My time has come. For over a hundred years, I’ve waited, and grown stronger. While you wrestled for the reins of power and wielded the sword of justice, for one who would also betray you. I have festered in the dungeon of my own making, licking my wounds and waiting for the day when I would resurface and breathe the free air again…and gaze upon Celestia’s sun. The power I possess, deep magic granted to me from my father has echoed in the shadows of our time. There is none which can stop me. Perhaps you brother, yet I know not. There are no stars where I dwell which can tell me the foreseeable future. However, there is nothing from which blood can tell. Blood, which more often than not is spilt from my own hoof, and written upon the altar of sacrifice. I have learned much from father, more than you would ever know…
In the darkness, White Lightning brooded, his tower, located high and deep in the Crystal Mountains, loomed like a dark tree limb stretching forward towards the sky, blocking out the light from the surrounding countryside. Evil and forbidding, his tower was constantly swathed in a shroud of mist which only dispersed at its master’s command. Storm’s Tower he called it. Made of mighty stones which he hewn himself with magic and lifted painstakingly into place as if it were made by a perfect mason. His rage, his desire for revenge against his brother, were all that he sought in this life. With every scrape of dirt, every bush burned, every stone lifted and every stone set, he thought and plotted, schemed and recollected. No armies would he have, no followers to betray him as his father had, no grand empires to simply rise and fall. The rule of one, that was his desire, for that was all he needed. No need or thought to love, no purpose in swaying legions of followers to his side. In time, as his magic grew, he could summon those legions, cast illusions to make himself greater, and as tall as the mountains. He would grind his enemies to dust.
White Lightning, the one true heir to his father’s throne, not his degenerate upstart of a brother. White Lightning, the one true king. When he came back, he would surpass his father’s wildest dreams and bring a new Age of Darkness to the Crystal Empire. Darkness conquers light and light can be contained. White Lightning brooded on how he could defeat his brother and reclaim his right as the one true heir to the Crystal Empire, when it came to him.
He waited and watched in his now finished tower, he gained in power, summoning monsters to find his brother. When he finally had, he harassed him consistently. Oh, they were easily defeated enough, but they were a mere distraction from his real goal, finding his brother’s weakness. There would be no mercy, and above all, no regret. White Lightning then came across some very startling information…his brother was in love.
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Applejack and Lock Light were sitting together in front of the Apple’s barn on Sweet Apple Acres. He had his arms around her and kissed her on the neck. She looked up at him and smiled saying “Hey Lock Light, do you wanna come with me to the Grand Galloping Gala this year?”
“Possibly,” he said grinning down at her “I usually go, but I’ve gone by myself.”
“Same here,” she said “so why not go together?”
“I don’t know,” Lock Light said “it’d be kind of awkward, for me…”
“Why?”
“I have two right hooves,” he said jokingly “I can’t really dance.”
“How come you’d go there then?”
“Well,” he said “I knew it would be a sure way of seeing you.”
“And what did you think when you saw me?”
“Every time I saw you,” he said “you took my breath away.”
“Even all glitzed and glammed up like that?”
“Yes,” he said smiling “but I especially like it when you have mud on your face. When will I be able to attend one of these famous Apple family reunions?”
“Next year sugar,” she said getting up “for now we got too much work that needs to be done.”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the moment,” he said pulling her close to him “isn’t it okay to relax and take a break every once and a while?”
“I guess so,” AJ said settling back into his arms and closing her eyes.
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Twilight paced back and forth in the Castle of Friendship’s throne room. She was puzzled. How could there be male Alicorns? What spell allowed magic users to create them? Why were they made? How old exactly was Lock Light? She didn’t know why she was so curious about him, but she still wanted to know the answers. Diving deep in to her library, she also wrote Celestia a letter asking for help.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I have studied all I can about Alicorns but this Lock Light character confuses me. No doubt, Princess Luna told you all about him last night. But what I would like to know is why there can be male Alicorns, and more of Lock Light’s history. Would that be possible? Could you send me a book or something so that I can read about it?
Your faithful student,
Twilight
In a puff of Spike’s breath it was gone. Spike walked over and asked “Why do you care so much that he’s an Alicorn?”
“Because I feel that something bad is about to happen,” Twilight said “and I don’t know why. I want to know as much as I can before it happens so that I know what to do when it happens.”
“But Twilight,” Spike said “if you don’t know, then why bother? You might as well relax.”
“Relax?” Twilight said suddenly “Spike, you know me, there is nothing in this world I hate more than relaxing! We have to know more of why these monsters are suddenly attacking Ponyville. That last one nearly took out half of the town, and from what I understood, it was solely after Lock Light. I need to know more of his history so that I can prepare for the future.”
“But what if…”
Spike was cut off because he belched a return letter from Princess Celestia, and then he belched a book. It was entitled The True History of the Crystal Empire and Equestria by Princess Celestia. The letter read:
To my best student,
I know it seems difficult to believe but a lot of the events which you know to be our ‘ancient’ history, actually happened only one hundred years ago. The oldest event, the Downfall of King Sombra, happened at that time, the Rebellion of Princess Luna when she became Nightmare Moon happened only fifty years after that. There’s a lot one can do with regards to time, illusion, and other spells, but one of the best ways to help ponies forget these dreadful events is to simply rewrite the history from which it took place. I hope you enjoy this book, and glean as much information from it as you possibly can. It will help you in your ordeal.
Yours truly,
Princess Celestia
Without further ado, Twilight picked up the book, and began reading. It was large, but she didn’t mind, she was up all night.
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A masked pony, covered hoof to nose in black. His wings were exposed and his shaggy long mane hid most of his face and forehead. He’d been watching and heard everything which Applejack had been saying all day. He also knew their work habits. He’d been doing this for a long time, it was clock work. Unknown to except to Lock Light, he was the second fastest flyer in all of Crystal Empire. He stepped out into the moonlight, his long black grey tipped mane fluttering in the gentler night breezes. Walking up to the house, he knocked and then dashed away. Applejack answered the door, holding a lantern she peered out into the darkness.
She then asked “Hello?”
A black pony started walking towards her from across the flat lawn in front of the door, a strong wind started to pick up. Applejack slightly worried about the other pony said “Come on Lock Light I know it’s you.”
The pony laughed, a deep, almost regal laugh. It flared its wings as the leaves and grass swirled around him and he said “Oh no, I am not my dear brother.”
He opened his eyes, a crimson purple color and they flashed in the night. Applejack tried to shut the door, but a spell kept it wide open. She tried to dart back inside, but the stranger pulled her back with magic, slamming her into the ground. She tried to get up, but she soon fell unconscious. In a flash of light, they were gone.