//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: The Burning Legion // Story: The Great Reign of Chaos // by The King of Kings //------------------------------// My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic The Great Reign of Chaos Chapter 3: The Burning Legion Back in Tartarus, Nai and Mea were walking in the same dark tunnel, unbeknownst of where they are. “Where are we?” Nai asked. “I don’t know,” Mea replied, “I don’t know where Kazzak is after we entered here.” Suddenly, they slipped a ledge and they both fell into a large hole. They hugged together in panic, and both turned into Vancuria. She landed on to her hooves safely to the ground, though it was a long, long fall. She looked around and saw the vast court. “I heard about this,” Vancuria said to herself, “A court created in the valley where the demon lords lived.” The gray alicorn was walking backwards in amazement of the huge court, when suddenly; she lay on a huge flaming foot. The foot was so hot; Vancuria backed away a bit and reacted. “Who are you?” a deep, powerful voice called. Vancuria looked up and, in her eyes; she saw a demon lord, whose body are only made of rocks. Flaming rocks. She saw a demon lord who is a huge flaming golem who is at the same size of Kazzak the Supreme. That flaming lord is named Demon Abyssal Lord Infernus. “To walk on a grave without one’s permission, the insolence!” Infernus roared. “Are you a demon lord?” Vancuria asked respectfully. She heard stomps from the back, the stomps of a demon lord who exactly looked like Kazzak, but has massive jaws exposed, six horns and a monstrous animate face on his belly. He is armed with a flaming sword and slightly taller than Kazzak. He is named Demon Warrior Lord Blaroog. “Furthermore, it’s two demon lords,” Blaroog corrected. “Another one!” Vancuria exclaimed to herself, “Huge! He’s so tall, I can’t see his face!” The Phantom Spy flapped her wings, flew up in the air and stared at Blaroog’s face. “God, actually…” Vancuria was about to finish when… A very beastly demon lord who is slightly taller than Blaroog, whose body is made of white distorted crystals, has a very long spiky tail, huge spikes that come from his fist and the face of a komodo dragon, whose name is Demon Beast Lord Azazel, roared at Vancuria. The roar was so loud; the waves from it sent her flying. “Surprised?” Azazel said in his super deep growling voice. Vancuria landed on a high ledge. Another demon lord has a body which is a figure of a man, but its skin is red, has the feet of a bull, tentacles as his beard, a dragon’s forehead as his, and a tail. He is armed with golden spines worn on the outline of his body. His name is Demon Sorcerer Lord Jaraxxus. He pointed his middle finger of his right hand to Vancuria. “Don’t loiter here if you have no business with us,” said Jaraxxus, while charging his pointing middle finger with electricity, with a dark ball of energy coming from it, ready to fire at Vancuria, “You’re a bother.” Vancuria shrieked in fear as Jaraxxus was about to fire at her. But he stopped as the fifth demon lord interrupted him. He has a face of a man, white and broken, sharp claws on his hand, large vampire wings on his back, huge tail of a rat and a heavy armor protecting his fragile body. “Hahahahahahaha. Don’t do that,” said Demon Dread Lord Tichondrius to Jaraxxus, turning his head to Vancuria, approaching her, “You’re so tall, you’re scaring this cute mare there.” “Actually, I do have business here… No, I don’t… really-- I mean, yes! I do!” the Phantom Spy stammered, “I, Phantom Spy Vancuria, have a report to give.” “Report?” Tichondrius asked in wonder. “Demon Doom Lord Kazzak the Supreme has destroyed the guardian of the gates of hell and undid the seal on his own,” Vancuria explained, “Now, we… are… free!” Another four demon lords appeared at the same time. One is Wise Demon Lich Lord Kel’thuzad, whose head is a skeleton with sharp teeth and horns on the side of his mouth. His upper body is a skeletal figure of a man, and his lower body is cloaked in robes. He has chains floating and surrounding him. The other is Wise Demon Serpent Lord Seduma, who has a head of a woman, snakes as her hair, arms and no feet, instead a tail of a mermaid. Her skin is cyan. Another is Wise Demon Magic Lord Archimonde, whose appearance is exactly similar to Jaraxxus, but his skin is blue, has more golden spines which looked more regal than Jaraxxus’s and is slightly taller than him. Kazzak the Supreme, who destroyed the Cerberus earlier, appeared too, along with the three