his plight, he sought out the answers. But what one wants to find isn't always what's really there.

Twilight Sparkle never was a Unicorn and she didn't even know it.
What happens when her true heritage comes to light? Will she willingly embrace it? Or will she be forced to?

Beware of spoilers in the comments!

Edited by uTTerAbsurdity, Zervziel, Stormwatch and Gwenio

Cover art by the talented Cartoonlion and colored by the equally talented Stormwatch, original can be found here

Click here for the Tvtropes page

North of Canterlot, in the far marches of Equestria near the border with the Griffon tribes, there is a mountain that flies.

West of Canterlot, beyond the Galloping Mountains and a desert painted in the pastel hues of a faded rainbow, a tower sits at the edge of the world.

South of Canterlot, past the Everfree forest and the desolate badlands, a city of gardens waits to be born.

The Lost Cities Challenge! Awesome authors who have taken it upon themselves to explore other abandoned places:

- The Land of Glass and Stone, by RazgrizS57
- The City that Breathes, by Pearple Prose
- Aletheia, by Foehn
- Far Kobresia, by Baal Bunny
- Keskiyönnon, by Bradel
- Unknown Architecture, by Not_A_Hat
- The Gentle People, by Bad Horse
- The Seal of Wax and Glass, by DuncanR

Dramatic Reading by Illya Leonov: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4.

Royal Canterlot Library interview for Lost Cities.

Princess Twilight Sparkle is the only daughter of the queen of the night, Nightmare Moon, and the lord of shadows, King Sombra. She is unlike any other normal equine foal, mainly because she was born as an alicorn. Just like her parents, she has the acute ability of harnessing the full power of dark magic to the fullest of its power. Her and her parents rule the Crystal Kingdom with an iron-hoof with a strong and loyal alliance with the Griffon Kingdom. They are planning one of the biggest attacks on Equestria in over a thousand years. The great thing about their plan is, their enemy has no idea about it.

Unfortunately, they are dealing with the princess of Equestria, Princess Celestia and her most loyal of guards, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie.

The gore rating is for death and torture in later chapters. The teen rating may change depending on how I write how the death's and torture occur.
I got this idea while listening to the black metal band Dimmu Borgir with heavy rain in the background.
I DO NOT OWN anything My Little Pony. All rights to the characters and the locations of the show are sole property of Hasbro.

So many close calls, so many potential hesitations, so many things that Twilight and Spike could have done differently, and they'd have failed. It doesn't matter what they did wrong or didn't do right, only that a split-second is all the difference Sombra needed. Now, Twilight is completely at Sombra's mercy, subject to whatever mind games he has planned for her...

Recent viewing of The Crystal Empire is helpful but hopefully not necessary. Special thanks to Mickeymonster for drawing the image that inspired this story.

When your life is as dull a gray as the world that surrounds you, the mundanities can make it all seem meaningless. Sometimes all we need is a little color -- or six -- to reintroduce us to what truly makes life worth living.

*6-16-2017 Edit, added Rainbow Dash tag because it triggered knighty.*