My Little Ponys' The Count of Monte Cristo

by kahnac

False Friendships, and Sinister plots

“GOOD MOOOOOORNIN’, NETHERLAND!” Shouted Guild Caderousse into a megaphone.

“GOOD MORNING, MONSIEUR GUILD!” shouted to Guild in response.

And after bowing in appreciation, he at last speaks. “Pull down the drawbridges, me hearties!” After they all laugh at his remark, he says, “Cause here he is! The great raging hammer! The Red Beast of Doom! The Cunning Flame-Sword! And the Brave Batterin’ Ram of Might!” All while the Gargoyles, and Minotaurs all cheered in excitement for such a stunning ovation, both Sombra, and that mysterious Gargoyle, refrained from joining in the applause. They just watched in silence, and waited. “A gent who’s so deep, he’s almost unfathomable.” This comparison was actually lost on the soldiers, who were confused about what it meant. Guild remembered that they were all idiots, and with an eye-roll reiterated himself. “A Centaur SO QUICK: he’s even fast asleep!”

This finally earned an amused reaction from the crowds that satisfied the griffon. “Thank you, thank you! Now, everyone, let’s get together, and give ‘im a VERY big hand - cause, y’know, he’s only got one.” Another round of laughter, and Guild was halfway up the stairs, when he stretched his arms straight left, and right, and began his amazing presentation.

“I GIVE YOU, THE IRON-HANDED IMMORTAL: LORD TIREK DANGLARS!”

The soldiers began chanting Tirek’s name in a rhythmic “Ti-rek! Ti-rek!”. No less than a few seconds later, the doors directly behind the throne of the castle opened, and out stepped the crimson centaur, in his navy blue armor, and black and red cape. And true to the rumors, his right arm was not all there. Instead, the front arm and hand had been completely replaced by an imposing, 3-fingered metal claw. The darkest indigo, with a single, red, orb-shaped base inbetween, which resembled an eye of sorts. And it never stopped glowing. Both “hands” were beginning to tilt side-to-side, back and forth in sync with his men’s chanting. He always enjoyed hearing such enthusiastic praise from his own forces - even if they had to do it, anyway, to satiate his ego and keep themselves alive. “See how greatly the men favor you, sir?”

“The pealing spawn. How I despise them.”

“Go get ‘em, Captain!”

“Yes!” Tirek exclaimed happily, still enjoying sailor analogies, even now. The chant by now had grown much more intense, speeding up and increasing in volume. But that soon ended when Lord Tirek raised up his limbs to urge their silence while saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Once they were finished, he continued. “Well, my putrid, insignificant, unholy, parasitic sacks of entrails,” he began, letting the crowd laugh in amusement at their own expense. “The time is nigh.” Cheers sounded all around from the troops. “The preparations are almost complete for the project, and i’ve spoken with the Princesses. They have agreed to allow me to host a Grand Ball in honor of Empress Moon’s defeat. Heheheh. I’ve even taken the liberty of inviting the other leaders of the nations for this occasion. In precisely seven days, the most prominent leaders of Equestria shall be gathered in one place - and then revenge is mine.”

Another cheer for their master, and one shouts, “Long live Lord Tirek!”

“And by the end of this week, i’ll end up as more than just a lord - i’ll literally be King of all Equestria.”

While all the other forces were busy chancting, and praising their leader’s ambitiousness, the lone gargoyle was looking on in abject shock. “Oh, man!” he whispered. “He’s planning a coup’!” And after a few minutes of basking in his men’s adoration, and praise, Tirek proclaimed, “Finally, i’m going to get even with the ponies of Equestria, who saw our kind as nothing but outside fodder, and kept us confined to the outskirts of their paradise!” All roared in angered agreement. “Yet who subverted their efforts to make us outcasts?”

“Tirek!”

“Who deceived them time and again?”

“Tirek!”

“Who rose up through the ranks of their famed military?”

“Tirek!”

“Who rose our kind up to the highest standard, and claimed one of the greatest nations of the world as his own?”

“Tirek!”

“Who manipulated every last instance of the last twenty years to prepare for the deposition of a system of weak, and insignificant rulers?”

“Tirek!”

