Gather round, and listen to our tale of BIONICLE.
As many know, there is no such thing as a constant across all universes. Personalities, goals, dreams, all are changeable. A man who is considered the most evil and despicable in one universe can be a veritable saint in another. The reverse is also true. No man is so heroic that he is a constant. The branches of fate can change everything.
For instance, in the curiously entwined lives of the two mortals who gained Understanding, they are a pseudo-constant. Every alternate version of themselves has gained this gift, but there is a duality in their incarnations. Good and evil are perpetually balanced between them. And this is merely another tale... a possible path that could have been taken, by a man who is not good. Who is this man, I hear you ask? The name he has taken for himself is Teridax, a conqueror in one universe but a good-hearted and dutiful servant in another.
Why, I hear you ask? Well, it's simply because the balance of the multiverse must be maintained. Good and evil, light and dark, up and down, left and right- neither can exist without the other. To ignore either one in favour of focusing solely on one is the very height of arrogance and suicidal impulses. Without balance, the multiverse would tear itself apart in an attempt to recreate it.
What's really interesting is that neither man is, from the streams that we know, fully 'good' or 'evil.' Villainous Aurics are almost always polite and civil, even to their worst enemies, while heroic Teridax' are usually unscrupulous in dealing with threats. Though their forms and powers may vary across the multiverse, this is the tale of the Teridax who is closest to the 'mainstream' Teridax.
This Teridax remained calm and aloof, though he secretly loathed the alicorn sisters for telling him what to do. Eventually, he came to respect them for their power. He made peace with them, and though they still did not wholly trust him he remained calm and continued fighting for them. Eventually, they considered him amongst their most trusted confidates. And when he grew old, the Kraahkan on his face broken to his will and forced to reveal its secrets, he ascended to the position of Makuta.
With this incredible power came much responsibility in the human. He decided that he was too powerful for mundane squabbles between ponies and other races, and he vanished, to hone his skills. He told the alicorns that he would return only when he was needed the most. And when Discord struck, a mere decade after he'd left, he was there, fighting against the mad Spirit of Chaos with a ferocity normally only seen in wild animals. Eventually, Discord was sealed by the Elements of Harmony, Teridax notably wielding no Element. His fury and his power caused the world to grow terrified of his potential, and after Discord he freely agreed to vanish from the world of mortals yet again, and he travelled the world.
Discord looked up at the massive figure approaching. Armoured in dull grey, black and tarnished silver, the figure towered over all at ten feet. Cold yellow eyes burned out of a black, insectoid face. Clutched in a massive, clawed hand was a gargantuan two-headed spear. As it walked, the air around it seemed to darken. What was its name again? Oh yes, Teridax, the interloper. There were so many games he wanted to do with the mysterious stranger. "Ah, Teridax, how good of you to-"
He was cut off by Teridax unleashing a blast of blue energy right from the staff before charging. Ah yes, the energy that obliterated matter and turned it into nothing but dust. He hadn't expected Teridax to just attack him outright, but you didn't become a Spirit of Chaos by being easily destroyed. He split in two, watching as it carved a path through his domain. Discord frowned. "That was rather-"
Teridax jabbed two clawed fingers into his eyes while he was distracted. It didn't exactly matter or hurt, but the sheer audacity and ferocity behind the move caught him off-guard. As Discord was temporarily blinded, Teridax unleashed a blast of plasma that singed his fur. Barely rolling out of the way, he clicked his fingers and Teridax was teleported away. Discord brushed himself off, idly restoring the environment around him back to normal. "Well, that was annoying. I swear, if he interrupted me one more time, I was going to really get mad."
He heard the air behind him displace as something massive reappeared. "Good to hear."
Discord spun around, only for a massive fist to close around his throat, cutting off his breath. Another hand grabbed his talon, and squeezed. "No magic. No snapping of fingers. I've had enough of what you've done to this world, Spirit of Chaos." Eyes alternating wildly between pale yellow and blood red, Teridax slammed Discord hard on his back. The Spirit looked at Teridax impassively, before teleporting away. He hovered in front of Teridax, glowing with chaotic energy.
