Ouch...just...ouch...this was agony and in a good way for the readers.

8127086

Reload.

I wonder if Celestia or Luna were equally aware of the psychic echo that occurred?

8127090

Why do you think they were screaming inside of his head? Cadance too.

I guess cadence will have a fun time rebuilding dim

The final shaving is carved away from the wooden form.

8127094
Are the three alicorns temporarily out of commission from the psyonic damage?

8127103

That would be telling, wouldn't it?

VERY Dark chapter a little surprised Celestia and Luna hadn't taken down the House of Dark sooner.
Maybe they haven't called attention to themselves till Dim went out and about as a Wizard for Hire

8127108

There have been champions from this house in the past. Luna's distant offspring are powerful and dangerous. Their strength was needed.

8127098 Once she recovers and gets herself some counseling...this was just...ouch. One simply does not withdraw from something like that and say, "Okay, who wants the first hug?"

8127105
It is a spoiler? Then that means they want to run interference against Dim's predicted suicide attempt, but may or may not be able to.

Then again, the diethylamide lysergic acid is still in full affect, so it might be easier to run interference than assuming that a psychic headache is messing up any attempts at long range teleporting.

i think i word salad that last paragraph.

8127105

Was Darling beyond saving because her destiny was cutiemarked-fixed?

8127119 more like hug attacks as she tries to balance again

8127125

No.

She sold her soul for power.

The rightful owners came to claim it when she expired. Pale was just the middlepony, facilitating a final transaction.

8127143

I thought that was Lima's job. Isn't Pale's duty to be the Guardian of the Afterlife instead ?

8127154

This soul was already owned, claimed by outside parties. Lima could not collect.

I thought that much was obvious.

8127158

Forgive me, the details of the afterlife in the Weedverse are unknown to me. Where can I read about them?

8127171

You just did.

Lima could not collect, and others did. It really is that simple.

8127140
8127119 Doubt if Cadance's power of love could handle overriding the geas staying Dim's hoof in killing his sister, probably why it fell to the sisters.

8127174

I refered to the Afterlife itself: Heaven, Hell, Reaincarnation, etc... or whatever ponies and others have.
Besides details like the existence of a demon plane, or Pebble pulling an Orpheus for Sumac, I don't know how things really work.

8127218

Oh, nobody does. That's intentional.

It appears Darling did not take into account that Dim was being traced. And boosted.

Then again, she didn't know.

8127125 This is pretty much a common sub-plot on this verse. See Masks and Flicker´s problems with his ever changing cutie mark, for example.

My heart is pounding in my chest!

This was one hell of a good chapter.

Yup, i myself was sad that Darling had to die, damn preasent always being so bleak compared to the blissfully ignorant past.

Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing left to add—but when there is nothing left to take away.

Oooh. I like that one. No need to add strength, just take away weakness.

Dim's stronger than I thought if he was to pull of a Wail of the Banshee

8127175 Was thinking more of Candace's personal balance after dealing with so much darkness

The only thoughts I had while reading this are that Dim does not see hunting down the remaining Darks as revenge, but rather, how do I put this, a penance for his families history. Does this stem from his love of the old stories of knights. Does he see this as his duty or his redemption. Or does he believe he is beyond redemption?

Oh hey, is that the Tragedy tag, sneaking up on us like a runaway train on fire?

8127809

By technicality, the 'Tragedy' tag does apply here, doesn't it?

All true power has a price Darling, when one deals with forces older, and more primal than the very species you hail from, and are nearly as old as the world itself, there is nothing you can give that will make having that power an equal trade.

As such you are now nothing. Less than nothing. You are COLLATERAL....

Goodness! This was an incredible chapter. Thanks for sharing.

I've read through the Grittish Iles arc in 'The Chase,' I've read some of the darker aspects I your writing, but in the end, this chapter still managed to hurt the void that is [was] my heart (how the hell does one harm a void, anyway?) I admire and envy your talent at writing, kudzu, since now I'm gonna cry myself to sleep and possibly have a Dark (haha, get it?) dream over this chapter; such is the price of an empath...

Hmmmm.... There is light and chaos, harmony and darkness. but it feels as if the forces the Darks have tapped into is something either. Something that refuses to be part of any balance and profanes and poisons all the others if it can

8127809

Having to kill his own sister, the only being in the world Dim had ever loved /lusted, is not tragic enough for you?

8127622 and that to.

8128163
That's what I was referring to.

Up to this point, this could in theory have gone, maybe not well, but something near it. At the end, when she offered to come with him instead. They could have helped redeem each other, sort of. In a weird, incesto-romantic way. But nope. Fate is not that kind to Dim. As a bonus, she sold her soul, so they're probably not ever going to meet again in any sort of afterlife, either.

As stated by the author: This is a story about losing until there's nothing left to lose.

8128344

I would like to point out a fundamental difference between Dim and his family/sister.

Darling (and the others) exchanged their souls for power. It was a willing, voluntary trade. The utter lack of concern for their souls just goes to show their arrogance and entitlement. They believe that power is something they are owed.

Meanwhile, Dim is out actually working. He's been learning magic the hard way. He's also trying to unravel the mysteries of the standing stones and the strange magic they possess. Every bit of new power he's gained since leaving home has been hard won, hard fought, and it has been an increase in power that he's earned. Dim is consumed by a lust for power, as many are, but he is willing to do the work required to get it. It is one of the few bright, shining features of his character.

Dim actively worries about the state of his soul, which is the reason that the sisters believe he can be redeemed.

8128664

It was mentioned.

I'm guessing Dim was the other champion of Cadence, the one who was mentioned in Mask makes the Pony. (Or maybe I'm just completely wrong.)

8131469

He's closer to home.

8131472
Well damn, I guess I'm just going to have to wait and see who it is.

8131477

I thought it was obvious.

8131481
The only other pony I can think of is Shining, but I'm not sure about what "Amazing things" he's done in his life.

Your little temper tantrum triggered Desire’s transmogrification into lichdom early, before she was ready to hide it.

Now that is several sorts of disturbing in terms of what it implies about the normal careers of members of the Dark Family!

"Castle Midnight is a lovely place, Dim ..."

Would this be the same "Castle Midnight" that Tirek once held?

I figured the family would come calling and I was right. Now we have an antagonist with new pain. And new pain means new character growth. Well, we now know his (current) goal: the destruction of the Dark clan. Should be a fun, happy ride!