//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Tombstone // by Fullmetal_Pony //------------------------------// It was the dead of night in Ponyville when a cloaked figure appeared in Twilight’s castle. It made its way to her room and crept inside, slowly closing the distance. Moonlight shined though the window casting a shadow over her sleeping form while he stood at her bedside. Twilight started to stir as if she felt something wasn’t right, her eye’s cracked open, looking up she saw him and then everything went black. Spike awoke the next morning as if nothing was amiss. “Good morning Twilight.” No response. “Twilight?” He got up and looked on top of her bed. She wasn’t there, all he found was a scroll with a note attached to it. “Send to Celestia…alright.” In a puff of green flame the scroll was sent on its way. “Twilight must have gotten an early start, I’ll check up on her later, right now I need to get some breakfast.” Celestia sat at her desk filling out paperwork when a scroll materialized next to her. Thinking it was just another letter from Twilight she calmly broke the seal and started to read. Dear Princess Celestia, I have Twilight in my keep, if you ever want to see your fellow princess again alive you will do exactly as I say. Meet me at your old castle in the Everfree Forest, in the throne room at exactly noon so we can talk, and no guards. Celestia couldn’t believe what she just read. Twilight ponynaped, and by who? She quickly wrote out a letter to Spike to inform him of what happened if he didn’t already know, and for him and Twilight’s friends to meet her at the old castle. After she sent it on its way Celestia ran down the halls of the castle and informed a couple of guards to wake her sister. Fortunately Cadence and Shining Armor were visiting so she went to tell them as well. When Twilight woke the first thing she noticed were the shackles around her legs and the suppressor around her horn. Twilight took in her surroundings and from the looks of it she was in some kind of lab. There were beakers and test tubes used for potion making as well as scrolls and other items strewn about. Then let out a little gasp when she noticed the pony in a black cloak sitting at a desk writing something. “So you’re awake.” “W-Who are you? What do you want from me?” “All will be explained in due time, but it’s not what I from you, it’s what I want from Celestia.” He got up and made his way over to her. “But I’m glad your finally wake, it’s almost noon and we have a meeting to attend.” He charged a teleportation spell and a second later they were gone. They reappeared in the throne room in the castle of the two sisters. “Now we wait.” Spike and Twilight’s friends were waiting at the entrance of the castle when Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Shining appeared next to them. “Princess!” they said in unison. “Is Twilight going to be okay?” said Spike. “Whoever ponynapped Twilight has another thing coming, just wait till I get through with them,” said Rainbow while punching the air. “I understand you’re concerned, but let’s not do anything rash. I’m sure we can handle whatever it is we’re up against. Now we have to get going.” They made their way through the castle and arrived at the throne room doors. “It’s noon.” Celestia used her magic to open the double doors, and then they saw the mysterious pony and Twilight in chains. “Celestia!” “Twilight.” Celestia and the others began to rush towards Twilight. “That’s far enough!” They stopped dead in their tracks. “Right on time, hello Celestia it’s been a looong time hasn’t it and I see you brought company, although I did only say no guards so I can’t penalize you for that.” “Do I know you?” “Oh yes we met many years ago.” “Who are you?” said Luna. “I’m not so much a who anymore. I’m more of a what.” He then removed his cloak and reveled his half rotted away form with missing patches of skin and hair revealing the muscle and/or bone underneath, with red pupils were his eyes used to be. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, DEAD PONY!” screamed Pinkie. Everypony was frozen in place by the revel, everypony except Celestia that is. “You.” “Sister you know this thing.” “That I do.” “So good to see you remember me.” “What are you?” said Cadence. “Good question, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tombstone and I am a lich, an undead, immortal, and powerful being. The ultimate form of a necromancer. Hmm by looks on your faces things might go smoother if I made myself a little more presentable.” His horn sparked to life and his skin began to replenish its self and fill in the missing gapes until he looked like a regular pony. His coat was jet black, his mane was a dark gray, and his cutie mark was unsurprisingly that of a tombstone. “Much better don’t you think? And be thankful that I already neutralized the smell.” “Enough! What do you want?” said Luna. “Oh Celestia knows exactly what I want don’t you princess, you stole