For the first time in millenia, Discord was furious. This... interloper had done nothing but attack, and it wasn't even fun. There was no real art of finesse behind the moves- just pure, brute, savagery. His brows furrowed and eyes glowing with power, Discord spoke. "Yo̕u ̡kn͠ow, ̨yo̡u͟'́v͏è ̨rea̡l̵ly̕ d̨on͞e ͞i͠t ͘no͏w.̀ I was ̸g͝o͏įng t̢o̢ b҉é mer̸c̶i͟ful, spa͢rè ỳo̸u͡r͜ life,͢ hav͠e ̸a̸ b͠it͟ o̶f FUN. ́But͡ ͘n͏o͝w͠,̶ ͡yo̴u͞'v̕e m̕a̕de the͏ rem͜a͞inde͝r̵ o͡f ̶your l̸if̢e hor͟ri̕b͞ly̶ ͞sho͏r̴t̕ and ̡pai̢nf͟ul͢.̀"
Teridax didn't appear concerned. In fact, the being seemed almost... amused, as if there was some joke that only he knew the punchline of. Discord frowned. "͘͢D̨̡̛͠͝o̡̧͜͡͠ ̴͢y̢͝͝҉o̷̴̕̕u͏̨̧̛ ̡̛͟͝͡ḩ́͞͠o͘ǹ͠͡ę͘͢͜͝ş̶̀͏t̢͢l̀͝y̡͘͞ ̷̨̢̧͏s̴͡͡t͘͟í̵̛ļ̕͟͢l̡̢̛͟ ͘҉͜͞t͝h̴͢͝ì̀͡͏n̸̢͜҉҉k̸͞҉ ̀͝͏y̨͠o̴̵͡u̷͞͏͘͡ ̢͞h͏͘͏à͘͟͠v̷͢͜͠͝e͏́͘͟ ̵̧̀̕͠a̸͟͢͡ ̡̢̛͞͞c̵̷̢̡̢h̵͞͠a̧̧͡͠n͘҉c͢͞e͢͏͜͟͠?̧͞ ̵Y̴̷͠o̶͝u̴̵͢͠ ̀́͡o̴̡͜͝b͏҉v̢̢́̕͞i̛͢͏̷ò̷̧͘͠u̧̕s̸̸̶̨͘ļ̵̀͏ý̛́͟͞ ̨͜͠ḑ̨o̵̵͠n͟͞҉'͘͏t̢͢͢ ̷͜k̸̵̨n̷̛̕͟͡o͠w̶͏̵͢͠ ̵͏̛ẁ̕͜͢ḩ̴̴̴͡o҉͜͝͞ ̴͝͞I҉̷̨ ̴̸̡́͝a̢̡͡m̴̨.̵͘ ̶̡̨͜͟I̴̧͢͝͝ ̵̡͡͡a̛m̶͝͝͠ ̷̵͜D̶̨͞į̵̶͟͡s͟҉̧̀c̴̴͘͜o͞r͜͜͝d́͜͏̀,̴̛͏ ̷̷̀͘͢S̸̸ṕ̴̶i̶r̷̵̶͝į̀t̷̵̷̕ ̶͡ơ̶̕͝f̀͏̸͏͝ ̧̕C̴͏͟͠҉h̸̛a̶̡̡͡ǫ͜͡ş̡̀͡͝.͘҉ ̴͟͡͝I̡̧ ̴̵̡̛ŕ̸̨͟e̸̡p̴͝r͜͝e̴͏͟s̸͘҉͝e҉̛n̨̛̕͜͞t͝͠ ̵͜͟͟͡ţ̛͞͡h̴̀͢͠e̷͞ ̵̸͘͟͞e̸̛͘͞v̵̵̧̧̧e̵̕͢r̢͝c̀͡͏҉h̢́a͏͏ń̴̵g̢̨͘͘͢i͏̨͢͞҉n̵͜͠g̶̨͘͟͠ ̨͞҉n̸̨̡̢͢a̷̡̢t͏̸ư̴r̶̢͝è̴ ̢̛͘͜o̕͝f̶ ̡͞t͟͞h̸e͏͏͟҉̡ ̴̢̀̕w͜͢o̕͏̧͢ŕ́l̶d̴̡.