“.......And yet who didn’t believe I could do it?” he asked in a regular, but angered volume. His eyes were now narrowed, and he seemed to act rather hostile as he began to scan the crowd in front of him. “Who doubted me? Who amongst us does not belong?........someone here does not belong. Stranger amongst the loyal: I weed you out.” The other gargoyles, and minotaurs, and the late-arriving small dragons in their regime, only looked at each other in confusion. Yet our gargoyle was beginning to grow nervous of the suspicion. But finally, Tirek pointed his claw forward, after he found his intended target. “You!” he exclaimed. Noone knew who he meant, and were pointing at themselves in questioning. He either didn’t notice, or didn’t care. Because with a snarl, he repeated, “You. Yes.” He was about to walk down the stairs leading down his throne, until he took a single step, and looked down. He took a step back, sighed, and asked, “Where is the carpet, Guild?”

“Oh! Sorry, sir!” Guild then kicked the floor twice, and a red velvet rug slid down the stairs. Feeling satisfied, Tirek finally made his way down the stairs, and began walking past his minions. “You! You. That’s right, you. No, not you. Not you. YOU.” He said to a pair in the back of the room: one being our Gargoyle, the other an unappealingly fat, lime-green dragon with small wings and row of 3 purple spikes on his head. Each pointed to themselves, then each other in questioning. “You.” Tirek said one last time, before looming over his all too obvious target: the dragon. “You. You bet against me convincing the princesses to set up this event, didn’t you, Sludge?”

“N-no.” The short dragon denied nervously. Tirek just exclaimed in light disappointment, and then said, “Tell your Lord the truth.” Unfortunately for him, Sludge knew there was no point lying to someone like Tirek. He was WAY too smart for a dragon like him. And probably knowing what was going to happen next, he began to actually cry in a rather un-dragon-like manner. “Aw, say it.” Tirek said in mock sympathy. “Say it.” And sludge admitted to it. “Yes, you made a boo-boo.” Sludge agreed once again, with Tirek nodding in acceptance. He then turned to a Minotaur, and Gargoyle and said, “The Boo-Box.”

“Not that!” Sludge exclaimed in fear, and began begging and pleading to Tirek for mercy. But despite all his cries, he was still carried off, as Tirek watched with glee, to another part of the room where he was shoved into a large chest, and locked inside. A latch was opened on the top, while the deadliest breed of centipedes were dropped inside. All the while, and during the horrified screams in the box, the hencmen outside continuously went “BOO” to the victimized dragon inside. All of them taking pleasure in his torture.

“Ah, thank the dark that’s taken care of.” Tirek sighed in relief. “And now that it is.......Sombra? I believe you have business to discuss with me?” he asked, turning to where the black unicorn was standing. Finally being addressed, he stood straight, and replied with a “yes”. “Very well, then. Come over here, and we will discuss it.” Tirek then led Sombra to the front steps of his throne, towering above the crowd for all to see. Sombra actually wasn’t please about something. “Isn’t there an office, or somewhere we could discuss our business more privately? I’d rather not talk with so many heads looming over me.”

“There’s no need to be worried, Mondego.” Tirek said pleasantly. “While they may all be my servants, we are ALL friends in this place. Just as the princesses endlessly preach: friendship is magic. Rest assured none of them will ever leave this room with anything they hear - unless I bid them otherwise.” he said threateningly.

“Mmhm. And are you actually sure I won’t tell anyone what i’ve seen and heard?”

Tirek chuckled. “Not unless you also wish to be exposed for your own crimes - aside from your role in the “unfortunate” fate of Shining Dantes’.” All the others laughed aloud, making Sombra a bit uncomfortable. “Fair enough.” he sighed. “I have an issue of importance regarding my personal business I want to discuss with you. To be more specific: i’m collecting a debt you owe me, Danglars.” Tirek’s smile went away, and he was looking at Sombra with a near incredulous. “What in all the world are you blathering on about? I owe you no debt, nor will I ever do such!”

