Option 2

by James Fire

Some Explanations

Moving through the castle quickly, we still mysteriously encounter no resistance. Not one single guard, not even a cleaning lady. Cadance takes note of this and seems very worried, and angry.

"What has he done with all of my people?"

Celestia speaks with a grim tone. "He has probably conscripted them all into an army, just like he did last time."

I feel the situation is more dire. "There are a few spells that he could be doing that would require a sacrifice. Last time I fought them, they were collecting sacrifices to open a portal to Hell." Everyone else, even Discord, is shocked.

"Sacrifices?" They all echo each other, making it sound creepy and ominous.

"That is what I said. With the Element of Dark Magic, he will be able to direct and control enough mana to tear a hole in the fabric of reality big enough to get an army through. He won't need your ponies, or at least, not for soldiers. I am hoping we can interrupt that process, because closing one of those dimensional portals is not easy."

Celestia still can't believe it, and I don't think anyone else does either. "But live sacrifices? I have seen-and used-a few spells that require blood or some such. I just ask the hospital ponies for some, and they collect some."

Twilight looks incredulous at this. "But, you said those spells were off-limits for being 'too dangerous'."

"They are dangerous. They specifically require blood, and it has to be relatively fresh. I didn't let you in there because I knew you would find a way to get the blood needed 'for science'."

Now we are going off on a tangent, but I believe that I need some clarification. "Why are you all surprised at the sacrifices bit? What kind of society doesn't have violence and greed? Let alone an entire world."

Celestia is actually kind of surprised at my questioning. "What do you mean? The level of harmony present here is not elsewhere?"

"Of course not. I grew up in a world where it was mostly every family line for themselves, and even then, sometimes families fought each other. The next society I encountered, the groups were bigger, but the basic principle was the same. Then it kept going from there. Even after I left that world, I still found cultures that valued personal wealth over being friendly with your neighbours.

"There was even this one time, I found a new society, and decided to remain hopeful. I went to their homeworld as an ambassador. They imprisoned me for years. Tortured and starved for most of that time, I might not have survived if it wasn't for my competent administration at the time. They rescued me, but not after I had suffered more than I thought possible. The species that imprisoned me found out that not only was I very durable, but I also healed fairly quickly, thanks to all the spells I had placed on myself permanently.

"I stopped believing in an inherently good society then. And until you can prove to me that yours values friends and harmony over material things, I will stick to that belief. Even with my benevolent rule, my own country still suffers from these very things. I know that with time, I can form the society I want and believe to be possible, but none start that way."

The others are surprised, and inquire, almost as one, "What do you value?" At this point, I stop galloping. I do not expect myself to survive the coming battle, and just in case I can't find my way back here, they deserve to know.

"I wish I could make a culture that values friends and harmony. In my current one, there are some that do, but most want as much for themselves as possible. While in pursuit of this goal, I have done horrendous things. Things that even the great lord of Hell dares not speak of, all in the hope that I could make an inherently good society. I have cast a spell on someone, knowing it will put them through a lifetime of pain in just a few moments.

"I have ordered many tortured for information, and then broke my promise of freedom, because they would have been a threat to my ideal. I have killed children, I have killed fully grown men, I have killed women too. Sometimes I have killed men's wives, sometimes the other way around. I have even done the one thing just about everyone else has sworn not to do. I ripped a living, thinking person's life force out of them. I will not enlighten you of how much that hurts, nor how I know.

"Overall, I believe I have had a positive effect on the world, throughout all my lives, and I believe I will continue to have a positive effect through the rest of my lives. I continue in these worlds, not because I want to, but because I must. I have a goal, a destiny, if you will. I was given this choice 3000 years ago, and I chose this. I have suffered more than anyone.

"Can you imagine, seeing your loved ones die, and you can do nothing? I tried to do everything I could think of. Some things worked better than others. Once, I was able to replicate the same resurrection spell that is on me. It worked once. I could not find her after she was resurrected. I have done that, many times over. I have inflicted that on others a few times as well.

"I do this, not because I want to, but because I should, and because I must. Even if it means that I must make a living sacrifice, or even sacrifice myself to get it done. Sacrificing myself is not as bad as sacrificing someone else, because I reincarnate. I have seen my parents die multiple times. I have heard the news. I know of every way to be informed that they are dead. I know too much, and yet my destiny is still a long time coming. I will have quite a few more lifetimes before I complete my destiny. I may outlive all of you. While I dearly hope that is not the case, it could happen.

"Now, I am going to stop Sombra. Is anyone going to help the monster kill the monster?"

Everyone, Twilight especially, is just shocked. I think I may have just disillusioned her to my true nature. Celestia's normally stoic facade has cracked. Discord is not joking around.

Celestia speaks to me. "I... I had no idea. I truly am sorry for all you have been through, but as far as I have known you, you have only tried to help. You are only trying to help foster understanding between us, and to solve the problem you indirectly caused. Not many would do that. I have a newfound respect for you, even if you have done more than all our villains put together. Despite that, you have also done more than all our heroes put together." She bows to me. "I would follow you anywhere, anytime."

The others follow suit, with not a single remark out of Discord. Twilight, however, has some questions. "You have had so much time to gather knowledge! Could you share it with me? Like how you lived so long? And, how do you live with what you have done?"

Sigh, "You deserve to know something at least. I have a feeling I might not survive this encounter. My accumulated knowledge is great, and I would share it with you, but we don't have the time. I can, however, say that it is not easy to live with all that I have done. I mostly cope by telling myself that it was for the greater good, but I still have nightmares."

"We should go. I don't want to arrive just in time for the first sacrifice. I want to arrive in time to stop it."

Comments

[Boulder]

Now a single guard, not even a cleaning lady.

Not one
Feels like a good direction so far.

[James Fire]

8150905
Fixed!

I take it you like the reveal of more of Aurthur's history?

[Boulder]

>> James Fire Yes, a little more insight to his past. A good point that's overlooked about Equestria that most worlds are not so harmonious.