Fallen Angel

Chapter I
Fallen Angel

“Hello, my ‘faithful’ subjects.”

An alicorn with a coat as black as the night itself, a mane flowing with stars resembling the night sky, light blue armor with the moon on her chestplate and a voice that would make the most stalwart of stallions tremble in fear, presided over what was supposed to be the Summer Sun Celebration. Princess Celestia herself was supposed to attend this momentous occasion yet, she did not appear. Instead, the Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon stood in her place.

Ponies stood inside Ponyville City Hall with mouths agape and trembling spirits as Nightmare said

“Whatever’s the matter? Are you not happy to see your princess?”

“You’re not our Princess! What did you do with Princess Celestia!?!”

A rainbow hair colored pegasus by the name of Rainbow Dash knew that this was not their Princess. She flew up to meet her and called out, demanding

“You bring her back, right now!” pointing a hoof at the alicorn.

“Are you denying the simple fact that I am your Princess, little pony?” The Princess of the Night voice bore through Rainbow’s chest, almost as if her voice was a drill and it was boring through her.

Yet she remained still, glaring at the alicorn that stood before her, if looks could kill, Nightmare Moon would be nothing but a bloodied mess on the walls of Town Hall. Unfortunately for this story, they can’t, so let’s continue…

“Do any of you know who I am? Did you not see the signs!?!” It was becoming apparent that she was not happy and was getting angry. Another voice sounded out, speaking

“I know who you are! You’re the Mare in the Moon! Nightmare Moon!” T’was the voice of one Twilight Sparkle, the student of Celestia and the smartest Unicorn since Starswirl the Bearded.

Nightmare was pleased that at least one pony knew who she was and what she was talking about.
“Well, at least somepony knows who I am.” Scoffing at the lack of intelligence of some ponies, she goes back to a composed state of mind…until three Royal Guards drew their spears in an attempt to subdue the princess, which you can guess how that went.

“YOU FOOLS!” Nightmare’s starry mane swatted away the guards as if they were nothing but annoying bugs and compared to her, they were. Cackling maniacally, she said

“I am your new princess, and the night. SHALL LAST. FOREVER!” Nightmare’s mane swirled around her, encompassing her like a cloak, disintegrating her physical form into that of the stars in the night sky and flying out the window like a bat outta hell.

Ponies started to panic, running every direction you can think of. A certain God of Chaos would laugh and cheer at the sight.

Twilight Sparkle called out five other mares to join her in the Golden Oaks Library, where they would learn of the one, or I should say, seven weapons that could defeat this Nightmare….

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Somewhere in the Everfree Forest…
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A lone stallion rested on the soft mud, his coat was a pure white, with wings gracing his sides. His mane was pitch, obsidian black like a void. His cutie mark was unlike any other. A pair of what seemed like horns with a halo above them, a black sword cut through the horns and the halo, with a pair of white, angel-like wings on the hilt.

His chest slowly rising and falling was a sign that he was unconscious, but alive. His body began to stir, his legs slowly moving. The pegasus’ eyes began to creak open, revealing a red eye on one side and blue on the other.

Slowly, his eyes fully opened, his sight revealing he was in a forest. His head turned to see that he was fully surrounded by trees, grass and mud. The stallion clutched his head with his hoof, shutting his eyes and groaning in pain, whatever method was used in his arrival, he was sure not to use it again.

He then spoke in a very deep, almost dark and menacing voice. “God… that hurt.”

Slowly, the pegasus rose to his hooves, turning his head... nothing but trees as far as the eye could see. He tried to walk forward, but somehow he tripped and fell back into the mud he was resting, further staining his pristine, white coat. But he could care less about his coat and cared more about his current situation. He then looked to his sides and saw white wings with black feathers adorning them. He then thought about getting to higher ground, so that he could examine his surroundings, he unfurled his wings that seemed to have been slightly smaller than he remembered, gave them one mighty flap, sending him into the air, then felt a surge of painful stings from his wings that coursed through his body, forcing him to land.

He gave a growl under his breath as he landed. “Ugh… what the hell?”