Now it was Sombra’s turn to smile. “Actually, I think you do.....unless you forgot i’m the actual reason you even sit on that throne.” Tirek growled a bit as his eyes narrowed. “Don’t even THINK of presuming you can the Devil’s Advocate with me, Mondego! We settled our engagement ages ago with that affair. The assassination was the price for my collaboration with you against Dantes in the first place!” Hearing this open declaration made the black gargoyle growl in anger, because of how open he was about betraying his master - and that everyone else in the room was on his side. He quelled his anger as Somba spoke up. “Actually, that’s what I let you think. As I recall: you came to ME and we both worked with Villefort to put Shining away. In short, it was a collaboration we ALL took part in - even Guild over there.” The Griffon huffed in indignation. “The only other reasons I ever had for helping you was to keep you quiet.....and so you’d owe me later on for my aid, thinking I was paying you back. Now, it’s time for you to come through for your friend. Didn’t you say all of us were friends in this place?”

While the minions all looked absolutely shocked by the unicorn’s boldness, and grew fearful of their master’s possible fury, Tirek was anything but furious. His grimace seemed to leave his face, and he was now laughing boisterously for a few moments. “I always forget how cheeky you are, Sombra.” Tirek sighed, getting control over his feelings. “I still admire that in you. Alright, now: what is this issue that has you knocking at my door today, after all the effort you put in distancing yourself from me?”

“.......financial issues.” Sombra grumbled, before speaking more clearly. “An important shipment i was supposed to have made has lost financial support. All of the banks in the city seem to have cut me off, and now I can no longer hold onto the ship I have. And without that shipment.........well, you know.”

“I see.” Tirek said thoughtfully. “So great is the threat of bankruptcy that you come to the home of the modern day devil, himself.” Tirek chuckled, before clearing his throat. “Just something the Parisians call me, which I find amusing.” He then strokes his beard. “Well....I see no issue in allowing you to use MY shipping firm. Anything to maintain our mutual friendship.” Sombra himself couldn’t help but grimace at the way Tirek said that word. “Indeed. So.....will it be you who helps me with the arrangements, or-?”

“Caderousse will be more than willing to help you with the needed paperwork, I assure you. Isn’t that right, feather brain?”

“Uh, y-yes! Yes, of course, m’lord.” Guild stuttered, before flying down beside Sombra, looking up to Tirek as he shot down a spell to open up a portal to a different location. “This will take you directly to my shipping firm....in our old home, Mareseilles.”

Sombra hummed to himself, as a semi-nostalgic expression crossed his face. “Home, eh? Funny. I haven’t called that place home in ages. So many memories........” he whispered at the end.

“Pleasure doing business with you, my dear Mondego.” Tirek said in a casual tone. “Hopefully, we can do some more in the future.” Sombra said nothing else, and walked through the portal. Guild right behind him, as the portal closed. Once they were gone, Tirek’s pleased expression fell, and he looked mightily irritated. “God of Darkness, give me strength.” He rubbed his face, and then dismissed his court. Sending all of his forces back out into the city - save for Grimmwing. “Come walk with me, old friend.” He rose out of his throne, turning around to the huge doors behind it. “It’s time for another inspection of our project.”

“And ensure that meek, inconsistent philosopher is keeping up with his duties?”

“Oh, yes.” Tirek grinned, passing through the open doors, with Grimmwing directly behind. “Now let’s REALLY ruin someponies day.” The doors closed immediately after. Unbeknownst to either of the two, the last to leave was the black gargoyle, who cast a final glance at the way the pair went before exiting the castle. Once past the gates, he went to a nearby alley, far from the eyes of passing creatures. And once there, Pharynx finally shed his disguise, and took on his true form. “I gotta hurry!” he said in a tense tone. “Zatarra has to know about this.” And took off to the Monte Cristo estate.

Hopeful his master would know what to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somewhere, in the darkest depths of Midnight Castle, there lies a secret, underground cavern. Ancient. Enormous. Not a speck of light to be found anywhere. It was a dominion of darkness. And it was exactly the location Tirek had sought to fulfill his goals. After taking control of Prance, he began abducting random ponies, and other creatures for manual labor in reconstructing this cavern into an underground factory of some kind. Day, and night all of them toiled underground. Not because they were actually needed.

But because it amused Tirek to watch all of them slave away in the darkness.

