Within the cage was Tirek, the weakened centaur who once tried to take over Equestria, but now he looked only a shell of his weakened self. Instead of the dark red skin he had, it was pitch white like a ghost. Instead of the horse lowerhalf he had, it looked more like a torture scene of it covered in scars, recent and old, deep and shallow, as if someone took time to meticulously place them on his body. His horns were a even more awful sight. They were jagged and looked to of been ripped apart by a monster leaving barely even stubs behind. His chest had even more scars on it, as if somepony literary played 'Operation' with his body.
As he turns and wobbled over to the cage, the mane six got a better look at his face as instead of black sclera and yellow iris, they were of dull grey sclera and white iris color... well at least one of his eyes. The other was covered in gauze as whatever happened to him, changed him. He stops at the bars as he looks at the ponies "More tricks.... just more tricks" he says sounding defeated and tired. The runes around his cage were a different color then the others as they shined a deep red color and radiated a stronger aura of magic then the other runes.
As Twilight looks at Tirek as she walks around, thinking this is some trick "What are you talking about?" she asks. She stops as they lock eyes, her purple eyes staring into his white ones.
His eyes go wide as he hoarsely chuckles "So you are not fake. Interesting from what I've had to deal with since my latest defeat" he says. He groans and falls onto his haunches on the cage with loud rattling of the chains around his hands.
Fluttershy was the next one to come up as she showed some amount of sadness for his condition "Who did this to you?" she asks.
The others were about to put in their opinion of him as he sighs heavily "A pony, but one who is a judge of all the evil in this world" he says. He looks up "This pony lives by many names, but one name only your Princesses know of-" his words stop as large shaking is felt as Tirek sighs "Great... they're coming" he says. When the mares turn around, they see Cerberus on a leash with a unicorn leading him as he stops. He looks and sees the six as he drops the leash.
The unicorn looks at Cerberus "Cerberus. Go and do the alarm howl. We have intruders." it says in a soft voice for the dog to hear. The dog nods and runs off as the unicorn ascends the stairs. The unicorn has a menacing look as its grey eyes look at the mares "You are in a restricted realm! Leave now or we will force you out!" the unicorn says. As it reached the top of the stairs, it was clear now of his look. He was a stallion with toxic green coat and his twisted, corkscrew horn. His armor was a more orange-yellow color with some markings over them, like runes or enchantments. His helmet was also orange-yellow, but along with orange-yellow greaves on his hooves, he also had a blade at his waist. Parts of his mane and tail were seen as they were black and dark green.
Twilight looks at him as she seems... disturbed by his appearance. She smiles though "We have a right to be here. I am Princess Twilight Sparkle and I am -"
"You are leaving now! Only two beings are called Princess and you are neither of them!" he says interrupting her. His horn glows green as he pulls the blade out, a black steel blade with a silver hilt as it looked like a scimitar "Now this is your final warning! Leave or I will use force!" he commands. He is about to charge as Rainbow swings down and knocks it out of his magic. He looks at her as he growls, just before he gets bucked down the stairs by Applejack.
Tirek looks over "Your making a grave mistake" he says. He was trying to warn them as a loud howl is heard echoing throughout Tartarus as he sighs and shakes his head "Too late" he says.
********************************************************************************************
Within the kingdom, Infernum was doing his paperwork of new rules and laws as he looks absolutely, positively, bored. He hated paperwork, just as much as his father did before. His father. His mind wanders as he gets off his haunches and goes to the picture as he sighs and looks at it. It was a picture of him as a young colt in a full black outfit with his father Helvette next to him. Next to them was a grave with the name Phantasia on it along with a small epitath.
Here lies Phantasia
Mother, Wife, Queen
May she watch over the outcasts of the kingdom with a open heart
As he takes the picture down he looks at it as he closes his draconian eyes as his mind becomes... foggy. Just as he feared. He puts it back on the table as he sighs "I-" his train of thought is stopped as he hears the howling of Cerberus, his pet.
As he turns to the door, a griffon walks in as he was in black and gold armor "My lord, we have intruders down in the Forbidden Prison Realm" he says. The griffon had the same features of a regular griffon with the lion body with head, wings, and talons of a eagle, but his wings and feathers were a charcoal grey color with sky blue tips. His eyes were a burning orange color and fur of white as he bows. His armor was similar to a guards, but on his back was a helmet with a black plume on it.
