//------------------------------// // Rainbow of Darkness // Story: Pony POV Gaiden: History of Tirek // by Alex Warlorn //------------------------------// The advent of the Tree of Harmony and the Rainbows of Light and Darkness was momentous. We had planned it for eons later, after more mortal advancements. But, Morning Star's stunt and Tirek's reign of terror forced events ahead. What was meant to be the start of a golden age became the world's spark of hope. It's why our Family often calls Tirek the 'Unnatural Darkness.' The night the Rainbows were born, he was overseeing the razing of one of the last centaur cities. Once the buildings were destroyed, the Reptilians built a bonfire out of every last book and parchment. Any text that referred to me was magically removed. History, religious, medical texts, family histories, and even children's stories were lost to the ages. As Tirek and the Heart of Dark Magic were one, he felt the Tree of Harmony's influx of power. He gazed in wonder as the Rainbows spread across the sky. He ignored the light, but found the dark unspeakably beautiful. He coveted the Rainbow of Darkness even before knowing its name. When the sky cleared, the power radiating from where the Tree stood beckoned him like a moth to flame. Tirek took an escort and flew his chariot until well after sunrise. They landed in the clearing where the Tree was born, but Mother Deer, the Rainbows and their guardians were long gone. "I can taste it!" Tirek dismounted his chariot and looked around. "Whatever made the sky come alive, this was its birthplace." Tirek followed the magic in the air to its source: the great tree that the guardians of the Rainbow had planted the previous night. He felt the magic left from the Rainbows' as well as our cousin's birth and his mouth watered. "I've never felt such power. Not even the valley of the Box." He rested a hand on the trunk, and the tree itself seemed to flinch at his touch. "Yes... This tree is soaked in it... I bent the powers of the Box to my will, and this power will be mine as well!" Tirek dug his claws into the tree trunk and let his dark power flow. The tree's spirit screamed trying to fight, but its newborn magic was unprepared to defend itself. Life was drained out of the land; plants turned to dust, animals fell dead, the bay filled with violent waves and dead fish. The tree devoured by Tirek's will, began to change. It grew until it towered over the now raging sea. Branches and bark twisted into rock and steel. When Tirek finished, a massive, twisted castle of black stone stood, higher than the Royal Palace. Tirek laughed as the marker of the covenant between mortals and gods was turned into his citadel. "I name you, Midnight Castle." Tirek threw the gates open and walked inside, using his black magic to begin decorating it in a manner befitting his ego. "I suppose I'll make myself at home. Send out hunters for dinner. I have a sudden craving for venison." + Applejack... ponies remember the final battle at Midnight Castle because that ended his terror, but before that... Historians and propagandists throw around the term 'history's greatest monster', but for Tirek, it was not naive. I am not good and evil's final judge, I cannot say none was worse. But I can say he was the world's most feared for generations and caused untold harm, not just for ponies. Tirek kept his promise of erasing all traces of the Centaurs and their works. He ran a systematic campaign of destroying evidence, murdering witnesses, and altering memories. A thousand plus years of history turned to legend then rumor, then nothing. The Empire's communities were replaced by Reptilians fortresses, making way for the next of Tirek's plans. After the fall of the Great Centaur Empire, a Dark Age began. Since Tirek destroyed all traces of the Empire, it left a large gap in history. Knowledge was lost that might have let the world progress. Instead, the world was lost in a malaise of turmoil. The power gap was all Tirek could have asked for. The self-styled 'Dark Lord of All' turned his sights to the rest of the world, and none could stop him. His army was effectively limitless since he could make Reptilians and Stratadons out of any animals he came across. With his dark powers and military, he crushed every nation he set his eyes on. And he made examples with every conquest. The way he dealt with the satyr king and his court was lenient by comparison. He restructured societies into horrific systems that groomed generations of broken shells or psychopaths. Public execution, torture, decimation, heads on spikes, children taken as hostages, brainwashing, and even mass murder were routine anywhere he ruled. Any hint of what he considered weakness, which is to say basic decency, was extinguished. Tirek failed to realize forcing ANY belief on others will always inspired resistance. And the fear of him, created many alliances. Almost all the leaders he established shared his loyalties: to ambition. Yet they rarely dared plot against Tirek himself. He was well aware of their conspiracies and played them against each other like chess pieces. He enjoyed seeing them backstab each other, especially when he was pulling their strings. He'd spread strife among the elite and common folk alike. He liked this 'game' so much that he started conquering kingdoms simply by manipulating them to destroy themselves from within. This game, ironically, kept a semblance of society going among his victims, for Tirek wished nothing more than to be the only ruler in a empire of nothing but slaves and trophies, and his 'game' slowly distracted him from ever building a fleet of ships to conquer past the sea. He and Discord were alike like that. In his early days he loved leading the charge into battle so the last thing his victims saw was him swinging his blade. He enjoyed hunting animals and sentient beings alike, almost as much as he liked having them duel him. Their futile attempts to escape or fight were wine to him. His thirst to prove himself stronger, smarter and better than others was insatiable. Torture was another of his pastimes, once. He had a shade of Discord's twisted idea of fun, but none of his childish whimsy. He invented horrors such that I dare not detail them to you, the agony pear, the brazen bull, the red cage, the blood eagle, the breathless kiss, and the thousand cuts. I think even he forgot his inventions, after he grew bored with it. He found more satisfying ways to destroy his victims. Tirek began acquiring new minions in his conquest. Like any tyrant, he attracted the ambitious who served him for their own gain, bloodlust filled sadists, cowards who feared opposing him, and madmen who found his horrors worthy of devotion. Lavan, the tyrant king of the Lava Demons nominally allied with Tirek hoping to gain power ( then betray him). Tirek accepted because conquering the inside of the planet could wait until he ruled the outside, but he praised Lavan's greed...praise as far Tirek is capable for another. Grogar, the ruler of the city state of Tambelon, allied with him for a time, hoping total conquest would bring order to the world. Even if, to Tirek, Grogar was nothing more than a dumb beast and had little interest in the city's rudimentary mechanical devices. Making the city not worth conquering. Even witches and warlocks of Lilith's brood honored and served him for his great evil, despite their matron's hatred of him. Using his dark magic, he created new creatures to serve him. He conjured a wraith called the King of Shadows, who turned a land ruled by seven human children gifted by the Rainbow of Light into a dark, monster infested wasteland. He made the Red Cloud that would attack and destroy any place where it saw things as red as itself. And, he created revenants. What is a revenant? You shall see. As so often happens, evil begets evil. Evils both created and inspired by Tirek would ravage the land during and AFTER his reign. There was even unintended damage. Tirek burned whole forests searching for the Moochick, destroying plants with medicinal properties that