Revelations
The five Elements, Spike and the Princesses were all gathered around the large table in the war room where the discussion about their investigation was in full swing.
“You say you saw the remains of ponies down there?” asked Celestia trying to remember the days of old.
“That’s righ Princess.”
“Interesting. Did you find anything else down there?
“Sure did.” Applejack pulled out the sample of red water she had found on the remains of the well. “I found this on what looked like a water well of some kind.”
“This water. It can’t be. No. This is.” Celestia mumbled aloud. The others began to get nervous as she continued to pull the memories from her mind.
“What’s wrong sister?”
“This water is a type of substance created from using an ancient magic. Its creation requires a great many things to occur. Most of them considered highly dangerous and taboo amongst the magic wielding community. This is the byproduct of an ancient and forbidden spell used to bend creatures to the will of the caster. It was believed that if used properly the spell could allow the caster to rule Equestria and allow them to rule unchallenged. But the dangers of using such a spell were too great for even the ones who created it. Even the great Starswirl the Bearded dared not try it or touch the ancient manuscripts containing it. The pony remains that you found must have been the ones who made it.”
“Who would use such a spell?” Rarity asked with concern.
“I do not know but I have my suspicions. Tell me did you find anything else down there?”
“Yeah, the good General was kind enough to give us something. Applejack’s got it her saddle bag.” Rainbow said with a sarcastic tone.
Applejack nodded and pulled out the box the General Mania had left behind.
“Open it please, fair Applejack” Said Luna in a tone of authority.
Applejack opened the box and inside was a leather bound book with only a small strap to seal it.
“That’s the book Twilight was reading!” Spike yelled in a shock.
The group was startled by this as they did not know what had caused Twilight to do what she did.
“You mean this is the thing that made Twilight go crazy?” Pinkie asked while cocking her head to the side and making a face.
“It was some kind of research journal I think. At least that’s what I gathered from Twilights description."
Celestia levitated the book in front of her. She did not sense any danger from this book as Insanity’s influence had passed from its pages. She opened it and skimmed the first few paragraphs. She too shut it abruptly with a loud slap. Her face becoming visibly disturbed and down cast.
“What’s wrong Princess?” Fluttershy asked quietly concerned for the ruler of day.
“This book, this journal, belonged to an old scientist that disappeared a great while ago. His name was Orion Lunarious. He was one of my best researchers and the head of my magic research division. He disappeared shortly after I gave him a task to find a way to grant anypony the ability to use a limited amount of magic.”
“Why would you want to that?” Rainbow said with a loud tone of voice.
“Times were different back then. Unicorns were looked on with disdain and hatred after the Nightmare Moon incident. I thought that if anypony could use magic it would lead to a greater understanding of what unicorns have to control. Unfortunately he disappeared only a few weeks into the project. This journal could tell us why.”
She opened the journal again this time still being a little cautious because of its contents. She again skimmed the journal trying to find the answers they wanted. As she skimmed the words of the journal she began to realize that the mind control spell was not actually a mind control spell but a summoning spell of sorts, one that predated even her and Luna. Her face went more white than it already was as she finished the last paragraphs of the journal.
Celestia was sweating and her breathing was shallow as she read the final notes of Orion’s journal.
“Sister, what’s wrong?” Luna asked cautiously as Celestia’s state was clear.
“I…I… It can’t be possible. Why him? How could he do this?”
“Sister, snap out of it!”
Luna’s words snapped Celestia out her trance and she explained its contents to the rest of them.
“This journal is a dangerous book. I can see why Twilight went mad. The research team I organized tampered with a force that predates my and Luna’s very existence. Our father told us of a being that helped keep the world in balance before Luna or I took over. His name was Luken, meaning light bringer. He was the care taker of the knowledge of our ancestors and he would raise and lower the sun before our father took charge of the position. He was a kind and loving being who would pass on any knowledge that he possessed, the only requirement was a genuine want for the knowledge. But he became corrupted after stealing a piece of knowledge that our father never wanted to be revealed. After finding this knowledge, Luken went mad trying to comprehend the information that he had stolen from our father. When father found out, he took Lukens body and only left him his mind and soul. He was banished from where they all resided. Before he left, he took a new name and vowed that he would destroy the world and rebuild it in his own image. The name he took was Insanity.” She finished the story with a darkness in her eyes and a sadness none could comprehend.
“Were fighting a god?” Rarity said with worry.
“NO! We are not fighting a god! We are fighting a demon unlike any that has existed before. When he stole the knowledge from my father his power grew to the point that he could have rivaled him but I suppose he still had some respect for father or he would have fought back. He has the knowledge from the very creation of the planet, the creation of all living creatures and the knowledge of how magic itself works. He is a monster. A monster that must be destroyed once and for all. We have one advantage over him however.
“Wha’s that Princess?” Applejack asked wondering what advantage they could possibly have over a creature of Insanity’s caliber.
“The Elements of Harmony.”
“How are they going to help us defeat a demon when there are only five of us?” Rarity asked.
“The Elements are the legacy of my father. When he retired from the position of raising the sun and moon he put his power into the Element of Magic. The others that were with him at the time when they died also put their powers into the other five Elements. That is what makes the Elements so powerful. But in order to fight him we need to get Twilight back. That is where the difficulty lies.”
