Starting Over

by Twilight Nightmare

Legion

"What is going on here?" Celestia asked as both Luna and her arrived at the hospital. The rumors of Twilight returning home were too good to be true, but it left hope that maybe it wasn't actually a blood mage. Twilight knew better than to mess with blood magic though. It, unlike several other schools that were taboo though not illegal, was highly forbidden. It not only drew the attention of dark powers, but it could leave rifts to allow dark spirits from tartarus to have a chance to manipulate things in their world.

Seeing every pony that ever seemed close to Twilight, including yourng Spike and Ruby, Celestia was certain that Twilight was back. The surge of power coming from the Everfree that they felt, and the pillar of light they witnessed just before arriving left a bad feeling linger in the sun princess.

"Celly...we may have a problem." Discord said, the group turning to face her as the very worried expression on the annoying creature's face made Celestia worry a lot more. Nothing made Discord worry, mush less act scared like this. If something was casuing him to feel this way, then there was something seriously bad going on.

"Come on, Summer, let's let the others talk." A unicorn Celestia had never seen before told a filly pegasus.

"But what about momma?" The filly asked, tears flowing as the unicorn led her out of the room.

"The power that we felt is unmistakable, though I wish it it wish it wasn't. I met it a couple times before...but I really wish I hadn't. As evil as you thought I was...I was never anything compared to...it." Discord said with a shudder.

"Can it really be that bad, darling?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, with all of us surely we can beat it and get Twilight back." Rainbow Dash said, eager to go beatup whatever had taken Twilight from under their noses and get their friend back.

"I wish it was that simple...this creature is...an ancient evil. Much older than I am. It took me years to learn everything I could about it back before...I ascended." Discord said, his bodily visibly shovering a few moments. "If what I learned is true, and I truly believe it is, this creature was actually once a general in an ancient army known as the Legion."

"But that was thousands of years before us even." Celestia gasped out, shocked at Discord's claim. Yes they were nearly immortal, the keyword being nearly. Someday they would pass on and an heir would have to take their places. Though that was hopefully a long ways away.

"This...creature was once a pony, a living pony who was loved by all those under him as well as their warlord. While the army was highly feared, all of the territories that was conquered was taken under his flag and prospered much more than the territory did under the old rule." Discord explained, "Even his bethrothed was looked up to as she was the warlord's daughter and the most powerful mage of the time named Marelin."

"Wait, are you saying that the this general was King Arthur of the Ancient Ponylot?"Luna gasped, loving the old tales as a young filly.

"No, the warlord was Arthur. The leader of his army, the Legion, was Gawain. Marelin was Arthur's most trusted advisor, and the pony most directly responsible for maintaining a prosperous rule under her King." Discord explained, "Only...something went wrong. Marelin grew very sick, and despite all of her efforts, no cure could be found. Back then demponies walked the earth alongside normal ponies, and their ruler went to Gawain and offered him a way to save his beloved. He taught gawain a ritual that would make him immortal and give him a way to not only heal his mate, but to make her immortal as well."

"What kind of ritual, sugarcube?" Applejack asked, Celestia eyes going wide as she had a bad feeling.

"Gawain drugged his entire camp while on a peace keeping mission...and sacrified them all to the dempony's leader making him the very first blood mage as well as the deity of all blood bound creatures such as blood mages and vamponies." Discord explained, looking a little queasy at the thought. Every pony looked ill at ease to some extent at the revelation.

"Are you saying vamponies are real?" Fluttershy squeaked out getting Rainbow Dash to pull her close to comfort the frightened pegasus.

"Yes, though they are very rare. Unlike Gawain though, vamponies aren't really evil." Discord said, Pinkie Pie interupting him as she looked out the window to the horizon where they witnessed the pillar of light.

"How does this help us rescue Twilight?" Pinkie Pie asked, looking worried about what could be going on. They all were worried for their friend and wanted to rush to her rescue.