Since his wings were now in pain and were screaming in agony, he decided to walk in a random direction, hoping to find a way out of this forest he roamed in. Since walking would take considerably longer than flying, he decided to mull some things over in his head, hoping to find some answers to his many questions. So, I am in a unknown forest, with no idea where I am, who I am, or how I even got here. There’s also the question of protection. Do I have anything I may have brought with me? Maybe a sword, a spear, a book, or even a staff? Why am I even here? I should at least remember my parents… but nothing.

His mind was a roiling sea of questions, everything was blank, but he wanted at least something to be there, but there wasn’t. All he could do now was hope for the best and not wander into any trouble.

He had the feeling that this was going to be a long day...

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Golden Oaks Library...
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The library went from a peaceful establishment, to an unbelievable mess in just minutes after the mares’ arrival. Books of all kinds and subjects were strewn across the floor, making it invisible. Twilight was hell-bent on finding one in particular.

“Oh, where is it!?! I know it’s around here somewhere!” The lavender unicorn searched the bookshelves with a passion nopony but she could have, constantly teleporting from one shelf to another in the span of mere seconds.

“Darling, what are we looking for, precisely?” Another unicorn by the name of Rarity asked amidst the chaos that currently held the library hostage.

“The Book of Equestrian History! It holds the key to stopping Nightmare Moon!” The lavender unicorn kept teleporting until a very bubbly, cheery voice stopped her.

“You mean this book, Twilight?” A pink mare with an equally pink, albeit poofy mane held a book on her back, with a gold unicorn adorning the cover.

“Pinkie Pie! Where’d you find it?”
“It was under E!” Pinkie bounced away happily while Twilight grabbed the book with her magic and looked through the book frantically until she came across the information that held the key to defeating Nightmare Moon.

“The Elements of Harmony!” The other mares dropped what they were doing immediately and rushed to Twilight’s position.

“The Elements of Harmony were forged to protect Equestria, so far there are seven elements, but only six are known. Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity and Magic. One element has not yet been discovered, all that is known is that it exists. We do not know if it shall reveal itself, but if so, it shall do so when evil threatens Equestria, when He rises again. When the lost god threatens to burn our fair lands to ash.”

The mares looked to a picture of a lone alicorn facing a dark, armored figure. An entire army behind him, with a black claymore in hoof, ready to do battle.

“Holy ponyfeathers! Who’s that!?!” Rainbow’s jaw was slacked open, refusing to close.

“My word!” Rarity’s eyes shot open at the sight of the figure, noting it’s menacing look.

“Ooooo, he looks really scary! He’d be great on Nightmare Night!” Pinkie’s voice instilled a sense of envy in a butterscotch coated pegasus who ran to the nearest corner of the library and cowered in terror.

Applejack could only stare at the armored figure, its eyes a haunting, raging red.

“The one place where the Elements were kept was The Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters” Twilight looked in fear as the castle was in the one place nopony ever goes…

The Everfree Forest.

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The Everfree Forest...
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The lone stallion continued his walk through the forest, he felt alone, at least up until this moment in time.

Suddenly, his feeling of loneliness was broken by deep growling from all around him. He was surrounded, bad. The growling got louder every time he turned, very bad. He thought in his head. Alright, there are around eight of them, and they sound hungry. You don’t have any weapons or armor, and the best thing you can do is either run, or face the pain and fly away. Given that either one would lead to a chase, I will need to think quickly here.

The canopy was too thick, blotting the sky out his vision so the only alternative was to run, there was a clearing not far from where he was, if he could just make it, he could try and fly out. He’d have to be quick about it, because eight sets of glowing green eyes were locked on him, and they were planning on making him dinner.

Suddenly one set of eyes lunged out at him, wanting first blood, but the stallion rolled out of the way just in time and made a beeline toward the clearing…

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Not far from the stallion’s whereabouts...
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“I must say! This mud is dreadfully ruining my hooficure!” Rarity complained more than half the trek to the castle making a certain farmpony annoyed beyond measure.

“Would ya quit ya wailing fer a minute! We’re almost at the castle, look, it’s righ’ there!” The pony by the name of Applejack pointed a hoof at the large, looming castle, hoping to quell Rarity’s complaining for a while.

“Oh, this castle must have been glorious in it’s time! I can almost imagine it!” Rarity imagined a glorious, alabaster castle with gold towers, stalwart guards standing at attention to herald the Royal Sisters’ arrival.

