Dawn of Darkness

by Lawpony

The Face of Death

Cobalt and the others ran out of the barracks to see a swarm of black figures coming out of the Everfree toward Ponyville.

"They're not coming for us," Flare muttered.

"They're going for Ponyville? Why?", Cobalt asked.

"It's a small target. Probably just for a quick sacrifice grab," the squad leader approached.

"Well we can't just leave her alone and let 'em take her!", Flare was ready to jump down the mountain.

"Of course not! We just need to wait and see what we're up against."

After a few seconds, the swarm ended, not much over a hundred made up their numbers.

"They weren't expecting help from Canterlot were they?", Flare added.

"It appears not. It doesn't make much sense. Then again, neither does their choice in leadership."

"Well?", Flare had become impatient.

"Everypony! To the portal!", he ran toward a large dome built out of metal.

The portal was a unicorn activated object that was built shortly after an attack a few years back when there weren't enough soldiers in Ponyville. And with the Royal Guard needed to protect the palace, soldiers couldn't be used on such a small town. It was a sad truth, but only the major capitals were granted stationed help. The device could hold up to twenty soldiers at once, and they used it in ten second periods so the previous users could have a chance to exit the other end. On the other end, there was a similarly built metal dome that had a fence about it, and a sign that read, "for military use only".

The first wave of soldiers was sent, and after ten seconds, the second. The third went without an issue. Cobalt was in line for the fifth and final wave. Finally, it was his turn. As he stepped through the doorway, he could see that the dome had many mirrors built into the ceiling and walls. After a few seconds, the unicorn shut the door and began to discharge his spell into the spell chamber.

"I can't wait! I've only heard of these!", Cobalt squeaked.

"Just wait until you taste battle for the first time. It's scary, but they'll become easier the more you're in," Flare encouraged him.

In a flash the soldiers were coming out of the dome in a wave after the shadow blades. Cobalt followed all of the rules, and even made sure not to stray too far from Flare. In the middle of battle, another small wave came from the forest.

"This doesn't look good!", Flare yelled.

Cobalt looked at the ground. "There's no way they would be this interested in Ponyville. They would only send this many soldiers if...", his head snapped toward Canterlot. "No."

A few flying shadow blades could be seen flying into the city.

"FLARE! IT'S A DISTRACTION! THEY'RE IN CANTERLOT!", Cobalt shouted at Flare.

Flare's head snapped up toward Canterlot to see what Cobalt saw.

"NO!", he turned to run but was met with a spear through the side.

"FLARE!", Cobalt wanted to cry, but his training kicked that out the window. "No! NO! Focus! We need to get back to Canterlot!"

As if they had heard him, from the forest came a boulder that smashed through the roof of the metal dome.

He thought quickly. "Pegasi! On me!", he promptly began to fly in the direction of Canterlot.

Thirty Pegasi began to follow him. When they had gotten within a mile of the city, he put all of his strength into his wings and propelled himself toward Canterlot. As a teal flash followed the brave soldier, he could see that a boulder was headed right for the palace.

"Oh no you don't!", he propelled himself at the boulder, colliding with it, altering its course only slightly.

Him and the boulder fell just inches to the left of the palace, taking out a decorative roofing on the way. Finally, they landed in a forested area just outside the wall behind the palace.

Cobalt came to, not knowing how long he had been out for. He wearily got up, covered in blood, to discover that his left wing had been ripped through by a jagged rock.

"Oh my GOSH! OH! I have to get to Canterlot! I have to stop them!"

When he had walked five feet from the boulder, a shadow blade walked up to him.

"So you're the one that shot that boulder down. I'm surprised you're still alive! Too bad you won't be."

The necromancer flew at him with his blades aimed at his throat. Cobalt ducked out of the way, and the necromancer flew into the boulder. Cobalt turn around and shot his hoof into the face of the downed shadow blade, knocking him out. He then walked over to the crash site to recover his shield. He soon realized that it was lost. He walked over a pine tree the boulder had splintered, and found a thick piece of wood that had a hole it its side.

"This'll have to do."

He put the wood on his back and ran into the city. Upon entering the city, he found that the majority of the Royal Guard was still there. The battle was waging on as the necromancers were pouring in through a hole in the wall. Finally, the wave had ended, and following them through the hole in the wall, was a certain undead necromancer king.

"Necromantus! But...HOW?!", Cobalt cried out.

Everypony recognized him from many old paintings and pictures they had seen of him. He wore a similar black hooded robe as the rest, but his had black Pegasus wings attached to it. His horn was tattooed with red lines following a pattern around it. There were stitch marks around his neck, which were consistent with the way he was beheaded by Princess Celestia. His mane was spiked backwards, black with red highlights. His tail was spiked as well, the same color scheme. His coat was black, with tattooed red lines running in all sorts of designs.

He walked over the bodies of many ponies, shadow blades and Canterlot guards alike. The bodies reanimated upon his touch. Bodies of the living decayed upon his touch. He was truly death incarnate.

"HOLY HAY! What is he doing here?! He was killed centuries ago!", the guard commander exclaimed.

"I'M HERE FOR CELESTIA!", came the voice of death itself.

Necromantus ran right at the palace, killing all he touched. Cobalt did the first thing training told him, try to stop him. He ran full speed at the necromancer. He put his bad wing up to take the impact as he collided with the unicorn, knowing it wouldn't change much of what had already happened. Their momentum counteracted each other's making them both stop dead still. Cobalt looked over to his wing, and found it healthy.

"Well, how about that?", Cobalt muttered.

Necromantus was now up and on the attack. Cobalt remembered the chunk of wood. He pulled it off of his back, and and caught the unicorn's mace with it. Then he connected his fore-leg with the sword on his back and swung it around. Necromantus caught it with his fore-leg gauntlet. Cobalt kept the sword up and held the unicorn's fore-leg in place as he jumped into the air, and spun around. His sword flew out and severed the unicorn's horn from his head.

"NO!", the undead creature bellowed.

All of the reanimated dead around them crumpled and decayed into nothingness. Those that were recently living simply fell limp again. Cobalt's wing returned to its dead state. The shadow blades stopped fighting and looked on at the scene taking place. The undead unicorn bellowed in defeat, and looked up at the young soldier.

"You think you can defeat me?! I am death itself!"

"Well if death wants life, he can't have it."

Necromantus' eyes widened in shock. He quickly recovered in time to flash a quick smile.

"You're not the one who holds the key to that door, and neither am I."

As Cobalt shoved his sword into the unicorn's chest, Necromantus laughed wickedly as he fell limp to the ground.

All of the shadow blades that had been standing still, watching, were now running in terror.

"GO! CHASE THEM BACK LIKE THE DOGS THEY ARE!", the squad leader bellowed out over the masses.

"When did he get back up here? I must have been out for a while," Cobalt thought to himself.

"Oh my! Your wing!", somepony called from behind him.

"And, there's the pain!", he fell over unconscious.

Author's Note:

Finally! Got the new charge cord for this laptop like yesterday! Now I can update as wanted. Also, quick thingy-merbobber! I'm not a sturdier of necromancy or anything like that...so I don't know the usual rules it follows. But for the sake of this fic, one who is reanimated is simply living again, whether it's not long or for eternity depends upon who does it. So does how powerful they can become...maybe in the future... wink wink, nudge nudge...

Comments

[Rainbooms]

[Lawpony]

3171700
Hello dear sir!

[Rainbooms]

3171845
Exquisite.

[Lawpony]

3172577
Why, thank you old chap!