//------------------------------// // Prologue 1: Dreaded Start // Story: Demonoid Overlord // by Reizthefakebrony //------------------------------// Time had passed. A very long time had passed the night in which the Elements of Harmony were brought into the Freak World. Wandering in that dimension, they stumbled into a forsaken graveyard and become possessed by the ghosts of dreadful monsters. Having their minds being fractured and being corrupted by their newfound powers, the once fabled heroine of Equestria were turned into the abominations known as the Elements of Insanity. Although they were powerful enough to rule that world, they weren't so interested to that. In fact, Brutalight and her companions had one goal: Find a way to return into Equestria... And take it over for their grim, hidden agenda. However, the Elements of Insanity weren't the only ones who suffered this fate. Spike was turned into the heroic antagonist known as AssSpike when he had reached the Freak World while looking for them. More dreadful than him were Sunset Shimmer and Trixie, Twilight's rivals who became the Subjects, being Painset Shimmercakes and Magic Mare. Loathing the elements and hungry for domination, they went after them and engaged in a very devastating battle with them. In the aftermath, Brutalight and her group managed to get their upper hand and defeat the Subjects, but came out of the battle weakened and exhausted. As for Painset and Magic, they disappeared from the scene without leaving any trace. They took a long time to recover, but they eventually recovered all of their strengths. Since that fight, they felt very confident to have proven that none one can't stop them. But fate has its own opinion regarding this. Two months later... It was a very cold night. A beautiful one for the Elements of Insanity for a manhunt. They stormed a facility in search for a very powerful artifact. Although Brutalight and Fluttershout organized the whole thing for scavenging, Rainbine was the less enthusiast due to her contempt about facing the face weaklings over and over again, but decided to come anyway. Rarifruit, Pinkis and Applepills just came there to get a supply of treasures, living food and pills. Having killed the usual mercenaries standing in their way and clean up grand of the facility, Brutalight and her friends made their way toward the very core of the place where object was protected when they found another threat. But, much to their surprise, it wasn't another mercenary or another failed freak. Much to their surprise, It was a dark, blurry, humanoid demonic figure, whose appearance was impossible to describe. It was like a living dark matter with no flesh or substance, silently threatening to devour everything in its way. His eyes were the only thing visible. The creature looked coldly at them, as if he was looking down on them, which instantly irritates them. "Is that prick seriously making fun of us?" Rainbine said irritated with her robotic voice. "Just let him taste his arrogance until he can," Brutalight suggested calmly, before smirking deviously. "That would make him more for us to rip into shreds." Accepting her invitation, the Elements of Insanity charged toward him, with Brutalight summoning two swords above her head, Fluttershout charging her scream and Rainbine pointing her arm-cannon at him. In response to that, the creature pointed her ethereal hand in front of them and unleashed a wave of black energy that devoured them in one instant. Brutalight didn't had the time to react that the world around her became engulfed by the darkness that was overwhelming her. In a split of a second, Brutalight found herself laying on the ground, badly battered and with her wings being tattered. She felt exhausted and her body was hurting everywhere. She was confused at first, not knowing what happened, but those questions were putted aside when she remembered her friends being swallowed by that dark wave. Concerned, she forcefully stood up on her feet and was greeted by a very tremendous sight. The whole facility was destroyed, being reduced to nothing more but rubles and debris. Black flames surrounded the whole place with a unnatural heat. But that was nothing compared to what was in front of her. Her friends were laying nearby her feet, horribly beaten up. Applepills, Rarifruit, Pinkis and Fluttershout were gravely injured but Rainbine got even worse, having her cybernetic body being mostly destroyed, with jolts of electricity on her body. And the creature was still standing, looking at her unimpressed,. Brutalight's face instantly contorted in rage, because taking