̸̛͝ ̷̨͞È́̕v͘͢͟e̢̡͘r̴͠͝͠͡y͏̛t̛͞h͏̵̧̀͜í̵ǹ̷̶̢͠g̢҉ ́͡҉͢͞I̵̶̡ ͡͞͞d̶͟ò͢ ̶͏̢͡ç͘ą̴̡͟͠u̸͟͟͟͞s͠͡é̷s̷̢̨̨͢ ̴̛͝҉̡d̸̡͜͠ì̸̶̧s̶͜c̡͟͝o̢҉̶͞r̶̵̨͘͠d̶̨͟͞ ̸̢́w̸҉͠i̵̡͠͞t͏̕h̛͢͞͠i͟n͘͏ ́͝t̷̶h̷e͢҉̢͞ ̀̀҉̡v̴̷̛͠͝ę̕͡͏̷r̷͟͡͝y͘͠͏҉ ̕͜͟f̵̴̶̧͢a̸̕͝b̛̕͝ŕ̨͝i̸͢c̶̵̨̨ ̴҉o̸҉̀f̧͘͞ ̴̨̀̕r͏́e̡͏̷̀͜ą̶͘͘͝ļ́i̷͘͜͢t͘y̷̵͠͏̸!̷́ ̡͝͞Y̸o̡͘͟͝͝u͢ ̴̢̀͢͢a̡̡͠͞͞r̕͜͞͞e̶̴̢ ̸̡̢́͢a̵̶̸ ̵̴̀͡t̴̷҉̷i̴̵n͏̢ ̴́p̸̧̕͝͝o̸͢͜t̴̡͠͞ ̛͟w̸̧͞ì̷͝t̷́h̶͘ ̷̛͟j̡u̵̧̢͟͞m͢҉̡͘p̷͘͜ȩ̶d̶́҉ ̡̨̨͟͟ú̷͘͠p̸̛͜ ̀҉̛d̸̨e̵̛̕͠͠l̵̡u͏͝s̴͟͟į̷̶̧͝o̶͡ǹ̶͟͜s҉̀͟͞,҉̶̧́͞ ̸́͞ą̵̨͏̧ǹ̡̛͘͢d̵̶̨ ҉̢̀Ì҉̸̛ ̶̀͏j́͟ų̛͢g҉҉g̷̕͢͟l͜͞ȩ͜͢ ̵̨͘͢͡ṕ̶̛̀͠l̶͠a̷̷͢͟n҉̵̧e̷̢̛͘͏t͏͟s͜͜ ̶̴̨̛̀a̕͟͞n̸̴̕͢d̡̛̛́ ̷́ļ͜i̷̛͘͞v̶̧́e̷̸͟s̷̵̛͜ ͟ĺ̴̢̨í̸̛͞k̀̀́͡ę̵̢͝ ͏̶͟á̶̧͞ ̶̡̧c̕͏l͞ó̴̶͡w̨͏n͢͜ ̛j͏̷͢͢u̴͜҉ģ̷̕g̶̀͘ĺ͟͢é͘͜͞s̨̢̀͢͜ ͏̡b̧́͜͞͞a̸͜ļ́҉̸͜l̴͢s҉̶̴̀.̡͢͡͡͏"̷̢͞
Teridax cracked his neck. "Spout all the drivel you want, Discord, I'll still kill you and make it look easy." Teridax looked Discord in the eyes, and suddenly this little being standing up to him didn't seem nearly as out of his depth as he seemed. It was the eyes, Discord thought. Eyes that had seen too much of everything, far more than ever should be seen by immortal or mortal. They conveyed an insanity that surpassed his own, and a tiredness and disconnect with life that made even him hesitate. Discord faltered as Teridax raised his spear.
