Despair. Confusion. Sorrow. Guilt. Rage. Fear. These were the emotions that overcame Twilight Sparkle and her friends as they sat in the room that had been given to them in Canterlot Castle. Lord Psyron had ordered that they be well taken care of and had given them a room in the castle to share. So much had happened in the past several hours that it all seemed a shocking nightmare of blurry memories. Celestia was gone forever. Luna was alive, but trapped in an obsidian prison. Psyron was now the ruler of Equestria. Ameth- Obsidia had joined her father’s conquest and shown her true power. And Shining Armor...
Twilight gave a shudder of sorrow at the faint remembrance of what had taken place. All she remembered was that Psyron had lowered the fire wall, allowing Shining Armor and his troops to storm in and attempt to rescue them. But they never got far, as Psyron had emitted some sort of psychic energy and paralyzed all of them. The rest was even more blurry, but she knew that Psyron had somehow taken control of all the guards’ minds because they had hollowly obeyed his orders.
That was four hours ago. Now they all sat together in the luxurious castle bedroom, surrounded by the finery and color of a royal home. But it was all lost on them as they sat looking at each other, each with her own thoughts. Fluttershy had almost immediately gone to sleep; fortunately she had been passed out for a majority of the traumatic happenings, and thus had not witnessed as much shock as the rest, but it was still too much for a gentle-hearted pony like her to see such brutal takeover and to witness the Elements of Harmony fail to dispel their foe. That alone had affected all of them greatly and made them wonder. Maybe Psyron was right and he was just immune to the power of the Elements... or.... maybe the fault was with them. The last time the Elements had not worked, it was because Discord had sapped them right out of each pony’s personality, but not fully of his doing; they had also contributed to their descent into disharmony, and the thought that they could have done so this time crept into the corners of each of their minds.
Surprisingly enough, Rarity had been the first to recover from the shock. She bustled about the room frantically, checking the curtains and straightening the beds in her usual prim and proper manner. Twilight knew that this was simply her way of dealing with stress, but it still served as a small relief to her that they could in fact return to their normal selves and continue the good fight.
Pinkie Pie was also quick to recover, (although Twilight was never sure how much she had been affected in the first place). Pinkie had immediately begun concocting schemes on how to fight back at Psyron and save the Princesses, each one more hair-brained than the last...
“Oh oh, I know! Twilight can go and visit a weird old green creature in a swamp and learn powerful new magic to defeat Psyron!”
“No, wait, we need to take that one ring and toss it in a volcano! Then that’ll take him down for good!”
“Or waitaminute, we can find seven thingies that Psyron put his soul into and-“
Even though her antics were mildly amusing and did cheer Twilight up a bit, they soon began to annoy the others, namely Applejack.
“Pinkie, will you hush up over there for one dag-blamed minute?! I’m tryin’ to think here!”
Twilight suspected that Applejack had been feeling a sense of guilt about the incident regarding Amethyst (Twilight would never call her by any other name), as she had been the one who gave away Amethyst’s location to her wicked siblings. Sure they probably would have found out her location sooner or later, but the fact that honest Applejack had been a little too honest was most likely what bothered her the most. It didn’t take an interrogation to have AJ spill information; she was a horrible liar and when faced with questioning, she could never hold back for long. The fact that Applejack was the only other pony that really got to know Amethyst, however little it was, also didn’t help much.
Rainbow Dash had remained silent for a long time. She sat at the window, gazing blankly out at the starry night sky. Twilight knew that her Element of Loyalty would be hit the hardest out of all of them during the inevitable struggle. Was her loyalty to the Ruler of Equestria, or was it to Princess Celestia specifically? Or perhaps it was to Ponyvile or Cloudsdale. Or maybe it was all of them. Whatever the case, hers would be the most challenging battle of them all. Twilight had no idea what Psyron planned on doing with them, but it surely wouldn’t be good.
Psyron. There was more to him than first meets the eye, that was for sure. He definitely had an evilly regal air about him that evoked a dark sorcerer-king, (which is what he was); but there was something deeper in him as well. He didn’t do what he had done simply because he was evil and enjoyed it; he clearly thought of it as his own personal system of poetic justice, one where he was judge, jury, and executioner. He also seemed to truly care for his children: the shapeshifting, dragon-like mare, the electrically-charged young stallion, and Amethyst. Especially Amethyst. But if he cared so much for her, why had she run away from him in the first place? What had she feared so much in him when he obviously loved her? Or was it her power that he loved? The electro-colt had told Rainbow Dash that Amethyst had the power to destroy all of Equestria, and after seeing what she did to Luna, Twilight believed it. Perhaps Psyron was only using Amethyst for her incredible power and only pretended to love and fondle her so that she would stay with him and love him back. But what if he really did love her? What if-
Twilight’s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knock at the chamber door. She jumped slightly and glanced around the room. Fluttershy still lay sleeping, Pinkie Pie was sitting in a corner bouncing a rubber ball against the wall and humming to herself, Rarity was busy combing her mane and staring into a mirror, Applejack sat on a bed, her face creased in thoughts and worry, and Rainbow Dash still sat in the same spot, silently staring out into space.
