Darkness Returns

by BronyNathan

Angels and Demons

Woodwind and NightMare had been talking for hours. Well, she had been talking for hours. For one so dark, she seemed to have quite the soft spot for him. She talked about her plans for when Equestria was plummeted into eternal darkness, and how they would vanquish both Discord and Caltroth.
And how she wanted to spend her time with him.
"So," She continued. "What plans to you have for me?" She asked Woodwind flirtatiously as they lay in the grass.
He didn't say a thing, he just continued to stare at Canterlot. The lights of the castle glowing in the dusk.
"Oh the strong, silent type, are we? I like that." She said, with a hint of pleasure in her voice.
"Oh please-" Discord said, as he trotted over to the two. "When you two are finished making googly eyes at eachother, come join us. The portal is almost ready." Night Mare stood, smiling at Woodwind,
"Are you coming?" She asked offering a hoof to help him up.
He ignored the help, stood and strode off without a single word.

Squeak was left behind at the castle with her brother and sister. She was told it wasn't safe to go when Fluttershy came to say goodbye to them, despite Squeaks protest.
She didn't care what the grown ups said.
While there were guards outside the room, there were none outside the window.
"Ahah!" She said as the lock fell from window, She flew over to her siblings. "I'll be back soon, ok? I just have to help Mom and dad."
She kissed her brother and sister on the forehead and flew off into the distance.

The girls were now at the smoldering carnage that was once a forest. The glowing husks of trees and burnt carcasses of animals were everywhere. AppleJack, Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Rarity had the misfortune of walking through it to the path up the mountain.
"Oh this is just dreadful!" Rarity said, trying to shake the soot and ash off her hooves.
"I know. But which one of them do you think could have done this?" Rainbow Dash said, looking away as they passed a chard deer.
"It couldn't have been Woodwind." Fluttershy said, saddened by the scene. "He could never do this..."
Twilight brought in her analysis to the conversation, no matter how hard it was for them to hear it.
"Remember, we were all transformed into complete opposites of who we are. Woodwind and Luna are just as seceptable to Discords magic, too."
The girls gulped at the thought of a reversed Woodwind. Not only that, but Discord said he was a new Alicorn of darkness, a point that Rainbow Dash brought up quickly.
"So what did Discord mean when he said that he was transformed into an Alicorn? Is that even possible?"
Pinkie was wondering that, too.
"Yea, how can someone just change what they are like, poof?"
"Well-" Twilight said bringing up her constant studies, "I've read that since everypony has magic in them already, if someone with the power wanted to, they could give somepony the power to use theirs, even if they aren't adept to using it."
She sighed and frowned, looking at the scene before her.
"I think this could have been Woodwind who did this... He was probably testing his power."
The others gulped and hung their heads low.
Fluttershy began to silently cry to herself. How could he let his darkness get to him like that? Didn't he think about his home, his friends, his family?
Her?
She banished the thoughts away quickly and continued on, but knowing in the deepest depths of her heart that Woodwind was now a dangerous foe, and she'd have to do everything in her power to help her friends deal with him, no matter the cost. No matter how much she loved him, the safety of her family and friends always came first.
Love was beginning to fade...

Caltroth continued his chanting as the blood-red portal began to increase in brightness. NightMare stood with Woodwind, who still refused to talk, and Discord was snoring on his throne. For a creature of extraordinary power, he certainly never took anypony else's seriously.
A mistake he'd soon regret.
Woodwind had worked the plan over and over in his mind. While he could no longer wield the Element of Love, he figured his new powers would be enough to vanquish his foes.
But the darkness...
His soul was full of it. Every hateful feeling he ever had in his life; every doubt, sadness, and pain, all wrapping his soul like a cocoon. But it wasn't painful like he would have thought. It's feelings were the exact opposite.
Pleasurable.
It felt like his soul was in a constant state of climax. Every muscle quivering with the power Caltroth had so foolishly given him. It was easy to appear to give in, and apparently easier to get one of them on his side, although he hadn't done anything to convince her.
Had Luna really felt these feelings for him? Or was it NightMare feeling the power in him that made her quiver in ecstasy at his very presence?
He could never give her what she sought, despite her, "persuasive" advances on him.
But his time to strike was soon, the portal was nearly open, and he'd send Discord and Caltroth back into the depths of hell where they belonged.
The climb up the mountain was taking longer than Twilight would have hoped for. They had to be slow and quiet, which meant that their enemy had more time to achieve their goal.
"C'mon!" Rainbow yelled, getting more frustrated by the minute. "Let me just fly up there! I'll give em the ol' one two!" She said, swinging her front hooves in punching motions.
"Please, Rainbow," Rarity said, shaking disapprovingly at her barbaric behavior. "This requires a bit of restraint. We don't know what we're walking into."
Rainbow sighed "Can we at least walk a little faster?" she said folding her arms in frustration.
"Ok, fine." Twilight said beginning to trot faster. "Girls, lets move!"
They all began to run, and fly up the mountain, but still making sure to be as quiet as possible.
Squeak had reached the edge of the burnt forest. The smell of the decaying animals overwhelmed her, and she began to gag. "What the heck happened?" she asked herself, flying over the still red hot ground. Was it that monster who everypony was talking about? Or was it that other creature who came to them back at the castle?
She remembered what he said about her daddy and began to tear. What if her daddy did this? The one who spent every moment with her; playing zombie ponies in the yard, making her favorite snacks everyday. How could he hurt anypony like this?
A loud humming sound was coming from the top of the mountain, accompanied by a bright red light. Squeak couldn't even look at the top of the mountain it was so bright. But she knew thats where she had to be. Her daddy was up there and needed her. "Here I come daddy!" She said and zoomed for the top.
Twilight and the others hunkered down in the bushes a couple hundred feet from where Discord and Caltroth had set up shop. They saw Woodwind and Luna, too, but their appearances had changed drastically.
While the girls knew what NightMare Moon looked like, they had no idea what Woodwinds appearance would hold.
He stood a good six and a half feet tall; his wings now elegant and regal looking. A long tapering horn protruded from the top of his head, engulfed by light. The girls stood in awe at him. He was now a creature of terrible power, and they had to be prepared for anything. But they weren't prepared for what happened next.