Discord, for the first time in his life, was afraid. Teridax was not more powerful, but there was inside of him a sheer conviction that burned hotter than stars, hotter than anything Discord had seen. To face a being that wanted nothing more than his own destruction caused him to be too terrified to properly use his powers, and the bident smashed into his unarmoured body like a tidal wave on a beach.
Teridax spun the bident elegantly, and watched as Discord coughed up blood, or at least ichor. The draconeques tapped the stain of kaleidoscopic fluid in astonishment. "WHAT! Is this... is this my blood? How? I am immortal! I am Discord! I can't be killed or harmed!"
Teridax rolled his eyes. "A common misconception, it seems. Your bleeding proves it." He scratched the back of his head. "It's a good thing you actually can be harmed. For a moment, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to unleash all my rage on you. Now that I know I can hurt you..." Teridax's eyes turned fully red. "I can get some physical therapy in."
Discord tried to get up, but his legs had failed him. They skittered and trembled, but they lacked the strength to make him move. "What the... why can't I move?"
He watched as Teridax slowly advanced, bident in hand. Desperately, he tried to move, but his legs still refused to respond, whether out of terror or simply not being any use. "Come on, come on! Just let me move!" No use; his legs had failed. "How... did I take so much damage that I can't move?"
Again, he tried to move, clawing himself forwards a couple of inches, stopping for a bit. His face turned bright green and his cheeks temporarily bulged before he composed himself, clutching his head. "I've got a headache... and I feel... off. Like my stomach wants to get rid of its contents... is this nausea?!" Discord finally manage to wobble himself upright. "I, Discord, am feeling nauseous? How? I am immortal! I am-"
"Soon to be dead." Teridax walked up slowly, raising his bident above his head. Discord looked at him, saw the sheer murderous intent in his eyes, weighed his options, and teleported away. Teridax lowered his bident just as the alicorns came. Celestia smiled at him, hesitantly, still uneasy around the metallic giant.
"Teridax?" Teridax didn't turn around. She frowned, looking at him. The elements of Harmony floated in her telekinetic grip. "Why are you here?"
"...I almost had him." Teridax suddenly started, walking away. "He can be hurt, and he can be killed. Next time I see him, I'm going to tear his throat out."
Celestia watched him go, a small frown on her face, before turning away herself. Luna followed, not even looking back.
He built a castle, the City of Shadows, using nothing but his powers. He tore the ground apart in search of the protodermis with which he made his armour and weapons. And once safely ensconced, he did a thing that was both very brave and very foolish- he purged his soul of its Shadow, gaining new, different powers but losing others. But Teridax is always resourceful, and did it as a challenge. He threw away his bident, and replaced it with a mighty warhammer. His armour became gold and white, and the mask on his face became golden as well. Now, Teridax has heard of a new threat, that means to envelope the land of Equestria in shadow forever...
Celestia panted, sending a searing hot blast of plasma at her nemesis, who batted it aside with ease and a maniacal laugh. Sharp teeth flashed in the darkness of the imposed night. "Sister, you must stop this foalish course of action! This will cause nothing but death and destruction! By removing the sun, and only letting the moon's pale light sustain the land, eventually all will die without magical intervention!" She pleaded with Nightmare Moon, but to no avail. The mare was too insane and angry to listen to reason, and had been since the fight started. With a wordless roar of rage and pain, Nightmare Moon charged-
Only to get smacked in the face with a warhammer. She was sent flying back as a voice so disturbingly familiar boomed as the unseen assailant revealed himself.
"Celestia." He stood there, in shining gold and white armour, eyes formerly red now a pale icy blue. The warhammer in his fist seemed to glow with an inner light, and with a gesture Nightmare Moon was thrown back. "Luna, this is not really you. Would you so carelessly attack? This shadow has blinded you. Corrupted you!"