Upon seeing that nopony was going to the door, Twilight stopped her pacing and cautiously trotted over to it, calling out tentatively, “Um, who’s there?”
A low, stern voice answered, “Lord Psyron requests the presence of ones Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash.”
Twilight glanced back at Dash, who had for the first time turned her head and looked back, her face still wide-eyed and blank. Twilight took a deep breath before replying, “A-alright, we’ll be right out...”
She turned back to tell Rainbow Dash, but the pegasus was already beside her. Twilight opened the door to see a pair of royal guards standing stiffly outside. A strange light glinted in their eyes, and Twilight knew that it was because of Psyron’s mind-control.
They both stepped out the door and Twilight looked back at the other ponies who sat watching them leave. She smiled reassuringly at them and sighed. “Don’t worry, girls, we’ll be fine. Just get some sleep.”
They all nodded wordlessly. Twilight sighed again and turned back as one of the guards closed the door behind them. Then she and Rainbow Dash began the descent to meet their new Lord and Ruler.
It had only been a few hours since Psyron’s proclamation as Lord of Equestria, and already the new atmosphere of the castle made it seem like a totally different place. Gone were the pure white walls and floors of the many rooms and hallways, with their trims of gold and jeweled chandeliers. Now everything was coated in many dark shades of red, orange, and purple, with trims of black and indigo. It wasn’t outright evil or spooky, but it was a far cry from the shining brightness that had adorned the castle under Celestia’s Reign. Twiight suspected that the exterior of the castle had undergone the same changes, possibly even all of Canterlot. The guards too were decked out in different colored armor; more of it as well. Helmets now covered their eyes, concealing what Twilight knew to be the glinting effects of Psyron’s mind-controlling magic. Her eyes searched desperately for her brother, but Shining Armor was nowhere to be seen.
In addition to the darker color scheme, there seemed to be a theme of symbols throughout the castle. Celestia’s royal mark had been a shining sun, but now they had all been replaced by Psyron’s mark: a swirling tongue of orange fire with a purple arcing design piercing up around it, somewhat akin to the long purple spikes that adorned Psyron’s collar. Twilight shuddered at the thought of having to see this new mark of terrifying power everywhere she went, always reminding her that Celestia’s reign was dead, and this new reign –this reign of fire- had sprung up in its place. Twilight glanced at Rainbow Dash to see if she had been gazing around at the new décor as well, but the pegasus did not seem to notice it. She had been staring blankly at the floor the whole time, her face a picture of bewilderment and internal conflict. Twilight wasn’t sure exactly what she was puzzling over, but whatever it was would be revealed soon and in the presence of Psyron.
Soon enough they reached the throneroom. The heavy doors creaked open, the noise echoing eerily along the hall. At this, Rainbow looked up as though just realizing where she was, and both girls stared in awe as the chamber doors opened, revealing what lay inside.
The guards ushered them in and they walked down the long carpet that led to the throne, gazing in wonder at dark splendor around them. The same color and symbols were everywhere, but new designs and constructs were there as well. Huge, fiery torches lit up the room from either side, their eerie red flames flickering and licking the air. Long tapestries nd stained glass windows hung on the walls, all depicting the royal fire symbol and images of Lord Psyron and his children. Twilight wondered how they could have been made so quickly, then remembered that Psyron was a master of sorcery and could have created them himself in only a few minutes. Then she saw one tapestry that made her blood boil. It depicted the scene that had taken place only hours before, with a frightened, but also evil-looking Celestia trapped in an exploding ball of fire, while Luna stood frozen in obsidian on the ground and Psyron loomed above them, his wings spread in a regal pose of victory. The six ponies were not shown at all, and Twilight was somewhat relieved by this. Still, the obvious bias that showed Celestia as a horrible ruler made Twilight want to destroy the place in fury.
“Enjoying the décor, are we?”
Twilight whirled her head back to face the speaker. Lord Psyron sat upon his throne, which was now transformed as a larger, darker design, wreathed in flames much like the rest of the symbols of the castle; only these were real ones. A glass of wine hovered in the air beside him, held up by some invisible magic energy. He sat staring regally down at them, his eyes partially closed, although full of the same monochromatic fiery power as before. His mane of flames swirled slowly about his neck, making small crackling and whooshing sounds that only added to his impressive appearance. He smiled slightly and spoke again,
“Do you like it? I added it all myself, you know; it was quite simple, too. Of course, having thousands of years to come up with a perfect symbol and color scheme made it infinitely easier to create. I’m sure you would love to know the spells that I used to do this, wouldn’t you, Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight gulped and stared up at his speechlessly, not having any idea of what to say in reply.
