"Magic is but a tool, it is neither good or evil, nor can it influence the one who wields it. Only the one who wields it can make that choice"
-Starswirl the Bearded
Tartarus, also famously known as hell. Inside this dungeon of brimstone and fire were the most dangerous and evil creatures, trapped behind bars made of metal that kept them inside. Outside, guarding the gates of Tartarus, was the large three headed dog known as Cerberus. Day and night he stood watch, never wandering from his post. Except for that one time he did, and was then scolded by the Princesses, and swore that he would never abandon his post. The effect of his action had caused the demon, Tirek, to escape and wreak havoc on all of Equestria and nearly destroyed it.
With his lesson learned, Cerberus now stands guard 24/7, never leaving.
A scent, a familiar one, caught Cerberuses nose. His left head sniffed the air and the other two followed suit. The scent seemed close, yet also far. The heads tried to pinpoint the scent's location but it seemed impossible. Until they did, the scent was no longer scattered and was right in front of them. Assuming that the scent belonged to an intruder, Cerberus whipped its heads to the scent's location and snarled. Its jaws opened wide as they closed in on the thing that emitted the scent.
Then they froze.
Jaws still open, inches away from their target, Cerberus had become frozen with fear. Before the three headed dog was a figure, one that resembled a pony. A black hood and cloak covered the figure's body and face. But despite the figure's hidden features, Cerberus recognized the one who stood before him.
The figure slowly lifted its head, "now Cerberus." It spoke in a calm and unfazed tone. "Is that any way to treat your Master."
Cerberus quickly backed away and fell on his haunches. "Calm down, I'm not here for you." The Figure spoke, making his way towards the gate.
The figure halted as Cerberus extended his arm in front of the figure, blocking its path. The figure slowly moved its head to Cerberuses, his unseen eyes boring into Cerberuses very soul.
"Move your arm." The Figure demanded, before adding, "please."
Cerberus shook his heads violently, unsure which punishment would've been worse. The one from the princesses or the one from the figure. Cerberuses arm trembled, fear gripping his heart as the figure contained to stare. Slowly, and involuntary, Cerberuses arm began to retract. He tried to command his arm to stop but it refused to stop moving until it returned to Cerberus.
Pleased, the figure walked past Cerberus and entered Tartarus. The stench of brimstone clung to the air like a think sticky substance. To the walls where cages stacked on top of more cages where limbs stuck out from and clawed at the bars. Their cries fell upon death ears as the figure walked past the cages and towards the lone one sitting the furthest away from the gate. The figure stood before the cage, a beam of light shining on the half in front of him.
"So this is the fate that has befallen the magic stealing demon, Tirek." The figure adressed.
Two glowing yellow dots shined from the darkness of the cage. Slowly, two red bony hands wrapped themselves around the bars, shackles wrapped on its wrists, the face of Tirek became visible as it came close to the bars. "Who are you?" He asked, curious about the figure's identity.
"A shame you do not remember me. I was, after all, the first pony you tried to steal magic from. But no matter, my name is the Master." The figure introduced himself.
The once cries of those imprisoned became hushed and silent upon the mention of the Figure's name. The limbs which had clawed past the bars, were now slowly pulling back into the cages they had been trapped in. Tirek's face changed to one of horror in an instant. "The Master?" He repeated, making sure he had heard the figure's name correctly.
"My name is indeed the Master." The Master declared proudly. "And I have come in search of a very powerful artifact. One I have spent half a century trying to find." The Master explained. "Who would've thought that you've had it this whole time."
"What madness do you speak of?" Tirek demanded. "I have no artifact inside of me."
"Oh but you do." The Master took a step closer. "Long ago, the twin sister's had a powerful artifact which held the most powerful forms of magic. The sisters entrusted the artifact to the demon king, who sealed it inside of his first born child."
Tirek shook his head. "LIES!" He roared. "I have no artifact inside of me and my father never put one inside of me."