Suddenly her daydreaming was cut short as a howl filled her ears.

“TIMBERWOLVES!” Applejack hollered as one stallion and eight menacing, hungry timberwolves emerged from the dark confines of the forest.

The stallion folded his wings to his sides, and dived downwards, making it so he rolled across the ground, and was soon skidding across the dirt on his hooves, his back to the mares as he looked at the wolves, getting ready as he now had a better area for planning the battle.

“Who in the hay are you!?!” Rainbow scowled at the stallion.

The stallion casted a glance at them, his eyes glowing red and blue, which gave him a somewhat haunting appearance, while he responded in a voice that could make even Nightmare Moon shiver. “Now is not the time, I’d step back if I were you if you don’t plan on getting hurt.”

Rainbow’s eyes shrunk to the size of pinpricks as did everypony else’s. If Nightmare Moon’s voice was a drill, his voice was a hammer. Rainbow could have sworn her heart shrunk a size and a half. But there was no time for cowering in fear, right now their only option was to get into the castle.

The stallion turned his attention to the timberwolves, and scanned the entire area he was in. The area was expansive, and there was little to no trees or bushes in the way. If he timed it just right, he could grab a nearby branch and ram it into one of the wolves’ mouths, possibly ‘encouraging’ them to leave.

So, with a quick motion, he unfurled his massive wings, and took flight for a nearby tree, grabbing the branch. He could hear a Timberwolf lunge up at him, which made him spin harshly, ripping the branch off the tree, and hit the wolf, which gave out the loudest, sickening CRACK the mares have ever heard. The wolf fell to the ground, it’s head almost ripped off, and the branch broken in half, while the stallion landed on the ground, holding the rest of the branch as he waited for another attack.

But none came.

The wolves howled in fear, and ran deeper into the forest, knowing something worse could possibly happen to them, and leaving the stallion, as well as the six mares alone in the clearing.

“By Celestia’s flowing mane...” Twilight and the others were left speechless.
The stallion casted a glance to the mares, and dropped the branch as he spoke again, his voice still as terrifying as ever. “Now, I take it you are all here in this forest for a reason as well?”

Twilight could only nod her head in affirmation as the stallion’s voice burrowed into her skull.

“Then maybe you can help me. I have just recently woken up a few hours from here, with no recollection as to who I am, what I was doing here, where I came from, or even how I got here. I need somepony to get me to a town so I can find help or clues in figuring said questions out.”

Twilight was always one to offer help to, if they needed it. But this stallion had a voice that would make Nightmare Moon cower in terror, a haunting gaze that would render staring contests with him obsolete and the strength to take a reasonably sized tree branch, rip it off of the tree itself and nearly bat the head of a timberwolf clean off its neck.

This would make any other mare or stallion run in fear of becoming his next target. But she wanted answers as well.

“There’s a town, not far from here. We can get you some help there. But first we need to deal with Nightmare Moon.”

The stallion raised an eyebrow in response. “Who?”

Rainbow Dash spoke “She’s the one who’s responsible for kidnapping the real Princess of Equestria, Princess Celestia!”

The stallion stayed silent in response, simply looking at each of them, then looked directly at Twilight. “And this Celestia is important somehow…?”

“She’s our monarch, our benevolent ruler. I am her personal student, Twilight Sparkle” Using all the courtesy she could muster without shoving it into the stallion’s face.

The stallion simply gave her a look that said ‘And that means something to me?’.

Rainbow spoke “We’re on a rescue mission, now if we’re done, we got a Princess to rescue!”

The stallion looked at Twilight. “Is she always this rude to somepony that just saves your life and asks for a little help in finding answers?”

“I just saw you take a big branch, rip it of a tree like it was nothing and then use it to bat the head off a timberwolf! So excuse me for being cautious, pal!” Rainbow nearly screamed at him.

The stallion glared at her. “There’s a difference between cautious and being rude.”

“Ah gotta admit, tha’ was pretty darn terrifyin’ ifn’ ah do say so mahself.” Applejack stated.

The stallion was more than annoyed now. “Should I have just let them eat you all? Because I can go and get them to if that’s what you prefer.”

