The Villain: Total Eclipse

by Gear Spring

Chapter 5: The Setting Sun Part 1

Trees are pushed aside as if they were no more than pesky twigs in the path of the colossal creature as it marches through the Everfree Forest. Upon the back of the giant undead dragon is Thorn Eclipse, his hooves entwined by the violet tendrils that hold the skeletal body together. The pony appears to be lost in a deep sleep, his body cradled against the jetting spines. As another mighty oak comes crashing down to the forest floor, the behemoth stops in a clearing. Standing taller that he is a decrepit castle. Towers have been worn, either through age or battle it is not clear to see. When the dragon halts, its glowing sockets look downward to see an alicorn standing at the unguarded gates to the palace.

She is draped in shadow, her coat a luscious violet with a tinge of crimson. A colorful mane is sprinkled with starlight and appears to be caught in an invisible breeze flowing gently on the air. Golden armor garnishes her chest and head, allowing enough space for her horn to protrude through. Deep violet eyes with serpent slits gaze up at the hulking colossus.

“Princess,” she hears Thorn Eclipse’s voice resonate in her head.

“Whose there?” she stamps her hoof, not recognizing the voice.

“Oh Princess, forgive me for not showing myself sooner…”

As the sun hangs in the sky, the behemoth casts a long shadow that blankets Nightmare Cadence and most of the clearing. In the gray blanket, a black distortion rises into the three-dimensional plane. The alicorn takes a protective step back, but watches the object stretch into the shape of a unicorn. The shadowy pony opens its eyes, seeing that they are nothing more than glowing orbs of green. He steps toward her, and her horn becomes illuminated instantly. Despite the warning, the shadow stallion still approaches. Cadence aims the tip of her horn at him, firing a thin beam of magic.

It pierces the center of his head, and splits his ghastly form down the middle, stopping where his neck connects to the rest of his body. For a moment, she expects the body to crumple to the ground, but turns up her guard when the wounded head seemingly pulls itself back together. The shadow pony opens its eyes once more, completely unharmed by her attack.

“What is the meaning of this?” she scowls, her horn drenched in magic.

“Nothing more than an umbral projection,” Thorn speaks through the smoky form. “So you are the one that the Tantabus has taken for a host?”

“I am Nightmare Cadence,” she stamps her hoof and glares. “Now I ask you, who are you?”

“The little dragon that you foolishly followed,” he speaks confidently, “I am the greatest form he has ever taken. You may know me as Thorn Eclipse.”

She seems astonished, “Yes, yes I remember you…”

“Well, I shall be the one running our little Equestrian Rebellion,” he chuckles. “The little dragon has been stripped of all his power, and usurped. Now, if you continue to serve, I can give you the power that he promised.”

“Enough of these promises,” she shouts. “I am not foolish to take a promise like that.”

“Then, what if I showed you?”

Walking up to the nightmarish alicorn, Thorn laces the tip of his shadowy horn against her forehead, as a sickening green light pulsates from it. Cadence lets out a gasp, her heart beat quickens as she feels something hot rush through her entire body. The feeling lasts only a moment, but replacing it, she feels lighter on her hoofs.

“What is this feeling?”

“Power,” the umbral manages to form a smile with its dark body. “I have managed to unlock but a fraction of what the Tantabus is capable of.”

“This, this is only a fraction?”

“Tremendous, isn’t it?” he laughs. “No alicorn could muster such strength. Now, to have me unlock the rest, you will fulfil but one task.”

“Yes,” she says eagerly.

“Kill Shining Armor…”

The front doors to the palace burst open unexpectedly. Twilight Sparkle and her friends draw their attention from the crystal map to the white pony running inside. His blue mane flows against his back as the armor he dawns rattles as he runs across the carpet. Shining Armor reaches them, stopping with a skid.

“Twilight,” he gasps for air.

“Shining Armor?” she looks confused, “What are you doing here?”

“Celestia sent for me,” he says. “Is it true, did Cadence attack you?”