"Oh?" The Master asked. "Did you not find it strange how you didn't age where your family did. Did you not find it strange that you could use a magic the others of your kind could not? Did you not find it strange-"
"Enough!" Tirek shouted. "I won't hear anymore of this."
"Fine then, don't listen. Just do me a favor and don't move." The Master's tone became dark as he passed through the bars as though his body was a gas. The Master raised his hoof, and drove it into Tirek's chest. Tirek roared in pain as the Master's hoof wormed its way inside of Tirek's inside's. He tried to push the Master's hoof out but some kind of force kept his entire body restraint. The Master's hoof grabbed something solid, something that didn't belong inside of Tirek, that very something was exactly what the Master was looking for. It was small in size but its weight was enough proof to convince him. The Master grabbed the object and pulled his hoof out of Tirek's chest.
The force restraining him vanished, Tirek's hands scampered across his chest where the Master had driven his hoof to see there was no hole or visible marking. He looked up from his chest and to the Master as he phased through the bars. Tirek rushed to the bars, hoping to grab the Master before it had left. He banged against the bars and reached for the Master. Or rather, what he was holding.
In his hoof was a small black speck. The object became entrapped in a black aura of magic and grew in size. It continued to grow and grow until it grew to the size that it completely covered his hoof. In his hoof he now held a cube with strange symbols on its sides, a line ran across the top half of the cube showing off the box's lid, and on the top was a circle with a symbol with a keyhole on it.
"Give that back!" Tirek demanded, desperately reaching for the cube.
The Master removed his gaze from the cube and looked to Tirek. "Well since you asked so nicely," the Master extended the cube over towards Tirek. When Tirek laid his hands on the cube he immediately recoiled in pain, looking at his hands which had been scarred as though they had touched a hot stove. "That was for lying." The Master growled pulling the cube back towards him, he produced a bronze colored key with strange symbols embedded on its arm.
"Please." Tirek pleaded. "Don't open that box. You don't know what evil that will unleash."
The Master looked back to Tirek. "It seems you truly don't know anything about this box after all. My mistake." The Master said, slowly bringing the key closer to the lid.
"What you hold in your hooves is Pandora's box." The key came to a halt. "A box which contains the most evil and destructive magic known to all. If you open that box, you will unleash that magic and it will tear the world apart."
"You've been gone for far to long Tirek." The Master spoke, not looking away from the box. "While you spent your days rotting away in this prison, I've seen firsthoof what this so called 'world of peace' the two sisters have created has become. A world of equality and friendship." The Master spat. "What a joke. Now matter how you look at it, Equality will never be possible. Not as long as magic exists in this world. I tried to find a way to destroy magic, but such a thing is impossible. To destroy magic would mean destroying life itself, so a new way was required. If I couldn't destroy magic, then I would give everyone magic. Then, and only then, will there be a chance for peace."
"You don't understand. Unlocking that box will only bring death and destruction, you can't hope to achieve peace by doing this." Tirek said.
"You're just like all the others, only able to see the black and white of this world. They may not understand it now, but what I am doing will change the world for the better." The Master said, plunging the key into the center of the star symbol, passing through as though it was made out of gas.
"And if those who receive the magic end up destroying all life that exists?" Tirek asked, as a bright white glow began to emit from the crack between the lid and the box.
"Then this world was not meant to hold life." The Master answered as he turned the key.
The lid flung opened.
And all hell broke loose.
A brilliant beam of light shot from the box, breaking through the ceiling and climbing into the sky. The force of the beam caused loose pieces of dirt and dust to repel against the beam in a ripple like motion. Despite its faint presence, multiple colorful objects could be seen climbing up the beam and escaping through the ceiling. Once all of the objects had left the box, it closed itself shut. For a moment there was silence, then that silence was broken by Tirek.
"What have you done?" He demanded.
"I have either saved this world from itself." The Master turned around, making his way towards the gate.
"Or I have destroyed it. Only time will tell."