something very precious to me a long time ago and I want it back.” Celestia shot him a dirty look. She then pointed to the gem in the regalia she wore around her neck. “This is what he’s after.” “Your gem, sister I do not understand, of what significance is it to him?” “It is his phylactery. You see Luna when a pony becomes a lich they need an object to put their soul into for safe keeping, this is what makes them immortal. No matter how many times you destroy a lich they will just return a few days later. The only way to permanently kill them is the destruction of their phylactery after which they will simply cease to exist.” “How did you come into possession of it and why not finish off this creature when you had the chance?” said Shining. “Well about five hundred years ago he appeared before me with the intent of killing me and destroying Equestria, he claimed to have army of undead soldiers numbering in the thousands to do it with.” “I like to think I was saving Equestria, cleansing it of the filth that has plagued this land for so long. Most ponies are vile creatures that deserve to die. When the many are gone and a few remain I shall replant the seeds of life and rebuild. It may take centuries too repopulate but under my leadership I shall create a nation worthy of existing.” It was unsettling to hear what he planned to do, wiping out Equestria and its citizens, and acting like it was the right thing to do. “As I was saying, his undead minions were popping up throughout the castle keeping the guards busy so I was on my own. A tense battle ensued, one which I nearly lost. It was by a stroke of luck that I obtained his phylactery and put an end to hostilities. I see now I should have ended him right then and there, but I showed leniency and sent him to Tartarus. I thought that was the end of it. When and how did you escape?” “About ten minutes after you left actually, as for how well that’s my little secret.” “It took you only ten minutes.” “More or less, it seems that no prison can hold me, but that was a long time ago back when I foolishly thought that the safest place for my phylactery was on my person. I realized I made a few mistakes that day and rethought my strategy. I’ve been lying in wait ever since, just waiting for the opportunity to present itself. Then I heard about your student turn princess and knew the time was right. Now either give me back my phylactery or Twilight dies!” He then brandished a knife. “Make…your…choice!” Celestia took a moment to consider her options and the possible outcomes, and then she made her decision. “No.” All eyes fell on her. The entire room was shocked by her choice, no more so than Tombstone. “Come again.” “I said no. I-I’m sorry Twilight but you don’t know what he’s capable of. He would see all of Equestria burn if left unchecked. If I gave this back to him he would be unstoppable, so for the greater good I cannot do it. I hope you can understand that.” Celestia’s head hung low while the look on Twilight’s face was one of hurt and confusion. “Well this is unexpected to say the least. If that’s the case then I guess she is of no further use to me.” “Kill her and your next foul creature,” said Luna. Tombstone pondered that for a moment. “Worth it!” He then put the knife to her neck. Everypony lurched forward a little, everypony except for Celestia who stood static and unwavering. “Wow not even a flinch out of you, you’re cold Celestia. I wonder if you would make the same choice if it were your sister instead.” Celestia just stood there staring daggers at him. “Your silence says a thousand words. Hmm this complicates things. Tell you what I’ll give you some time to rethink your decision, who knows she may yet prove useful to me. I shall contact you when I’m ready.” Tombstone then teleported himself and Twilight to places unknown. After things calmed down a little, Rainbow Dash confronted Celestia. “Princess how could you!? We could’ve found a way to stop him!” “And if we couldn’t it would spell doom for all ponykind. I’m the only one that’s seen what he’s capable of and he’s probably only gotten stronger since then. He’s most likely the greatest threat Equestria has and will ever know. I just couldn’t take that risk. But at least now we have some time to find where Tombstone’s keeping Twilight and get her back. Now let’s get going.” The others silently agreed. Finding Twilight was now their top priority. Tombstone and Twilight reappeared in the same room they left from. He then let out a soft roar. “I can’t believe that didn’t work, I thought for sure Celestia would do anything to get you back!” “Me too,” said Twilight under her breath. Tombstone then turned to face Twilight, put a collar around her neck that was chained to the wall, undid her leg restraints, and began to leave. “Where are you going?” “Out, if you’re going to be saying here then I’m going to have to get some supplies, can’t have you dying of starvation on me before Celestia has a chance to reconsider my offer.”