All of them knew of the red stones that gave him immense power - and the ability to create anything he wanted. That was how he built his Midnight Castle, under the pretense of it being made via a new construction spell. Everyone believed it, and noone down here could ever tell another soul so long as they remain prisoners. And there plenty of Gargoyles to hold them down here. Yet not just Gargoyles: Minotaurs, Dragons, Griffon Mercenaries, and even Changeling Rogues all supervised the operations, and made sure every creature worked plenty hard. Tirek walked along the catwalks leading to another part of the cavern: a large cavern on the far side. And inside, it was an unearthly sight. Pillar-shaped glass tubes reaching to the ceiling were filled to the brim with liquids - and the same red stones Tirek possessed swimming in them, seemingly acting as a power source. Near the center of the room was a large mystic circle, with six items placed in a smaller circle in the ring of the glowing sigil. Each one was covered in a sphere of blue magic, that was firing beams of the same magic into a much larger orb the size of medium boulder. And in front of it was a thing few creatures in equestria have ever seen before: technology. Some manner of machine with tubes, and wires hooked into it was in the process of continued construction. All of these things were hooked up to a thing made of copper, but made in the shape of an unknown sigil. One in the same shape as an old, worn symbol found in the caverns that had been used for study.

And there, standing in front of a mechanical terminal station was an orange-coated unicorn who hadn’t been seen in years. Not since the Final Clash with the Lunar Empire. And Sunburst himself looked somewhat worse for wear in his time as a captive. His cape was filthy, and now pretty much a rag. His mane was a dirty mess, and his fur was matted. Even his glasses were mildly cracked from mistreatment. Right now, he was doing a maintenance check on the machinery, to make sure everything was alright. Afterward, he went over to the main machine, which he took out a tome for another part of the development process. This time, he was working on the symbols which filled in the six symbols in the ring of the massive, metal construct. After a quick read-through, he ignited his horn, and made the marks shift into a new set which seemed part of the sequence. Once they were in place, he went to the control panel, and performed a test run. For this, he placed one of the red stones in the center of the flat surface to act as the power source. Buttons were pressed, and switches were flipped. And in moments, the machine was active. After allowing it to charge, Sunburst charged his horn, and fired a spell into the stone for what the experiment was intended for. The stone’s energy ignited, and merged with the energies powering the device. The symbol glowed, and soon ignited into a large, burning, rift-like portal. After a while of concerned waiting, Sunburst could see there were no issues with the machine. And soon, he saw a clear image of the destination he chose for the experiment: Hayseed Swamp. A random destination, but only intended for the test. All that was left was to toss something through, and see if everything he’d done was coming to completion. He chose a simple ball he’d kept next to the toy he built for Starlight Glimmer on the day of his kidnapping. Turning back to it, Sunburst quickly threw the ball into the rift to finalize the test.

To his dismay, the ball passed through without any altercations.

While he always enjoyed completed a new spell-related project, due to his adventurous desire to test his endless potential for magic spells - especially in portal magic. Now, however, he was absolutely broken, knowing his own work was soon to be used to undo the peaceful days of Equestria. All he wanted was to help everypony, and everycreature: instead he would be made to harm them through his greatest purpose in life. Worse still, he heard the clapping of an all-too familiar metal hand, and glove. And soon saw Tirek standing behind him . He already had one of those infernal cigars of his in a holder, sticking out of his mouth, before a puff of smoke blew into his face, and the centaur spoke. “Excellent, and stupendous, my dear little unicorn scholar! It appears all of your hard work has already begun to pay off. How proud you must be.”

Sunburst sighed sadly. “Not sure that’s how i’d describe my feelings right now.” he mumbled to himself.

“Just think of all that we can accomplish with this device.” Tirek inquired, as he stood next to the smaller pony. “With this great, mighty Dimensional Gate, we will be able to bring the greatest power in all of existence to our world: The Darkness, itself. The world will be cleansed in its incredible fury, and only those most faithful will be given the chance to rule over the world that comes after.” He then smiled. “All that remains is to craft the strongest Daemon Stone we’ve ever had in order to power the dimensional breach.”

Sunburst looked up to him with dread. “You’re really going through with it, aren’t you?”

Tirek glanced at him from the side. “Of course. The world has had its fill of the weak rulers that infest it. With the souls of the Leaders of Equestria - especially the Alicorns - the stone we make will have more than enough power to tear open the wall between our worlds, and allow the Darkness to come through.” He then cast a threatening gaze upon the small unicorn. “Unless you missed a small detail that ends up bringing yet ANOTHER unholy abomination of a beast into our world, like you did six years ago.” Then he brought up his right arm, and gazed on his claw. “Though at least I had THIS come out of that ordeal, so it wasn’t a complete catastrophe.”

