Chapter 1
Twilight sat in her mentor's throne with a smirk spread across her face, well Celestia was no longer her mentor as her body was laying in front of her with a hole inside her chest revealing nothing left inside. The spell she burst on the Princess perished all of her organs along with all the flesh that was covering it. It looked scorched and of course it bled deadly. Twilight chuckled at her handy work and stood from the throne as she walked over to Celestia and bent over to pick up none other than her crown that blood stained the solid gold. However right when she did this there was loud crash through the doors in the back that was in front of her. Running inside was Celestia's little sister, Luna who gasped in horror at the corpse of her older sister and only controller of the Sun. Tears erupted from her eyes as she yelled at Twilight.
" YOU MONSTER! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO MY SISTER!!!" She yelled in her traditional royal voice. Twilight held up Celestia's crown that was in her grasp and couldn't stop her laughing which angered Luna more and more then she's ever been. The room was now quiet and both of the Alicorn's horns were flaring with their auras ready to cast a spell. " Die!" Suddenly boulders were summoned around Twilight trapping her which made her gasp in shock. Right when the boulders closed in though she had vanished as the boulder shattered into little pebbles due to it's bonecrushing speed. The purple Alicorn reappeared behind Luna and made a reach for her dress and succeeded. The next thing Luna knew was her body getting thrown back by an unknown force, but whatever it was it was powerful enough to knock her through Celestia's throne and against the wall behind it. Already, Luna was at the mercy by Twilight who was cackling at this.
" For a Princess and sister of Celestia you were more of a pushover than I could ever imagine!" Twilight insulted. Luna could barely hear her since the force of her sudden strike knocked everything out of her already, by the time she was aware of everything she saw Twilight with a sword levitated next to her. " It's been fun having you and Celestia rule and all, but there is much more in life than Harmony, power." Twilight held her hand out allowing the sword to shoot it's way and impale Luna's chest ultimately puncturing an organ, killing her. Twilight's red eyes glowed making her react by turning around to see a purple baby dragon looking in shock at the changes that he was witnessing in this room, then he nearly screamed when he saw Celestia's body while Twilight covered Luna's.
" W-what did you j-just do Twilight...she was y-your mentor. How can you do this to her?" Spike asked. Twilight didn't answer, instead she levitated the dragon and pull him towards her then slammed his body to the ground.
" Impeccable timing, Spike. Your just in time to help just like you've always had little assistant." She told him as she levitated his broken and exhausted body to where they were face to face. " Like any normal assignment I give you I need you to find something for me, Arcane Magic, Blood Magic, any kinds of secrets that this worlds hidden from me. Do this and you'll be greatly rewarded." Twilight requested with a smile on her face. Spike groaned in response which caused Twilight to sigh. She snapped her fingers which emitted a light around Spike causing him to look confused. After a few seconds the dragon began to grow to the point he was taller than Twilight and much more muscular. His claws grew vicious on his hands and feet and his eyes became a bright yellow. Twilight looked up in delight of her own creation, it was like she was slowly learning magic she never was able to perform in her life so far which increased her hatred on Celestia keeping this power hidden in her. Due to what was possessing her though she now didn't believe this to be a curse, it was a blessing to grow powerful then all the rest.
" What the heck! Twilight?" Without looking Twilight levitated Luna's dead body and flung it towards the figure in question which earned her...two gasps? Her curiosity overcame her as she turned and saw who she expected to see, Shining Armor and she guessed Cadence already evacuated, but behind him was two figures one was a green hooded child that wore a black skirt with green and white stripped leggings. She seemed like a little girl and Twilight spotted red goggles on her head which made her recognize easily who this was. To have her theory right even more she spotted the tallest figure out of all to be a machine consisting of a feminine design and wore a blue dress around it's body and glowing red eyes.
" What is she still doing here? I thought she would be back in her own world." Twilight asked, sarcastically. The girl in question chuckled and folded her arms. Shining Armor however placed an arm out and pushed her away from the situation and pulled out his sword and pointed it at Twilight. What he wasn't aware of though was that Spike was not far and was growling at seeing his threat. He charged towards him with his claws out ready to rip open his flesh, however the little girl was one step ahead and noticed him.