could have saved millions. Creating his army was a mass extinction event onto itself. Still, even at the height of his megalomania, he took pains to pay tribute to the night. He was determined to build a world that would earn him the favor of his Lady, that is to say, me. He supplanted religions with mandatory lip-service to me. Don't call it a cult, cults love their leaders. Don't call it a faith, faith gives strength. Don't call it a religion, religions create a sense of family. He created a perpetual storm over Midnight Castle, so the light of day never touched his stronghold. He cursed sun worshippers, made minions magically renounce the sun, and even tried to blot out the sun on several occasions. The sun blocking spells only affected a few small areas and never lasted longer than a full day. He was obsessed with creating a world of darkness, and becoming my consort. Between the wars, plagues, politics, dark magic, his subordinates' evils, his own amusement, and unintentional results from his actions, he was personally responsible for more deaths than any for millennia. Even Discord may not have surpassed him. And his empire of slaves held together by him and him alone. And despite it all, ponies thrived. Ponies had been mere animals to the centaurs, and thus beneath contempt to Tirek. His ignorance was a blessing. Ponies evolved right under his arrogant nose for ages. Even other species took generations to see the ponies as anything other than animals sans the elves. They had their own society, but none recognized it. Even faced with evidence that ponies could now think, they found other explanations. Ponies working farms were seen as roaming livestock on abandoned land. A pony who could talk was brushed off as a parlor trick as a parrot can mimic speech. Even something as obvious as a pony wearing clothes, using tools or dancing was waved away as trained circus horse. It is amazing how much one can miss if one doesn't know what to look for. Time passed and the power of the Rainbows helped ponies and many other creatures take their first steps towards enlightenment. Besides ponies, many animal species began evolving. Zebra, camels, giraffes, lions, moose, llamas, elephants, pandas, kangaroos, sheep, apes, and many types of birds all began developing consciousness. There were also species who had developed on their own to sentience, and the Rainbow gave them a last little shove towards becoming a civilization. Different tribes progressed in their own ways. The earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns stuck to the forests and fields, where they observed other creatures. They mimicked practices and ideas from the already civilized beings they came into contact with, mostly the humans, who themselves had begun to come into their own. Ironically, Tirek considered both so unworthy of extermination, that they would be the Centaur's legacy despite his efforts. Sadly, not all of the creatures touched by the Rainbows developed enough that sentience became a dominant trait. Due to many factors, ranging from genetic defects to environmental stimuli, some creatures eventually regressed back into animals. Thankfully, ponies were not among them. The Moochick was there to help as well, imparting wisdom from elf culture. He was the oldest friend of ponykind, and they bestowed the title of 'the Wonderful Wizard' upon him. Heathspike also took every chance to visit his non-dragon friends. The ponies knew him, though not as well as the Moochick. And dragons dared not harm them for fear of his wrath. They put their innate magic to use and learned farming, and they also branched into fishing and hunting. + "Whoa there! Hunting? Ya don't mean..." "Yes, Applejack. The ancient ponies were omnivores. Admittedly, it was mostly an acquired taste for their species, but they did imbibe meat. They even raised livestock as the griffins do." "But... Land's sakes!" Applejack had begun looking green again. "I know it sounds terrible to your sensibilities, but it was thousands of years ago. It was a different time, a different world, and ponies were very, very different than they are today. They did NOT eat creatures that were uplifted by the Rainbows. They were not that savage. "You know the difficulty in running a farm in the best of times and with great knowledge, and the best tools, Applejack, which they were lacking. Grazing simply wasn't enough to support a larger brain." "But... it wasn't always like that. They made their own society eventually. Why didn't they stop then?" "Tradition, something you ALSO know well. It was NORMAL for them. The reason pony society reverted to total vegetarians is because of a great disaster that ended the Age of Wonders. After that, hunting was too dangerous and keeping livestock just wasn't practical. And by then, more creatures evolved into sentient beings which made the prospect of eating them repulsive." "Ah guess, but still... yuck." I chose not to mention I preferred hamburgers over hayburgers. + The flutter ponies were more isolated. Due to being physically weaker and thus at the bottom of the pecking order they avoided other pony tribes, and other species were seen as predators or threats. When they evolved, the only beings who could approach them were the fae that made their homes in deep forests and hidden valleys, who taught them magic, eventually leading them to hold the magic to control the seasons in their land. Sea ponies were even more isolated, never setting hoof on land. However, they had the advantage of being the oldest pony tribe. Oh yes, Applejack. All life came from the ocean, and many of the ones who stayed there are much older than the ones who left. The sea ponies' frame of reference for civilization was the merpeople. They occasionally saw passing ships and visited islands, but these experiences were not always pleasant and encouraged staying under the sea. Our cousin, King Leo, guided them to enlightenment the same way Mother Deer guided the deer. They learned the mechanics of the ocean and soon, the sea ponies worked the magic to keep the tides rolling. As for the three tribes, the descendants of that first herd were of great importance in history. It took many years, but eventually, ponies learned speech. With speech came the concept of names and ideas of personal identity, which led to another change. It started when the herd of Blossom, Blue Belle, Minty, Snuzzle, Cotton Candy, and Butterscotch started having foals after the Rainbows. Cotton Candy's youngest foal was simply named "Baby Cotton Candy", since names were still a new concept and lacked much depth and creativity. It led to the tradition of ponies naming their children after their parents. One day, the Moochick was visiting and brought some sugar for the herd, and when Baby Cotton Candy tasted it, a swirl of white and pink dots appeared on her flank. The Moochick inspected it, thinking it was a reaction to the sugar, but the foal seemed healthy. He had no explanation. Then, it happened again, when Baby Minty's flank suddenly bore a ring of green leaves. And then, Baby Blossom suddenly had flowers decorating her flank. The phenomenon kept happening to all the foals born after the night of Rainbows. The ponies ended up asking for the Moochick's help to find out why it happened. He even called in Heathspike for help, since he witnessed changes in his own kind. "Well, the marks don't come off. I tried washing one off, but that only made Baby Cotton Candy hate baths. I tried trimming the fur where they showed up, but the mark seems to be both on the hair and the skin," Heathspike pondered. "Hmmm...perhaps it's a side effect of the Rainbows. Maybe the magic is becoming more active," The Moochick speculated as he went over his books. "Has anything like this happened among dragons?" "Sort of. I've noticed our scale colors have become brighter over time. Maybe you're right about the Rainbow connection." "Me scared," Baby Cotton Candy whimpered. "Don't be scared." A young colt nuzzled her. "Mr. Moochick? Mr. Spike? You will make OK, right?" "Oh, I'm sure she'll be fine, young