All the mares simultaneously shouted at the top of their lungs “NO!”

The stallion nodded. “Then let’s agree what I did was necessary, and you all can keep your minds to yourselves until I get the answers I want. Deal?”

“Deal.” Twilight nodded as she said so.

The six, now seven ponies made their way towards the castle.

The Castle of The Royal Pony Sisters had seen better days, the castle was partially destroyed after what had happened so many years ago. Some paintings from back when the castle was fully there still hung from the walls, drapes still adorned the windows and two seats still stood proudly in the throne room.

“Look, there’s the Elements!” Twilight spotted six balls of what looked like rock, which had to be the Elements of Harmony she had read in the book. Suddenly a voice called out.

“Well, look what we have here. The student of the Sun Goddess, Twilight Sparkle.”

Nightmare Moon’s terrifying form took shape directly in front of them, towering over the mare’s forms, leaving the stallion just a head shorter than the Princess of the Night.

The stallion simply gave Nightmare Moon a glance, and rolled his eyes. “This is the scary being that kidnapped your Princess? Something tells me your Princess isn’t that strong or powerful… maybe not even as brave.”

“And who might you be, brave stallion?” Nightmare bent her head so her eyes could be level with his.

The stallion’s glowing red n’ blue eyes gave an even more haunting look (if that was even possible) as he simply held back a snort at her pathetic attempt as terror. “I would tell you, but given I woke up in this forest, with no memory whatsoever, I couldn’t honestly tell myself who I was.”

“Oh, how unfortunate.” Nightmare walked around the stallion, mocking his current situation of memory loss, examining him.

He gave one look at her, and ‘accidentally’ stepped on her tail, stopping her as he spoke with annoyance. “You may scare these six, and most likely this pathetic excuse for a ‘Princess’ I’ve ever heard, but I am not as easily scared. You would be dead and a ghost before I would even flinch.”

Nightmare Moon’s tone changed from one of a mocking tone to one of anger in the span of a second.

“Get your filthy hooves off of our tail!”

The stallion glanced at her, making his grip hard enough to draw pain from even the strongest griffon. “Your tail got in my way, I suggest you move it instead of ordering somepony who could easily kill you.”

Nightmare Moon was now not annoyed at this pony, she was just plain furious. Moving her tail out of the way, earning a reprieve from the pain in her flank, the Princess’s slitted blue eyes met the stallion’s glowing and much more menacing and haunting red and blue irises, earning the stallion a gasp from the alicorn.

“What are you!?! You are not a pony!”

The stallion raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because from what I remember, I woke up in the forest, in the body of a pony no less, and the only thing I knew was how to talk. So, pray tell, what am I?”

The Mare in the Moon answered the stallion’s question with a blast of magic from her horn, nearly hitting him.

The stallion let his wings (which now had strange things under the feathers), and flapped them a couple times as he spoke in annoyance. “So instead of giving me one of the answers I’ve been searching for, you attack me outright. Perhaps I should have expected this from a small and pathetic excuse of a villain like yourself.”

The now enraged Princess of the Night bellowed out in the loudest voice anypony’s ear had witnessed.

“YOU ARE BUT A WEAKLING AGAINST THE NIGHT ITSELF!”

The stallion snorted in response. “The night is simply a time, and you could never be the night. Night controls itself just as much as the rest of the universe. And as for your annoying pitch in tone, I’ve heard louder than what you can achieve.”

Another blast of magic hurtled towards him, bent on turning him to dust, but instead completely missed him as he flew to the right.

“Your magic doesn’t even fit you. There needs to be a balance between your emotions and your body before you could actually hit me or do damage, like destroying this castle. And if there was somepony who could control the night, it would be one with much more control and power than you.” The stallion stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

“I AM THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT! RULER OF EQUESTRIA! I WILL MAKE YOU BOW TO ME!” The alicorn’s rage could be FELT for miles.

“You pathetic and delusional mental case, I bow to nopony, and the Night has no ruler.”

The alicorn’s rage could not form into words as she blanketed the room with magical blasts, hoping that one would actually hit the stallion and disintegrate him.

But once the dust cleared, she was at a loss for words when she saw him standing in front of the six mares, wings spread out and his entire form glowed a mixture of red and blue, while the six mares behind him were unharmed, and he had a black claymore hanging on his back now, which had come from somewhere unknown.