" Animus get him!" She shouted. The blue dressed robot dashed towards Spike with it's hands turned into claws and grasped Spike's with force that dug in his dragon hide making him grunt. " Now finish him off!" Animus freed one of her hands and flipped Spike over her shoulder and shot lasers from her eyes endlessly hearing multiple screams from him. Seeing this made Twilight growl in anger.
" Puppet Master at it's finest huh?" She said in the same sarcastic tone. The girl chuckled in response again and looked in delight at seeing Spike at the mercy already until Animus was knocked away by a fireball making the girl gasp. She was about to take off, but Shining Armor blocked her way which made her furious.
" It's too dangerous and he's getting up. I'll give you an opening to reactivate the link." He assured. Instead the girl vanished in a blue flash and appeared behind Spike with her hands behind her head.
" Behind you." She sang. Spike turned around and instantly slammed his hand down attempting to crush her, but the little girl jumped at the last second and landed on his back. " Above you." After this Animus began to slowly regain herself and then tackled Spike right when her master jumped to land back on the floor. " I got this big baby. You deal with her." She assured Shining. The captain of the royal guards sighed in irritation at her known cockiness, but he nodded since there was no time for an argument.
" Good Luck Vanelle." He praised. The girl glared at him while Animus was busy holding back Spike who was slowly overpowering her.
" You know how much I hate being called that?" Vanelle asked. She turned her attention back to Spike who had Animus above him in his grasp, but not for long. Animus swiped her claws across his face making him shout out and drop the puppet who hovered back to it's feet. Without a breath Animus rapidly punched Spike to his stomach then across his jaw sending him flying into a wall.
" I don't have time for this." Twilight growled as she teleported to Spike and grabbed his arm and teleported to another room which looked to be similar to a Shrine which was what she least expected, but to her surprise was seeing books and to her surprise it was what she was looking for. Arcane forbidden magic, she levitated it towards her and open the book and stared in amazement, but groaned at one thing when she saw one thing she needed to do to gain this power. However Spike groaned as he still held his face from the scratch Animus placed on him.
" Damn that little human piece of, AGH!" Spike growled. Twilight groaned and walked over to Spike and grabbed his hand and pulled it away from his hidden wound and it was revealed to be a gash across his face and nearly missing his eyes, just barely missing them. At least he wasn't blind, but she had to heal him just in case she was ambushed.
" Animus has always been a very tough puppet to break. It's like she has her own goals to attend to with Vanelle. But she still has one weakness that can greatly get Vanelle begging for mercy. Spike don't try to go for Vanelle at all the next time you fight her. She's only being a decoy for Animus to kill you. I know everything about her and all you need is to send Animus to a certain distance so Vanelle will be helpless. You done it last time, but Vanelle played you like a fool to regain that connection. Defend me now while I figure out how I get this power I've always wanted." Twilight commanded. Spike was left with a simple scar and nodded as he looked around the room for any intruders, he wasn't aware though that Animus was high above him and Twilight as Vanelle was laying down on the rows of chairs. She counted down in her head from five and once she got to zero she sat up and aimed at Twilight for Animus to attack.
Animus dove down towards Twilight with speed that obviously outmatch Spike to see and grabbed Twilight by her head and slammed it against the wall.
" Oh yeah! Success! Take her out!" She commanded excitedly. Suddenly she noticed Spike charging towards her with a roar as he got ready to swipe his claws. However Vanelle flashed blue making his attack go through her and gave her time to run through the rows of chairs then ported next to Animus which caused her hood to go down letting loose her short raven colored hair. Animus had her claws ready to impale in Twilight who was struggling to get out her grasp. Instead she let out a loud yell which unleashed a burst of magic around her that sent both Animus and Vanelle flying back. As the puppet landed hard against the wall she instantly made a grab for Vanelle to save her the impact. The little girl away the sudden action that was made and had Animus drop her. " I guess we go to Plan B huh Ani?" She sighed as she held her hands out ready to attack which surprised Spike and Twilight and they both thought the same thing at her motion.