colt." The Moochick patted the young pony on the head. "Hope so. This scare Mama." "Oh, so Cotton Candy is your mother too?" Heathspike asked. "Yes. Name Berry." The young colt smiled. "Well, glad to see you concerned about your sister like a good big brother." The Moochick smiled. "Sister? Big brother?" The confused foals asked. "Oh, dear me yes, I haven't quite introduced you to those words yet, have I? Well, you see, when two or more children are born to one parent, they're siblings. The brothers are the male siblings and the sisters are female siblings. Big brother or sister means the older sibling, and little brother or sister means the younger sibling." "So, Berry is big brother?" Baby Cotton Candy asked. "And me, little sister?" "Yes," Heathspike smiled. "And good big brothers and little sisters look after each other." "Big brother pony. Me like that." Berry smiled. "Me be best big brother ever! Always be good to little sister!" No sooner had the words left his mouth than a light flickered on the colt's flank. The Moochick and Heathspike gasped as an image of two ponies hugging appeared. "Well... seems we've successfully tested that theory." The Moochick grinned awkwardly. They observed the herd for days, and finally noticed a pattern. "It seems a mark appears on a pony's flank whenever he or she finds something that they love, or something that they're good at," Heathspike observed. "So kinda like how finding things dragons want makes them grow...only, you know, without the growing." "Maybe when they've found what their life's purpose should be, the magic sends them a signal in the form of those little, um, beauty marks." Baby Cotton Candy didn't hear the last word, but tried her best to repeat it. "Uh... c-c-cutie m-marks? Is that what it called Mr. Moochick?" "Well, I... I suppose it's as good a name as any." The elf smiled at the young pony. As ponykind evolved, the symbols became more complex and more specific, until the marks appeared when ponies found their true destiny. And it continued through to the modern day. The herd was often on the move, seeking a place to call their own. They settled for a time, grew crops, had children, but eventually, they always left. Predators would appear, the land would be farmed out, or some blight of Tirek came too close. The herd went to the west and found the most inhospitable looking place they had ever seen. After passing over a dark, rocky mountain range which included an active volcano, they found a valley of nightmares. They had stumbled upon the valley where Pandora's Box had landed. The monsters and smoss were long gone, but the ground was so teaming with dark magic that nothing grew except horrific mutations. The forest was a maze of rotting trees that fell over if a pony brushed up against them. The only normal living things for miles were witches who saw it as sacred. The valley was dead, and if they had gone on their way, it would have stayed dead. By all logic, they should have moved on and found somewhere else to settle, but instead driven by a need they didn't understand, they cleared the dead plants and set to healing the land. Earth ponies used their magic to drive the poisonous taint out of the soil and restore the richness of the earth. Unicorns cleaned the water and dispersed the ambient dark magic. Pegasi broke apart the dark clouds, clearing away the constant darkness over the valley. It took years, but the herd's combined efforts transformed the deathtrap into the legendary Dream Valley. Moochick was hesitant at first...but realized that it was a perfect hiding place. After all, why would Tirek look for anything worth conquering in a place long ruined? It made the old elf laugh at the irony. The herd built a small settlement in the valley, but it soon became clear they needed a sturdier home than the simple huts they had until that point. Besides natural predators, witches eventually came their way up as well. They preyed on the ponies for all manner of reasons ranging from labor, to magic research, to revenge for cleansing the birthplace of dark magic, to just plain spite. Yet, the ponies of Dream Valley were stronger than they expected, and they defended their home from all invaders. These encounters led to the creation the greatest structure of ancient ponykind. If they lived in a valley of dreams, then they would defend it in a Dream Castle. They based it on an old book they found depicting a centaur outpost, one of the few that escaped Tirek's bonfires. They mined the material from a quarry packed with granite infused with a special rose quartz. It was a similar strain to the magical green crystal that nearly killed Heathspike, though much less volatile. This bright pink stone could magnify the ponies' magic, which made the valley vibrant and alive, and help them defeat many enemies. The castle was forever remembered as a wonder of the ancient world. Dream Valley became a haven for ponies. Ponies from countless herds journeyed there over the years. Some came to stay, others left to spread the words of wisdom and hope that the Valley held. Generations passed in Dream Valley, until the herd became the group of ponies remembered as the Paradise Ponies. + "However, even after Dream Castle was built, pony society still had many changes to make. There was no nuclear family unit, for example." "What?" "Oh indeed. Monogamy was unheard of, and stallions still fought over mares (though now with consent and without death). Foals belonged to the whole herd, not to any single mother or father. It took much more interaction with other species before ponies adopted such practices. The Paradise Pony known as Heartthrob was one of the earliest advocates for romantic relationships." Applejack looked so lost at the idea. For a pony whose family is so ingrained in her being, the idea of not having that dynamic must be truly alien. "The ancient ponies were fighters. You and your friends may fight off threats to Equestria, but you are temperate with your use of force, often trying to find a peaceful route, a nonviolent solution, compromise, appealing to the enemy's better nature, reasoning with the parties involved, and offering friendship and forgiveness. Ancient ponies were less forgiving. They did not question the enemy's motives, or if there was a way to deal with the conflict without violence, because they often couldn't afford to. "Wizards, witches, trolls, or any random beast were met with swift force. They were not overly cruel, but they had little empathy for enemies. And, in those times, in the world that Tirek had built, that mentality was needed to survive." "Well, there's one thing Ah don't get. How in tarnation did Tirek get the Rainbow of Darkness when Heathspike was guardin' it?" - Heathspike spent most of his time on Tiamat's island, teaching his kind the wisdom of the Rainbows. Dragon parents taught their hatchlings the basics of flight, breathing fire, and the like, while Heathspike taught them to think beyond their basic needs. He taught them to speak, and how to think for themselves. Eventually, even the least intelligent dragon alive could still think and communicate better than Heathspike did before the coming of the Rainbows. Heathspike had set up an advanced class of sorts on the beach. Among the flight were the forefathers of 'Dragon Town.' A blue dragon named Smokey, Prickles was green, Spiny was purple, Fiery was red and yellow, Sparks was pink, and Flash was orange. And they were still rowdy youth. "SILENCE!" Heathspike roared. The young dragons were immediately quiet at their teacher's might. "Now, who would like to open this session by reciting the noble dragon's oath?" "I will! "With fang and claw taking flight, I'll stand for what I know is right! What I have stored beside my heart, from me it shall never part! I defend my treasures I love so dire, who tries to take them will taste my fire! Beware to evil at my door, I'm a noble dragon, HEAR ME ROAR!" The assembled young dragons let out a roar as was tradition for closing the oath. "Excellent, Sparks! Now, I have a riddle! Let's see who can answer