"My dear, you all need to understand what we are facing as even I am reluctant to even go against this...thing." Discord said shaking his head, "As I was saying, Gawain killed his legion in order to gain power to save his beloved. What he didn't plan on was absorbing the souls and power of every single pony he killed...taking in echos of each one driving him insane. He became the dempony known as Legion. When he went to his beloved, she was disgusted by what he did and rejected him. He swore if he couldn't have her, no pony would. Over the next three days they fought tooth and hoof throwing spells back at one another. Legion could have won, but he went easy because he was still in love with her. In the end, he gave her twenty four hours to change her mind. In the end, she used that time to come up with a way to seal not only Legion, but most demponies in the underworld known as Tartarus. Joined by several other ponies, the sealed them away...though it cost Marelin dearly. Legion cursed her, tying their souls together so everytime she was reborn he would somehow find a way to make her life miserable for sealing him away."

"That's so sad." Pinkie Pie sniffed.

"Indeed...but there's more. When he was banished to Tartarus, he blamed his sire for everything. He managed to kill his sire and take over tartarus until a rebellion was able to chain his physical body deep in an isolated section of the underworld. I learned that much from Legion himself when he came to me seeking help to corrupt Marelin's reincarnation...and my apprentice. He wanted her to break the chains to Tartarus or die so she would go through the cycle again." Discord explained, "The problem is his power comes from fear, anger and hatred...and Clover was shy, but she wasn't any of those things. She loved everypony and was fearless. I...did the only thing I could and sacrificed myself to chaos to gain the power to protect her. I...became...what I am today to protect the mare I thought of as a daughter."

"No...you aren't! I refuse to believe it! What sick game are you playing here Discord!" Celestia sobbed out, screaming through her tears.

"Sister, what are you talking about?" Luna asked, putting a hoof on her sister to calm her down.

"I am afraid I am, old friend. You were somepony else I saw as a daughter...both of you...despite the insanity that comes and goes with my power. Of course sharing that power with my wife keeps me stable." Discord said.

"What are you talking about?" Rainbow Dash asked, sounding agitated.

"She doesn't want to believe that I am...I was Starswirl." Discord said sadly making every pony gasp in shock.

Author's Note:

Sorry, I had to go away for a few days. I went with my GF's father to clean out and get a lot of stuff from their old house that they are going to sell. The cool thing is, why we were down there we went looking at a flea market and I found a stall selling a lot of cool stuff mixed in with a lot of junk. I bought a box of misc. discs that many of them are old cartoons on DVD without the boxes. A little cleaning and they seem to be working great for the most part. Though some I am pretty sure may have been somebody's backups of stuff they downloaded as there was a label for it, but it looked printed and applied as there were creases in them and won't play on the player. My GF suggested putting it in the computer and my VLC plays it perfectly. There's some cool looking stiff that I may play around making scenes for crossovers with EG and some of them in like a Graveyard story where people can see if the scene sounds like it could be a good story and talk about it, or adopt it or make suggestions if I should work on it some. I have some ideas for a few of them already.

Comments

[dawn seeker]

oh so you decided to go with starswirl IS discord good job also first comment

[dawn seeker]

she was disgusted by what he did and rejected her.

it should be him

[HB_DS2013]

Wait... what!? So, the Starswirl personality chooses NOW to resurface!?

[Star Brush]

OMAGOODNESS I LOVE THIS!

[Iron Comet]

Starswirl as Discord. Eh, I could see it. He seemed kind of nuts from the comics.

[Twilight Nightmare]

5657607 I'm glad that you do like it, and I really hope the plans I have for their punishments aren't too extreme.

5657948 lol thats good, glad you liked it

5658277 A little short I admit, I didn't exactly have plans for the happy one to begin with as I was planning on the dark route mostly to begin with. Just glad everybody seems happy with it for the most part.

5672153 Yep, never heard of that before until I asked for help in a blog, but couldn't resist adding it in when I found out about the theory.

5672170 Sorry, I'll make sure to fix that, thanks.

5672228 Yes, he never really cared about coming forward until now, but he is really scared of Legion and what he can do. Especially after gaining power over the years since Starswirl became Discord. He needs to lay all his cards on the table, no playing around for the most part, if he wants to not only survive, but have a hope of stopping Legion before his physical body can be freed.

5675594 Thanks

5680312 I've never heard of the theory before now, but it worked out very well.

[Iron Comet]

5685115 The happy ending just seemed kind of short, and lacking in really making up with her friends or them making amends with her. The dark route seems capable of doing more with that.