//------------------------------//
// I'm Innocent! 
// Story: A Dream Amongst a Nightmare 
// by Gnome 
//------------------------------//



As Spike opened the door, two broad, tall royal guards stormed in, with Princess Celestia.

Spike just froze as they all saw Lirex and grabbed him, pinning him to the ground.

"Lirex Stargaze, you will come with us." They both said simultaneously.

He struggled and squirmed as they took him out of the house, Spike couldn't do anything, they were ten times his size.

Celestia, without saying a word walked out with the guards and their prisoner, flying away on the chariot.

Twilight walked in and looked around the house, seeing Spike shocked, "Spike, what's wrong?"

"T-They... Took… Lirex" Spike shivered, pointing at the chariot flying away in the sunlight.

Twilight then gasped and watched the carriage fly off, "Is that-"

Spike nodded and ran to her side, "We have to get to Canterlot, who knows what she will do to him."

She put Spike on her back, her horn glowing brighter and brighter, finally transporting them to their destination.

They both saw the guards dragging the white pegasi on the ground, towards the dungeon.

"Lirex!" Twilight shouted to him as she tried to get passed the guard wall, quickly getting pushed back by them.

"We're sorry Miss Twilight, but this is none of your concern." One of them stated, stalely.

"What do you mean 'none of my concern'? He's my friend. Let him go."

"No." The guard stated again, pushing her back once more.

Lirex glanced over to her, slightly sad, but he shook his head and stared down as he was dragged across the brick walkway.

Twilight managed to get into the castle, running to the court room, she then propped her ear up against the doors, hearing shouting, and protesting.

"So, you have been sent down by my sister, no?"

"I mean nopony any harm, your highness-"

"That wasn't the question!"

Twilight peeked through the door, seeing Lirex getting hoof-punched by one of the guards, standing near him.

"Answer the question."

Lirex spit on the guard, "How dare you punch a Prince." His eyes slowly turned blood-red as he chuckled lightly.

The guard punched him again and again, Celestia held up a hoof, making him stop.

"Now, Lirex, why did my sister send you?" She looked at him closely; he began shaking his head, not responding.

The guard once more kicked him in the maw, making it bleed; Lirex licked the trickle of blood off his nose, smiling deviously.

"Why should I tell you? Why should I tell the only person who doesn't love or care for her own siblings" Lirex protested with deadly venom in his voice.

The guard groaned and knocked the stallion to the ground, whispering, however Twilight couldn't hear what he said. 

She thought to herself, on the verge of tears, seeing what they were doing to this Prince. C'mon Li... Just answer the question.

Suddenly she heard a voice in her head, as if it was Lirex, You don't understand... I can't... it’s for the sake of everypony's safety...

The Princess got up from her throne, slowly and elegantly, walking towards him, he quivered from her form.

She got up to him and looked in his eyes deeply, and menacing.

"You shouldn't have come here, Prince of Night. You have made a big mistake."

Lirex shivered, shaking his head, "No. You, your majesty, have made the mistake."

The guards in the room and Celestia gasped as they all saw Lirex's hooves turning black, the cuffs melting off his fur.

His wings flared upward hitting the guard, knocking him out instantly.

Twilight gasped again, bursting through the door, but before she could get close to him she and Celestia were both shot back by a dark aura blast.

Twilight groaned as Spike went to her side, everypony looking where Lirex was.

She knew what she was looking at was no longer the stallion she had met before.

His eyes blood shot and red, his fur coal-black, orange aura wisped around him.

She looked at his wings, seeing they no longer had feathers, but metal and leather.

Also, Lirex began talking in a dark, deep voice that seemed to fill the room.

"Puny Princess, you could never end the Night. It is a part of life and power. We are that Power." He chuckled as he flapped his wings a couple times, "We are Spikor Stargaze, Lord of Shadows. We will take Equestria from you and your puny subjects."

His ears perked up, as three guards ran at him with their horns draw towards him.

The middle of this creature's mane poked up, finally revealing a horn with a broken end, as he shot a red, bubbly beam towards them.

"Hah!" He laughed at them as they fell to defeat.

Spikor then walked towards the door, seeing a purple unicorn still lying down, he tilting his head and he walked towards her.

"Hm. Hello Twilight. Please stand back, my revenge is not with you, my dear." He said, sincerely. Twilight was totally surprised at him as his toned changed when he spoke to her, right then she knew Lirex was still there, and how she could stop whatever this thing was.