her bite the dust was irritating, but hurting her friends was just unforgivable. "You had pissed the wrong mare, YOU PUNK!!" Brutalight shouted furiously as she flew upwards while menacingly charging her horn and unleashed a devastating beam that overwhelmed him. Or that was what she thought, until the creature dashed through the destructive stream and managed to reach her at a very scary speed, much to her shock. "You gotta be shitting me!" Brutalight thought incredulous. The last thing that she saw was the creature's left eyes briefly glowing in a sinister white light, a moment before he punches through her head, shattering her sight and the reality in front of her. In the same instant the blow connected, Brutalight woke up in her own bed with a start, sweating cold like she never had for ages. Panting like a madmare, she looked around and realized to be in her own bedroom. She had various nightmares before, including the ones with the spirits possessing her mind, with migraine included, but nothing like that. That never happened to her. Daze, she slowly turned her head toward the window. The light of dawn began to made its appearance. She sighed, unsure about what she had experienced. She know that was just a dream, but was so livid that is seemed too real. "What the hell did I just dreamed?" Brutalight whispered, bewildered. Brutalight let out a soft groan. She was about to let out her frustration but then calmed down to analyze the whole dream. As much she tried to dismiss it as a sick joke, the events of that wretched dream were still fresh in her mind. With her breath being a little more stable, Brutalight put her mind to rest for a moment and rolled out of her bed. She turned her eyes on a book on her bedside table. It's cover was a red one with golden adornments, with the title being 'Possessions and Exorcism'. For a moment, Brutalight felt a little conflicted about it. And she knows why. But before she could even ponder about that delicate dilemma, somebody knocked from behind the door, inviting her to turn her gaze toward it. "Hey, Brutalight. Is there something wrong?" A female voice asked with a worried tone from behind, being no other than that of Fluttershout. "... No," Brutalight replied, trying to act though as she rubbed her forehead. "Just... Just another headache." "Huh... A pretty intense one." Fluttershout replied, but seemingly unsure of the answer that she heard. "Alright, I'm going to met up with the others. See you later." After that, hoofsteps were heard departing away, slowly becoming quiet. Alone with herself, Brutalight gave the book a second glance as one doubt traveled inside her head. She knew what that book was all about and its mere presence would even affect her relationship with her friends, being also pony freaks as her. It was the cure for their condition but was also a real double edged object. "If only Krieg didn't had split my head like that, I wouldn't had to suffer a personality crisis like this... I would end up getting killed someday." "... There's no turning back, huh?" Brutalight asked bluntly to herself, a moment before shaking her head to shrug off her doubts. "I will put that aside for later. I don't even know If I would even do that. And besides, I have a plan to carry out." Turning away from the book, Brutalight was about to teleport. Until a cold bead of sweat flowing on her head reminded her of her body, being drenched in colt sweat. It wasn't the top for her, so isn't her bed, being sweat soaked as well. But that was the last of her problems. "I need a damn shower." Brutalight said quietly as she headed toward the bathroom with a grumpy, half sleepy face. A hour after the breakfast, Fluttershout traveled throughout the Mann Manor, intended to gather her companions in the secret laboratory where Brutalight intended to make a reunion. Rainbine was already there due to that place being her workplace. Fluttershout, however, has the annoying task to deal with the urges of the other member, so trolling them would make a much easier way for her to persuade them. Her first stop was the kitchen, where she found, of course, Pinkis Cupcake eating a big... whale-canine thingy. Fluttershout wasn't used to Pinkis' habit to eat living things alive, but what she saw really weirded out. Pinkis noticed the yellow pegasus and looked at her confused. "Fluttershout, you know me," Pinkis pointed out. "I couldn't resist at something like that... Even if doesn't entirely taste like meat." "I know but... What is that thing, anyway?" Fluttershout asked. "I took that from a scientific laboratory, yesterday," Pinkis responded. "They