The six mares were at a loss for words, twice now they have been saved and from Nightmare Moon, no less.

“By the stars in the sky!” Twilight gawked at the new pony standing in front of them.

“My word!” Rarity noticed the sword on the stallion’s back, starstruck by is beauty.

“Wowie-zowie! He’s fast!” Pinkie looked ecstatic.

I didn’t even have time to flinch. He was that quick! Rainbow was at a loss for words as she stood slack-jawed at the sight.

This feller came over ‘ere faster than Rainbow! And Rainbow’s the fastest flier in Equestria!
Applejack as well was at a loss for words, marveling at the stallion’s speed.

Barely above a whisper, Fluttershy spoke.

“Wow, he’s really fast.”

The dark alicorn, still trying to regain her composure, was cursing inside her head that her plan didn’t work. But she had one more, tonight was supposed to be a lunar eclipse, her powers were growing with each passing second, it was only a matter of time before (at least in her head) this bug would be squashed under her iron hoof. A wicked smile appeared on her muzzle as she too, conjured a blade, a very menacing, dark blue scythe, with a moon on the blade itself.

The stallion noticed this, and pulled the black claymore off of his back, it’s shine glimmering under the moonlight, giving it an add to it’s beauty as well as the split glow emanating on it. One side was glowing red, while the other glowed blue. The red turned into flames, while the blue turned cold as ice, and mixed into a deadly combination. The stallion wasn’t quite sure how it happened that way, but he didn’t question as a voice echoed through his head.

‘Dark Angel, you need to remember, each blade can be broken, no matter what the material is, but if you use enough force, it’ll only break one. Now, use that on me.’

The stallion wasn’t sure what the voice was, or who Dark Angel was, but he took it to consideration, and flapped his wings with a mighty flap, sending him towards Nightmare like a bullet.

“HAH, you believe a blade will save you from your fate? I shall enjoy killing you.”

The stallion spun when he was a few inches from Nightmare, and hit her scythe with all his might put into his blade. There was a crack, and the sound of shattering glass, while the shards of metal from the scythe fell to the ground, and the black claymore was a mere inch from Nightmare Moon’s neck, close enough for her to feel the combination of ice and fire.

It was now Applejack’s turn to stand slack-jawed at the sight. He broke it, with naught but one strike! Who in the hay is this feller?!

Rarity stood starry-eyed at his grace. Oh, whoever this pony is , you are so beautiful! I must have you!

Fluttershy was amazed at his strength, yet also at his silence. He’s so strong, but he’s also quiet. I’d like that in a stallion- oh wait, why am I thinking like this!?!

Twilight gazed at his intelligence. He must’ve known that if you hit a blade with enough force, it breaks. I got so many questions for him, yet he doesn’t have any answers.

Rainbow once again, marveled at his speed. Ok, he’s fast enough to stop us from getting disintegrated, and awesome enough to go hoof-to-hoof with Nightmare Moon! I’ve gotta race him one day, show how fast I am!

...
Oooh do me, do me!

I’m just getting to you Pinkie, hang on

Well, it’s Pinkie, so… She’s like a ponified DeadPool, only nicer.

Let’s not get carried away, we still have a story to write.

I know.

MOVING ON!
…

Pinkie was, well… ecstatic at everything the stallion had done so far, even more impressed at his most recent feat. Wow, he’s like Big Macintosh, Rainbow Dash and Rarity all in one!

Nightmare Moon, however, was more scared than impressed, she would have to use a combination of magic and blades to stand against this new foe. He broke my blade with one strike, now his blade is a mere inch from my neck! I feel ice AND fire. How is that possible?!?
I must stall him until the lunar eclipse, then I shall crush him beneath my hoof!

The stallion then asked in a mocking tone. “Is my blade, or possibly my looks too much of something that you can handle, leaving you speechless?”

Nightmare’s face said it all, when it flushed a form of maroon.

“No matter. Soon you will feel my iron hoof upon your skull, with me pressing down slowly.” Her eyes met his with a cold glare.

The blade inched ever so closer. “You aren’t really in a position to make threats, little filly.” The last two words were said with much more darkness than the rest, which would cast fear in the most dangerous demons.