“Oh!” Sunburst nervously chuckled. “T-that’s good. Then my accident did you a favor, Lord Tirek.”

“.........a favor?” He then slowly walked towards Sunburst, forcing him backwards to keep distance from the menacing fiend. “In case I didn’t make it clear, your failure summoned a Demon of Shadow and Flame, that ate my arm before we drove it away. The beast loved it so much, it’s been hunting me ever since - licking its chomps for the rest of me. YOU CALL THAT A FAVOR!?!?”

“No! No, of course not!” Sunburst exclaimed in the face of Tirek’s curved blade in his face. Luckily for him, all Tirek did with it was readjust his glasses, and slide them back up his muzzle. “T-t-thank you.”

“Thank all that is evil the beast also consumed a time spell. If it wasn’t for all the ticking the spell put in that thing, it would’ve had me by now.” he then sighed before reclaiming his much more enthusiastic demeanor. “But i’m willing to let it slide, knowing how much of an accomplishment you’ve become since then. Now, very soon, the world shall be free of its incompetent, blundering idiots who profess to be its rulers - and I alone will step in to take control, and lead Equestria into a new golden age! Quite the ingenious plan, wouldn’t you say?” He then pinched Sunburst’s cheek as though he were a kid. “And I know you’re just proud to be a part of it.”

After being released, Sunburst began letting his emotions on the matter run rampant. “How-how could I be?” he exclaimed. “This whole entire plan, is-......i-i-it’s evil. Monstrous! It’s bad enough you’ve been killing innocent lives to make those evil stones of yours - but what you’re planning is nothing short of genocide! That’s not what I intended any of my portal spells for! It’s a twisted deformity of everything i’ve worked, and I hate it.” He said in a cracking voice. Unfortunately, Tirek seemed disinterested. And instead, transmuted his claw into a four-fingered hand that had all five stones on the back of his hand. “An emotional response, as expected. But as ever, it only proves why your kind needs to vanish. Either way, we will have our grand device ready by the anniversary day, won’t we? You know what will happen if you........fail.” he threatened, making the stones spark.

Sunburst, however, finally seemed to have enough of all of the terrible things he’d endured, and snapped. “I DON’T CARE!” He then let loose a manic levitation spell which began tossing all manner of items, and rocks around the room. Some shattered two of the tube-pillars, others tore off some of the wires, and tubes - a cup barely missing Tirek’s head,, and the others barely able to evade the tossing rubble. This got the desired result for Sunburst: the Portal Machine began to spark, and sizzle, and short-circuit until some of it came apart. The whole thing was an absolute wreck, and no longer functional. A stray splotch of oil hit an annoyed Tirek’s armor, which he cleaned up as Sunburst continued his rebellious outburst. “Four years! Four years i’ve been forced to help make this...Doomsday device of yours! Well I won’t stand for it, you hear me?! Do whatever you want with me: but i’m not going to be a part of this...this EVIL anymore!”

An annoyed huff of smoke was released, before he decided to put the pony back in his place the best, and only way he knew worked best. “Alright, then. If that’s your decision, then I accept it. Up until now, you’ve been a big help to me - so I suppose you have the right to stop, if you really want.” he chuckled. “Oh, uh...by the way: I actually noticed how miserable you’ve been recently.” He then picked up Sunburst’s musical toy, and began winding it up. “So i’m taking the liberty of having your closest friend brought here.”

Suburst’s eyes widened in horror when he understood who Tirek meant. “S-.....Starlight?”

“Yes.” Tirek chuckled, setting the completely wound-up toy, and watched it dance as he made his threat clear. “And as I know of how close you two were, I’m absolutely sure of how much you care for her. If I were in your horseshoes, I would actually spend many a sleepless night alone.......if anything “unfortunate” may actually befall her.” he chuckled lightly.

“Y-you wouldn’t!”