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The General returned to the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters as was instructed and began to search for the item that her master required. In her mind she played out the orders over and over again.
“You will go back to my prison and find the ancient well that created me. Bring back any of its water that is left. As it is critical to my plans for domination. I gives off a faint red glow, that it how you will find it.”
The general looked all around the ancient room and could not find any of what her master required. Agrarious came into the room as well, shrinking down to be able to fit. He walked over to his master and made a series of noises and screeches. The general’s eyes widened and she became furious. She kicked Agrarious in the gut and stormed out of the room. Agrarious followed after her coughing slightly.
“Why didn’t you say something before?!” She said in a fury.
The wheezing creature only looked away. She grunted and looked away from him while telling him to grow to his original size so they could return. Agrarious regrew himself to his original size and the General hopped on. When they returned Insanity was waiting for them.
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“How are we supposed to get Twilight back if we don’t even know where she is?” Fluttershy asked.
“We might have something Insanity needs.” Celestia levitated the container of the red liquid. “Insanity will need this to increase his power to its maximum if I’m analyzing this correctly. He is not yet at full power which could be why we have not seen him personally yet. This might be our way to getting Twilight.”
“How do ya know it will help us get Twilight?” Applejack asked.
“I’ve had the suspicion that Twilight is the General you keep telling me about, and after you showed me the water and the journal I’m sure of it. If he really does need this water to gain his full power than he will send her to us. I have a way to return her back to normal but I can’t do it from a distance, she needs to be right in front of me for it to work. Do you remember the spell Twilight used to get you all out of Discord’s control?”
They nodded in remembrance of the event.
“It’s basically a more powerful version of the same spell. Now if my hunch is correct we need to prepare.”
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As the General and Agrarious descended from the skies by Insanity’s castle he looked up and awaited her report. They landed and Insanity approached the two.
“Did you find what I require?”
“N…no.. sir. The resistance got the last of it before I got there.”
Insanity flew into a rage and smashed the general against the ground with his mighty tail.
“HOW DID THEY GET IT FIRST?!” He roared while beating the general with his tail.
“I… AUghg! I don’t know!”
The General lay on the ground panting and writhing in pain.
“I’m sorry master. I don’t know how they found it first.”
“SILENCE!” He roared again and smashed the General into the ground. “Just because this is your first failure don’t think I’ll take it easy on you! Your first failure also happened to be on one of the most critical missions for my plan to succeed!”
After a few more times of hitting the general with his tail he picked her up by her head.
“You listen here General. You are to amass a small army and attack Canterlot head on. Do I make myself clear?”
“Ye…Yes sir.” She said with short breaths and hurting from the lashing she just endured.
“Good!” he said and dropped her on the ground with a thud. “Retrieve that water or don’t you dare show your face to me again! If you do I will END YOU! UNDERSTAND?!”
“Your wish is my command.”
“LEAVE! And do not fail me again!”
The General backed away quickly and ran to escape Insanity’s wrath and to carry out the mission that could very well be her last.
“Her usefulness to me is nearing its end. She will not return from this mission even if she does succeed. It is time to gain her replacement. The Princess. I will have her. But I will need some assistance in this matter.” He closed his eyes and thought deeply for a while. “I have it. The Lava Dragon will do nicely. He will fight his dragon, and then take the princess. If he can resist my power so easily then taking Celestia will be an easy task for him. We will both get what we desire. But there is the matter of the well water, the source of my power. Thanatos!”
A being came into the room made of shadow and dark mist.
“How may I serve you sir?” He said with a deep sinister voice.
“I need you to retrieve something for me. My General has failed in her task to retrieve it. I would like you to fulfill her mission while she attacks Canterlot.
“What is it you need?”
“The remains of the water from the well that revived me. It is essential not only to my power but for the domination of Equestria. It glows red and will probably be under heavy guard. But that should not be a problem for you. Should it my shadow monster?”
“Not at all sire. I will have what you seek. What about your General? Is there anything you like me to do to or for her while I am there?”
“Now that you mention it, yes there is a little something. Makes sure she does not return to this place.”
“Sire?”
“You heard me. I do not wish her to return. Another will be taking her place shortly, but before that happens I need that well water.”
“Very well. Any particular way you want me to handle the guards?”
“Do as you see fit. Just make sure their sanity comes to me after you get through with them. Dismissed.”
Thanatos left the room and went to begin his mission. Insanity began to prepare for the next phase after his general was disposed of.
“The time is nearing for my ultimate victory. Canterlot will fall, the Princess will be mine and I will have exterminated the Resistance once and for all.”
Insanity sat down on his thrown laughing and yelling into the air at his old friend who banished him from the palace of the deities.
“Do you see this you old geezer?! I will win and I will make you turn over in your grave! I will have your daughter by my side! She will lead my armies throughout Equestria! She will hurt the ones she loves most and I will destroy those disgusting Elements of Harmony that you and the rest created! I will have the revenge I have so longed for!”
NEXT CHAPTER
BATTLE OF THE ELEMENTS