it, eh? My oldest sister both does and does not exist, my older sister feels sorry for you, my older brother says you should fight, every dragon must know my twin, I decide because you decide, my younger sister is something no one can do without, and our baby sister is all of us. Who are we?" Heathspike grinned at his class. A little red dragon raised a claw, "Um... the Elements of Chaos?" "Well done, Fiery!" Heathspike clapped his talons. "Youngest in the class and still sharp as Godmother's fangs! I love when you lot show your old teacher that you're as clever as I think you are." This is the way to speak with dragons. They love riddles. When a dragon's curiosity is roused, they could theoretically talk forever. If they do not know a riddle's answer, it means there is something they don't have, and their greed will not abide it. And appeal to their egos. Dragons don't respond well to threats, but flattery will make them move mountains. Heathspike had been riddling and flattering dragonkind into self-improvement for centuries. Tiamat was forced to admit her children had grown much stronger. "Thank you, Mr. Heathspike." Fiery blushed. "But... can I ask a question?" "Always." Heathspike nodded. "Well... my mom and dad say when we're grown up, we'll end up fighting each other, and other creatures for our treasure. I mean, sure, we fight all the time anyway-" "We do not!" Yelled a blue drake named Smokey. "Do too!" "Do not!" The young dragons began shoving each other until Heathspike's massive paws pushed them apart. "NO FIGHTING DURING LESSONS!" Heathspike gave them both a stern look. "Now, please finish your question, Fiery." "Sorry. But... if we're just going to fight each other, why are you teaching us friendship? In fact, why is it one of the Elements?" "A good question." Heathspike gave the dragons a piercing look. "It's true; our kind aren't very social. Which is exactly why friendship is so important. Conflict breeds life, but conflict with no reason stifles it. A dragon has a duty to himself and his species to pursue and protect what is his and what he desires. That includes other dragons. Your parents, siblings, and some day, your own mates and hatchlings are treasures. Someone you treasure and who treasures you, is worth ten times their weight in gold. They are as much your treasures as the hoard you sleep on, and must be treated as such. Does a dragon throw away his hoard?" "No!" The younger dragons cringed at the thought. "Then, a dragon does not throw away living beings he loves any more than he would cast his hoard into the sea." "Lovely sentiment." Heathspike froze at the voice. He and his students saw a large red dragon land behind them. He was Ancalagrond Glaauratha Smaugoth, which was shortened to 'Smaug.' He was one of the strongest dragons of the age, and took greed too far the way a pony who robs a family and tosses their bits out for all takes generosity too far. Smaug had been among the first to learn from Heathspike, but his greed was wild, even by dragon standards. He was consumed with gaining more, rejecting Spike's new code to do so. He was determined to keep his spoils with him, unwilling to part with a single coin for even a moment. He forced all of his gold and jewels into his scales, until his body was covered by a twinkling skin of treasure that he called his 'diamond waistcoat.' At first glance, you might almost mistake his scales as golden. "So, Heathspike, how goes the quest to pass on wisdom to the next generation?" The dragon grinned, giving the younger wyrms a good look at his fangs. "Taught them how to breath fire? Let me show you how it's done." He turned to some nearby bushes and shot them with a bright blue flame. Smaug had experimented with his fire breath the way Heathspike had. He never mastered the green teleportation flame, but he'e invented a petrifying blue flame. When the fire cleared, the bushes were stone. "Very impressive," Heathspike answered, his wing between the younger dragons and Smaug. "Now go away. You're not welcome here." He turned and knelt on the ground, his diamond waistcoat giving a metallic scrape as he did. "Yes, Mother was rather vocal, wasn't she? Still, she overreacted a bit, don't you think?" "You killed two dragons in their sleep and smashed their eggs!" "I got their hoards, who cares? It's called greed!" "You took the coward's way when you couldn't get what you wanted in a challenge, then you murdered defenseless eggs for spite!" Heathspike snorted smoke in anger. "You're not greedy, you're a bully!" "Maybe you forgot, 'teacher', we're predators! We're born to kill!" "Predators kill to eat and defend themselves, not for the sake of it!" "You think Godmother never had a dragon kill to prove themselves? Have you never felt that thrill of breathing flames on puny creatures and the air fills with screams? The rush as they try to run from your closing jaws? The joy of taking their treasures from their ashes?" Heathspike kept a straight face. "Oh, went on another treasure hunt? Finally gotten enough yet? Or at least that you can't carry it all with you?" "There is no 'enough' for a dragon! I would think one who claims to be our greatest teacher, who once defied the Goddess Herself in pursuit of what he wanted, would know that greed drives a dragon." "Your greed is a mockery! Your hoard is worthless to you, you are never happy unless you seek more fool!" "I'm no fool, spiked worm, you are! You treasure creatures that age and die, my treasure will never leave me." Heathspike smirked. "And how will you take it with you to Tartarus?" Smaug's eyes briefly rose before he quelled it. "I did not come here to argue philosophy. You have something I want." "You want my hoard? Godmother banished you, you can't challenge me." Yes, Applejack, you heard right. Smaug holds the 'honor' of being the one piece of her hoard Tiamat has ever parted with. "I don't care. Godmother and Godfather will understand after the world is mine." "And how do you intend to do that?" "With that." Smaug pointed a talon to the dark bag around Heathspike's wrist. "You will never have this. Never!" "Don't make promises you can't keep, Heathspike.The Rainbow of Darkness should have been mine from the start! I am more of a dragon than you will ever be! With its power, the world will be my hoard! Through me, dragons will rule again! FOREVER!" "You sound like Tirek," Heathspike growled, the young dragons whimpered in fear at the name. "So? He's a survivor, he takes what he wants, and never bothers with those he steps on to get it! His kind almost wiped out ours and he destroyed them! Now he's on his way to conquering the world! He's certainly more dragon than you!" Heathspike rose up and spread his wings. "I was chosen as the guardian of the Rainbow of Darkness by divine providence! It will never be yours!" "If that is how it is..." Smaug turned away, but then grinned. "By the way, Heathspike, thought you'd like to know, I saw your mate earlier. She was very protective, what with your brood just about to hatch. I counted ten when I left. Sadly, they're all gone now." Heathspike froze. "What." "Oh yes. See, I was the LAST one to see your mate. Oh, she fought bravely, but she died at my claws trying to save her eggs. And the eggs? They're gone as well. She tried to flee with them, and I made sure they dropped from a mile up." The drake unfurled his wing, revealing a large dragon egg. "Except one." "Smaug, what do you think you're doing?" Heathspike tried vainly to sound calm, but it was pointless. He was confronted by every parent's worst fear; some heartless monster had killed his wife and children and now held the last one hostage. The Rainbow of Darkness in his bag pulsed, giving off a dark blue glow. The young flight were speechless. The egg in Smaug's claws were the only thing keeping Heathspike from eating him alive. "I'm following my nature! If you won't accept my challenge, I'll make you!" He picked the egg up in his claws and raised it high. "DON'T! The Rainbow's yours, just put her egg down!" Heathspike desperately roared. "Oh, Heathspike, we both know