Ancient Twilight

by demonbaker


Chapter 10

A hooded figure makes her way deeper and deeper into the badlands, her eyes on the sky as she tracks a barely noticeable dot. Black carapace in front of the dark night. Hardly anypony could be expected to track such a thing.

Lun wasn't just anypony. Her draconic eyes follow the changeling as it finally enters a hive, a smile on her face. She waits outside, starting a small campfire with the sparse vegetation around her. Curling up, she looks at the stars, moving one or two to make them flow better, painting a beautiful tapestry.

She was so engrossed in her work that she almost didn't her the confident stride of an approaching changeling. Looking down, she sees a young queen, Barely an adolescent, staring at her with an unreadable expression.

Lun inclines her head. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother, Chrysalis. I hope the power struggle wasn't too tiresome."

The changeling scoffs and takes a seat next to the fire. "Of course not. I always knew I would take over when that old hag died. Though I didn't expect you to find my new hive quite so quickly; I'm not currently accepting guests." The young changeling points in the general direction of Equestria. "Leave."

Sighing, Lun looks up at the sky, fixing a star that seemed to be flickering. "I'm afraid not. I'm going to need your help."

Chrysalis's eyes widen at this admission, quickly narrowing as she tries to turn this to her advantage. After several long moments, she gives up and sighs. “What do you need help with? I'm barely managing to get by with my small force of love collectors—I don't have the power to assist anyone, and with the Plague sweeping Equestria it's becoming increasingly harder to plant harvesters."

Lun doesn't say anything for a while, simply staring at the moon hanging in the sky. "I think I've waited long enough, Chrysalis. My sister sits on the throne and basks in the love of the ponies, meanwhile, I'll be lucky if I get three visitors a month at Night court. I've done my best to make the night sky beautiful for the ponies to enjoy, but instead they lock themselves inside, fearful of my night."

Lun slams a hoof into the ground, a flash of lightning cracking above. "I'm done waiting. I deserve just as much as my sister; I am not the weaker one!" Chrysalis has moved back a bit. Lun takes a few deep breaths to steady herself, looking down at the small crater surrounding her hoof. "I apologize. The plague Chaos released has worn on me—every day there are fewer survivors, and even they are changed forever.

I've waited four centuries for them to embrace me; I'm done playing nice." Lun's draconic eyes glow inside her hood, staring at the newly crowned changeling Queen.

Chrysalis gulps audibly, taking a moment to compose herself. "You still haven't told me what you need. Not that it matters, I'm not about to give you anything when I have my work cut out for me building a hive. It would take years before I have a notable hive."

"How many?" The irritation in Lun's voice makes Chrysalis step back even further, the Dark Alicorn taking deep breaths. "If you were to acquire a steady supply of love, how many years would you need?"

The changeling's eyes narrow. "At least ten, but closer to fifty for a large hive. If you are looking for soldiers to go against your sister, then I would like longer. I doubt I could do anything against her if she got serious without lots of work building up heat resistance."

"Leave that to me; I've been studying a few tomes that have come into my possession." Lun's face splits into a wide smirk. "My sister only has Fire, but I have more than Ice on my side now. She's only really good with overwhelming force—subtle, cunning uses of power aren't her forte." Lun's smirk vanishes, replaced by a sneer. "Too much time basking in the sun, every word she speaks worshiped like miracles." The venom in Lun's voice is growing stronger but she calms herself down with more deep breaths.

"Fifty… Fifty years is the most I can wait. My magic is screaming at me to take action; it's becoming harder and harder to stay calm." Looking up at the stars above she continues, almost as a whisper. "The darkness inside me grows in response to negative emotions, and I'll soon come to a point where I can't… hold back." Lun stares into Chrysalis’s eyes. "You best be on my side when that happens, or you'll become another obstacle in my way that I have to remove."

Chrysalis gulps but nods. "Is that all? I have much work to do." Lun nods and Chrysalis makes her leave. Lun carves a spell matrix onto the ground, the symbols glowing silver before vanishing into the earth, oozing like tar into the blackened and broken ground beneath.

With her mark done, Lun steps to where it once was and vanishes, reappearing in her dark quarters in Everfree castle. A quick magical scan to locate any scrying magic later and she heads to her desk, pulling out a thick tome made of old leather, staring at the agonized face on its cover as if it holds all the answers.

Perhaps it does.

There will come a time that this no longer repulses you; I urge you to dig into its secrets when this happens. Life has made it abundantly clear that its next master will be it's last. That master is you, Darkness.

Hesitating a bit, Lun opens the tome, a wave of psychic energy hitting her, telling her to turn back, silent screams of those used to make this abomination.

With a fierce effort of will she resists its wordless commands to leave it be, and opens it to the first page.

Chapter one

The Power of Souls


Fifty years later

How long has she done this? Is this truly her purpose in life?

"This isn't you! What's wrong honey?!" Two ponies are causing a stir in the middle of town, a husband and wife.

Looking down at the list that has become her closest companion these last few centuries, she desperately searches for a name. After several tense moments of reading and she comes up empty, letting out a sigh.

If they are not on the list don't purge them, kill them. I'm far too weak to purge everyone from what Chaos did. Only those on the list are important for history to be on the right course.