Nightmare Moon, previously confident of her victory, immediately tried to flee, but Teridax growled, "Oh, you're not getting away that easily," and summoned a claw made of brilliant white light to grab her. Though she tried to turn into smoke, Teridax seemed to anticipate this and beams of light eminated from his eyes, forcing her into the claw. He hoisted her in the air. "Luna, be free of this... this parasite. It will not gain you any admirers or supporters."
Nightmare Moon spat in his face defiantly. "Hmph! And since when were YOU able to talk of parasites, Teridax the Defiler? The monster who even Discord was terrified of? The being who the Tree of Harmony REFUSED an Element to bear?" She kicked him in the chest, leaving a small mark that healed almost instantly. "You talk of monsters and balance, but you are the worst of them all."
Teridax's eyes briefly flashed red. "Be clean, Luna. Remove this foul stain on your soul! It is naught but jealousy and black magic that blinds you to the truth. And as Teridax the Lightbringer, I WILL PURGE IT!"
With that, he shone with pale white light, and Nightmare Moon screamed, before the darkness surrounding her dispersed, revealing Luna, unscathed. Teridax nodded, satisfied, and turned to leave, only to get caught by Celestia. "Teridax. It has been a long time since you've deigned to interfere with Equestria."
"Hm." Teridax ceded.
Celestia pressed on. "I wanted to say... thank you. From the bottom of my heart." Beside her, Luna groaned.
"Sister? Did... did it go?" She sounded scared, and also afraid that it would come for her again. Celestia immediately went to comfort her,
Teridax nodded. "It got you once. It might get you again." He looked up at the night sky. "For what it's worth, Luna... it is a beautiful night."
Luna smiled tiredly. "I thank thee, Teridax. From the bottom of my heart."
Teridax gave the impression of smiling tiredly. "No problem. I'm just trying to do the right thing."
In a cave back in Teridax Prime's Equestria, there is a book. It's made of protosteel, and the pages are made of what appears to be very fine leather. Teridax made it out of the materials he had at hand. The cover has a small inscription on it:
Twilight Sparkle woke up, and stretched her new wings. Becoming an Alicorn was definitely the strangest thing that had ever happened to her. Nothing quite like it in the world. Bleary-eyed, she walked over to the mirror, and telekinetically gripped her hairbrush. Even as an alicorn, her hair was always messy in the morning. She dragged the comb through her hair, wincing as the brush dragged its way through a particularly difficult knot. A splash of water on her face fully woke her up. In her gut, something told her that this was abnormal, even for her new existence.
An apple falls in Ponyville, so slowly it looks like it's just staying in the air. A fly buzzes so quickly it lives for less than a second.
Twilight Sparkle woke up, and stretched her new wings. Becoming an Alicorn was definitely the strangest thing that had ever happened to her. Nothing quite like it in the world. Bleary-eyed, she walked over to the mirror, and telekinetically gripped her hairbrush. Even as an alicorn, her hair was always messy in the morning. She dragged the comb through her hair, wincing as the brush dragged its way through a particularly difficult knot. A splash of water on her face fully woke her up. In her gut, something told her that this was abnormal, even for her new existence.
Celestia looked at the sky grimly. "Luna, something has gone dreadfully wrong in the grand scheme of things."
Luna simply nodded. "Is it not obvious?"
In front of them, the remains of the court either wheezed or burbled. Something had randomly affected their ages, apparently seeing no distinction between them. Some were only foals, while others were ancient, so senile they had lost control over their bladders or rectums. A stench of excrement filled the air.
Celestia shook her head. "Nopony deserves this. Something has happened to time itself, and there's only one answer I can think of."
Luna looked grim. "Discord."
Twilight Sparkle woke up, and stretched her new wings. Becoming an Alicorn was definitely the strangest thing that had ever happened to her. Nothing quite like it in the world. Bleary-eyed, she walked over to the mirror, and telekinetically gripped her hairbrush. Even as an alicorn, her hair was always messy in the morning. She dragged the comb through her hair, wincing as the brush dragged its way through a particularly difficult knot. A splash of water on her face fully woke her up. In her gut, something told her that this was abnormal, even for her new existence.