a dragon NEVER willingly gives away what's his unless beaten for it. So, I guess I'll have to properly motivate you." Smaug grinned and unleashed a flame on the egg. "NO!" Heathspike cried in horror and sorrow. Heathspike flew right for his unhatched child, but it was over in a moment and only a stone egg remained. "If you had just accepted a duel for the Rainbow, this conflict would have been over easy, but I guess you'll have to settle for hard boiled," Smaug threw the petrified egg into Heathspike's face, it hit the ground with a thug. The dragon shook with rage as he glared down at the stone remains of his unborn spawn. That egg sadly remains stone to this day. Queen Tiamat has left a standing request to know if the transformation is ever undone, assuming the egg is not simply dead. Heathspike growled. "Hatchlings, all of you leave now." "But, Mr. Heathspike..." Spiny began to say. "GO NOW!" The elder dragon shook the island with his roar. The hatchlings scampered off, leaving Heathspike and Smaug out for blood. I presume Tiamat heard as well. A part of me imagines she was curious if Smaug could remove Tirek from power, and let dragons become lords of Equus once again where Heathspike had not, where she could not without ruining the prize. Of course, I also imagine she fully intended to rend Smaug limb from limb if Heathspike won and did not do so himself. She is complicated. "Well, well... is old Heathspike rattled?" Smaug smiled at his enemy's flaming nostrils. "Now do you see the folly of valuing other creatures over wealth? Life is fleeting, but things never leave you. Now, are you going to-AH!" Smaug was abruptly cut off by the older dragon's tail slamming into his face. Smaug hit the sand hard, and Heathspike tore into his enemy with a vengeance. Smaug raised his claws to fend off the barrage of talons and fists, and let loose a burst of fire. Heathspike jumped back as the flames blinded him. Smaug lunged forward and knocked Heathspike into a patch of boulders. The red dragon slashed and bit at the older drake, who returned the strikes in kind. Hot blood colored the rocks around them. "HERE, HAVE ANOTHER PRETTY STONE TO STICK IN YOUR CHEST!" Heathspike broke a boulder from the ground and smashed it into Smaug's side. The greedy dragon groaned as the boulder hit a weak spot in his left breast. Smaug rolled away and took to the air, Heathspike hot on his tail. The dragons dived and looped through the air, Smaug staying ahead by a slim margin. The Rainbow of Darkness had greatly extended Heathspike's life, and his experience and prime with it, but Smaug had been in battle almost constantly in his shorter life, challenging anything alive he came across, including other dragons. "Let's see how well you chase me now!" Smaug turned mid-flight and shot fire at Heathspike's wings. The older dragon roared in pain as the fire sliced through the thin membranes. His wings ripped as he lost altitude. He tried to steady his wings and glide, but slammed into the beach. Smaug laughed in triumph as Heathspike crashed into the sand. "Your time is over, old lizard! You wasted the Rainbow's power to spread 'friendship' when you could have owned the world! Now, I'll be master of both! You never LEARNED how to use it as a weapon! I'll have everything I want! EVERYTHING! And death will never steal it! And why? Because I'm stronger than you!" Smaug flew over the fallen dragon and shot another fireball into his back. "Because I'm better than you!" He flew past again, dropping threw boulders on Heathspike. "And you can't fight me!" He landed on top of Heathspike and clawed his throat. "You're right," Heathspike croaked as blood seeped from his mouth. Smaug frowned at the older dragon's admission. "You're younger and stronger than me. Even with all that treasure weighing you down, you were faster than me. And you are truly the greediest dragon alive." Smaug smiled at the flattery. "You have nice manners for a weakling and a liar." "But there is something you forgot." "What is that?" "This!" Heathspike roared and spat a column of green flames at Smaug. It hit the other dragon right in the chest, but when it dissipated, Smaug stood unharmed. "What? You think I forgot dragons breathe fire?" "No, what my green flame does." The greedy brute looked down at his chest and gasped. His scaly underbelly was exposed. The section of gold and jewels that covered his chest was gone. Smaug was frothing at the mouth. "MY TREASURE! WHERE IS IT?!" Heathspike just grinned and pointed towards the edge of the beach. Smaug turned and saw a green cloud flying over the water. It burst into a puff of fiery smoke and a ton and a half of gold and gems fell out of the sky towards the ocean. "NO!" Smaug flew off towards his treasures. Heathspike rolled onto his back and reached for the sack tied around his wrist. "Rainbow of Darkness... I need your help. I'm dying, you'll end up with that disgrace of a dragon and everything we've built... it'll all be gone. And... and a dragon defends what's his!" He opened the sack and the Rainbow of Darkness flew out. It bonded with its guardian, returning his strength enough to finish the battle. Smaug watched in horror as part of his hoard disappeared in a splash. He dove into the sea after them, grasping at tiny bits of treasure that were nearly impossible to see in the dark blue water. Heathspike struck as Smaug tried to catch his treasure. He dove into the water, wrapped his limbs around the evil dragon. Under water, both dragons movements were inhibited, but Heathspike had an advantage. The tons of metal and stones stuck to Smaug's body weighed him down; every move and attack took more effort than it should have, and they still came too slow. Wings devoted to keeping himself afloat. Heathspike slashed at Smaug's exposed chest, going for the greedy drake's black heart. Smaug clawed back. He tried to use his fire breath, but underwater, it only unleashed a scalding blast of bubbles. Heathspike leaped away, and Smaug lunged at him. His jaws snapped shut around the Rainbow Guardian's neck and thrashed about. Heathspike gasped as Smaug's teeth cut into his neck. They were both sinking under the weight of Smaug's hoard, and they both knew that every dragon must be willing to die to guard what is theirs. Heathspike knew he would die fighting for what was his, but even if that day had come, he wouldn't lose to the dragon who murdered his family. Heathspike sank his claws so deep into Smaug's chest wound that he scraped rib bone. Smaug released his hold on Heathspike's neck and silently howled. The purple dragon locked his forelegs around his opponent's head and dragged him upwards, his tail wrapping around Smaug's torso like a boa constrictor. Smaug lashed out, but couldn't break the hold. Heathspike needed to get back above the water. He had to finish this. The raging dragons burst out of the ocean with a chorus of roars as Smaug fought to escape Heathspike's headlock. "You think you're so strong!" Heathspike seethed. "But inside, you're empty!" Smaug was reduced to a raving beast. He clawed and scratched and bit in a blind rage, but Heathspike just held him tighter as they flew higher. "You can't get enough to fill the hole inside you, can you?! It must be torture!" He grabbed Smaug's jaws and wrenched the dragon's mouth open. Heathspike's throat began emitting a dark rainbow colored light. "I'm going to end your pain! I'M GOING TO END YOU!" With a piercing roar, Heathspike breathed a blazing inferno stoked by the Rainbow of Darkness itself right down Smaug's throat. The greedy dragon's insides ignited from the dark magic fire. Smaug knew fear, death had come and he could take nothing with him. Before Heathspike could react, Smaug exploded with the force of a volcanic eruption. The Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities reduced to a black cloud rising out of the ocean and a rain of ash and scorched gold. The blast flung Heathspike two miles into the sky. He rolled over and over in the air, the wind whipping his broken body as he launched into the stratosphere. His magically