…Begins Another
Next to a small peaceful creek laid a young creature known as a Draconequus. Unusual in appearance and playful and mischievous by nature, such creatures had once been abundant but now few remained. This one had barely left adolescence, his horns just growing out.
The young Draconequus stretched his wings and yawned. The sound of running water was making him drowsy. He curled like a cat and laid down his head to sleep.
His nap was interrupted by an explosion.
The Draconequus was blown away by the force and found himself several feet from his resting position, his eyes spinning his ears ringing. When he finally regained control of his sense, the Draconequus turn toward the direction of the explosion. What appeared before him caused the Draconequus to drop his jaw.
The peaceful creek had disappeared; in its place was a fountain of lava. In the center of the fountain stood something the Draconequus had never before seen. Nothing of his world had.
Sticking out of some molten rocks was a giant dark obsidian blade, or at least the top half of one. Despite the heat of its environment, the sword kept its shape. Even more surprisingly, the Draconequus was not affected by the heat. Even if the Draconequus could feel the temperature, he would have been too mesmerized by the black blade to care.
At first glance, the only remarkable feature of the weapon was its color. As the Draconequus stared however, the hilt became more intricate. Complicated designs formed then disappeared as darkness freely flowed out of the blade. Runes of an unspeakable language were engraved into the blade by an invisible finger and despite never before seeing the symbols, the Draconequus understood every word.
The blade spoke to him of the powers of deceit and treachery, of the strength of anger and cruelty, of the might of gluttony and despair. Of elements so great, one could rule over all. Of chaos. Discord.
The blade promised all this and more.
The young Draconequus stepped forward and with shaking claws, grabbed hold of the sword’s hilt, releasing the broken blade from the surrounding stones.
If it had a mouth, the sword would have smiled; it had found a new worthy host…
*****
In a quiet pasture, two young ponies were collecting flowers. One pony, the eldest, was pure white with a long, flowing pink mane. Her sister was of a dark blue coloring, with a short curly mane was also a shade of blue, though lighter. Each had a horn growing from the forehead and a pair of feathery wings. Alicorns, they were called, neither Unicorn nor Pegasus nor Earth Pony but of all three in one.
The younger had just found a majestic blossom, red in the center with blue petals, and proceeded to eat it, much to the annoyance of her sister. With a laugh, the blue one ran off, with the white one giving chase.
Their game was interrupted by a low whistle.
The sound was a beautiful sound, as calming as running water and as joyful as a child’s laughter. Intrigued, the ponies ran to the source, an imprint in the tall grass.
Before them in the center of the imprint laid six gem stones, cut and polished by something beyond their world. The gems shined, though the sun hid within the clouds as if it had intruded on some sacred ritual.
Red, magenta, yellow, blue, green, and purple, the crystals laid in a circle, flashing their respective colors and to the young Alicorns, they sang.
They sang to the two of the unlimited power of honesty and loyalty, of the unending strength of laughter and kindness, of the joys of generosity and of friendship. Of elements that could bring happiness and guidence to all. The crystals sang and sang and the two young Alicorns sang with them.
Tenderly, the Alicorns levitated the crystals with their magic. With some string, the sisters made necklaces and shared them among themselves and their friends.
If they had mouths, the Essences of Concord would have smiled; they had found a new home to protect.
*****
Some thousand years had passed and Ash remained where he had first landed after the Essences had teleported him. When he had awoken, he had first noticed the pain; Cerfuli’s blade was still through his stomach, though a large portion of the sword, including hilt, had gone missing.
The giant blade had pinned him to a large tree, where he hung, his feet dangling uselessly. The Essences of Concord were nowhere to be seen.
Ash cried out in pain as a spasm of agony trembled through his entire body. Though broken and without a welder, the blade of Cerfuli still powerful. Though the dark aura surrounding the sword had faded slightly, Ash received no relief; he shivered in pain and despair
.
The sword was not happy. It was trapped and wanted to be free. To be free to conquer its new home. All its thoughts and emotions, Ash knew and could feel. And he knew he could not allow the blade to be released.
And so began a battle of wills, one between a Man and a Demon’s blade. When Ash resisted his pain, the blade attacked his mind, poisoning it with hopeless feelings and dark memories. And still Ash resisted.
Though he did not know it, some thousand years had passed, kept alive and young only by the sick and mad mind of Cerfuli’s sword; its pride would not let Ash die before it had defeated him.
But Ash was tiring. Weakening. The blade’s reach of influence that expanding, twisting the surrounding plant life and wild life. A once beautiful meadow had become an eerie forest, home to several hostile animals. The blade looked toward the magnificent castle that lay just beyond the border of the forest.
Ash closed his eyes, struggling to stay awake. It had been a long time since he slept; every hour was spent fighting off Cerfuli’s blade.
You’ve lost. You lost a long time ago. Just let go.
Ash fought against those thoughts, uncertain if they were his own or another attack by the evil blade. His struggle, however, was not as powerful as before and the blade knew this.
Sleep, young fool. You were destined to fail. Sleep.
Ash released a mighty yawn that nearly dislocated his jaw. Perhaps a quick nap…yes just for a few minutes…
Dark aura burst out of the blade, forming a giant shapeless cloud of darkness. It was free at last. The darkness spread, expanding the forest and corrupting life. The darkness turned to the castle…
…and begun its conquest.