//------------------------------// // Prologue: The Element of Malice // Story: The Elements of Discord // by Gear Spring //------------------------------// “Not further now.” “That is what you said an hour ago.” Daring Do rolls her eyes, ignoring the remark of her companion. With a machete in hoof, she hacks away at the thick vines block her path. In every other direction the jungle seems to close in around the adventurous Pegasus and her group. Following her are three stallions, two of which are dressed in the golden armor of the Canterlot Guard. Meanwhile the third, a fellow Pegasus, wears only a modest scarf that bears the mark of the Crystal Empire. This pony stops his trot to pull a map from the pack at his side. He reads it over, and looks up again. “Are you sure you are going the right way?” he asks, glancing back to the map. “Do you want to lead then, Flash?” Daring Do asks, glaring at her compatriot. When Flash Sentry shies away, she smiles, “Good, then like I said, we’re almost there.” Hacking away at another batch of twisted vines and roots, their path opens up to a clearing. The land ahead is void of vegetation. A rocky cliff is the end of their path, dropping off a hundred feet to a raging river at the bottom. Rising on the other side of the water is a castle carved into the side of the cliff. The palace is made out of cragged rock. Years have weathered the stone structure, making the stone smooth and black in color. Sprouting from the walls is a single tower, but the top has crumbled away. “This has to be the place,” Flash says, putting the map back in his pack. Daring Do grins, “Great, now let’s get going.” “How exactly are we supposed to get down there?” Flash Sentry walks to the ledge and peers down. The height alone makes his head spin, forcing him to back away from the cliff side. “There is no way to cross.” The adventurous Pegasus gives him a look of disbelief. She fans her wings and points to his, “I was thinking we could use these…” “Oh, right…” he smiles weakly. Avoiding his lapse of thought, he turns to the two soldiers that have been silent this entire time, “Daring and I shall fly over to the castle. I would like you two to stand guard here and wait for our return.” Both stallions salute, “Understood, sir. Good luck.” Flash nods. Both he and Daring Do run to the cliff, leaping over the edge. While falling, they fan their wings and glide safely to the other side, landing at the gates of the castle. At the entrance stand two stone stallions garbed in twisted armor. Strange emblems are blazoned across the breastplate. Even after all these years they have stood guard, unaware that the castle had been abandoned. Flash Sentry takes the lead, “Come on. Let’s get moving.” Passing the sentries, they entire the castle. They find that the inside is only a single large room, one no bigger than the Canterlot throne room. The walls have torches hanging from the walls, though all have been snuffed out. Hanging from the ceiling is a chandelier made from strange black crystals. On the other side of the chamber is a figure sitting forever frozen in its throne. It is a statue of the lord of disharmony, Discord. The chimera looks upon his guests with a pair of rocky eyes. A familiar, mischievous grin is carved on his lips. The lion paw lies lazily on the arm of the throne, holding a strange orb. The jewel gives off a faint, reddish glow. “That’s it,” Daring says, her jaw left agape, “One of the Elements of Discord; the Element of Malice.” Flash Sentry looks nervously over his shoulder, “Great, let’s grab it and get out of here.” He starts to walk over to the throne, causing Daring Do to shout, “Wait, there could be traps!” Yet Flash Sentry is already across the chamber before her warning can be heard. He takes a look around the room for a few seconds, before calling back, “It seems fine.” Reaching one hoof out, he takes ahold of the mysterious element. It pulses as he holds it. His gaze is transfixed on the red light. He is lost in its crimson beauty. “Come on,” Daring Do calls out to him. “The princess wants us to bring it back to her as soon as possible.” She gets no retort from Flash Sentry. When she shouts again and gets no answer, she walks over to her companion. Putting a hoof on his shoulder, she immediately yelps. She yanks it away, finding the tip of her hoof burnt as if it had been placed in a fire. Looking back to Flash, she sees steam rising from his body. “F-Flash,” her voice quakes. The stallion whips his head around. His eyes are swallowed in deep crimson pools, glowing like the orb he still holds. Seeing him like this, Daring takes a step back. The red light starts to cover him like a veil. It is blinding, forcing the Pegasus to retreat to the entrance. Somewhere in the red light, she hears a scream that warps into a monstrous roar. Suddenly, an explosion thrusts her outside the palace. She falls flat on her back. While covered in dust, she manages to emerge from the scuffle unscathed. Getting back to her hooves, she uses her wings to dust herself off. That is when she realizes someone has emerged from the castle. It is a stallion covered from head to tail in armor. The plate is dark silver with red weaving between the grooves of the metal. A crimson mane sprouts from the back of his helmet, flapping in an unfeeling breeze like war banners over the battlefield. Daring Do watches the mysterious mare lift his veil, revealing the face of Flash Sentry. “Oh no,” is all she can muster before taking wing. Peering over her shoulder, she sees his body being bathed in the red light again. A wicked smile on his face makes her think ill. She races to the soldiers, and screams, “Run. Run!” Before the knights can make sense of her warning, Flash Sentry loosens a might roar. The shockwave pulverizes the castle behind him. Seeing such destruction, the soldiers run after the fleeing Daring Do, knowing full well they must warn Princess Celestia.