" She knows magic!!!" They thought. Suddenly Vanelle rushed towards Spike with Animus behind her which overwhelmed him since this is his first time seeing them both try to attack him at once. Vanelle attempted to land a punch on him which wasn't even close to even hurt him, but he jumped back in case Animus was going to follow up. Strangely she didn't, from the front at least. Vanelle pointed behind him which made Spike turn around to meet an uppercut by Animus. The force was powerful enough to send him in the air with Vanelle holding her hand up again.
" Now I use magic." She announced. Her hand glows green which summons a cogwheel above Spike and it began to spin on his body while it brought him plunging to the ground. Meanwhile while Spike was getting taken down Twilight had already finished what was needed, but now one more thing was major for her in order for her ritual to be complete.
The Arcane Spells that you seek shall she visible to the cost of a soul.
There was scream from Twilight which caught Vanelle's attention when she suddenly noticed that a purple aura flowed around Twilight as her back was turned. There was chuckled from her as she slowly turned around and in front of the Puppet Master was black markings that traveled from under Twilight's face down to her neck. The same black marking spiraled her arms like a snake, but one thing that was different was that Twilight's eyes were gone they were no longer in their sockets, but yet she felt so strong already.
" Now I possess everything I need to build a new world. Sure, you can guess I can't see but I'll be able to hear the screams of countless weaklings and feeling the blood of Equestrians, smell their burning corpses, and lastly taste the bloodshed. Now I think it's time I gave it nice little test, but first." She placed her hands on the floor and suddenly a red sigil formed around her and glowed which made Vanelle cover her eyes from the light. " I bring forth the unfortunate decease that shall live once again, Reanimation!" From outside in different cemeteries multiple rotten corpses began to rise as well as some that were still awake began to scream in horror which Twilight somehow could hear, but telling by the smirk across her face she didn't stop there.
" Where the heck is Shining?" Vanelle thought as she began to grow scared of what Twilight was going to do. Instead she heard screams from below which caught her attention, but what really made her nervous was who was attacking and who was being attacked.
" Princess! H-how? You were dead!" It was none other than Shining Armor's voice and before Vanelle knew it she noticed a bright red glow as well Shining Armor's screaming which made her cover her mouth in shock. Twilight began to laugh maniacally at her accomplishment so far and began to walk as she leaned her body against a wall for support until she stopped.
" Now I can't let you live now. You and your doll seem to dangerous to withstand so far. No matter, I guess I'll just have to destroy you myself." Twilight told her. Vanelle and Animus were suddenly lifted up by her levitation which really scared the little girl more than she's ever been as she was unable to move. " See you as a heartless monster." Vanelle and Animus were thrown against and through a wall which lead them out of the castle and now falling from a very high height from the ground. She couldn't scream at all due to her body feeling broken and she couldn't even command Animus to save her, she was helpless. She suddenly began to hear the screaming of victims of this horror, she was nearing the pavement and it would all be over for the human girl.
Two Days after the incident
After Twilight's insanity overcoming her and bringing the world into chaos just how she loved it, she considered herself the new ruler of this world for the test of survival. Spike was her bodyguard as everyone knew and the Elements of Harmony were nothing but useless amulets now considering Harmony impossible to achieve now. They're whereabouts are unknown, but now Equestrians are dying rapidly, but they began to decrease as the numbers were decimated. Useless piles of corpses was what Twilight called her Reanimated minions as they have fallen to her old ones. However that didn't mean the other living Equestrians were just as dead. The safest place so far was in an underground passage just beneath Canterlot that some survivors took shelter. Zecora and Doctor Whooves tended the injured who learn that they are growing corrupted due to the venom that Twilight infused in her mindless foot soldiers. It may corrupt them on the inside which made them manually turn into her minions without the Reanimation Spell. Sadly if Zecora or Doctor learned of this from any survivor they had to kill them whether they were conscious or not. After their check ups Doctor Whooves was waiting patiently and groaned as whoever he was looking for wasn't around.