called it Whale-wolf." Fluttershout blinked, perplexed. "Whale-what?" "Whale-wolf." Pinkis replied. "Whale..." Fluttershout paused, having difficulty to digest the ridiculousness of that word. "Wolf?" "Oh, come on. Even I know that was a bad pun," Pinkis muttered. "Anyway, you didn't came here for this reason, right?" "Well, Brutalight required your presence at the secret laboratory where... You know what," Fluttershout said calmly. "Alright, alright. But let me at least took some last bites before leaving it first." Pinkis replied with reluctance before returning to her food. "Always during my breakfast." Fluttershout rolled her eyes and went out the kitchen. Traversing a corridor, she had arrived at the living room where she found Applepills, who, just for once, wasn't swallowing any pills... At least not yet. Instead she was looking at the ceiling with a bothered look, probably thinking about something. "Applepills?" Fluttershout said, getting Applepills attention. "Oh, howdy," Applepills replied. "I didn't had noticed you." "Is there something wrong?" Fluttershout inquired. "You looked very bothered." "No, nothing wrong with me," Applepills said, before pointing upward with her hoof. "But with this." Fluttershout lifted her head upward and became wide-eyed, displaying a bit of annoyance in her face. She never thought to see that happening for real. What she was witnessing was Rarifruit's compulsive hoarding reaching gigantic levels. The ceiling was infested with many showcase being attached to it, filled with various objects that kleptomaniac had gathered in her scavenging of treasures, including some old rusty dolls and fresh Napalms. That sight gave her a really scary impression of her friend's bad habits. Fluttershout face hoofed in irritation. "For the love of..." Fluttershout muttered but then sighed and returned to Applepills. "Good thing I was about to talk about that with her. Besides, Brutalight required your presence at the secret laboratory." "Ah know, ah know," Applepills replied calmly. "Brutes wanted to expose us the plan." "Exactly," Fluttershout assured. "Oh, right, what happened between you and Francie Bloom." "Well, we'd a sister talk after a long time, since," Applepills paused, a little embarrassed. "Being too busy getting high." "Nopony judged you for that," Fluttershout assured before leaving. "Now I have kleptomaniac to take care of." "Alright, I will meet ya there. But first," Applepills turned toward a bottle of painkillers that was lurking at her right and felt her urges instantly kicking in. "PILLS!" Ignoring that, Fluttershout pressed on and reached one of the door leading to one of the three warehouses. Slowly, she opened the door and ended up meeting a mess that was more demented than the infested ceiling. The room was a very large one, filled showcases, being both nearby the walls and attached to the ceiling, and a lot of stuff, even some antiquated junk, infesting the room. And in the middle of this mess, there was Rarifruit, sitting on a obsidian throne nearby a giant leviathan skull and laughing like a maniac, all while admiring a giant looking golden axe at her left. "Oh, I will never get tired of that," Rarifruit said gleefully before chuckling. Fluttershout never wanted to resort that in other to get her attention, mostly because she would had avoided repeating herself, but she did that anyway. "Seriously, madam," Fluttershout said almost loudly, pretending to be melodramatic. "Now where I could put this unusual hat!" "What, where is it!? MINE!" Rarifruit exclaimed, a moment before leaping out of the room in the attempt to catch something, but then realized that was a prank the same moment she notice the said hat no being here at all and looked at Fluttershout annoyed. "Oh, c'mon! Really!? It's the second time I fell for that!" "I'm sorry, but you won't had listened to me if I didn't had distracted you," Fluttershout explained sternly. "And to be fair, Brutalight required your presence at the secret laboratory," She paused. "Where we can also talk about your tendency. I know that your things are your treasure and anything, but seriously. Infesting even the ceiling with that?" Rarifruit smirked nervously. "I rather call that space management in my own way. Eheheheh." "Hmph, whatever," Fluttershout said with narrowed eyes, not wanting to argue with her. "Now follow me." "Hold a moment," Rarifruit halted. "Where's Derpigun?" "Well, she's with the Cutey Mark Creeps," Fluttershout informed. "Probably to keep them in check since what happened two months ago. You know, the battle against the Subject. They were involved as