The Queen of Shadows

by megabyte97

First Strike

I look upon the white earth pony mare with a calculating gaze. I have many questions, but I can feel her troubled emotions. Something is wrong…

“Is there a problem, Starswirl?” I ask, crossing my arms.

Starswirl is silent for a moment, shuffling from hoof to hoof before looking me in the eyes, “...Yes my lady, we do have a problem.” I raise an eyebrow and gesture for the mare to continue. “There was an incident last night, a minotaur was found dead in this city. Normally that wouldn’t attract much attention, but the bull was obviously attacked, and the bull’s soul was found to be destroyed… Your Highness, this city is on lockdown, and a regiment of templars are doing a very thorough search of the city looking for demons and necromancers. Your Highness, we are surrounded.”

I frown. “If these ‘templars’ are looking for me then why are they not dead?”

“Because they have already killed most of your followers in the city, my lady.”

I raise an eyebrow again. “...Who are these ‘templars’ and what are their capabilities?”

“The Solar Templars, my lady. An organization founded several hundred years ago by Celestia for the single purpose of disposing of any demon or ‘unholy creature’ in Equestria... They have eliminated both the windigos and the hellhounds.”

‘That,’ I think as my face forms a scowl, ‘is not acceptable.’ Both the hellhounds and the windigos were my own creations. “How did they do this?”

“Their prefered method of attacking an enemy is the use of overwhelming force to drive their target into a kill zone.”

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. For a brief moment I consider just sidestepping this organization completely to make them look like fools, but now that I know what they have done in Celestia’s name… They will pay dearly for taking my assets.

“Starswirl.” The earth pony mare snaps to attention at the tone of my voice. “If any of my followers are still in the city, tell them to leave. Take the filly behind me and get out of the city as soon as possible.”

Starswirl looks hesitant for a moment before green flames wash over her form once again. The grey pegasus mare with the blond mane stares back at me for a second longer before going back and picking the wingless filly up with all the care of a mother. I step forward and open the door as her hands are full carrying the filly.

“Hide in the woods outside of town and do not come back for any reason.” Starswirl nods and walks out to the edge of the railing before opening her wings and shooting upwards until the duo is swallowed up by the darkness of the night.

I start down the metal staircase, summoning my magic in a way that I thought I would never do again. The gold crystal star fades into existence, floating an inch or so above my outstretched hand, and I grin in sadistic glee.

‘Time to teach the mortals a lesson!’

My hooves touch the pavement and I can immediately feel a spell trying to reveal me. I play along to the script that these templars have given me and reveal myself a moment before walking out of the alleyway into an open area.

The effect is almost instant, multiple loud cracks fill the air as magic teleports many individuals around me. I am completely surrounded by what could be generously called a small army of ponies from the three common tribes. The attackers immediately leap into action - the unicorns start throwing spells I have never felt before, the pegasi of the group rocket into the cool night air to claim several clouds overhead, and the multitude of earth ponies run at me in a dead sprint.

It takes two seconds for the closest spell to reach me, I sign their death sentence in one.

Power Lift

The crystal star activates and power floods my ethereal form, time seems to slow to a snail’s pace, and my magic feels like a raging dragon eager to be released and destroy everything in its path.

‘Not yet,’ I think. I have to give Starswirl enough time to escape, after all.

Casually strolling up to the nearest earth pony, I punch him hard in the chest and his sluggish movement stops completely. The next earth pony is carrying a sword in his right hand; grabbing his right arm at the wrist and elbow, I yank the wrist towards me, adding about an inch to his arm length before turning the lower arm completely backwards at the elbow and completing the second earth pony’s new stance by kicking both of his knees. The next pony is surprisingly a unicorn, which I simply hit in the back of the neck before moving onto the next pony.

So many exotic positions and ironic ways to cause death, unfortunately, I need some of them to remain alive for what I have planned. Shoving a sword down the throat of the earth pony wielding it, I finish off the spell by flying up and twisting the head off of one of the pegasi flying overhead, almost like the stem of an apple.

I glance around the street and notice that things seem to be speeding up, so I fly back down to the ground. Taking a final look around, I’m satisfied with my work. I take a deep breath and my perception returns to normal.