wise demon lords. “I congratulate you on opening the gates and releasing us from this prison,” Kel’thuzad said proudly with his noble, chilling, echoing voice, “We are grateful." “Thank you for your appreciation, lich,” said Kazzak, bowing his head. Seduma scoffed from Kel’thuzad’s answer. Archimonde said, “We shall present to you, the four new agents of the Burning Legion: The Four Creatures of the Apocalypse.” Vancuria looked as a blue, sinister mist appeared from the north hole. Behind the mist, is a black alicorn mare, with the mist as her mare, and has a cutie mark similar to Luna’s. “Nightmare Moon, the bringer of eternal night,” Archimonde called. Vancuria turned her head to the south hole. A charge of powerful lightning came out from it, followed by Discord. “Discord, the master of chaos,” Archimonde hissed. The Phantom Spy is amazed. She turned her sight to the west hole. Queen Chrysalis arose from it, escorted and guarded by a group of changelings. “Queen Chrysalis, the leader of the changelings.” “Could it be?” Vancuria asked herself, and looked at the east hole. Black crystals appeared around it and King Sombra emerged from the hole. “And King Sombra, former tyrant of the Crystal Empire and founder of dark magic,” Archimonde said, “We sent them to the depths of Tartarus to become our new agents! We’re headed to the surface.” “You’re going to conquer the mortal world too, like those four?” asked Vancuria. “I’m not going there to conquer,” replied Archimonde negatively, and pointing at Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis and King Sombra, “For foolishly defying these four great evil, I am going to give the mortals a divine message.” Looking above, he said, “Two Ultimate Demon Lords, what should we do?” The two strongest demon lords appeared above a high ledge. One is Ultimate Demon Lord Kil’jaeden, God of Destruction, who has a body similar to Jaraxxus, but his skin is more red, has more golden spines which looked more regal than Archimonde’s, has large demonic wings on his back, a heavy body armor and a dress covering his legs, and he is taller than Archimonde. He has the most powerful demonic powers out of all the demon lords, yet, not the strongest of all. The other is Greatest Demon Lord Mannoroth, God of Death, who has the figure of a mammoth, and whose upper body is modeled after a fat and masculine man. He has a mammoth’s horns on his cheeks, two large demonic wings on his back and green fire inflaming above his spines and tail. His skin is ultimately rough and he is the tallest and largest of the demon lords, almost at the same height as Azazel. “We cannot allow those of Heaven or the mortal world to mock us the Burning Legion,” answered Kil’jaeden. “I don’t care what I do,” yelled Mannoroth arrogantly with his monstrous raspy voice, “as long as I get to rampage as much as I want!” The Greatest Demon Lord sinisterly laughed, as the two last demon lords descended from the ledge. “Nine, ten, eleven,” Vancuria counted, “Eleven! This is amazing! All the demon lords are here, only with the exception of the Dark Titan, their leader.” “Very well, let us go! After for 10,000 years, we shall restart the apocalypse by introducing ourselves to their miserable mortal faces at the stroke of midnight. We shall set the mortal world into flames one more time,” Archimonde boomed with his feeling of triumph to sing his song. [Archimonde] I know that your powers of retention Are as wet as a warthog's backside But thick as you are, pay attention My words are a matter of pride It's clear from your vacant expressions The lights are not all on upstairs But we're talking demons and destructions Even you can't be caught unawares So prepare for a chance of a lifetime Be prepared for sensational news A burning new era, is tiptoeing nearer [Vancuria] And where do we feature? [Archimonde] Just listen to teacher I know it sounds sordid But you'll be rewarded When at last I am given my dues And injustice deliciously squared Be prepared! “Yeah, be prepared,” said Vancuria nervously, “Yeah-heh... we'll be prepared, heh. For what?” “For the end of the world,” Archimonde growled. “Why? Is it the apocalypse?” Vancuria asked. “No, fool-- we're going to destroy it. And heaven too,” Archimonde replied with pleasure as he grabbed the tiny Vancuria up and dropped her. As Vancuria fell down, she became Nai and Mea. “Great idea! Who needs a god?” Nai boasted. “No god! No god! La--la-la--la-laa-laa!” Nai and Mea sing-song in mockery. “Idiots! There will be a god!” Archimonde cried out loud. “Hey, but you