well." "Oh, dear, I don't make me remember that. It was a miracle that Creepy Bell survived," Rarifruit replied uncomfortably. "Now, I imagine that Brutalight wanted to talk about the inter-dimensional portal. Fair enough. We better get at the laboratory as soon as possible." Far away from the Mann Manor, in a warehouse nearby a desolated scrapyard, two pony freaks wandered nearby the huge piles of scraps. Differently from the Elements of Insanity and the Subjects, these ones were chosen by a unknown entity to deal with the former. One of them was the draconic pony named AssSpike, while the other one was a azure-neon maned black mare with azure lines covering her body with the name of Berrypan. They scanned every pile, searching for something. It wasn't for them, but for someone else. Berrypan couldn't help but feel perplexed about that expedition. "Are you sure this is the place?" Berrypan asked. "I am more confused as you are," AssSpike replied. "And the one who asked us to find these two objects wasn't even our master." "Which kind of strange. Why he didn't go to take them by himself?" "Did you had forgot what he said? He preferred to remain unnoticed, although I don't know why. Besides, this is an area under the control of Brutalight." "Oh, right. I had forgot," Berrypan paused for a moment, looking at him with a doubtful expression. "I'm sorry to touch that button but... Is our 'client' going to give you a way to save your old friends? Including Brutalight?" "I don't know... But he better to." AssSpike said, as if was a threat. After a few minutes of wandering they stopped upon seeing something sprouting from a pile that was half the size of the others. "I think we had found what we were looking for," AssSpike stated before galloping with Berrypan toward the tower of scraps. The draconic pony pulled out the two objects from there, removed their dust and took a look at them. Much to their surprise, the objects were actually two metallic boxes, a gray one and a black one. Berrypan, however, doesn't had any idea of what those things are or what their use are. "Are those things... What he asked us to find?" Berrypan asked confused. "Yes, and I think to know why..." AssSpike responded, narrowing his eyes. "Really?" "I will explain that later. Now have to bring them back to him." Without saying anything, Berrypan cheerfully materialized a pan and made shako from nowhere and putted the metal boxes inside it. She then made it disappear and returned her attention to him, who looked quite baffled upon seeing that. "What?" Berrypan asked. "I-Is that hat bottomless?" AssSpike demanded. "AssSpike, I don't use my shakos just as bullets," Berrypan explained. "I am a trader pony freak, after all. So of course I have something to keep my stuff. So, yes... Is bottomless." "Ah.... Ok." AssSpike replied with stupor but then shrugged it off and returned to his task. "In any case, I think we-" AssSpike couldn't end the phrase that a pink blur tackled him, making him fall on the ground. As she tried to recover, he got pinned down by a dark-pink hoof. Dazed a little bit, he looked at his aggressor, being none other than Pinkis Cupcake, who looked at him with a ravenous glee. "Long time no see, AssSpike. Hihihihi." Pinkis said with a crazed tone. "Pinkie," AssSpike replied mockingly, maintaining his calm. "You are still upset because you weren't able to eat me?" "Do you have even the audacity to ask?" Pinkis demanded, irritated by that. "You managed to escape before I could even sink my teeth on you! I had almost bitten my tongue for that!" "Figures." "Ooooh, but you won't escape this time. Because I will eat you for real!" "You disappoint me. I thought that you could had at least came up with good pan of yours." Pinkis blinked, confused. "What does that even mea-ARRGH!!!" Too distracted by AssSpike, Pinkis didn't noticed a grinning Berrypan striking with a frying pan, being used as a baseball bat. The pink freak was hurled in the air until she dived, screaming before breaking through the wooden roof of the warehouse nearby the scrapyard. AssSpike slowly got up and approached her. "You saved me... I guess that we are even." "I don't know. I'm still a little upset for having turned me into a freak without my consent," Berrypan pointed out, doubtful. "Still, she tried to kill you but I felt a little sorry for her." "She will be alright thanks to her conditions," AssSpike assured her, kinda. "Now we have to go." But as soon as they were about to leave, a cruelly invigorated Brutalight suddenly appeared behind them. "You will not go anywhere." Both the two freaks turned toward the dark-violet