Screams fill the air as ponies cry out in agony, a symphony of pain that sounds beautiful to my ears. The music lasts for several seconds before it dies down and the survivors of my first strike are left gaping at the results. Others are coming out of their shelters to see what the commotion is before quickly ducking back inside for one reason or another.

I grin and summon my host’s pegasus magic, shaping the wind in such a way that everyone in the street can hear me whisper.

“...Do you want to know a secret?” I ask the survivors softly. “...I win in three moves.”

I can smell the shock and fear in the air turn to anger as the templars renew their attack. The pegasi overhead start shooting lightning at me and the remaining unicorns fire magic bolts towards me… It is now that I retaliate in kind.

Gathering my magic, the shadows grow deeper and the light from the surrounding buildings flickers. The street is jet black beneath our hooves. “One,” I whisper.

“Two,” I continue, before throwing my arms wide. Lightning and magic are blown away as I yank at one of the ethereal chains I thought I would never be able to reach again. The ground starts to shake as the light from the buildings dies away completely.

I grin with wide eyes as my magic swirls around me. I love the power I wield, and feeling my enemies’ despair in the moment they realize that there is no hope of winning against me. It’s delicious, the moment when hope dies. “Three,” I finish with a sadistic grin. Slamming my hands into the ground, the earth heaves as I open a door that shouldn’t be there and countless figures explode out.

The air grows thick with despair and the wind dies as more and more beings emerge. The ponies surrounding me are paralyzed with fear as my makeshift army takes to the skies and starts flooding the earth.

Spirits in tattered black robes fly between the buildings leaving frost behind wherever they go. Bones of various creatures burst from the dirt, forming into armored beings of shadow that burst into black flames and howl into the dead sky. Faceless spirits rise from the ground in chains, I can feel them straining against their bonds, they can feel what is going to happen and are eager to start.

Beings never seen before in Equestria or this world… My experiments bask in their freedom from the cage I placed them in. Shaping my magic, I exert my will upon them, and like dogs they jump to listen to my commands.

Looking out upon the countless figures my grin never fades as I spread my wings and rocket into the air before giving a single order, “Feed.”

I can feel my experiments’ happiness as they spring into action. The black burning figures start ramming themselves into buildings the walls toppling against the force behind them and grabbing the nearest sapient being. Ponies cry out in shock and pain as the black fire comes into contact with them and they are slowly consumed. The chained faceless spirits tail the black robed spirits as they fly after the templars who have started running...

The templars aren’t fast enough.

I can see the ponies as they are caught by the robed spirits and watch as they are held by the spirits almost like a lover before they pull back their hood. The unicorns and the pegasi who are caught try to scream, but they’re unable to as the spirits lock their mouths together. It takes only a few seconds, but once the robed figures are finished with a pony, the chained spirits come forward and disappear down the mouths of their robed brethrens’ prey.

The caught ponies turn and tackle those who haven’t been caught yet and start ripping off their clothes before the robed spirits catch up to them.

I smirk and fly off in the direction of the forest knowing that… no one will be walking away from the city that isn’t loyal to me.

‘I will take your lives apart piece by piece, Celestia and Luna. I will destroy your legacy and show you that there are fates far worse than death…’

Author's Note:

Whelp, that town is done for. I wonder how Equestria will handle a massive outbreak of demons and spirits.

Leave a comment down below if you want to show your appreciation for the story and help me find the motivation to write the next chapter!

Thank you for reading, and have a glorious day!

Comments

[Madara1442]

I Wonder if these Templars are actually Celestia's forces or are they just a cult who revere Celestia as a Goddess and vow to destroy anything that is Evil & against her rule.

Either way...All Hell will break loose once Celestia & The Shadow-Queen confront each other...

[mikecari]

Damn gettin' brutal.

Great chapter.

[Shadow of doubt]

Nice best to the continuous improvement to your story.

[Xyzpony]

Okay, that was a mix of brutal, terrifying, and epic.

I can't wait till the next chapter.

[Coy1010]

interesting. bit short though.
overall, good work.

[The Radiance]

Don't know why but the Queen's crown reminded me of the one in Child of Light

[DisplacedWriter]

Mega oof... coming back to this story now, Echo crossing over made no impact nor was he of any use to the Shadow Queen, plus the fact back then, I was less prepared for cross-overs and was new in doing them.