Dissolving her physical form, she swiftly moved away from the blade and readied a scimitar.

The stallion simply spun out of the way once she swung at him, and spun his blade, making a swipe of fire envelop Nightmare Moon’s blade, and making said blade begin to drip into liquid from the heat which was now discovered to be more intense than thought.

How is this possible?!? At this rate, my plan won’t come to fruition! All would be for naught!

“I think there needs to be more energy around us, don’t you agree, Nim?” He stabbed his blade into the ground, and in response, streaks of lightning began to strike his blade, until it was pulsing with said lightning, and he ripped it back out, showing it had three enchantments now.

Suddenly, the orbs of rock began to glow. They glowed brighter and brighter until the orbs shattered like glass and formed into

a six-pointed purple star,

a crimson lightning bolt,

a butterscotch butterfly,

a sapphire jewel,

a red apple,

and a pink balloon.

The six mares levitated in the air with eyes glowing.

Six Elements of Harmony revealed themselves, but one remained.

The stallion’s flank glowed, then stopped as white and black energy spun together with a black spot in the white and vice-versa. The energy spun rapidly until it formed into a necklace. And with that, it settled around the stallion’s neck, while he simply glanced at it, and shrugged as he readied his blade for battle against Nightmare Moon, levitating as he did.

A ribbon of rainbow energy, with a black and white stripe in the middle soared through the air, cutting through it like a knife towards Nightmare Moon, enveloping her in said energy.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Bright light enveloped the entirety of the castle and was seen for miles, even so far as the Griffon Empire.

The light died down and everything fell silent for the six mares as they fell unconscious.

The stallion stood over at one of the windows, silent as the mares checked each other, all the while he was on his hind legs, holding the claymore upside down to keep himself up, and staring out into what he could only guess to be his new home.

“Did we do it?” Twilight was the first to wake from her sleep.

“I think we did.” Rainbow spoke, clutching her head.

“Look, we have the Elements of Harmony around our necks!” Pinkie said with enthusiasm

The stallion glanced down at the one around his neck, but simply looked back out the window, taking in more of his new home. Seeming to not be as interested in them than the others.

A voice seemingly coming from the heavens filled the ears of the ponies

“I am so proud of you!”

A bright light once again enveloped the room, and when it died down, a tall, white figure stood. A white alicorn with a colorful, flowing mane, graceful swan-like wings and a mark of the sun on her flank.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight Sparkle and company bowed in respect to their monarch as she graced their presence.

The stallion simply glanced toward the monarch, then held back a snort as he turned back to the window.

“And who might you be?” Celestia cast a glance to the stallion.

His answer was simple, but given his voice, it would have been thought of as a very dark and demonic tone he gave her. “I don’t know.”

Celestia was shocked at the voice the stallion gave, her magenta eyes went wide. It was almost like hearing a much more demonic Nightmare Moon.

“You are the seventh Element of Harmony. But I have never seen such a symbol.”

Celestia walked over to the resting place of a light blue alicorn and knelt down. “Luna, it has been so long. It’s time we put our differences behind us. Will you accept my offer of friendship?”

The stallion looked over when ‘Celestia’ said this to the alicorn, and got to all fours as he sat the claymore on his back, giving another small snort. “I still don’t see what’s so special about you two.”

Luna looked up at her sister and embraced in a hug. “I’m so sorry, Big Sister! I want to come back!

The six mares cheered for the sisters as they reunited.

The stallion then spoke after much annoyance. “Will somepony please tell me what makes these two so special and ‘powerful’ as you all keep saying? Because so far, this Nightmare Moon has proven more powerful, and she claimed to control the night. Which we all SHOULD know is impossible to begin with.”

Celestia’s warm gaze suddenly turned to one of seriousness.

“Nightmare Moon is my sister’s… alternate personality. I will talk to you about that late-

“Sorry to piss you off, lady, but I don’t accept ‘later’ anymore. So far, everypony seems to know what I fucking am, and I’ve yet to be told WHAT I AM!”

“I’m sorry, I do not know what or who you are ” Celestia’s gaze was as stern as ever.

“Then give me a reason to simply trust you out of nowhere, because so far, you are only a random mare standing in front of me, and like I told that Nim, I bow to nopony.”