Twilight looks away from her brother, “She did, but I know it wasn’t her fault. Spike infected her with a creature known as the Tantabus. It’s to blame, not her.”

“Yes, I know,” he says, looking over his shoulder. “And that is another thing. I found this at the edge of the Everfree Forest.”

Clenching his teeth, a pink light encompasses his horn and a spot under his mane. Floating through the air is a small purple creature that is violently tossed onto the table. The baby dragon remains motionless, his scaly body scraped and bruised. One of the fins at the top of his head appears to be torn, bitten by a creature of the forest. All the ponies look down at the unconscious body, although a mixture of feelings are on their faces.

“Spike?” Twilight speaks up, “Is he?”

“His breathing is shallow,” Shining Armor says. “But he is still alive.”

“Well what do we do with him?” Apple Jack pokes the unconscious baby dragon.

“I say we toss him back outside,” Rainbow Dash glares at the body.

Fluttershy takes flight across the table, scooping him in her arms, “Rainbow, how could you even say that? No matter what he is still just a baby?”

“Yeah, a baby that tried to kill Discord,” Dash says with her hooves crossed. “Or did you forget about that?”

“I, well,” she looks down at him in her hooves, “I know Discord would forgive Spike. So I think we ought to at least see him better.”

“Fluttershy is right,” Twilight says firmly. “I want to see him properly punished for his crimes. Leaving him for dead is not the way we do things.”

“I agree with Twilight,” Shining Armor also adds. “Besides, he may know of a way to undo what he did to my wife.”

Twilight gives her brother a slight smile, but then turns to yellow Pegasus, “Fluttershy, please take him to my bedroom. His bed is still there, so you may put him there.”

“Hold on darling,” Rarity interjects, “Princess Celestia is resting in there. Isn’t that a touch dangerous?”

“No, because Fluttershy will be keeping an eye on him.”

She nods and smiles to her princess friend. Holding the dragon in her arms, Fluttershy beats her wings to float above the others, carrying her to another door and into the hallway. She disappears from the sight of the others.

At the edge of Ponyville, where it meets the border of the Everfree Forest, the trees are knocked over as a gargantuan dragon emerges. At its side is a vicious alicorn, gently floating above the tree tops and out of the way of its destructive path. She glances to the spine of the great behemoth, seeing Thorn still lost in a trance. Darkness has encased his body as if it were a chrysalis.

“I will wait here,” Thorn says, taking on the form of a shadow pony once more. “You two shall fulfill your duties to me. Stop at nothing.”

“What about Twilight and her friends?” Nightmare Cadence cringes at the thought. “They possess the Magic of Harmony. I am afraid not even my newfound strength will be enough.”

Answering her is a fit of laughter so haunting it even makes her quiver. From the chrysalis, darkness sprouts like a blooming bud, spreading over the body of the skeletal beast. The tendrils seep up the black, gorging the power of shadows and expanding over the bone. Bones become covered in muscles and tendons, and they with a layer of scales as dark as night. Thorn disappears from the body of the dragon, sinking into the body as if the darkness were an ocean of power. As the colossus is engorged with the might of shadows, its eyes become a blazing emerald, like two flames lingering in its sockets. The armored scales completely cover its body. Leathery wings expand outwards, demolishing more of the forest. The newly formed Shadow Behemoth lets out a mighty roar. Its cry sends waves of energy to wash over the land, leveling everything that stands before it.

I am not afraid of the power of Harmony, Thorn’s voice thunders. The power of the dragon, MY power is beyond anything those ponies can muster. I will crush every single thing Twilight holds dear. I will take the power of the Sun. And there is NOTHING that will stand in my way!

Author's Note:

Comments

[Dark Colt Sabata]

I liked it better when Spike was the villain, not a dumb mirror pool clone that took everything cool he had. Disappointed now.

[Draconicus the Reaper]

If spike is just going to be sent to jail after all this then I'm going to be really disappointed