Infernum turns to see him as he walks over "Intruders? Here? Oh in all of Tartarus" he says as he facehooves himself. He sighs "Alright. Ghostcrest, I need you to find Brimstone and have her send more guards to that realm. No more then ten though, that should be enough" he says. He was real close to his kingdom's residents since many were either already dead, cursed, or simply given 'Helvette's gift' for service to the kingdom. The captains were such beings. As the griffon nods, he turns and leaves to find Brimstone as Infernum goes to a window. His tail swishes a bit as he looked.... displeased. Never during his rule as king has anypony tried to trespass in Tartarus. Whoever these intruders are would rue the day they decided to enter Tartarus.
********************************************************************************************
The guard blocks another blast as he is getting tired of this crap. He is getting blasted and losing magic as the alicorn keeps blasting at him. He may of been blessed with more magic then a regular unicorn, but this alicorn was like a volcano of magic to him, holding a lot more magic then he could muster. He was currently behind a large barrier of magic as it comes shattering from a final blast. He goes sliding as he looks at them panting "None... are allowed... here... except... for guards" he says inbetween pants. Before long, the gates open up as ten guards come galloping in with spears drawn and shields on their backs as they get infront of him "Sergeant Plague Horn! We will take it from here sir! You just get your strength back!" one of the guards says. Plague Horn just nods as the guards start to march forward to surround the mares.
As magic started to build up in Twilight's horn, the guards see the shields as one of them yells out "Barrier Formation!" he yells out. The guards plant their spears in the ground as they pull out some large, rectangular shields that they form into a large wall. As the blast comes, the wall blocks the blast, even absorbing some of it as the attack ends. They separate and put the shields on their backs and remove the spears from the ground to form up. As they got closer though, the rainbow mare flies as a distraction, Pinkie pulls out her party cannon and blasts them with confetti that makes a few skid back a few inches, but continue on. The group of guards got closer and closer, yet still the attacks hardly did a thing to slow them down.
The formation broke when stalactites came down from Rainbow kicking them loose and shattered their formation to get blasted by magic and confetti blasts along with pillars of rock getting bucked at them. They take cover as they look to the gate, seeing about more reinforcements. They look back at Plague Horn "We'll hold these mares back! You get going!" one says.
Plague Horn shakes his head "Like Tartarus I will! I will stay and fight!" he says in a strict tone as he blasts his magic at Twilight. She blasts back as they get into a magic power struggle of who will win. Plague had a slight advantage with her worrying about her friends, but the problem still existed of her having more magic then a unicorn. He looks over "Private! Return to Him and inform him of this battle! I assume He will want to be here!" he orders. One of the younger ponies nods as he gallops out of the realm, back to the castle.
********************************************************************************************
At the castle, upon his throne, sat the king of the kingdom. Infernum sits on a throne of the darkest rocks found in the depths of Tartarus. Adorning the top of this throne was his cutie mark of a pair of hammers infront of a flame. The throne room was large and grand, just like any throne room, but only had one window. That one window was nearly a whole wall that overlooked the town below. The walls were like someone just took two cans of paint of crimson red and yellow-orange and just tossed it all over the wall. To a normal noble that lived in Canterlot, it would of looked like some foal just tossed paint on a wall.... problem was if they insulted that wall, he would of taken their horns and taught them fear. The truth was, the wall wasn't complete as he had a little ceremony for it. Each time a new foal came to town or was born, he let them pick out one of the colors and tossed it on the wall, just to help in making the wall. The rest of the wall was a dull grey color, leaving room for other young ones.
The rest of the throne room had a long red carpet to some black and silver doors with two large hammers on it. At the top of the throne room were a few chandeliers with red magic orbs to act as lighting. As the doors open, the private enters as he bows and pants. He looks up as Infernum seems curious "My lord.... guards failing.... six mares.... one a princess" he says. That made Infernum's eyes shoot wide.
As he breathes in, he yells out "WHAT?!" as that yell echoed throughout the castle, out the doors and through town, rocking it around as his hooves slam on the ground. His draconian eyes look towards Ghostcrest who gulps "You mind telling me why I was not informed of this?!" he asks angry.