He took a small sip of the wine and looked over at Rainbow Dash, who stood staring up at him in awe. “I can tell that you are impressed, Rainbow Dash. Is it... ‘awesome’ enough for your tastes? Or does it need to be about twenty-percent cooler?” He smiled at her affably.
Rainbow obviously didn’t know what to say in reply either.
He sat staring silently back and forth between them for several minutes, making both ponies uncomfortable. Finally he broke the silence. “I suppose you both are wondering why I called for you, yes?”
Twilight nodded. Why did this alicorn have to be so confusing? One moment he was a raging fireball of vengeance and destruction, the next was calmly and casually chatting with the two of them as if nothing drastic had happened at all.
“Well then, to the matter at hoof...” He set aside his wine glass and sat up straighter in his throne attentively. “You two represent the Elements of Magic and Loyalty, respectively. In my opinion those are the two most powerful Elements, and the ones that conduct my interest the most as well.” He narrowed his eyes and asked them carefully, his voice low, “Do you know what I am going to do now that I have the throne? I didn’t take it just for the fineries, after all, because as you can see, I can create those at any time I choose.” He leaned forward slightly. “But do you know why I so desperately sought this throne?”
Rainbow Dash spoke for the first time in a long time. “So... that you could rule Equestria?”
“Partially, yes. But what I really seek... is conquest.”
He stepped down from his throne and strode towards them, his fiery tail swirling out from beneath his purple cape. He stopped at the foot of the stairs, directly in front of the two ponies. He looked down at them curiously as he continued, “You see, conquest is what a kingdom needs to be about. None of this endless insipid celebrating and partying and pleasing the commoners and aristocrats with their mindless galas and such...” (Twilight and Rainbow knew that Pinkie Pie would have something to say about that.) “No... The real purpose of a kingdom is to conquer and rule!”
He strode past them and over to one of the tall torchlights, staring into it with a strange fervency. His voice began to grow more and more viciously passionate as he went on. “To conquer and rule all other lands! To have the world tremble at the very mention of your name! To bring glory to our species; to let every other tribe know that we, the equines, are no longer a lowly, peaceful race! We are powerful, we are dangerous, and we will crush all who stand in our way!”
He whirled around suddenly, startling them both. His eyes burned with white-hot intensity, and his mane and tail flared up, whipping and whirling their flames about savagely. He smiled; a wide, psychotic, power-hungry smile that sent a shudder down both ponies’ spines. Twilight glanced at the chamber doors for moment and backed up slightly. This was getting far too dangerous for her liking; any moment now it seemed like Psyron could snap, and both she and Rainbow Dash might be incinerated in some insanity-fueled wave of fire. She nudged Dash, trying to get her attention, but the pegasus ignored her, staring at Psyron in pure awe.
Twilight saw that Rainbow was obviously in admiration of Psyron’s power, and that would not be good at all. She whirled on Psyron and shouted, “Alright, Psyron, what is it that you really want from us?!”
She immediately regretted being so bold when Psyron turned to her, his maniacal grin vanishing and a frown replacing it. He narrowed his eyes and glared at her. “As your ruler I am to be addressed as Lord Psyron. Did your precious Princess Celestia allow you to call her by her name alone?”
Twilight’s body shook with a mixture of fear and indignation at the slight he had given Celestia. She lowered her voice and bowed her head slightly, but only out of necessity. Psyron strode towards her and towered over her, his heat of his eyes and mane slightly diminishing. He spoke again, his voice a bit calmer, “I called you both here because I am in need of your power. Not just the power that your Elements wield, but the power within you both.” He pointed a hoof at Twilight’s cutie mark. “Your marks represent great abilities that you each innately possess.” He looked over at Rainbow Dash. “My son Voltspark reported to me that you are one of the fastest, most daring ponies he has ever seen.” He smiled slightly. “I hear you even beat him in a race. Very impressive indeed.”
Rainbow Dash blushed slightly and shrugged. “Eh, it’s a gift...”
“Of course it is. And that is my point. You possess the power of aerial speed; no creature in Equestria can come close to you in that aspect. But you are also fearless and bold. These are admirable qualities. Therefore, I am offering you a chance to join my army; not just as a soldier, but as a leader in my pegasi air force.” He smiled. “Do you accept?”
Rainbow Dash stared up at him in shock. He had just asked her to be the leader of an army! Sure, she was already the leader of Ponyville weather team, but an army! She almost fell over at the thought. Then something occurred to her. She narrowed her eyes and frowned. “Wait, being in an army means fighting, right? Who will I be fighting?”
