//------------------------------// // Chapter Five // Story: The Corvus Prince // by Daemon McRae //------------------------------// Chapter Five At the top of the attic stair, I saw a mare who wasn’t there... Luna stomped forward to meet Corvus, muzzle to muzzle. “Listen to me, you abomination. I am a Princess of Equestria! I will not let you terrorize my citizens!” Corvus tilted his head, unimpressed. “Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing?” She took a step back. “What are you talking about?” He began to pace around the room, a habit that Luna had grown to despise in the short time she’d known him. Then again, she despised him on principal. “Well, you have gathered your friends and servants in this safe room, locking yourself away, while the flocks and the cats run free to do what they do, amidst the populace of Canterlot and the surrounding townships. So, as I see it, you have two options- either run into into the fray, braving the slow, eventual end of the world, or hold out here with your remaining loved ones and wait for it to come to you.” To say that Luna had grown indignant was an understatement. Her teeth were bared in a malicious snarl much like a steel trap, and her hackles could not have been raised any farther with a sky crane. “How DARE you insinuate that I would leave my citizens to die like a coward!” “Ah, but isn’t that exactly what you were going to do by bringing eternal night to Equestria? Submit them all to a cold, dark death as their bodies withered from the lack of sunlight and food, the tides rose perpetually and drowned your coastal cities, and the wildlife ran rampant as their instincts drove them mad with no daylight?” With each word, Luna’s face twitched between existential horror and unyielding rage. She could barely form a response. The Elements, however, had one prepared. “This ends now!” Twilight bellowed, raising into the air with her friends as the natural magic of Harmony radiated between them. Their manes grew to ridiculous proportions, and they glowed with colorful auras as they levitated to the ceiling. There was a bright flash as a brilliant rainbow burst forth, steering itself directly at Corvus. Who simply melted into the floor, untouched by the magical assault. The rainbow beat against magically-resistant stone and dissipated with a burst of light. As the girls descended, Rainbow Dash looked around the room. “Yeah-hah! We Rainbow Lasered him into nothing!” The girls cheered to themselves, all but one. Twilight looked around the room, cautiously, unconvinced of their victory. Her suspicions were proven correct as Corvus emerged in the middle of their group. “Valiant attempt. Poor aim, but good thinking. However, I need to borrow those,” he added, pointing at the floor, “So I don’t think you’ll be doing that again.” The Element’s expressions melted from enraged to confused as he spoke, until they followed his gaze. There was a brief flash of horror in their faces as their shadows drifted lazily from their bodies, swirling into a pool at Corvus’s feet, until they crawled up his legs, coating him in a pitch shell, which redefined itself into a larger Corvus. He’d grown at least a foot. Not that the girls saw any of this, as they had lost consciousness the moments their shadows had been torn away. Luna reeled back from the sight, yelling in distress. “What did you do to them?!” Corvus gave her a dispassionate stare. “If it makes you feel better, they’re only asleep. Much like your sister. The shadows I collect, well, think of them like the consciousness of the pony they’re attached to. Some I give to the cats, to make them more useful. Some I keep for myself, like you just saw. There are a great many shadows and minds in Equestria to collect before I’m finished, so… how about a game? Not one that will do you any good in the long one, I’m afraid, but I believe it’s important to keep yourself occupied in the fact of tragedy. So here is what I propose: you go out, and collect the shadows of your precious ponies. Keep them safe. Their bodies will never be in any danger, once their shadow has been claimed. My beasts have no interest in a shadeless creature. If you can save enough of them, take them into yourself, you might even amass enough power to survive the end with me. Of course, it will just be the two of us floating in the void for all of eternity, but at least you’ll have company.” Luna gave him a suspicious glare. “I thought you said you wouldn’t survive the end of the world.” He nodded. “I did. I hardly consider a blind, tasteless, soundless void where I drift in isolation with nothing but my own thoughts ‘surviving’. That isn’t much of a life. But, who knows? If you can manage to collect enough power, maybe you can meet the void with me. That way we’ll have somepony to talk to, to touch, to exist with for eternity. Although I honestly don’t know if that would be better than the inevitable oblivion. I’m told I’m not very riveting company.” Luna had had enough. “NOTHING is inevitable. I will collect these shadows, you monster. I will collect ALL of them. I will save the minds of EVERYPONY in my kingdom, until you have no power left to bring about your so-called ‘end’! Then, once you have wasted away, I will return these shadows to their bodies, and we will live on without YOU!” she cried. The threw open the door, pushing the flock outside away with a great wave of force. She marched out into the world, set on her task. Some of the staff protested, and she turned to speak over her shoulder. “My little ponies, fear not. I will save you! ALL of you!” she added, with a final glare at her new foe. Then, she disappeared into the castle, slamming the door behind her. Corvus tilted his head with a small, nearly imperceptible smile. “Oh good. I was hoping she wouldn’t be boring,” he mused, then melted into the floor once more. The gathered maids and butlers simply cowered together, waiting together for their Princess.