Ghostcrest shakes his head "I-I didn't know my lord!" he says as the alicorn was right in his face, towering over the griffon as he looks into the captain's eye.
Infernum sighs as he makes a hoofmotion "Send the call of return.... I will deal with them myself" he says. No pony or creature would of argued with him as Ghostcrest told the private to send the message.
********************************************************************************************
As the fighting continues, the guards soon start to fall back as they leave the realm. Twilight smiles as she floats a bit "We did it girls! Now let's get the spells in place and leave!" she says. They all nod a bit tired as they go to Tirek's cage, but see him shivering. He seems to be muttering something as Twilight get's closer.
She listens in as he says "He's coming. He's coming he's coming he's coming!" he says as he seems to retreat to the farthest part of the cage. At the gates, a tall figure walks in as he is wearing a large cloak to hide all but his hooves and horn. He looks at them as the mares turn.
The figure keeps walking as he stops and looks at them "So you are the intruders? Five mares and a princess? A disappointment" he says in a deep voice. As Twilight starts to charge a blast, he vanishes into nothing and appears on the cage "Such a slow caster. No... your not a princess. Just a imposter of one" he says. As they turn back around, he looks at them "I will ask this once.... leave or perish" he says as the hood moves a bit to show his draconian eyes.
The first one to speak is Rainbow as she glares at him "Not a chance!" she says as she charges, just for her to get stopped in midair. He moves her as she hit the ground, leaving a small crater as they all stare wide-eyed at her. Rainbow gets up, unscatched "I do not harm the innocent. I will however destroy you if you do not leave now!" he orders.
Twilight glares hard at him "Who are you?!" she demands.
He raises a hoof and rips off his cloak. The only look the ponies had was shock as he stands on the cage, his bat wings extended large and wide, casting a shadow over them as he looked as menacing, nay, more menacing then Nightmare Moon herself. He hops down as he towers over them, nearly as tall as Celestia "I... am Prince Infernum, ruler of the realm of Tartarus. You are trespassing" he says as he looks at them. As his eyes wander each pony, they all had shaking knees, pinprick eyes, and two seemed to be backing away as he looks at the only one trying to be brave, Twilight Sparkle.
Her purple eyes look at him as his draconian eyes lock with hers. He looks at her as his was a angry glare "So.... your the new princess? Honestly your nothing like I had imagined.... your just a imposter of a princess, made from magic. A real prince or princess is born a alicorn" he says.
As the two exchange glares, she looks at him "You are a alicorn, but... different. Your more evil looking" she says. She stands ready to fight, horn glowing and wings stretched "We have a job to do Prince Infernum, let us pass" she says.
He shakes his head "I have everything under control here princess. Your services are not needed" he says. He looks at her eyes and sees the fire in her eyes as he sighs "Fine... if you want to try and do whatever your piss poor job is, then you are welcome to try... just remember. I will make you pay for invading my realm" he says as his horn glows red and orange and his wings spread out wide.
Before any of the mares could attack, a large blast of magic came out that knocked them all back into the gates as they felt the full blast of his magic as he stops and lets them fall. He walks over as he looks at them "Despite your power, you are but a foal in your knowledge of true magic princess. Such a pity it ends this way" he says. He stops as his horn glows even brighter as the mares close their eyes to not see the blast. He fires another blast of magic to finish it, but before it reaches them, spreads out like a fan and avoids hitting all the mares. As Twilight looks up, she sees a large barrier spell with the symbols of the sun and moon on them as the spell stops.
Infernum looks as the gates open for two alicorns to walk through, one white as a cloud and the other a dark blue coat, both with ethereal like manes and tails as his eyes narrow at them. The two stand before him as he was definitely taller then the dark blue alicorn, but still a inch under the white alicorn "So... we meet again after so long" Infernum says. He looks to the white mare "Celestia" he says before looking at the dark blue alicorn "Luna" he says.
This was a sight to truly behold. Three alicorns standing infront of the mane six, all rulers and older then any other being. All that could be said was that the way those three looked at eachother, it could be told that they had.... history so to speak.