charged wings opened and weakly flapped. He was able to right himself in the air, but it wouldn't last for long without the Rainbow. "Thank you, my friend," Heathspike groaned to the Rainbow of Darkness. It hurt so much to talk. Heathspike glided on the wind for a few moments, taking in the sunset. He smiled up at the stars peeking out from the darkened sky. He saw the forests, rivers and cities stretching out across the horizon. He saw Dream Castle illuminate as Dream Valley welcomed the night. He saw the red glow of lava on Tiamat's island lighting up the dark sea. He couldn't be more proud as he saw the world that he and his friends had made. "We...we did it, Moochick... It took... so long... but it was worth it. We made a better world. Look how far we've come since those first days of Ponyland. All the creatures we've helped, all the great things we did, and all the friends we made.... No dragon could ask for a greater hoard. I only hope... those who come after us... protect this treasure like a true, noble dragon." The Rainbow of Darkness left his body and returned to the sack. Without the Rainbow, his strength fell away and his body quickly succumbed to his injuries. He was covered in second and third degree burns, his legs were broken, hundreds of gems and gold coins riddled his flesh from the explosion, his wings were in tatters, and he had lost too much blood. He fell out of the sky, smiling despite the pain. He plunged from three miles up, his eyes on my night sky, content with it being his last sight. As he fell, my brother Mortis was already coming to his side, having cast Smaug into Havoc's waiting maw as the wind blows away dust. The near presence of death let him peer through the Veil, and he saw me. He saw me as the Night, and offered up his broken forelimb, bearing the sack of the Rainbow of Darkness. "Please...take it... find a new guardian... find someone worthy." There was no precedent for this. It was assumed the Rainbows would be passed on by the Guardians, not be given back to one of us. However, I was more than willing to accept it. The Rainbow of Darkness was comprised of the Elements of Chaos, but the Darkness was mine. I was there when it was forged, giving it the power of the Night, just as Celestia imbued its twin with Light to give them both form and power to exist as living energy and not intangible ideas. I took the bag from him just as Mortis took hold of his soul. Heathspike's spirit was ferried off to his just reward, while his body fell and disappeared beneath the waves. Tiamat wept for the loss of such a crown jewel of her hoard. The first Guardian of the Rainbow of Darkness was gone, and I had the chance to find someone worthy of guarding it. I failed. Spectacularly. Mere hours after Heathspike died, Tirek was holding a meeting with his lieutenants in Midnight Castle. He had countless creatures in his service, but he kept a small inner circle to run his empire's infrastructure, and coordinate his campaign of conquest. They never numbered more than five and he took steps to ensure their loyalty; he believed fewer direct subordinates meant fewer traitors. Or rather left little room for incompetent traitors who he couldn't stand the sight of. His second in command was away leading a campaign on this night, leaving four lieutenants at their master's command. There was O'Brien, a ruthless elderly human who ran Tirek's spy network, Lancaster, a lecherous dwarf who enforced the laws of the land, and Ranahtu, a cunning warlock who advised on all things mystical and magical. His last lieutenant, a large black wolf, lay curled up in the corner of the room, watching the meeting with passing interest. "Your second-in-command has assisted the gnome king's brother in taking the throne. However, the crown prince has escaped." O'Brien reported. "Sloppy work. Send word that the boy must be killed." "Permission to speak freely, Master?" O'Brien asked with much trepidation. Tirek gave the old man a shrewd look. "Granted." "Your second-in-command is a fool. This isn't his first blunder and won't be the last. He has no respect for his position or his title. Lord, he must be replaced." Tirek chuckled. "Bold words, especially from a lowly human. However, if you think him unworthy, you are free to do something about it." "Yes, Master." O'Brien bowed. "Master, we've received more tributes." Lancaster said. "We've received gifts from Wizard Wantall, Baron Badblood, King Nolaf, King Renvick, and the Duke of Zill. Also, Lavan crushed the head of my messenger and demanded I come claim his tribute personally, saying 'I will not give treasure to a slave'." Tirke chuckled. "If the messenger was weak enough to die, Lavan had the right. O'Brien had best be quick, or Lavan may claim the position he covets for himself at my side." O'Brien said nothing, but looked indignant. "Oh, and we received letters proposing an alliance by marriage from Princess Mombie, Queen Ravenna, and Lady Creedence Leonore Gielgud.'" "No, no, and YE GODS, NO!" Tirek snapped his fingers and the letters burst into flames. "Scheming wenches. As if they were worthy of my majesty. My only lady is the night, and I will have no other." "Well said, Lord." Lancaster nodded, brushing the ashes off his hands. "Ranahtu, what was this news on Tambelon?" His master magician bowed. "Well, Master, while it has been 488 years since it disappeared, I have concluded that the spell trapping it in the Realm of Darkness is weakening. Judging by the magical signature, the doorway between realms is getting stronger, and Tambelon will eventually return to this dimension." "How long will it take?" "Another decade, perhaps two. If Grogar's powers have increased in his absence, he may speed it up." "Then, we shall welcome waiting for the traitorous old goat. There is one last matter. An assassination plot against me in my own castle." The others at the table gasped. "I found this hidden under the base of one of the gargoyles." Tirek pulled out an ornate dagger. "Impressive little weapon. Pure mithril. Not often used to forge weapons. And the blade is decorated with runes, obviously some spell to ensure extra magical effects. Whoever did this thought that magical measures might make the weapon affect me." "Perhaps one of the witches?" O'Brien speculated. "No, this is light magic, which they would see as against their 'evil worshipping' code. No, this was made with magic to counteract my own powers. It must be a powerful weapon." Tirek raised the dagger and thrust it into his shoulder. The blade shattered against his skin. With a scoff, he crushed the hilt and let it bounce across the table. "Glorified butterknife." "Well, whoever plotted such a cowardly attack, it would have failed anyway." Lancaster shrugged. "Indeed. You must feel stupid for wasting time on that useless thing, eh Lancaster?" The dwarf frowned in confusion. "I don't know what you mean, Master." "That was your dagger. Mithril is chiefly used by dwarves, and the runes were clearly ancient dwarf spells. Not only did you make a weapon that would fail, you were stupid enough to hide it in an obvious spot! Seize him." Lancaster leapt from his seat to run, but was tackled to the floor. He looked up in horror at the giant wolf standing over him, its massive fangs glinting in the candlelight. He winced in pain as the wolf sank its claws into his arms. "Say the word and I'll tear out his throat, Master." The wolf growled. "No, Gmork," Tirek said. "I'll deal with him myself." The Dark Lord stood and trotted calmly to the pinned dwarf. Gmork growled in Lancaster's face, daring him to move as his master approached. "I admit, I suspected an ulterior motive to joining my council, seeing as most dwarf clans have declared themselves my enemies for generations. I assumed ambition. After all, you wouldn't be the first creature to forsake family and country for wealth and power. You were effective in your duty, but there was always something off about you. I'll give you credit, you hid your secrets longer than most, but, none can hide forever from the eyes of Midnight Castle." To