//------------------------------// // The Return // Story: The Dead Stallion's Hand // by Lord Zalgo //------------------------------// "Celestia! Luna!" Phoenix yelled in delight as he leapt towards the princesses' avatars and embraced them both. They shared a look of surprise before embracing the stallion. "We've missed you, Phoenix." Celestia said sweetly as a small tear trickled down Luna's face. Phoenix pulled back to look at them. "Ha... You don't look a day older... Well, what have I missed in Equestria? How's... How are my friends?" Phoenix asked. "They... They still miss you greatly. Twilight Sparkle still mentions how much things are different without you in her letters." Luna replied. "...She also says that Applejack has grown more distant since your... passing." Celestia continued sombrely. Phoenix slightly flinched a her name and looked to the ground, trying to hide his emotions. "...Is she alright?" Phoenix asked, small tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes. Celestia slowly shook her head. "No. I'm afraid she isn't." Celestia replied. Faust chose this moment to come forward. "Is this... 'Applejack' the reason why you didn't want to stay here?" Faust asked Phoenix. "The main one. Yes." Phoenix replied sombrely. Faust didn't comment further. Silence fell until the final alicorn broke it. "Is it possible to take him back to the Middlerealm?" Zalgo asked the princesses. "The spells exist, but they will need to be refined. Not to mention, we'd all have a lot of paperwork to complete." Celestia replied. "B-but, you're going to take me back?" Phoenix asked hopefully. "Well, we all hate paperwork. But, after all you've done for Equestria and all you've lost; I think it's only fair if we allowed you to return." Celestia replied with her usual sweet, heart-melting smile. Phoenix gave a slightly teary smile as he thanked the four alicorns and apologised to Faust for his actions. After she forgave him, she said he should go and get some rest. After Phoenix left, another avatar appeared next to Zalgo. He was just as tall as Zalgo, had a pure white coat with no mane or tail, dressed in a clean black suit, with a swarm of black tendrils emerging from it's back... ...And no face at all. "Slendermane? What is it?" Zalgo asked Slendermane. Slendermane's avatar slowly walked to Zalgo and whispered something into his ear. "...Hmm... That could be useful... Okay, I'll be right there. I'm sorry, everypony, but my attentions are needed in the Underrealm." Zalgo said to Slendermane and then to the alicorns before both his and Slendermane's avatars vanished from the Overrealm. "And that's all you know?" Zalgo asked the frightened stallion. "Yeah. I'm sorry I can't tell you more." Mint said, wary of Slendermane and the other stallion watching him. The other stallion had a white coat just like Slendermane, except he was the height of a normal stallion with a long, greasy black mane and short tail. His eyes were as black as the winter night sky and his mouth had scars on either side; locking it into a permanent smile. A sadistic, cruel smile. "Very well." Zalgo said as he turned and began to walk away. "Wait! You said if I told you everything, you'd get me into Elysium!" Mint called after him. Zalgo turned back to him. "Yes, I did, didn't I? Drop him." Zalgo said. Not one second later the second stallion grabbed Mint and threw him into Styx, the River of Souls. To remain there for eternity. "Thank you, Jeffery." Zalgo said as he continued to walk away. "What do we do now, master?" Slendermane asked in a voice almost like a loud whisper. "We warn Celestia and Luna. They need to hear about this." Zalgo replied. "We didn't exactly learn a lot from him." Jeff said in a gravelly voice. "No, we didn't. But, that doesn't matter right now. We get this information to the princesses before it escalates further. We can't go into this blind." Zalgo said. "'We', boss?" Jeff asked. Zalgo finally turned around. "Get everypasta ready to mobilise. The second we're needed, we need to be there." Zalgo said before walking back to his council chamber.