CHAPTER TWELVE: The Darkness

"Soon he will be ready. Let there be enough time."

"He has ridden his plans of revenge! To find us? This isn't right. We must keep him on track, or else Lace Danneggiato will never rise! His true anger must be exposed for the spell to work."

"The female is his main target, our forces were stopped... him..."

"You mean Bleak? Impossible!"

"Well, this proves that we will have to confront him."

"But that would ruin the prophecy! We cannot risk another Meltdown!"

"I am willing to take that risk."

I entered through the castle walls and headed to the library. I suddenly felt odd, like a familiar sense of nostalgia wave over me. Odd, I never went into this part of the castle before. I looked through each sign which pointed to each section, Starswirl The Bearded, Transformation, Forbidden Scrolls, I would have to use those later, here we go! Equestrian History! I began to search, Lace Danneggiato... Lace Danneggiato... I found a few books about it. I picked them up, I headed over to Princess Celestia.

"Is it okay if I borrow these books princess?" I asked, Celestia was focused on reading another book. It looked old, ragged, I guess it went into the Forbidden Scrolls area, it looked like it did. Celestia looked up at me and nodded without even glancing at me or the books.

"Thanks." I began to preform a spell to transport me back home. I was there in a flash. Good, now I could begin. I started with the first book I saw,

"Legacy of The Darkness: Lace Danneggiato."

I began to read.

The Darkness was a proud, powerful form of ponies that wished to arise a great force known as Lace Danneggiato, or Corrupted Light.

So that's what it meant... I continued reading.

Legend said of a great beast, a cross between Discord, the lord of chaos, and a alicorn would create Lace Danneggiato. The pony was the light, while Discord was the corruption. The beast would arise from the Great Whirlpool in The Ever Free Forest, and destroy all that surrounded him in a flash of light. The pony, as studies show, always had feelings for a high class pony, most of the time the prince, or the princess. That pony was pure of heart, and didn't want to hurt anypony, but would do anything to get the desired target.

That couldn't possibly be me... I wanted to kill Lance, Frederic, etc. No way I was pure of heart as this book said. I continued reading.

Lace Danneggiato would split the world in a great cataclysm.

I laughed, Cataclysm... World of Warcraft... heh...

After the splitting of the world, Lace would climb upon Canterlot Castle, and bring it down to ruins. King Horus and Queen Isiset defeated the beast, evaporating him into thousands of what are now known as The Darkness. When one of The Darkness is defeated, it will evaporate, going to join Lace Danneggiato's ever growing form. Even if all The Darkness are defeated and Lace is brought back, the Pure Hearted one must be defeated, and his body brought to The Temple of Shadows.

I wondered... were those two figures that I saw part of The Darkness? I became nervous... who would be the Pure Hearted one? I tried to shove off the feeling, but it wouldn't go. I was certain it wasn't me. I heard a knock on the door. I approached the door and opened it. I saw those same two figures, but I could see their faces. Dark zebras of some sort, pegasus. They wore dark clothing, as if trying to hide their skin from the sun.

"Dorchester, the prophecy spoke true." The zebra stopped and looked at the books and recognized them at once.

"It seems this will be harder then I thought." Suddenly, a massive group of The Darkness surrounded my home. I slammed the door shut, this couldn't be happening... I wasn't pure of heart! And I knew I wasn't one of The Darkness!

"Dorchester, we have your home surr- GAAAH!"

SMASH!

I looked out my window to see Luna and some other pony fighting off the massive group of The Darkness. The unfamiliar one took notice of me and smiled before continuing to fight off the horde of Darkness. I opened the door to see all of them defeated, and vaporizing. The strange pony come over to me and took my shoulder in his hoof.

"Dorchester. Lance is in trouble, and we're going to need your help to save him. I've seen you've read about Lace Danneggiato's fall."

"Uh... who are you?" I asked.

"My name is Bleak." He said. I looked at Luna.

"Go with him, help him find his grandson, and then find Lance. I would join, but I need to take care of the twins." Luna said, she saw I looked a little hurt in my eyes as she mentioned her children.

"Find your priorities." Corruption hissed in my ear. I nodded. Help Lance, then revenge.

Bleak nodded at me.

"Upon my back, when we reach my grandson, I want you to stray from us and find Frederic and Lance, let them know you're here, but tell them that they must act like you weren't. The books are wrong, it is if a pony of pure of heart, OR a pony that cares for a higher class!"

"So... some investagation...?" I said, cocking my head to the side.

"Yes." Bleak said, I climbed on top of his back, and we flew off to wherever Lance and Frederic were.

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