His eyes glowed a sickly red and icy blue that could haunt even the deadliest of dragons.

After some silence, Celestia answered with

“I will do everything in my power to find you the answers you seek. Trust me on that.”

His eyes dug into her for what seemed like an eternity, before he simply softened his gaze. “That still doesn’t mean I will do whatever you say when you say it, I obey nopony, and bow to nopony. You have a problem with that, then I guess we will never get along.”

“You won’t have to.” The Sun Goddess narrowed her eyes at the stallions’ tone and choice of words. She wanted to chat with him about that... later.

He nodded, and turned his back to her, heading back for the window until she was done with everything.

The six mares shouted “WAIT!”

Twilight spoke up, saying

“We owe you our lives! The least we can do is give you a place to stay!” it was almost a pleading tone.

The stallion glanced back at the mares, and spoke in a softer tone, but still the same voice. “I thank you for your offer, but it will only be until I find a place for myself, so until then, I accept.”

Inside, the mares smiled. They were hoping to repay him for his deeds in the future. But for now, they just wanted his company.

“We need to think of a name since he’s going to be with us.” Rarity said.

“Dark Angel.”

“Who?”

The stallion turned to them. “When I was fighting Nim, I had a small… memory, return to me, the only name in it was Dark Angel, so I suppose it’ll do.”

“Dark Angel. Huh, pretty awesome name.” Rainbow spoke when suddenly, her heart felt like fluttering away. The rest of the mares, including one Princess felt the same way. The Princess did the best job of hiding it by hugging her older sister. The rest of the mares had dreamy eyes, which made Dark Angel raise an eyebrow as the eyes were directed at him.

“First order of business is to keep that voice down, but keep it stallion-like.”

…
Deep inside the fires of Tartarus...
...

A lone figure sat in the bone made throne of Tartarus, and was completely silent as his left finger tapped on the arm, all the while he watched the entire scene unfold in the realm of Equestria, what was once HIS domain. The land he wanted back.

The figure glanced over at a black unicorn that stood next to him, and his only response was pointing his finger at the portal, and one single word. “Kill.”

The unicorn gave a small bow to her master. “Of course, Overlord.” And with that, she went through the portal at the gates of tartarus, planning to get there soon.

The Overlord lowered his hand, and looked to the side, seeing a bone guard standing at attention. The Overlord flicked his wrist, which made the guard bow his head, and leave to get his ruler a drink.

To be continued…

Chapter II
Getting Acquainted

The walk to Ponyville was rather short, compared to the stallion, now called Dark Angel, when he walked through the treacherous Everfree Forest alone.

The town, to Dark Angel was quite different to what he expected, but he didn’t show any emotion over it, tending to just stay silent and walk next to the ponies.

The ponies exited the Everfree Forest to be greeted by the sight of Princess Celestia, the newly crowned Princess Luna and the entire town of what the stallion was told, as Ponyville.

Pomp, circumstance and fanfare awaited the seven ponies as they entered the town.

Look at all this! The Princesses are finally together again! Twilight smiled happily but then her smile faded to a defeated frown.

Oh, how glorious this is! A proper welcome for royalty! Rarity’s eyes widened at the sight of the sign hanging proudly off of Town Hall proclaiming the reunion of the Royal Sisters.

The doves are flying in formation, oh they look so beautiful! Fluttershy’s gaze pointed skyward as a flock of doves flew directly overhead.

I don’t believe it! All this time, I’VE been the fastest flier in Equestria, then this guy shows up and suddenly I’m second fiddle! Well, we’ll see about THAT. Rainbow Dash was more or less “concerned” about her title as fastest in Equestria and was contemplating on what she should do to remedy her “situation” (by that I mean grudge) with the stallion, now called “Dark Angel”

Can you do me next, please?

Pinkie, do you know what patience is? I’m getting to you.

But last chapter you did me at the very end, I don’t wanna be last again!

‘I’d let her go next, otherwise we may get hurt by her “Pinkie Sense”.’

Right... like I said, I’ll get to you.

Okie-Dokey-Loki

*groan of exasperation*

As I was narrating…

Pinkie was thrilled at everypony’s happiness, bouncing around with a toothy grin on her face the whole way.

