//------------------------------// // The Covetous Lord // Story: A Disparate Bond // by the7Saviors //------------------------------// As Starlight and Twilight stepped through the doorway and back into the Nexus, Starlight immediately noticed that something was off. "Took you two long enough," came a somewhat disgruntled voice, "I suppose that's not fair though. That windbag does like to talk." Starlight's eyes snapped towards the cloaked mare standing next to another doorway. She stood facing away from the two and towards the shining doorway, one of her front hooves tapping impatiently. Wait... hang on a minute... Starlight looked around the black void and soon realized what it was that had been off. "Um... hey, Aeon?" Starlight asked, turning back to the cobalt unicorn, "weren't there four doors here?" Twilight, who had been staring at her own rolled up scroll with a contemplative expression, looked up at Starlight's question. She looked around and, sure enough, there were only three doors surrounding them. "Yeah, there was." Twilight confirmed, "what happened to the other door?" "Oh, that," Aeon replied with a snort. She turned to look at the fillies out of the corner of her eye—an annoyed grimace on her face, "it seems we're down a teacher, girls." She ignored the confused looks of the two as she turned back around and continued speaking. "I was going to introduce you two to a really, really, really old acquaintance of mine, but the old goat apparently went and got himself another student and decided not to tell me until now." She turned back to Twilight with an oddly amused expression, causing the filly to frown and tilt her head in confusion. "From the way he describes his new pet, she sounds a lot like you actually," Aeon said with a small smirk, "now isn't that funny?" "I... guess so?" Twilight replied uncertainly, "so... we only have three other teachers then?" "Seems like it," Aeon replied with a shrug. She went to say something more, but stopped when she spotted the scrolls held in both the fillies' aura, "ah... it looks like Sombra's still just as wicked as ever." She chuckled and lit up her horn. The two scrolls were yanked out of Twilight and Starlight's magic, and Aeon brought them over to herself, completely ignoring Twilight's complaints. "Yeah... I'm gonna hang onto these for now," Aeon said as the two scrolls popped out of existence with a flash of her horn, "don't freak out, Twilight, I'll give the scrolls back once I feel you can handle what's inside." Before Twilight could argue any further, Aeon's horn flashed again and—with a loud pop—the two fillies found themselves standing next to the slightly frowning mare. "Alright, it's been all fun and games up to this point," the mare said seriously, "but now we're headed to the one place that isn't safe for the two of you to travel by yourselves." Neither Twilight or Starlight liked the sound of that. "So... you're coming with us this time?" Starlight asked warily, "like... actually coming with us?" "Yes, Starlight Glimmer," Aeon replied with a roll of her eyes, "I'm actually coming with you. Now enough chit-chat, we don't have much time left, and I have other things I need to get done." With that said, she pushed the two forward and through the doorway with her magic and quickly stepped in after them. It was hot. That was the first thought that crossed Twilight's mind as she and Starlight entered through the doorway. The second thing both fillies noticed was the oppressive presence of the large castle before them. It wasn't as large as Sombra's castle, but it more than made up for it with just how ominous its dark grey walls, gothic design, and tall black gates were. The area outside the castle was no more comforting. The castle itself was built atop a large rocky platform that—to the horror of both Twilight and Starlight—seemed to be suspended over a bottomless chasm with nothing connecting it to... well... anything. There was no path forward or back, and indeed no sign of any other land for what looked like miles in any direction. The castle simply floated over the endless abyss. The sky above seemed to fluctuate between a deep red and a fiery orange. The clouds were numerous, black, and stormy. The girls could hear a steady rumble of thunder in the distance every so often. though they could see no lightning and feel no rain. "Quit with the gawking and get inside... now!" The sudden and urgent sounding command caused the fillies to jump in surprise and they turned to see Aeon standing behind them—her brow furrowed as she glanced left and right. When she saw they were still standing there staring at her, Aeon glared at the two fillies. "Did I stutter?" she growled, "get your flanks inside that castle... now!" The girls scrambled backwards before turning back to the castle and galloping towards the ominous gates. As they reached the entrance a deep, earth shaking roar caused them to stumble. They instinctively turned towards the sound and the blood drained from their face at what they saw. Rising up out of the dark abyss was a massive, monstrous creature unlike anything the two had ever seen. It's head was that of a dragon's—its scaly skin maroon and its cold draconic eyes a deep jade color. The two black horns on either side of its head curved backwards and its mouth hung slightly open, showing row after row after row of jagged, razor-like teeth. As it slowly rose higher and higher, the fillies could see its long yet thick neck and broad, bright red torso and powerful scaly arms ending in giant, four fingered claws—it muscular frame as large and wide as a small mountain. Its lower half disappeared over the edge of the rocky platform, making it hard to discern just how big the monstrous dragon was. The draconic beast flexed its claws and lowered its head just over the much, much smaller unicorn mare standing before it. It opened its mouth and began speaking. The fillies had no idea what was being said, as the words didn't sound anything like the language they used. The fillies weren't even sure how they knew the dragon was actually talking—just that something in their brain told them those strange and alien sounds were words. "S-Starlight," Twilight slurred, "I... I don' feel so good..." Starlight didn't respond as she staggered backwards and shook her head trying to clear it of the sudden disorientation she felt. The two of them fell to their haunches, overwhelmed by a wave of