Immediately after he said that, Sunburst watched as Tirek picked up the toy by its head, before laying it in his palm - right before he ferociously, and aggressively crushed it in his hand. Its head popped out immediately afterwards, earning a fake pout out of Tirek. But it didn’t last, and Tirek let his anger flare as he shouted, “FINISH IT, UNICORN!” Making Sunburst recoil in fear, and then sink his head in defeat. Just before he could get to repairing the machine he dismantled, Tirek remembered something. “Actually, before you do.....it’s time for my weekly “protein” charge.” Once again Sunburst’s eyes widened in horror, due to his going through his over, and over again. “No, please! I can’t!”

“Every time the moment comes, you show your reluctance.” Tirek said unamused. “And every time, it does little to prevent me from carrying out the deed. Now, prepare the circle: the magic has reached a sufficient level today, and it’s time to dispense it where it belongs - and we have some eager volunteers for sacrifice.” Just as he said this, a group of Gargoyles, and Minotaurs brought in at least seven unicorns. All of them were placed beside the circle, held in place by the threat of impalement via spears. Sunburst grew uneasy again, but a final, threatening glance from Tirek kept him from speaking up again. And once more, he was forced to go through with an even worse action than what he was already doing. Tirek, himself, stepped into the center of the circle, directly beneath the magical orb. “Oh I love it when i’m nasty.” Once in position, he nodded to Sunburst to begin the spell. He looked to the ponies with his most remorseful expression, before igniting his horn to cast the spell. The circle changed from blue to red, and flowed into the orb. The ponies growing more terrified by the second, as they had no idea what was happening. But they soon learned as a series of claw-like hands reached down for them. The screaming unicorns were then subjected to the hands gouging through their bodies - or that’s how it felt, despite no physical penetrations taking place - and directly into their very souls. Their screams grew louder as they felt the very souls being ripped out of their bodies. In the end, the souls were dragged into the orb, and the ponies dropped down to the side.

All of them empty husks of stolen life.

The orb was filled with the essence of the souls, and increased in mass. With no other vessels to pass into, it began lowering into the only one near it: Tirek, himself. A process he made easier with his magical drainage guiding the orb. In moments, the enormous mass engulfed the centaur. And in that moment, and immense red light flashed throughout the chamber, almost blinding the group within. But once it was over, Tirek stood there in the center: his body glowing with red light as the energy more more increased his might. Red markings also covered his body, even as the light receded - a side-effect of devouring spiritual energy along with magic. And as ever, he felt a sense of power which had invigorated him down to the very soul. He was mighty, He was strong, He was incredible, amazing, unbelievable.

He was alive.

🎵I love this feeling
Of power and drive
I've rarely known!
I feel alive!
Where does this feeling
Of power derive?
Making me know
Why I'm alive?

Like the night it's a secret
Sinister, dark, and unknown
I know yet not what I seek, but
I seek it alone!

I have a thirst
I can never deprive
And yet, still, I
Feel so alive!
There was no battle
I couldn't survive—
Feeling like this—
Feeling alive!

Like the moon, an enigma
Lost and alone in the night
Damned by some heavenly stigma
But blazing with light!

That’s the feeling of being alive!
Filled with evil but truly alive!
It's a truth that cannot be denied!
For in time all will see the day
their world died!🎵

Tirek laughed in his nigh-maddening delight, allowing the rush of evil energy to run through him freely. He then gasped. “Wait! There’s also this.......sweet miss.” He then brought up a picture of Mercedes. “I almost forgot you. It’s fate. What bliss, sweet miss. Your folly will cost you dear, my dear. You’ll see you’ll never escape me. I’m here, I fear. And you will pay dear.....
my dear.” Suddenly, he vanished in a wisp of dark magic, leaving a stunned group of followers. Down in the caverns, a pink furred unicorn was traversing the caves, trying to get to her station. She had gotten lost in the dark place, and had found herself all alone.

This did not last long, however, as she sensed a terrifying presence nearby.

She couldn’t see who it was, even with her horn making a light. All she could make out were the sounds of something hissing, and making predatory sounds in the dark. It was terrifying, to say the least. Everywhere she looked, she could see nothing but darkness. All the while, a pair of yellow eyes continuously stalked her in the dark. Eventually, she found herself next to a wall in the cave she entered. And it was here, she noticed a shape in the darkness ahead. One riddled with tatoo-like red marking which glowed crimson in the dark. The large horns, and pointed shoulders made her shudder in fright as the figure approached her.