" Where the heck is he?" He thought as he went through the dark halls of the underground and looking room for room for the Equestrian he was looking for. However he conveniently found a sky blue Pegasus sitting in a chair beside a little human girl. In front was a decommissioned Animus with her body limp from the lack of connection from her and the girl. The Pegasus in question had short multicolored hair that consisted of red, orange, and purple. For a moment Whooves almost mistaken him for Rainbow Dash, but sadly she was nowhere to be found. The Pegasus wore a brown cloak covering his body and turned towards the Doctor revealing him to have his right eye covered by a white patch of bandages as his other one showed it's bright green color. " There you are," The doctor sighed in relief. " It seems you've taken interested in the human."
" She has a name like all the rest and I remember her. Her name is Vanellope. Got it memorized?" The Pegasus asked. Doctor Whooves nodded and leaned against the door as he was deep in thought.
" Your very odd you know Leo. At the first 9 years of your life you were always a very healthy 'disciple' to your sister. Now here you are technically unhealthy with the venom for two days straight and your not infected. Perhaps your immune?" Leo shook his head.
" No one is immune to anything. I'm just partially infected." Leo replied.
" Most of the victims are just partially infected and they're becoming monsters quicker than a Rainboom. You have to be either strong willed or immune."
" I'll stick with strong willed because I'm not dying until I know big sister is alive and well. I don't care if I am three years younger than her, she can't become one of those things." Leo stood up from the chair with his gaze still on Vanellope who's had her forehead bandaged from what she's been through. It's unknown for anyone to know how long she'll be unconscious, but it had to be quick since she was pretty much one of the only survivors who could fight and was a heck of a strategist with Animus with her. Leo knew some combat as well thanks to Rainbow Dash, but it was probably nothing compared to what these dark Equestrians knew, it was Arcane Magic at that!
" Hey Doctor, what's her condition anyway? What happened?" He asked.
" Technically she wasn't like this when we found her, better yet she was alright. I saw her fall from a building, but then something caught her and her machine. I witnessed it happened so I knew of course. What makes me curious is who she was, she just grabbed her and disappeared in a mist. Anyway I was about to take her back till...things got a bit complicated." His voice dropped when he said the last sentence. Leo sensed that something bad must of happened and it had to be enough to make the doctor this upset.
" I'm taking an educated guess and saying you lost someone important to you?" Leo asked.
" Worse, she's one of them." Leo's eyes widened and looked away from Vanellope and towards Doctor Whooves, but looked down when he knew who he had just lost.
" Oh, sorry." Leo spoke softly. He decided to go on about the subject and was quiet until the doctor decided to tell him why he's here. He shook away his thoughts and began.
" Anyway, I came to test out that power you used when you got attacked. It's something I never thought a simple boy like you could ever possess, a Pegasus at that." Leo looked back at him and shook his head.
" I'm was a Pegasus. Now I'm just a normal Earth Pony." Leo corrected. Doctor Whooves only nodded as he told Leo to come out of the room and lead him through the underground.
Flashback: Two days before the present
" You summoned me, my queen?" Standing in front of Twilight was Trixie and Rarity only the white in their eyes were now black around their actual eye colors. The corruption was completely infused inside of them and were now under the blinded Alicorn's command now. Twilight now had a red blindfold around her eyes that would of revealed their non existence on her face. After the insanity that tormented her she now had unleashed hell in only two minutes after disposing of Vanelle and Animus. Shining Armor's corpse was guarding her new castle that was farther from Celestia's since she believed it to be too obvious and trash now that it's nearly destroyed. Her friends were now under her command as well as every other corrupted being she's made. She is their law to them and she believed eventually she'll control everything. She shall accomplish what Celestia should of already done, but sadly she wouldn't be allowed to see it, just like any other face that disgust her. Twilight heard screaming from every Equestrian still living and Twilight only had to say one sentence to end it.