Lancaster's horror, the guards burst back into the room with a beautiful dark haired woman. She stared vacantly ahead and stood stiffly between the guards, her body covered in scars. "Sibel?! You tortured her?!" Lancaster glared at O'Brien. "I prefer to think of it as I helped her overcome her delusions." O'Brien shrugged as he turned to the girl. "Did I not, dear?" "I was insane. I denied the power of the true master of the world," Sibel droned in a monotone voice. "I have been cured of my madness. I humbly ask to be allowed to serve Lord Tirek." "Then the Dark Lord of All shall grant your request," Tirek said magnanimously. He walked to the broken girl and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. He turned to Lancaster and smiled cruelly. "Remember this, Lancaster. All this is on your head. Now watch as I make a revenant out of your little slut!" "NO!" Do you recall the centaurs' fear that the Moochick had used the mana transfer to suck out the dying man's soul? Tirek made that fear real. The dwarf cried in horror as Tirek started the mana transfer on the woman he loved. The dark centaur sucked every drop of magic from her and kept going. Her eyes turned milky white, as the very life was sucked dry and her soul was ripped from her body and was absorbed by the Dark Lord. Then, Tirek dug his claws into the lifeless woman's chest, and sent a dark magic pulse straight to her nervous system. Her heart started beating, the brain started back up, and the lungs filled. The woman's now milky white eyes opened, staring mindlessly at Tirek. Sibel's soul was gone, but her body was now driven by dark magic and still functioned like a puppet on strings. That is a revenant, Applejack. A being neither alive nor dead. After Tirek tore the soul from the body, there was no way to restore it to life, but the spell kept the body from being technically dead, so the soul was unable move on to the afterlife. The victims' mindless bodies served Tirek like machines, never stopping, resting, or dying. Their trapped spirits were forced to watch their earthly bodies serve their killer. He saved this fate for those that truly enraged him, and still he made countless revenants during his reign. Sometimes he wondered if devouring his family's souls and making them revenants, forced to be the lowest of his slaves forever would have been more satisfying. "YOU BASTARD!" Lancaster would have lunged at him, if the wolf were not holding him down. "Silence! Get him up." Gmork backed off Lancaster and the Reptilians tied him his council seat. "You worked your way to my inner circle to kill me. Your woman told us this was a revenge plot. So, tell me, Lancaster, what did I do to earn this little vendetta?" "Twenty years ago, you invaded the city of Crystal Port! My brother was king; he went to fight, and you killed him! I evacuated, but I could still hear the screams as you flayed him alive! For last decade, I've worked my way up the ladder until I got a seat at your council table! All I had to do was wait for the right moment to kill you, just as you killed my brother!" "Hmm..." Tirek stroked his beard. "I don't recall that, but if you say so." "You don't remember?!" "Do you remember every ant you step on? Still, you had the courage to try and kill me, despite being little more than an ant yourself. So, I won't kill you." "W-What?" "Though, it makes me wonder what your plan was. Attacking me with that letter opener in the heart of Midnight Castle? Tell me, what was your plan beyond stabbing me? Did you intend to escape? Were you planning on taking over my empire? Perhaps you would pull a Pegasus from under your shirt and fly away?" "I... I..." "I also find it interesting that you've been on my council for years. Why haven't you tried to kill me before?" "I... I had to pick the right moment!" "Oh? And this is it? Why?" "It... it's my brother's birthday. It seemed like a perfect time for justice." Tirek's laughter echoed off the walls as everyone else stood frozen by the sound. "You still think you have the so-called moral high ground, eh? Well, isn't it interesting then that you came all this way for 'justice' by doing everything required to be in my inner circle. Tell me, how many executions have you ordered? How much blood did you spill to maintain your cover? How many did you kill for your chance to kill me and make your brother proud?" "I HAD TO! YOU KILLED MY BROTHER! HE HAD TO GO FACE THE WAR YOU BROUGHT TO OUR HOME!" "Oh, I see... Your brother abandoned you. He went to fight and left you alone. He loved you, but not enough to live, eh? Not enough to choose his own brother over insipid platitudes of honor and duty. He wasn't strong enough. And you hate him for it. Well, I can certainly understand that. My own brother was a fool who died and left me to deal with worthless insects like you." The dwarf gave no answer, which made Tirek grin all the more. "Be honest, this wasn't about trying to kill me, this was about you wanting to die trying. So you could be comforted in dying like a 'hero' against the big bad Lord Tirek. As if you owe it to your precious brother to die fighting. I may have killed him, but you let him die, isn't that right? Isn't that what you've told yourself a thousand times in the dark?" Tirek clutched the dwarf's throat and lifted him off his chair until they were face to face. "So, you plan this pitiful 'assassination attempt' to pretend you aren't just taking the coward's way out, as I'm sure you've thought of doing for years. Well, Lord Tirek is no one's tool. You do not have my permission to die. You will never see your corpse of a sibling or beg his forgiveness in the hereafter. Instead, you will share your little harlot's fate and serve me forever!" Lancaster screamed as he joined Sibel in her fate. The dwarf revenant marched and stood by the woman, both awaiting orders. "Tomorrow, send these two husks to the Marquis de Libertine as a token for his loyal service. No doubt he'll find use for them in his 120 day revels." Tirek commanded a reptilian, as he took the undead dwarf and woman away. Tirek gave one last disgusted look. "Justice. Fool. Only the powerful decide what justice is." "He waited all these years to avenge his brother and lost home, only to fail and damn himself and the woman he loved." Ranahtu chuckled. “I love days like this." "I would have liked to rip his worthless neck out. It's been too long since I've tasted blood of the unworthy." Gmork growled. "Fear not, Gmork, you'll have your fill soon enough. Ranahtu, O'Brien; you two will oversee the laws until I find Lancaster's replacement." "Yes, Master." "Now, unless there is any new business, I adjourn this meeting." Tirek's minions left him alone, allowing him to sigh in relief. "Finally! Now I can attend to what is truly important." He retired to his private chambers and went out to the balcony of the tallest tower. The perpetual storm raged above his head, lighting up the sky with lightning. He smiled at the view; all he surveyed was his, and all was in darkness. With a snap of his fingers, the storm subsided and the clouds parted. The moon and stars shone down on Midnight Castle, and Tirek smiled contentedly. My night was the only thing in his life he loved besides power. "Oh, glorious Lady Night. You've won another battle, and driven the sun away again as I've driven my own enemies into the grave. At last, the moon can gaze down upon my work again. The Night wins. Darkness wins. Why won't the insects out there accept that? They shun your glory and rejoice under the cursed sun, the fools. But things shall change. I will show this world where the true power lies. Even if it takes until the end of all things, I will MAKE this world embrace the night and forsake the day. The glory of the night will never end. I've offered you this rose countless times, yet you still never answer. Why, Lady? Come to me, and let me prove I am worthy of your love!" I had heard this line from him for ages but I never bothered to answer. That night however... perhaps it was the Rainbow weighing on me, or perhaps I was just in the mood to