When they arrived in Ponyville, it was to witness much the same as had happened in Canterlot. Time seemed... different, split up such that there was no coherence. Celestia watched the events unfold and shook her head. Whatever was happening, only Discord could possibly fix it. A small part of her hoped it wasn't Teridax. That monster had stayed out of the picture, avoiding all direct confrontation. How like the being that had once almost conquered Equestria in a matter of weeks.
Discord appeared, and sighed. "This is the fourth time you have come here, Celly. I can't help you."
Celestia looked at him in confusion. "...What?"
Twilight Sparkle woke up, and stretched her new wings. Becoming an Alicorn was definitely the strangest thing that had ever happened to her. Nothing quite like it in the world. Bleary-eyed, she walked over to the mirror, and telekinetically gripped her hairbrush. Even as an alicorn, her hair was always messy in the morning. She dragged the comb through her hair, wincing as the brush dragged its way through a particularly difficult knot. A splash of water on her face fully woke her up. In her gut, something told her that this was abnormal, even for her new existence.
A vice and shattered pieces of dull orange metal.
One last middle finger to Umbra.
Teridax woke up, and immediately realised he had died. He let out a sigh, and turned to the figure who sat on the grass, seemingly waiting. He may have smiled, and then turned back.
"You are a Death, I presume."
The being in front of him nodded, lazily waving. "Sup." She dressed in black, with ivory white skin. Mascara and curling Egyptian-style designs on her face completed the look of a rather perky goth. An ankh glistened on her throat. She wore jeans and a ratty tank top, and her grin was infectious. When you saw her, you felt like you'd known her all your life.
Teridax may have been prideful and sure of his power, and that was exactly why he swept into a deep bow. Even a fragment of the very concept of ending life deserves the utmost respect, especially from a being that wishes to conquer all. The lady waved him up. "Come on, I'm not that kind of psychopomp. Besides, your soul isn't exactly accustomed to bowing."
Teridax' soul wasn't human. If he hadn't been human when alive, you would have thought his soul had ever been human to begin with. It was a coiling mass of scrap metal, inky black shadows, and a rusty Kraahkan. He was ever-changing, random and inscrutable. There was substance, an easily-seen shell, but the real Teridax never opened himself up except to those he trusted to be too stupid to ever betray him. Only the eyes in the mask were human, blue and piercing. Teridax was at once Nothing and Something, a true Makuta even in death. He coiled back up, and seemed relieved to observe himself again. "Hm. It is good to see that I abandoned my pathetic weakness to the extent of my soul."
Death smiled. "Who knows? You may be more human than you think." She grinned, and extended a hand. "Come on, you're going to be late."
Teridax extended a part of himself, and gently took it. As she led him off, he started talking. "Can I just say that it is a tremendous honour you have done me, appearing in even a fragment of your person."
"Death is the great equaliser, isn't it?" She laughed, and the laugh of Death is the best laugh you will ever hear in your life, except you'll only hear it once. "Normally, I appear for everybody. Long or short, everybody gets a life."
Teridax considered this, then nodded. "I suppose that's true."
For the first time in a very long time, Teridax knew nothing. It excited him, knowing nothing of the road ahead. He knew he was likely going to hell, and he had no regrets even now. He had been cruel, petty, vindictive, a murderer with no compassion for others. And he would do it again and again if he had the chance. He had even made it up with his unconscious mind, the torment inside him finally stilled. He asked one last question of Death. "Are my backup plans still there?"
Death nodded. "106 still possible. You were prepared."
Teridax felt the last bit of stress go away. "Excellent. My torch has been passed on."
And he went where all the dead go, Death leading him.
As I retreated back to my castle in the forest, I felt something abnormal. Something that shook me to the centre of my being. I steadied myself against a tree, trying to figure it out. What could have caused this sensation?
Then, I knew.
"It begins. Teridax's first plan has begun." Every self was on the move, waiting for the chance to strike. Even I was on tenterhooks for this moment.
That dramatically said, I went to my castle. I had plans of my own for this moment, and I had to ensure that this world would be safe in my absence.