nausea, confusion, and grogginess. The heart stopping fear they had experienced only moments ago was quickly replaced by a growing fuzziness as the words the dragon spoke dug themselves into their minds. "T... Twilight," Starlight muttered, lowering herself to the ground, "we... need to..." She never finished her sentence as her head dropped into her hooves and her eyelids slid closed. Twilight struggled with herself for a moment more before she too fell and closed her eyes. The two fillies—dead to the world as they were—never noticed the glowing red magic circle form beneath them, pulling them into the ground to who knows where. Twilight's eyes snapped open and she screamed. Another scream joined hers a moment later and she looked over to see a panicked Starlight looking back at her. It took a second, but the screams soon died down into heavy pants—their heartbeats gradually slowing down to normal levels. Once they had fully calmed, the two scared and confused fillies looked around themselves. They had somehow been transported into a large room—its dark grey stone walls dimly lit by the glow of a fireplace. As they took in the sights before them, their fear and nervousness gave way to curiosity. At one end of the room was a large window that overlooked the dark abyss outside. In front of the window was a rather large desk with papers, quills, a couple of inkwells, and a few books strewn about it. The desk itself was made of a dark wood with elegant but mysterious designs etched into its sides. There was no chair behind the desk, something the two fillies found odd, but not incredibly so. across from the window, placed along the opposite wall were several tall bookshelves packed with all sorts of tomes. Placed along the wall next to that was a smaller shelf, above which hung a large black bag and a smaller golden pendant on a chain. Next to that was the entrance to the room—a large ornate wooden door with a ring handle. All in all, the room the two fillies found themselves in was surprisingly cozy. With its softly crackling fireplace, quiet atmosphere dotted by the occasional muffled boom of distant thunder, and the soothingly warm air, the room was a far cry from what they had seen outside. Then the door opened. All calmness was scattered to the winds as the girls whipped around to see who had entered. Standing in the doorway looking very unsurprised to see the two, was a tall, thin, withered looking creature. Fear gave way to bafflement as the two fillies stared at the creature. Its lower body was that of an equine, with a dark grey coat, light grey cloven hooves, and a white tail. Its upper body however, consisted of a torso of black fur, thin and furless red arms ending in bony, leathery hands with long fingers. Its equally red face was similar to that of a primate, with a thick white beard, a large silver nose ring, and two small horns. Among its most striking features were black eyes with yellow irises that seemed to pierce right through the fillies, and the silver collar around its neck and silver cuffs on each of its wrists. Both cuffs had broken chains attached to them, meaning the strange creature had been a prisoner of some sort at one point. At least, that's what Twilight and Starlight assumed. For several moments, no one said a word—the two fillies staring at the creature nervously and the creature itself looking back impassively. The spell was broken a few seconds later as the creature snorted and trotted fully into the room. The girls watched as it made its way over to one of the many bookshelves, scanned over several books with a bony finger and pulled a tome from the shelf. Without a word to the fillies it then trotted over to, and behind the desk. It set the book down on the desk and opened it up, perusing its contents silently. Twilight and Starlight glanced at each other briefly, then looked back to the creature, both fillies not daring to say a word just yet. The creature stood behind the desk for several minutes, reading and muttering to itself before snorting again and snapping the book shut. "Tirek." The girls blinked in confusion at the word, looking at one another with matching bemused frowns. They looked back to the creature a moment later as it spoke again. "My name is Tirek," the creature continued in a thin, raspy, yet still powerful voice, "I will be your tutor in all matters regarding the arcane and forbidden. This includes Summoning Magic, Runic Magic, and Demonology among other things." "Wait, you're our new teacher?" Starlight blurted out before shrinking back sheepishly, "I-I mean... sorry, I just... um..." "Is there a problem?" Tirek asked, raising an eyebrow, "am I not what you expected, little pony?" "Well, not... really?" Twilight replied uncertainly, "to be honest, we didn't know what to expect. I'd also kind of like to know what happened... and, um... where we are?" "Where you are?" Tirek repeated with a dark chuckle, "that mare didn't tell you? She mentioned nothing of where you'd be staying while you learned from me?" The two fillies shook their heads and Tirek laughed in response. "It seems she wanted to keep it a surprise," he said, still chuckling, "make me do all the explaining I imagine," he shook his head and frowned at the girls, "you two are very lucky, you know that?" The two fillies gave him a bemused look and he continued. "Had I not snatched you away when I did, Fe Dommea would've claimed your very souls," he explained with a wicked grin, "and he wouldn't have even noticed." The two fillies paled. "Fe Dommea's words are not for mortal ears," he continued, ignoring the dread etched into the girls faces, "there is a dark, ancient, and terrible power in them, and merely listening can drain away the spirit of the unworthy." The two girls simply continued to stare at Tirek in horror. The demonic centaur laughed again and turned slightly—gesturing to the world outside the window. "Welcome to Midnight Castle, little ponies," he exclaimed, "my own personal abode nestled in the outer reaches of Tartarus." He turned back to a stunned Twilight and Starlight with a vicious smile. "I don't care what Aeon says," Tirek growled, "this is my domain, and these are my lessons. I will train you as I see fit, and mark my words, fillies..." He slammed his hands into the desk and leaned over it to stare at the two—his black and yellow eyes blazing with malicious glee. "...you will either learn... or you will break."