be adored, because I appeared before him as a pure spirit. In his eyes, a dark blue centaurette with stars in my black hair and the moon over my heart. A great owl perched on my shoulder and a large bat hung from my wrist. My animal companions spoke. "Our Lady, Her Nightjesty of Dreams and Nightmares, Eighteenth Luna Nyx Selene, Concept of the Night, has heard your words and has seen fit to grace you with her presence." Tirek stood frozen, eyes wide and jaw agape, dumbstruck at the sight of me. He not only saw my manifestation, but he saw me as I truly am. He witnessed my concept in all its beauty, power, and grandeur. He fell on the ground, and, for the first time in his life, he bowed to another in humble reverence and respect to someone else. He had been infatuated with the goddess the centaurs depicted me as, but he had fallen in love all over again at the sight of me. "My Lady... you are even more beautiful than I ever imagined. The statues, the paintings, the songs, they didn't do you justice." The bat gazed down at Tirek and spoke. "Her Nightjesty acknowledges your praise." "Why do you appear now, my Lady? I've loved you from the moment I knew what the night was! I called out to the stars, sang to the face of the moon and pledged my heart to the darkness since I was a child! I have called to you for countless nights and never had an answer!" The owl hooted. "Her Nightjesty is not a dog who comes when called. She has seen fit to appear to you this night of her own accord of her own design." "Her Nightjesty has heard your claims that you will make all creatures love the night and reject the day. Did you not say these things?" "I did indeed! And I will do all I have said!" The owl hooted. "Yet, if you are able to do this, why have you not done it yet?" Tirek glared at the owl. "I will not have my vows to my Lady questioned by a mere bird." My owl flew down before him. "We speak for Her Nightjesty. The Concept of the Night does not speak to the unworthy mortal-" Tirek crushed my owl's head. "I. AM. WORTHY!" "Her Nightjesty is not sure," the bat replied, untroubled by his companion's sudden death, I merely absorbed his essence. "I shall do it! All I ask for is your love, my Lady! Lord Tirek the Conqueror, Slayer of the Unworthy, Master of Midnight Castle, Ruler of the World, Dealer of Life and Death, Prince of Darkness, King of the Living, Emperor of the Dead, and Dark Lord of All, swears this to you! I will give you the entire world if you say you will be mine!" I nearly laughed at him. 'The entire world,' he had said. He may as well have offered one grain of sand in the desert. "Most of this world already bows to me, but I will make them all bow to you! Every creature beneath the moon will worship you and deny your sibling, the day!" "If you have the power to make the world love the night, why have you not done so before? You have held untold power for centuries and you still have not even taken the entire world for yourself." "I am all powerful and immortal, and therefore have all the time in the world to play a game I will inevitably win. I did not wish to end the game so soon, but now I have a prize to win that is worth more than dominion over these pathetic mortals. To win your heart, Lady Luna Nyx Selene, I will conquer all in your name! I will make every living soul rejoice in the night! Your darkness will rule over all things! Even if I have to kill the sun itself to do it!" I stared at him in contemplation. For all his arrogance, I knew that his love for my concept was earnest and very real. I had no intention of being his queen or whatever fantasy he was entertaining, but I was flattered. I had never heard such devotion from a mortal being before. And then, I made a mistake that has haunted me and the ponies of the world for millennia. "Her Nightjesty has seen fit to offer thee a test of your devotion." I reached forth my hand and held out Heathspike's magic sack. I pulled the cord loose and the Rainbow of Darkness rushed out at my summons. It danced through the air around Midnight Castle, showing us in its beauty. Tirek gazed up in awe, presumably recognizing it from the night it was born. I ordered the Rainbow back to the bag and tied it off. I levitated the bag down before the awestruck centaur. "This is the Rainbow of Darkness, the Fruit of Life, composed of the Elements of Chaos and imbued with all that the Night is, was, and ever shall be. Her Nightjesty bestows this gift upon you with a single command: use it to do something great to prove your love of the night." Tirek seized the Rainbow of Darkness and held it like it was the most precious treasure he'd ever laid eyes on. "I shall, my Lady. I swear it! I shall bring the glory to the Night That Never Ends!" + I couldn't bring myself to look at Applejack in the silence that followed. I knew all too well that this moment was coming. I tried to prepare myself for it. Imagine having a colt who declared his love for you, even if you did not return his feelings. It's flattering. "Ya gave it to him." The stunned horror in her voice made an ice block form in my stomach. "Ya... just gave the Rainbow of Darkness to him?! After everythin' he did?! After killin' his own people?! His own FAMILY? After tryin' ta kill the guys who guarded the Rainbows to in the first place?! After hundreds of years of evil, YOU GAVE IT TO HIM?! Wha... WHAT THE BUCK WERE YOU THINKING?!" Applejack didn't speak for a few minutes after that, but I could hear her breathing hard. She must have been furious and trying to calm down enough to decide what to say next. "Princess Luna... turn around." I am not used to being given orders, but I felt compelled to obey. I turned to face Applejack and was met with two hooves to my face. I rolled with the momentum of the kicks, otherwise, Applejack's hooves would have broken on impact. I looked back at her and saw the Truth shining in her eyes. "Are. You. Sorry?" She couldn't hide the rage and disgust in her voice. I felt like I was a foal again, facing my Parents after getting into trouble...in a sense, I was. The Truth hit me and I couldn't stop the stream of words. "Yes. I told you when we started, Applejack, I would tell you the truth, warts and all. This is the truth: I was not the same as I am now. I was an adult in body, but a child in mind and spirit. Children can be selfish, cruel, stupid, petty creatures. Especially when they have the power I had. I was a goddess, and I believed that meant I could do no wrong. I was the night, so I presumed to hold sole authority over the Rainbow of Darkness. I took it and decided to give it to someone without even asking my Family or the Draconequi if a new Guardian was chosen. I had no frame of reference, and acted on my own impulse. "And why? Because... I was a vain, self-centered foal who couldn't see the forest for the trees. I knew he was evil, and I didn't care. He loved my night. He loved me. After so long having living beings fear or spurn the dark, here was someone who wanted and desired me. I saw him as an ant, but at least he wanted to be my ant...I believed he truly understood me, as my other sister's lover truly understood her...but he truly understood her in a way Tirek could never understand anything else except himself... I was flattered, and I thought perhaps with the Rainbow he might honestly accomplish something that would make the Night be revered! I had no idea how he would use it! "I dishonored my family, and my own night! My carelessness brought about the death of the Rainbow of Darkness, and nearly brought on the undoing of the world! And I've had to live with it longer than you can imagine!" She stared at me for endless seconds, weighing on every word, even if they were true. "Fine." She turned away, and the Truth went out. "But Ah'm still a might peeved." "You have a right to be. I gave him a piece of Creation Itself, a piece of myself, meant to enlighten the world, and he used it in ways that I never dreamed. Before, he was a threat to all life in the world. After I gave him the Rainbow of Darkness... he became a threat to Creation Itself."