//------------------------------// // Prologue: Awakening // Story: The Villain: Darkness Unbound // by Gear Spring //------------------------------// A searing, unforgiving sun hangs over the Outlands. The mountainous region that sits at the southern border of Equestria fames for its purple rock and many dangers. Narrow passageways make the only way to traverse, but a single slip would have any pony tumbling to their doom as the bottom of the mountains are littered with jagged spires. Cracks in the rock allow for the underground volcanos to spew boiling steam that is said to burn a dragon to the bone. And the purple landscape is home to many subterranean beasts, including stone snakes the size of a Canterlot tower. Only a foolish pony would dare step foot in the territory. That, or a desperate queen. A hoof filled with holes pulls the blackened figure of Queen Chrysalis up the side of one of the foreboding mountain peaks. The wind howls, pulling her mane out in a whipping manner. She tries to move her wings, only to wince when the left gnarled one only twitches in response. Unable to take flight, she grits her teeth and continues to climb. Her front hoof fits into one of the holes dug into the side of the mountain. Heat greets her flesh, forcing her to pull it away. A plume of steam shoots out just inches away. Even from a distance, it stings her skin. “Once I have my kingdom back,” she says only to herself, “I will make sure to banish Thorax to this accursed place.” The air seems to settle for a moment, as she continues her climb. Chrysalis manages to find a foothold, propelling her onto a flat. She carefully drags her body up, letting out a gasp of relief once she is safely on the leveled ledge. Glancing down, the bottom of the mountain is a dizzying thousand feet below with the jagged rock bed looking like a jumble of pin pricks. A quicken heartbeat flutters in the queen’s chest, forcing her to stumble away from the edge, finding safety toward the mountain. She shakes off the fear, turning her attention to a mouth carved into the violet rock. Standing on either side of the rock formation are hideous creatures that are a mesh of various animals. The chimeras have the hulking body of a great ape, paws of lions, and the heads of serpents. Unlike the purple rock that makes up the Outlands, these two are frozen in gray statues. Each is a slightly different pose, as if frozen in the midst of a vicious lunge. Chrysalis waltzes up to the figures with a bemused look on her face. “Draconequus,” she looks at them intently. “This must be the place.” The crooked horn atop her changeling head is lit in a ghastly green, shedding light into the mouth of the tunnel, which suddenly shows a staircase spiraling down into the bowels of the mountain. A low groan seems to slither up from the depths, like the wails of the dead. Undeterred by the ominous moans, Queen Chrysalis takes her first step into the cavern. The stairs seem almost endless as she continues with her descent. After what seems to be hours of climbing, she stops, “I feel like I am getting nowhere with this.” She looks back up, and is able to see the exit. The changeling narrows her eyes, as if trying to strain her vision toward the entrance. Slowly, she turns, and makes her way back up the winding stairs. When she reaches the cave mouth again, the mountain landscape is no longer there. Instead it opens to a large cavern. Diamonds jet from the ceiling, large enough to crush a small cottage beneath it. They dazzle in vibrant blues, purples, and whites. Chrysalis does not pay much attention to the riches that hang above her head. Rather, her green eyes are locked on a pedestal standing on the opposite end of the cavern. The small granite pedestal looks nothing special, crudely carved flat in order to house a bottle upon it. The bottle sits a foot tall, and is forged from a blackened substance. The topper is securely fastened, as red chains are ornately wrapped around the neck. “It’s here!” She gallops across the cavern, her hooves echoing in the open, empty space. Throwing caution aside, she scoops the bottle off of the pedestal. Even in the dark design, her glowing emerald eyes glisten like a mirror. “At last,” she cradles the bottle, nuzzling it against her face, “All my wishes will come true.” The ground suddenly quakes, jostling the bottle out of her grip. It hits the grounds, but only bounces harmlessly away. Queen Chrysalis tries to scramble for it, only to have herself knocked off her hooves. From the center of the cave, the ground is split apart as an enormous rock snake bursts from the underground. The beast looks like a compound of boulders, with diamond spikes sprouting from the rocky surface. It slithers out of the hole, stretching long enough to fill the cave. A forked tongue made of diamonds slips from its mouth as it hisses at the queen. “No, no-no-no,” she grits her teeth, glaring at the beast. “I will not be denied!” She returns the hiss, baring her fangs. Getting back on her hooves, she charges and lowers her horn. It begins to glow a dull green, but the snake swings its massive tail, batting the changeling queen against the wall. Her crashing into the wall causes some of the diamond stalactites jostle free, and crash to the ground. Queen Chrysalis gasps in horror as one of the massive gems lands right on her bottle, shattering it to pieces. Despair envelops her face, as the tail smashes into her again, forcing blood to decorate her mouth. Tears stream down her cheeks. The snake lowers its head toward the defeated queen, and opens its maw. Diamond fangs emerge from its expanding jaw as it goes to take its meal. He…he…he… All of a sudden, the stone snake rears back, thrashing as if it were in pain. Cracks begin to web across its rocky skin, which seeps a glowing orange light. The serpent lets go of its prey, slinking back toward its hole. It lets out a painful roar just before it explodes, fires bursting from inside its body which swallows up the fragments the snake leaves behind. Dust flutters gently to the ground inside the cave, the only remnants of the stone serpent. Chrysalis hits the ground, stumbling as she gasps for air. Her hoof presses against her underside where she winces at the slightest touch. A wisp of dark floating in front of her eyes, forces her to look up, as another creature is before her. A blackened tail floats off the ground, leading up to the broad chest of a creature whose body appears to be made of living darkness. Two pairs of arms are crossed over its massive, muscular torso. The entities head is slightly round in shape, sporting a set of horns that curl upwards from either side of its head. In the void of black that is its face, glowing red eyes look upon Chrysalis. “Did you free me from my prison?” the being hisses, a mouth appears as it speaks, revealing a set of razor sharp teeth. “Y-Yes,” Chrysalis gets back onto her feet. “I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings.” The creature floats about her, as his four arms open, falling away as he seems to circle the queen. His crimson eyes never lead her. Smoke spills from his dark body, causing Chrysalis to choke and cough. Suddenly, he leaps away, crossing his arms back over his chest, “You are too weak. Useless. Disposable.” “W-What?” she says, her horn burns brightly. “How dare you speak to me that way!” Green light bursts from the tip of her crooked horn in a beam of energy. It strikes the creature square in his broad chest, but he shrugs it off with little effort. Seeing that her magic does not work, Chrysalis charges straight for him, ignoring the pain at her side. Lowering her head, she drives her horn into the being, without him putting up any resistance. The tip of her horn buries deep in his chest. He looks down at her, as a smile appears on his featureless face. Unfolding one set of arms, he clamps his clawed hands on either side of her skull, and starts to squeeze. Chrysalis screams and tries to wretch away, but her horn remains trapped in his abdomen. Cracks start to form across her flesh, as green light emanates from her body. The gives her one last sinister smile before smashing his hands together, crushing her head. Her screams are silenced as the changeling queen explodes in a flash of emerald light. A green mist slithers in the air, until he seems to suck it in, pulled down into the darkened abyss beyond his sharpened teeth. His eyes flash emerald for a second, as the smile reaches over his face again, “Equestria. I am coming.”