said, uh...” Mea stammered. “We all will be gods!” Archimonde roared, “Stick with each other, and you'll never get sealed again!” “Yaay! All right! Long live the demons!” Nai and Mea cheered and hugged each other, in which they became Vancuria again. “Long live the Legion! Long live the demon lords!” All the demon lords and the group of numerous demons and changelings cheered. The countless number of annihilans, felhounds, shivarras, imps, voidwalkers, fel orcs, changelings, nathrezims, tothrezims, daemons, doomguards, doomlords, fiends, succubus, mo’args, gan’args, felguards, eredars, wrathguards, abyssals, infernals, satyrs and all other creatures connected to the Legion armies were marching to form armies for the great annihilation on the mortal world. Every row of armies marching is counted in more than millions. They all began to sing together. [Demons and Changelings] It's great that we'll soon be connected. With the gods who'll be all-time adored. [Archimonde] Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected To take certain duties on board The future is littered with prizes And though I'm the main addressee The point that I must emphasize is You won't get a sniff without me! So prepare for the coup of the century Be prepared for the dirtiest scar Meticulous planning (We'll have food!) Tenacity spanning (Lots of food) Our eternity sealed (We repeat) Is simply why we'll (Endless meat) Be gods undisputed, respected, saluted And seen for the wonder we are Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared Be prepared! [All] Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared Be prepared! Archimonde, Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, Vancuria, Kil’jaeden, Mannoroth, Kel’thuzad, Seduma, Azazel, Jaraxxus, Infernus, Kazzak, Blaroog, Tichondrius and the army of changelings and demons all laughed evilly as they set off their course to the mortal world. Back in the Golden Oaks Library at Ponyville, the six ponies were startled to hear from Yeshuah the term “Burning Legion.” “There is a legend about Tartarus, the world of hell,” he explained, “It’s the Burning Legion, their demon lords and their return. That is why I’m here, to tell you all about it.” “Do they have Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked. “I don’t know,” Yeshuah replied, “However, that flaming red sky is the proof of the Legion’s return!” “I’ve seen only a very few tales about the Burning Legion,” said Twilight, “but are they supposed to be sealed in the gates of Tartarus?” Pinkie suddenly came to her mind and approached to her, saying, “Wait! Remember the time the Cerberus rampaged in Ponyville, Fluttershy tamed him and you, as a unicorn, led him back to the gates with a ball?” Twilight remembered about what happened. “Yeah! I do remember,” she replied, “But could that mean…?” “I have been told that the Cerberus is killed, and the seal is undone,” Yeshuah interrupted, “I don’t know what happened, but I think that when the Cerberus left the gates, some creatures managed to escape, destroy the Cerberus and open the gates. They succeeded.” “Was I too late?” Twilight said to herself, her head hanging and with her feelings for regret. Yeshuah came to Twilight and comforted her, by tapping her on the back. “Twilight, it’s not your fault why this is about to happen,” said Yeshuah. “Remember the time you encountered several conflicts, including Nightmare Moon, Discord, the Changelings and the return of King Sombra and the Crystal Empire?” the Champion of Light asked, “Well, those events are nothing but a decoy; signs that would signal the return of the greatest threat feared by all: the fiery lords of the Burning Legion.” “What is this Legion?” asked Princess Twilight. “By the looks of it, it seems you don’t know anything about the Burning Legion. You look like an intelligent mare. Perhaps, you would be interested in this history.” Yeshuah said, “Transcend the confines of time and space!” Yeshuah’s horn glowed and the scene flashed and changed from a library and to a scorched field with a burning sky. “I will present to you the story behind the Burning Legion in an actual manner,” Yeshuah said. Twilight, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow, Applejack and Rarity looked at the flaming boulders crashing down from the sky and a numerous army of felhounds marching towards a city. “It is a vast demonic army that has consumed many worlds far beyond your own, Twilight Sparkle,” Yeshuah interpreted, “In the universe; there are 12 worlds that existed, one of those is your