Antumbra

by Ice Star

Chapter 16: Red Glow, Red Sands

Strife cocked one of his bushy blonde eyebrows. A look of careful contemplation spread across the broad face of the draconequus. "Complete anarchy, you say?"

Next to the muscular creature stood his companion, a lean female draconequus with a long curly mane of frizzy white and a ginger coat. She smiled broadly, revealing a snaggle-tooth smile. "I'm sure dear Anarchy would be so proud to know that her name has been absorbed into this silly tongue," she paused for a split second before screeching her next sentence. "That is if the dratted witch weren't asleep somewhere in the mountains!"

She whipped her head back and let loose a monstrous, ear-grating cackle that her platinum-coated companion did not seem to mind. The Alicorn stared at Strife and Achlys, keeping his expression unreadable. "Yes, that is exactly what was proposed," his now-obvious monotone clashed with the lack of tact that these creatures had.

Strife stroked his beard, which like his eyebrows was a pale blonde color. "So what you're saying there, Princey, is that Achlys and I should round up every member of our kind that we can find to assist one of you?"

"Exactly." He cringed internally. Why were these draconequui so dense at times? They were reclusive and mischievous creatures with a population of about thirty or so known individuals. They mostly lived in mountains and dry climates, but unlike other creatures they had virtually no culture of their own. The pack-rat creatures were scavengers, and even though they often wrought disguises, so they might live among others long enough to cause havoc they had little knowledge to call their own, it was painful to explain even basic concepts to them since they couldn't count. When he had inquired about that they merely stated they did not need his 'sense', saying the word like it was a curse.

Achlys brought one of her paws - that of a tiger's - to her muzzle and tapped her chin in thought. "Alright, so we bring more draconequui here to help you, an Alicorn, bring about utter destruction of a sort...?"

"Yes." Draconequii and Alicorns were naturally enemies, since the former proved themselves to be quite the nuisance. Both were immortal and each had roots that were not of this world, but they hardly had any serious conflicts since the average draconequus could be overpowered by a mature Alicorn who had proper schooling in magic and all their talents unlocked. Foresight was on the equine side.

Of course, he wasn't going to tell them his true plan, which involved his betrayal of these temporary allies because just like Alicorns there would be a way to destroy them if he looked hard enough...

Strife gave the stallion an oddly calm look. "Why should we help you of all creatures, Princey? Why shouldn't Allie and I go back home to our son? We did tell little Discord that we'd be back soon, and I guess if we just ignore this offer of yours it'll be like we were never gone at all."

He stared at them blankly. After the first few words he had zoned out. So these infernal creatures mentioned something about their home? Ugh. He must correct them, it seems.

"If you were to do your part and gather the others, you would be able to rid the world of many a pesky mortal, correct? With the toppling of civilization there will be plenty of chaos and suffering for generations to come. The lack of mortals will mean less resources will be used, and as the sole Alicorn who remains unbroken, We will permit you to access all these resources for your own benefit and torture all who remain, until We decide that the process is to be repeated."

The female draconequus sighed loudly. "As tempting as your offer is, Strife and I simply aren't sure we'd want to cause the entire world that much harm. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, just a rather merciless one, you know? And you god-horsies are kinda what keeps this dinky space marble from ending anyway, right? We'd have to skip town eventually if all the Alicorns were gone... even if they are boring stuffy-faces."

He flicked his tail in agitation. "We see."

Strife poked the prince's metal color with a webbed talon. "And who would follow a pretty prince with a locket anyway? You don't even have the silly mark equines get, yet you're a full grown stallion are you not?"

"We are," he said with a sneer, smacking Strife's webbed claw away from the amulet, not bothering to add that he was a demon now.

Achlys shrugged. "So what we're saying is-"

They both stopped and stared straight ahead, right at the prince like they were statues. Achlys' mouth was still open with the refusal she was about to deliver.

Their wide eyes were tinged with green, a familiar purple smoke accompanying this change.

"So what you are saying, Achlys, is that you both will come right back to this spot once you gather the last of the draconequui who will be fit to serve under Our command?"

The dark magic on his horn grew brighter as he made his new puppets nod. It had taken this long just to talk around things and pick their weak, uneducated minds! Once that was done, he wove a quick spell to contain some of his great demon's magic in their minds. His puppets had to stay puppets after all, but nopony ever said they couldn't be convincing puppets.

The prince watched as the draconequui took to the sky, flying to wherever the nearest of their kind lived, scattered and waiting to be his next victims.

After watching them go, he too flew away from the lonely sand dune a few days away from Marecca where they had decided to meet. At some point he'd have to tell Elinora that his 'diplomatic meeting' was a success.

It would probably be the last thing he told her.

Now that he had cast the spell, he was no longer Hasad, Crown Prince of Marecca, if he had ever been at all nor would he use a spell to keep up the appearance of the prince the prince anymore. He would have to refrain from using any kind of magic for just a little while longer since it was becoming harder to hide both the dark aura and the latest stripe of color to his regular one.

The last spark of magic, red, lime, and magenta died on his horn. He looked down at the barren landscape below, watching the silver of the disguise of prince's coat creeping over the new one and the glinting sand reflect in the amulet's diamond which was now ruby-red with the corruption of his magic.

In time that too disappeared, as everything else would.

Author's Note:

So that explains that...

Comments

[RoyalBardofCanterlot]

Ah, I see.The dark magic turns them into Demons. Hassad, you fool.