But fright soon turned to terror when she saw Lord Tirek looming over her - like a ruthless hunter ready to kill its prey.

The rush Tirek had from this process was always something which got his blood pumping, and his mind racing. All of the vicious thoughts in his mind were let loose in these moments, as his true nature was revealed. But he cared not for this: as he was, he could do anything, and everything he desired. And right now, he wanted to do many horrible things to this unicorn quivering in front of her. Always did he remind him of the soft-hearted Mercedes....and how much he absolutely hated her. Hated her for not just being associated with Shining Dantes - but because she was so kind, and caring. It made him incredibly sick, and wanting to wretch. In these moments, he sought out ponies who resembled her in some way, in order for him to unleash his restrained fury upon. He thought of all the things he could do to make her scream - make her beg for mercy. And in the process, what he could do to the REAL Mercedes. However, this time, he decided he would get it done quickly.

In the darkness of that cavern, noone heard any screams - just the sight of their wicked Lord walking out of the cave with blood covering his face.

🎵Animals trapped behind bars at the zoo
Need to run rampant and free!
Predators live on the prey they pursue;
And now the predator's me!
Lust like a raging desire
Fills my whole soul with its curse!
Burning with primitive fire
Berserk and perverse!

He then vanished in darkness to the top of his castle tower. Casting his wicked gaze down upon the citizens of Paris. Thinking of the unspeakable fate he would soon unleash upon them. All the while, sensing the comforting presence of evil standing beside him - a presence which bore 3 horns, and a wicked smile before dispersing.

Prepare! I'll plunder heaven blind
Steal from all the gods!
Prepare! I'll take from ponykind
Conquer all the odds!
And i’ll live in Darkness forever
With Darkness himself by my side!
And I'll show the whole world
That soon and forever’s
The day they’ll remember’s
The Day their world died!!

What a feeling to be so alive!
Bringing terror’s the thing that I strive!
Love this feeling of evil inside—
In my heart is the place
where it should reside!
With this feeling of being alive!
There's a new world I’ll see come alive!
It's a truth that can not be denied!
And on that day’s the day that their world DIED!!!!🎵

Author's Note:

Hello, and welcome to chapter 16 of My Little Pony’s The Count of Monte Cristo.

Sure has been a while, hasn’t it? While I wish i could explain my absence for so long. But honestly, I have no actual, plausible truth other than ugly laziness. And possible writer’s block in regards to this. However, I finally made it back, and finally got something done.

In this case, finally introducing the main villains of the story for the rest of the telling. The first, naturally, being Lord Tirek himself, after all this time, finally returned. And what’s one of the first things he does when we see him again? He basically has that asshole of a dragon, Sludge, tortured to death in a wooden box. And you now what’s messed up? He didn’t even care about that whole bet thing: he just didn’t like Sludge, and thought death by torture would be hilarious. To him, it was.

We also see that he has more allies in his evil cause: all of whom have their own forces to add to his own. Minos, the black minotaur, Brutex, the voclano dragon, and King Metamorphos, the widowed husband of Queen Chrysalis. Brutex actually belongs to my friend @Gojira012 - however, because he has no ACTUAL visual depiction of him, I decided to choose an existing dragon close enough to his description to depict him. Needless to say, I think I made the right call.:) The reason all of them look this creepy, and terrifying is because Tirek used his own dark magics given to him through his Daemon Stones, to amplify both their powers, and their physical appearances. Now, they are all fearsome forces to be reckoned with.

And poor Sunburst, as you already knew, is his unwilling hostage - and engineer for Mystic Circle-based experiments. It was this exact skill Sunburst had been perfecting that drew Tirek to him: he wanted his knowledge of Mystic Circle magic to gain him the tools of ultimate victory. Now, you all see what the cause of the Equestrian’s growing magical shortage is. The only difference being that he adds living souls to the mix in order to make power as strong as possible - and to speed up the process of weakening Equestria’s forces for his inevitable conquest.

Alot of Sh*t is going to go down in future chapters following what comes soon.:)

Comments

[ShiningBeacon]

I know that song!

[Natitoon]

Danglars your Ratigan is showing 😂.