world, the world of mortals. The other is the world of heaven, my homeworld. Another is Tartarus, the world of hell and homeworld of the Burning Legion. The other nine worlds were once free but are under control by the Legion. Each of the ten regular worlds has the gates of Tartarus, so that the demons can cross from Tartarus to a world they want to take over. Ten thousand years ago, seven dominant races existed in this world. Along with ponies, man was also once the most powerful race of the mortal world, before they were completely destroyed by the Legion, in a failed attempt to take over this world and bring it to flames.” The eight saw the humans burned, stabbed and sliced by the vast army of felhounds, felguards, doomguards, demon sorcerers and dragon riders. They have witnessed the genocide and extinction of humanity by the merciless demons. “Now, they came again to destroy all existence and bring doom to this world,” the Son of God continued, “and these recent events were signs to make sure that they are prepared to fight the demons if they can be able to.” The scene changed back again to the library. “So, the return of Nightmare Moon, the release of Discord, the attack of the changelings in Canterlot, the return of King Sombra and the Crystal Empire, and my transformation into an alicorn and becoming of a princess… all this just to prepare for some huge demonic invasion?” Twilight asked. “That is correct, Twilight,” answered Yeshuah, “In time, you will find that the entire history of Equestria has been shaped by the coming conflict.” “But… how did you know about everything of our adventures?” she questioned. “Actually, as a frog, I watched those strange things happening to the world and I was curious. Therefore, I was following you all the whole time without you even noticing,” explained Yeshuah, “Which means that I was there when you defeated Nightmare Moon. And the times when you imprisoned Discord, saved Canterlot from the changelings and defeated King Sombra to save the Crystal Empire, I was there and there too. Anyway, furthermore, the Dark Titan, the traitor of the heavenly world, leads the Burning Legion. His name is Sargeras.” “Who is Sargeras?” Fluttershy asked to Yeshuah. Yeshuah’s horn glowed, and the scene changed into a realm of peaceful civilizations with a clear, blue sky and buildings and houses of gold and silver. The center of the beautiful realm is a large golden palace, the tallest building in the area. “Our world was once a powerful empire, peaceful and just,” Yeshuah narrated, “Like the mortal world, man co-existed with ponies in the heavenly world, dominated by the twelve gods, regardless of kind. One of those gods is me, with the title ‘Champion Pony God’. The other is my father, the most powerful of the gods, the almighty God. Humans came from the image of Sargeras, ponies are made from my image. During that time, ponies were once called ‘horses’ by humans. Everything was equal and fine, until we were betrayed by Sargeras, who was once the former Champion of Light before me.” The scene changed to the inside of the palace. They witnessed and saw another vision of the past; the conversation of Sargeras in his former self and another god. Sargeras was in his human-like form, wore stony armor with blue inscriptions on it, and was armed with a spectral sword. The other god has a falcon and a bear as his chest, a lion as his belly, a fish and alligator tail as his right foot, a dog and alligator head as his left hood, a chicken as his right shoulder, a tiger as his left shoulder, a whale as his back, a tyrannosaurus as his right arm, a triceratops as his left arm and a mammoth as the back of his head, the mammoth’s horns as his crown and tiger’s wings as his head. His name is Ultimate Great Civil God En’jino. “You have to explain yourself,” En’jino demanded, “Why are you doing this? Why do you hurry in seeking false power?” “You don’t get me, do you?” Sargeras boasted, “I can’t find my own destiny if I long only for my own power. I must seek and find more power worthy of me.” “One’s power does not exist for one self, it exists for everyone,” En’jino commented. “Fine! If you don’t want to understand me,” Sargeras hissed, “Then… take this!” He shot lightning from his sword towards En’jino, hurting him a god. After shooting lightning, flames began to suddenly appear around him and thus, Sargeras transformed into a wicked being, with hot and black molten armor, a black flame-surrounding demonic head with long and large horns on his forehead, two large wings and a flaming sword