Psyron shrugged. “Whoever dares to oppose my forces. If you’re worried about having to fight other ponies, you can forget about that, because all equines will be on our side. You will only be fighting those of lesser, barbaric species.” He asked again, looking her right in the eye. “So... do you accept my offer?”
Twilight looked at Rainbow worriedly and tried to catch her eye, but Dash remained fixed on Psyron’s offer and seemed to ignore her. Twilight sighed and bit her lip to keep from bursting out in disapproval; she would talk to Dash later, now would not be a good time to incur Psyron’s wrath again.
Rainbow Dash flickered her wings nervously and stuttered, “W-well, I...I...” She glanced at Twilight, who caught her eye and quickly shook her head. Rainbow frowned and turned back to Psyron, glancing back at Twilight as she did. Finally she answered. “I...I’m going to have to think about it, sir. I- I mean... Your Highness.”
Psyron pursed his lips and nodded, eyes narrowed. “Yes... I understand your hesitation. It’s not every day that you get a chance to become a renowned hero and prove your loyalty to your country.” He paused. “But I will give you awhile to think about this. I hope you choose wisely.”
He then turned to Twilight, staring down at her a bit less affably. “And as for you, Twilight Sparkle...”
She jumped in surprise and looked up, stammering, “Y-yes.... Your Highness?” It pained her deeply to say those words to the one who had killed Princess Celestia, but it had to be done.
Psyron stepped back a bit and continued to look at her levelly. “I know that you were a student of the previous ruler and that you had a special relationship with her. But let me tell you this; whatever she told you, whatever she said that could seem to benefit her in any way, it was probably a lie. She was a very crafty creature, was Celestia. Everything she said must be taken with a grain of salt, and everything she did was for her own benefit, however....” He paused and looked at Twilight curiously. “There is one thing she told you that is very, very true: You possess a great potential for magic, Twilight Sparkle. The power infused within your horn is capable of growing beyond that of any ordinary unicorn in Equestria.” He paused yet again to watch the expression on Twilight’s face. Her reaction was a bit different than Dash’s, and although she felt a tinge of shyness and pride at being complemented so, she couldn’t help but feel indignation at Psyron’s insulting and defiling of Celestia. But she supposed she would have to get used to it, seeing as how their new ruler had no love lost for his fallen sister in the least.
Twilight frowned slightly and blinked up at Psyron, not saying a word. He returned the blank stare and continued, “What I am offering you is similar to what I offered your friend Rainbow Dash. I am giving you a chance to be in my army; obviously not in the air force, but as my chief battle mage on the ground. I already know that you possess fine leadership skills, as seen in your previous dealings, and thus the chance to be my chief mage. What do you say to that, Twilight Sparkle?
She blinked again at him, her face impassive. Then she looked down at the floor and sighed. “I appreciate the offer, sire, but... I’m going to have to think about it as well. I’m rather tired and I need to get some rest.”
Psyron narrowed his eyes and nodded. “Yes, I understand...” He turned and strode back up to his throne, sitting down once more and pouring himself another glass of wine. After taking a sip, he spoke to them. “I just want you both to realize that I see great power within you. You both have the potential to be mighty warriors and heroes, leading your troops on with sheer inspiration and force of will!” He smiled again. “Now leave, depart to your room and have a well nights rest. Perhaps sleep will help you to make the right decision.”
His horn glowed slightly and the chamber doors opened. Two guards came in and stood by Twilight and Rainbow Dash, ready to escort them out. Psyron raised his glass to them and smiled wider. “Have a good night sleep, my little lieutenants. Big things lie in store for your lives; it would be best not to miss them.”
He nodded to the guards and they nudged the two ponies to lead them out. As they turned to leave, Twilight suddenly remembered something that she had been meaning to ask. She turned back and asked fervently, “Where is the captain of the guard: Shining Armor?”
Psyron smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry my dear, he’s alive and well. I would never harm a useful soldier such as him.”
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. Now at least she knew her brother was safe. Unless he was lying. But right now, she didn’t want to think about such a possibility.
As she was turning her head to leave, something caught her eye that she had not seen before. A dark statue stood to the right of Psyron’s throne, pushed back a bit and hidden in the shadows. Twilight’s heart skipped a beat when she recognized it: It was Luna.
Twilight looked quickly back at Psyron and saw him sitting on his throne, still smiling. However, his smile had changed from one of reassurance and affability, to a smug, cunning, almost wicked grin. He knew that Twilight had just noticed the statue. Her heart shuddered as he continued to lock eyes with her until she stepped out of the throneroom and the doors closed behind them.