How could these ponies be so naive, I thought ponies would know that peace never lasts forever. War has been part of history for decades… yet they act like it’s never happened. When will these ponies decide to see the real world? Dark Angel was annoyed with everything around him to say the least.

The stallion’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by another voice.

“The reason we act as such is because war has no place in these lands.”

Then you are as blind as the rest, war will reach these lands eventually, whether you or I like it or not.

“And how is that so? All I know is that you are a very odd and imposing pony with a dark voice.”

And everypony else around me is weak minded, while you and your sister hold little power over the world. War comes and goes, Eras come and end, Death happens every day. We have no power over that, and you should know better than to think you do.

“Hmm, you are a very puzzling… pony-”

I don’t even know if I truly am a pony, because I don’t fit in with this naive world.

“I’m sorry, I’ll have to cut this little chat of ours short. My student seems to have a frown for some reason.”

Maybe she is finally coming to her senses about the lie you continue to grow.

The lavender unicorn stood in front of Celestia with a frown, earning concern from the Princess as to the reason why.

“What’s wrong, my student? You should be happy with your new friends.” The alicorn met her student’s gaze with a soft smile.

Dark Angel casted a glance towards the North, seeing a small, yet slowly growing black cloud, which soon disappeared. This caused his eyes to narrow. Maybe the war is coming sooner than I expected.

“That’s just it. my friends…” Twilight trailed off as her head sunk.

Dark Angel trotted past the crowds as he kept his gaze on where the cloud once stood, intending on figuring out what caused this. He felt an evil power come from it, but he want’s to know who could cause this kind of power. It was far more powerful than Nim’s, that was for sure.

“I won’t be able to be with them.”

Celestia’s gaze softened at her student’s sorrow.

“I’ll just pack up my stuff and get back to Canterlot…” Twilight sullenly walked away until she was stopped by a hoof across her chest.

“Twilight Sparkle!” Celestia spoke up, her voice sounding akin to a proclamation.

“I hereby decree that you are under Royal assignment to study friendship…”

Twilight’s eyes went alight in realization.

“...in Ponyville!”

The mares came together in a spine-crushing group hug when Pinkie blurted out

“WHERE’S DARK ANGEL!?!?!”

Just then, after she asked that, they heard the sound of crashing, which began to slowly grow louder, until Dark Angel came crashing out of a large house, the hole he made traveling all the way to a nearby forest, and a splatter of blood over his chest, revealing a long, bloodied wound.

The mares collectively gasped as they saw Dark Angel lying on the ground

Dark Angel slowly pushed himself to his hooves, spat out a loogy of blood, and glared daggers at something that only Celestia and Luna could see, a lone Demon with a massive claymore.

“By Celestia, what happened to him!?” Rarity squealed.

The demon climbed out of the house, his very boots causing the ground to turn charred black with lava cracks, and it spun it’s blade, stepping over to Dark Angel as it readied for another attack.

Suddenly the mare’s ear’s were filled with a skull-splitting screech, causing everpony to writhe in agony, even the sister’s were cringing in pain.

“By Luna’s moon, what is that sound!?!?!” Rainbow screeched, hoping somepony to answer.

The demon prepared to finish his prey when another demon swooped in from behind.

“His blood is mine to take! Stand aside!” Two serrated scimitars appeared in it’s hands.

The first demon kicked the second one away, spinning it’s blade as it glared at it. “Begone, you wretched urchin. I plan to kill him before the Overlord’s pet does it herself. I will be second in command, not you.”

The second demon locked blades with the first, both glaring at each other through their crossed swords.

“As I said before, stand aside!”

“You don’t understand the importance of this kill, do you?”

“Of course I do! Honor and glory shall grace my name.”

“The Overlord tried to eat you! Why do you want to be his second in command?”

“So that I may kill his little pet, then the Overlord himself!”

“He is our ruler! His pet, however, will be coming for the kill soon, and I want it before she gets it. Now, BEGONE!”

The second demon decided now wasn’t the time, his plan would proceed later.

“As you wish…” The demon then proceeded to open a portal back to Tartarus and walked through.

With that done, the first demon turned it’s attention to Dark Angel…

…

To be continued...