unicorn and reacted with dismay. AssSpike in particular gave her a distrustful and yet regretful glare. "Brutalight." AssSpike called her, almost hesitantly. "Time to pick up where we left off, big boy." Brutalight proclaimed with sinister confidence. "Twilight won't save you this time." "I wasn't even counting on that. I will do the best that I can." "That won't be enough." With that, Brutalight glowed her horn and disappeared, materialized two volcanic swords and tossed them at him with her telekinesis. AssSpike didn't made her wait. "ASS!!" AssSpike shouted, emitting his pseudo-sonic scream, only for Brutalight teleported away from it's trajectory, leaving the swords where repelled away through its sound waves. The alicorn reappeared behind him, just in time to materialize a battle axe above her head and swinging it toward him. Before the axe could even connect, Berrypan putted herself in between them and blocked it with her frying pan, much to the irritation of the alicorn, who charged her horn with a intense flow of energy. AssSpike tried to use his powers, but was then struck in the back by two metal arrows appearing from above. He yelled in pain and was almost falling. "Spike!" Berrypan yelled. "Nice try!!" Brutalight exclaimed as she released a wave of destructive energy that overwhelmed both the freaks while destroying a big portion of the scrapyard, reducing most of the scraps into ashes. AssSpike and Berrypan, thanks to the draconic pony's power, barely survived that destruction. Their bodies were laying on the ground, with trails of steams rising from their coat, like they were burnt by the wave. They felt their energy being drained and the exhaustion. Despite this, AssSpike has no intention to remain still. He forcefully stood on his feet, ignoring his fatigue, and faced the psychotic alicorn that walked toward him with a sadistic smile imprinted in her face. Brutalight stopped a yard away from him and materialized a big looking sword above her, being pointed at him and ready to finish the job. "Any last word, you irritating fool." "Just let... Twilight known... That... I'm... Sorry..." AssSpike said with a pained tone but then mustered his strength for the last word. "Now you can kill me, if you can." "Arrogant prick, I will-" Brutalight was about to impale him with the sword when her magic felt suddenly weakened and unstable, much to her shock. "W-What the... Not again!" She struggled to keep her sword under her control but the more she tries, the more her grip on the weapon became weak. "Not... now... I have." She grunted furiously. "In a time like this!?" AssSpike went wide-eyed, seemed to know what that means. "Could it be...!" "NGRAAAH!!" Brutalight screamed furiously as her telekinesis failed and the sword fell on the ground with a loud, metallic sound echoing in the scrapyard. AssSpike starred at the alicorn, barely believing at what was going on. Berrypan barely stood up and watched the scene, more confused that her partner. As for Brutalight, she panted heavily, looking distressed and keeping her eyes shut. After a few moments, her neck snapped. She opened her eyes and looked at him, who looked surprised to see her. The psychosis in her eyes had suddenly disappeared, replaced by benevolent ones. She looked dazed and confused. "Twilight... Is that you?" AssSpike asked, almost relieved. "Spike... I was... Going to kill you?" Twilight asked horrified with her normal voice. "Not intentionally... Is not your fault." "You know that I can't maintain my control for long... You shouldn't be here." "I know, but that situation won't last forever." AssSpike reassured. "I know how you feel. I also know that you wanted to find a way to exorcise yourself and your friends. Guess what, I had almost found the way. In a way or another, we will get out of this madness." A moment after his last sentence, AssSpike collapsed on the ground, with Berrypan approaching him to give him a help. Twilight was about to say something when her neck snapped once again, resulting in Brutalight regaining her control. "How cute." Brutalight commented sarcastically. "You should had learned to give up when you had the chance. Now I will send you as bloody package to the creator. True to her words, Brutalight materialized the other two volcanic swords above her. As demonic smile of satisfaction marked her face as the sword whizzed toward them. But suddenly, something... Or someone dived in front of her eyes like a meteor, rising a cloud of dust in the impact of its landing. Somehow, a force around that thing deflected the two swords. Brutalight, covered her face to protect herself