" Kill anything that screams." She commanded. The reanimated forms of Rarity and Trixie nodded and vanished leaving her alone until she heard footsteps behind her, telling by how heavy they were she knew it was Spike's.
" That girl. Is she finally taken care of?" He asked. Twilight smirked and nodded. Spike folded his arms and grinned as well.
" And in just a few short minutes everything will be silent so I need you to lead me to my castle." Twilight requested.
" HEY!!!" A female voice yelled out which would of hurt Twilight's ears due to her enhanced hearing now. Spike growled when he saw the figure running towards them along with another floating behind her.
" How are you still alive?" Twilight asked calmly. Vanelle folded her arms and without an answer Animus rushed towards Twilight as her response. The puppet had her claws out ready to impale the Alicorn, but the wind that Animus made when she took off gave Twilight the signal to step to the side of Animus' assault. Vanelle ran towards Twilight herself until she was stopped by the reanimation of Rarity who shot a bright violet beam from her finger which Vanelle had to jump back to the floor to evade, but Rarity moved her finger down to cut through the little girl, but she rolled out of the way. Before Rarity could do another move Animus wrapped her arms around the white unicorn and flung her towards Twilight who used levitation to stop her throw. Twilight dropped her to the ground and signaled Spike to attack instead. " Remember, don't attack Vanelle head on, take Animus to a distance then take the little squirt out." Spike charged off towards Animus first and wrapped his claws around her throat, but due to her mechanical features she felt no pain at all. Instead Animus wrapped her metallic hands around Spike's and suddenly outmatched his strength allowing her to throw him over her shoulder.
" Don't hold back Animus! If it's an enemy you know what we do!" Vanelle spoke harshly. Animus held her claws up and without hesitation she slashed Spike's chest leaving gashes along with making him shout out in agony. Vanelle kept her gaze on Twilight in case she tried anything, but oddly she didn't. She was staring back at her, well if she had eyes she would be, but it felt as if she was staring at something behind her. Vanelle checked and turned around and gasped when she spotted three cracked bodies that belonged to undead Equestrians. " What the heck? What did she do?" She wondered, but as the bodies got closer Vanelle decided to halt them. Her hands glowed green and summoned a cogwheel that spun in a horizontal position. It shot towards them and sliced through the bodies leaving them in halves. However Spike came from behind and grabbed the little girl from behind and began to squeeze the wind out of her. Vanelle tried to fight out, but unfortunately she was just to frail to break out of a larger being's grasp a dragon especially. Suddenly Spike threw her in air leaving her helpless and she began to scream. However Spike caught her by her face and whipped his head back. This also gave Vanelle a view of Animus who was beside Twilight with her body limp meaning one thing. However she was brought back to reality when Spike gave her a headbutt which instantly made her scream out due to the force of his skull against her's and it began to bleed covering the left side of her face crimson. She held her face and groaned. Her vision was completely dizzy and left her helpless for Spike to finish her off. Instead, Twilight walked over next to Spike ( she had to hold her hand out till she felt Spike's body since she guess he was the only one standing) and levitated the injured Puppet Master.
" You were very foolish to thinking you still had a will to continue. You thought a flame was still burning for the urge of blood, you got it but you won't live to savor the moment." Twilight told her. " Now, if I don't recall you and your doll were falling 300 feet to your doom am I right? Let's have a take two shall we? All I can do is tell you this'll be quick. If you still survive then I guess I'll patch you up and torture you myself." Twilight began to levitate Vanelle's body along with Animus' then suddenly a sudden force blew them back and far out of Twilight's sight.
Present: Inside Underground Abandon Cavern
While leaving other medics tending to the injured Leo was inside a forest alongside Zecora and Doctor Whooves. As they were at a certain distance away safe enough so nothing could go in and damage anything. Leo and Zecora were standing in front of each other as Doctor Whooves was on the sidelines with his hand on his chin. Leo was looking slightly nervous due to the fact Zecora was the one testing him. The hidden power that was deep within him for some reason. He's used it once and he could use it again if he wanted honestly, but Zecora was different level for him since her abilities were strictly unknown.