Clover channels her magic into the Black amulet around her neck, the red gem in the center beginning to glow along with her eyes. Time slows, then eventually stops.

I made this amulet long ago; only its owner can remove it.

Clover walks up to the Pony, looking him in the eyes. Searching for some sign that he will snap out of it.

They are full of rage, fear, and confusion. His hoof is raised up to strike his wife, her head ducked and waiting for the blow.

It's important that you kill them the exact same way every time. Nopony must know it is you.

For the thousandth time, Clover curses Chaos from the depths of her soul. Weaving a spell, she summons a small shard of ice, positioned perfectly inside his skull. Turning and walking away, she releases the magic from her amulet, the flow of time eventually picking back up to normal around her. The pony standing perfectly still before collapsing onto the ground. His wife noticing and trying to wake him up.

Crossing another town off the list Clover continues on her journey, an odd throbbing in her head causing her to stumble a bit.

As she travels the pain in her head gets worse and worse, her heart starting to ache as well. "W-What's happening?" Stopping where she is, she notices the amulet around her neck is glowing. Time's warning echoes in her mind.

You must not let darkness claim your soul—this amulet corrupts its wielder in return for power not normally at their disposal. Were you still a Light pony, this would cause untold damage to those around you. As darkness is already a part of you, keeping it in check should be second nature.

Under no circumstances should you give into hatred.

The flashes of those she's killed flash through her mind, her anger rising at Chaos for forcing this upon her. With horror, she realizes he Amulet is amplifying the negative thoughts inside her. Grasping at the amulet with her red magic she tries to remove the dark artifact from her neck.

It refuses to budge, the latch giving not an inch. Is she no longer the owner of the amulet? does it own her now? She tries over and over to remove it, her head filling with anger, the amulet fueling her rage.

Slowly the air around her begins to fill with mist, a chill entering her body as she feels something appear.

She freezes in place when a dry raspy laugh fills the air. A lance of dark magic strikes the amulet square in the center, causing the thoughts filling her head to slowly quiet down. The amulet pulses once in anger but goes inert after a few moments.

"You resisted the call far longer than I would have thought, Clover the Clever."

Clover's mind is filling with panicked thoughts but she eventually calms herself down, her heart hammering in her chest. Just casting two simple protection spells fills her head with pain, but the alternative is worse.

Far worse.

After a few moments the spells take effect, and she takes a deep breath she didn't know she was lacking, collapsing onto the ground as the tension leaves her body. Slowly she looks for the source of the voice, and her heart nearly stops beating right then and there.

Standing nearby is an alicorn, male from the looks of it, his body so thin that she can clearly see his bones beneath the thin layer of skin that holds him together. His wings are nearly featherless and poorly maintained—what feathers he has are broken and sticking at odd angles. His head is devoid of a mane, and his lips are pressed against his teeth in an almost permanent sneer.

Clover is looking Death in the eye, and her body recoils in terror.

Death's wheezing laugh echoes around the clearing once again. "I'm surprised. I figured I would have to tone down my aura, but it seems you've been taught well." The alicorn takes a step closer, looking down at her. "A soul going through a shift, and still manages to cast the proper protections." Death's grin gets wider, his dry lips splitting apart with the motion.

Clover opens her mouth but is still too terrified to form a response. At least she didn't attack him in a panic like the last dark alicorn she met.

Taking a seat, Death's broken horn lights up, and the body numbing terror leaves Clover’s body, causing her to gasp a deep breath she hadn't realized she needed. "Do not fear, I'm not here on business." Death's milky eyes slowly roam over Clover and he snatches a list poking out of her saddlebags, scanning its contents. "Ah, I recognize Time's writing anywhere." He reads through the scroll, frowning at the list of names. "How odd." With a snap another list appears next to the first, this one made of rotting and decaying paper. "It seems nearly the exact opposite of mine. How strange that whoever isn't listed here, dies." Death looks to the recovering unicorn, his eyes deadly serious. "Such a naughty unicorn you are. I've been quite busy these last decades because of you. How's it feel to be the world’s first mass murderer?"

Clover's eyes flash in anger, glowing red for a brief moment. "I only do what I have to! It's all Chaos's fault." The amulet begins to glow again, the fire leaving her eyes and replaced by fear.

Death shakes his head slowly. "Truly, I expected you to shift much sooner. I suppose this is due to your training under the Great Deceiver." Clover raises an eyebrow at this, not having heard her mentor referred to in such a way. She struggles to stand and glare at Death, but her strength fades almost as fast as she can gather it, the amulet around her neck glowing faintly.

Death taps his chin with a bony hoof. "Strange that it would happen now of all times." Death's milky eyes study the amulet around Clover's neck, not saying anything for several long moments. "It doesn't recognize you as its owner; the corruption of your soul is too prominent." Death takes the scroll and looks at it. "You need time to recover. I'm afraid you're going to miss the party. I'll take over where you left off." A black portal slowly appears beneath Clover and she begins to sink into it. Her gaze looks terrified but Death simply smiles, his face resembling a grinning skull. "If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be seeing me like this. You have all the time in the world—I'll release you when you can let go of your hate."

Just before Clover sinks into the portal, she glares at him, eyes full of malice as they vanish into the void. Death sighs. "I may be waiting a while." Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he heads toward the next town on Time's list.