as the blades fell nearby her feet. AssSpike and Berrypan did the same, with the female freak pony of the duo protecting herself with the pan. Once the dust had been settled, Brutalight got a good view of the creature standing in between her and her enemies. It stood tall in front of her, being probably bipedal. His body was covered by a black mantle, and his face concealed by a blue hood. He had four digits hands and was wearing a metal mask in two pieces, covering both his mouth and eyes. He remained silent, staring at the dark-purple alicorn with cold, fearless eyes. Brutalight was particularly baffled but angered for that interruption. "The hell?" "Ah! What are you...?" Berrypan said confused. "Y-You!?" AssSpike exclaimed, seemingly recognizing him. "You better get away from here until is possible," The creature said with a younger male, serious voice. "Is not a big gain if you get killed." "What?" AssSpike protested. "But-" "Now." The creature ordered. "You are not going anywhere!!" Brutalight screamed angrily as she flew in the air and teleported in front of the injured AssSpike to attack him, but was then struck by the creature delivering a roundhouse kick, so hard that she was hurled toward one the remaining piles of scraps. The draconic pony didn't wasted his time to do what that being said. AssSpike and Berrypan suddenly glowed in a yellow aura, a moment before disappearing. Event without them, the battle continued. Growling furiously, Brutalight came out of the pile and took a few steps toward the one who had interfered with the execution of her archenemy, glaring at him. The creature stared at her with cold eyes, maintaining his calm. Upon seeing it, Brutalight went wide-eyed, as she had recognized that gaze The same cold one that the mocking darkened figure of the dream flashed had. Yet she could hardly believe that. She clenched her teeth, with her anger gathering in her escaping growls. "Who the hell are you?" Brutalight asked irritated. "Whoever you want I would be," The creature replied calmly. "I don't care for the rest." "Look, I would care less about your reason for saving them" Brutalight said almost calmly but clearly fed-up. "Your face is already making me sick to look at, and I will have fun to send you straight to hell for having interfered with my business!" "Depend on what hell are you talking about... Winged punk." The creature replied. Snarling at her provocation, Brutalight glowed her horn in a white and engulfed the stranger with a aura of the same color, only for it to dissipate with nothing happening, which instantly shocked her. "W-What!? Why doesn-" "Do you expect me to being Jaratized, bastard?" The creature taunted. "Grrrr! Never mind, I will crush you anyway," Brutalight said before hoovering in the air. Looking at her opponent from above, Brutalight glowed her horn with a menacing surge of energy and materialized multiple swords, machetes and other cutting weapons at her disposal. Guided by her telekinesis, the weapons rained toward him. He didn't reacted this much and avoided the storm of blades while dashing toward the psychotic alicorn with a startling speed. In the same moment Brutalight was being struck with shocked surprise, he was already in front of her, instantly giving her a powerful punch that violently flung her toward another pile of metallic scraps. "Typical. This is way I completely refuse to fight you seriously," The Creature said, a moment before turning around and ran away with a lightning speed, leaving the scene. Brutalight came out of the pile with dirt almost covering her fur, looking furious and beaten up. She frantically explored the are and looked around, in search for the creature, but he wasn't there anymore. Her anger was about to explode, but then maintained her calm. She was indeed infuriated, yet she had to be careful about what she was dealing before. The more she was thinking about the stranger, the more convinced she became that he and the shadowy figure of her dream were the exact same thing. Yet Brutalight wasn't so convinced about that. "I could still barely believe that but... There's no doubt," Brutalight murmured. "He must be the same guy who had defeated my whole group badly. And yet... He didn't look so similar to the guy that I have saw in the dream." Brutalight turned around and walked toward the warehouse while pondering about every possibility and instance. Her anger was slowly fading, being replaced with concern. Regardless her thoughts, she know, at least, what to do. "I have to talk about that with the others... But first I have the pain to retrieve a battered Pinkis Cupcake."