" What's wrong Leo? Zecora won't hurt you all that bad. All we won't is to see that power again. We could need another defender for us in case of any of them show up." Whooves requested. Zecora waited patiently for Leo to attack. She already knew it was a slim chance for him to hurt her since he knew nothing about her power. She was also one of the defenders of the remaining mortals, but due to her aging she's becoming slightly predictable. Leo groaned and began to shake his head, then he looked at Zecora. He held his hands out beside him and from a glow there were two blue chakrams that had different colored blades around them. He held one down beside his leg while the other was behind his head as he rubbed it.
" Okay, you got me. I had training with someone else besides my sister. Pinkie Pie taught me ninja techniques, Octavia taught me how to use a bow and arrow at a quick speed, and Vinyl taught me how to throw these. But I don't honestly know what you mean by hidden power? I saw it once, but I don't think I can bring it up again."
" Leo, do not hesitate. Just come at me and I shall do the rest." Leo gulped and nodded as he got ready for his first move.
Leo ran towards Zecora and threw one of his chakrams at her which made her narrow her eyes. She made a reach for it to catch it herself, but Leo appeared in front of her and made a leg sweep, but she jumped over it and made a grab for him again, but Leo kicked himself back up to his feet and jumped back. Leo groaned at his failed attempt to trick her, but he still had a bunch more moves to use to take her out. He ran towards her again and jumped above her made a kick as he dove down, however this time Zecora jumped back and backflipped to gain distance from him. The Pegasus wasn't done though, he continued his assault and swung his chakrams one by one only for Zecora to evade each attack with sidesteps or backsteps. Finally Leo was able to have the blade of his weapon scrap Zecora's arm when she made motion to cover her mouth. After this success Leo cartwheeled out of the way of Zecora's attempt to grab him again. So far it seemed suspicious since that was all she trying to do. As if it would to do anything to him he was curious. But he couldn't let curiosity outcome him if this was the real deal. He jumped back from the zebra to gain distance again. This time though Leo discarded his chakrams in a bright light for a three bladed dagger, as the hilt was black the three blades were gold.
" Let's see her get out of this." The young teenage Pegasus thought. He ran towards Zecora for what he believed to be the final time after this. He threw his dagger at Zecora and as he hoped she dodged it. Time slowed around them both as Leo was face to face with Zecora and Doctor Whooves was looking shocked at what Leo was going to do since he's seen it before. As well as Leo's charge Zecora had her hand out again reaching for his arm and smiled. When time resumed Leo teleported behind Zecora from a white light with his dagger now formed in a rainbow spiraled orb. Doctor Whooves was definitely shocked that not only Leo pulled this off, but he was going to attack her with it. " Sonic RainbowRuinga!" Leo shouted out as he held his arm out unleashing the attack, but he felt something grab his wrist preventing it. She caught him.
" You look confused on how I was able to read that move. I know how you Equestrian consider zebras mysterious beings so I'll keep it at that. Now if you wish to ever beat me you must bring out your full abilities." Zecora explained. Leo groaned and fell back, but since Zecora kept her grip on him he only landed on his butt and sighed.
" I've been concentrating this whole time and nothing happened. Normal abilities and I even failed to do that move."
" Leo, you don't have to hide it. The corruption has already started, but it's not exactly affecting you the right way. Show us your other eye." Doctor Whooves spoke. Suddenly there was an explosion that let loose a gale of wind. Everyone tried to stand their ground as the wind continued and it was even powerful enough to peel off the patch on Leo's other eye. As it came off it was as it was expected. It was black surrounding his red iris and there was a red marking under his eye that resembled a tear falling from his cheek. However it was ignored as a fire began to form around in front of them.
" What's going on? What caused the explosion? Isn't this weeks away from Canterlot?" Leo asked. Suddenly there was a loud yell and more flames formed and surrounded the team in a forest fire.
" Damn it." Doctor Whooves groaned.