which seemed broken. The six ponies, Spike and Yeshuah witnessed on how wicked Sargeras became. “You traitor!” En’jino yelled to the fallen titan, “You don’t have the right to be called the Champion Human God! You don’t have the right to be called the Champion of Light!” He fired several projectiles and missiles from his shoulders, but the damned Sargeras raised his left hand and stopped the blasts, evaporating them. “I knew it,” Sargeras growled, “You fools don’t deserve to gain power. Only I do. You will never understand true power. I don’t need you, gods. I mean; why are you called ‘gods’? Just for the mortal to be fooled that you are ‘gods’?” Sargeras continued to mock En’jino, “A god has power over everything, and I will have that power, since I’ve seen you don’t have anything to be worthy to rule over the twelve worlds. I’ll be back, and with my newfound power, yours won’t be a match of me, and I, myself, will overthrow you. I will rule the entire universe! And when I do, you will all be doomed!” The fallen titan fled and disappeared in flames from their sight. “I must warn this to God immediately!” En’jino said to himself as he rushed inside the palace. The scene changed back into the library as the vision is over. “I don’t know why, but,” Twilight asked in confusion, “If Sargeras were a god, why did he turn evil?” “That question remained a mystery,” Yeshuah replied to her question, “But this is my theory why. Remember how Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon?” Twilight nodded. “I think he was not satisfied of keeping his own power. He desired for more. Thus, the wickedness in him turned him evil and tossed him to the dark side.” Yeshuah finished. “Was it just because of that answer?” Rainbow scoffed. “A god’s answer is absolute!” Yeshuah said, looking at her disappointedly, “So are the legends told by the heavens.” As he said that, he suddenly turned from the six and walked away. Twilight followed Yeshuah, who was sitting alone in the balcony of the Golden Oaks Library, watching the solemn dark night with stars and a bright moon. “What is the problem?” Twilight asked. “That’s none of your business, Twilight Sparkle,” Yeshuah said seriously. “It is. You can tell me. I am the Princess of Magic and I will understand what your problem is.” “Not what my problem is, it is what my problem was. Why do I have to return to fight again, if…” “What is it? You can tell me. Is something your problem?” “Not something, somepony. She was my special somepony.” “What’s her name?” “I never knew her name, but she goes by the title Original Princess, the ruler of ponykind before the two regal winged unicorn sisters. She was my wife and the mother of Princess Celestia and Luna.” “What?! Mother of Celestia and Luna?! So you are their father?” “Yes. Those two regal alicorn sisters took her place to rule over the pony race after her death.” “She died?” “10,000 years ago, she fought the Burning Legion with me, together, side-by-side. As husband and wife, we promised each other not to get separated, no matter how bad the battle was. And one day, months after the birth of Luna, the demons commenced their last wave of attacks which included Sargeras as the leader of the final wave. Even if she just gave birth, I made her join me for I thought that would be the last battle, we could fight together. However, I never noticed my wife got away to fight Sargeras on her own. She suffered a gruesome battle against him. No matter how hard she hit, she just got hit back tenfold. And in the end, she died. I was too late.” An alicorn, unknown of her appearance, got slashed fatally by Sargeras’ sword, and fell severely wounded. Yeshuah arrived and tried to save her, but was too late. She disappeared from the hooves of the desperate Champion of Light. He stomped his hooves, fell onto his knees, shed a single tear from his eye, and screamed loud out of frustration and for the loss of his beloved one. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!” “What’s wrong, ‘Son of God’? Lost your wife?” Sargeras mocked while laughing evilly. “SILENCE!” Yeshuah yelled, “She fought you because she loved everypony! Because she loved me! What better way than to sacrifice for her own race and the one she loved and cared the most with all her heart? I bet you don’t understand a single word I say, because you don’t have courage! You are a coward and you have no shame of destroying many innocent lives!” “If I am a coward, then why am I brave enough to go here?” Sargeras asked rhetorically. “SHUT UP! You never were brave because you don’t have anything which I, she, the gods and everypony possess!” Yeshuah said in his angry voice, “Kindness, laughter, generosity, honesty and loyalty; you have none of all of these!” “These?” Sargeras continued to mock, laughing, “These meaningless things are the reasons why the gods lacked power on me, why the scared mortals have no ability to fight us back and why your wife was too weak to defeat me.” “That is not true,” Yeshuah protested to his greatest enemy, as he stood up, “These meaningful things are why I and my wife fought together side by side, why we were given countless victories and why there is harmony in this world, unlike in your world, where it is full of chaos, darkness, and fire! You are full of cruelty, anger, greed, dishonesty and disloyalty to your comrades! You use your own people, your own race and your own comrades as sacrificial pawns just for yourself! I, by the power of Light, won’t lose to a despicable coward like you! Harmony will prevail!” “Show me your ‘power of Light’. Show me if it can defeat my infinite chaos!” Sargeras boomed as he grew to his original size, becoming almost as huge as the height of the Canterlot mountain. Yeshuah flapped his wings and rose up high in the air. “Chaos is not infinite!” Yeshuah hissed, “What is infinite is something which can be expanded unlimitedly by our feelings inside. Just as my wife sacrificed herself to fight for the world, I will as well sacrifice myself to fight for the world!!!” His alicorn horn glowed so bright, that it looked like it was given the power of a thousand suns. “Goolu Golu Gogika Luuma Golu Lujuna!” Just as he cried aloud the Great Seal spell, a large image of his cutie mark appeared on him with a glow of bright yellow. Yeshuah pushed the cutie mark image with his horn and charged it towards Sargeras, but he stopped it with his huge finger. Yeshuah kept struggling but was pushed back a little. He had confidence in himself and in his determination, pushed the image even harder. Sargeras was feeling his finger being pushed back. As Yeshuah cried the word, “Lujuna!” the glowing cutie mark image grew at the exact size of Sargeras’ great height. “WHAT?!” Sargeras screamed. Yeshuah pushed the image and it finally hit Sargeras. Sargeras pushed the humongous cutie mark image with his hands, but he was being pushed back. As Yeshuah continued to struggle, the image of his cutie mark glowed even brighter. “That’s impossible!!!” cried Sargeras, “No god has ever defeated me!! I am pure chaos and darkness! I am Sargeras, death and destruction incarnate! How come it will end like this?!” All the demons and armies of the Burning Legion from all across the mortal world, both demon lord or not, are being pulled by the incredible presence of the Great Seal spell to the point where Sargeras was fighting off the powerful spell, to be sealed altogether. Sargeras and all the plunged demons are finally pushed to the gates of Tartarus. As the spell reached to that point, Yeshuah whispered his last words, “Forgive me for not protecting you, my love, but I have succeeded. I did it, Father. I… no… you all have won.” A huge explosion of light burst upon the entire mortal world by the finished Great Seal spell. Sargeras and the Burning Legion disappeared. The gates of Tartarus have been sealed shut. Yeshuah was turned into a tiny frog on the ground and leaped upstairs towards the surface above. “Just like what I said,” Yeshuah continued, “I sealed away Sargeras, at the cost of my form. To turn myself into a frog, that is exactly I deserved, to punish myself for not being able to protect my love… for being foolish! I know the Legion returned but, why do I have this duty to fight for the sake of all, if the love of mine is no more? Every time I think of her loss, I feel like I am tormented.” “Yeshuah…” Twilight approached to him closer and tapped him on the back. Before she was about to say something, the two saw four simultaneous lightning bolts struck the ground distances away from the library. One lightning has a dark-blue color, the second glowed in gray, the third glowed in green, and the fourth is pure black. “Girls!” Twilight called. The five friends of her nodded to Twilight and went outside. She then said to Spike, “Spike, you stay here. You wouldn’t know what kind of threat would come.” The green dragon agreed. She turned her head to Yeshuah, saying, “Yeshuah, let’s go.” He followed her and both went out the building together. The clock in Twilight Sparkle’s bedroom is read as 11:56 in the night when they left the library.