The Domain of Dust
Alkeyore's PoV

"Explain."

“Hello to you too master.” I grunted as I felt my crushed bones immediately snap back into place. It was thanks to my magic and very high tolerance for pain that I did not shout in pain in the act of my bones moving under my skin. Lucky my wings were left untouched.... sometimes I wonder why I even have them in the first place but then again flying in Gaea's ever stormy skies was one of my most favored pastimes racing the thunder, lightening even the storm spirits.

“I wasn’t saying hello, you know the rules, know explain before i get rid of the pests.” said Dust in a emotionless tone. Ah yes the rules how could I forget of them. Each of student Dust took under his wing had to learn them or simply die.

“Yes I know……..I had very little choice in the matter.” I said truthfully there was no use lying to the ancient human yet I still am bothered of how the demon took my body so easily and without me calling on him. Even now I feel him in the deep places far from my reach yet I couldn't feel my other half nor speak to him.

“Were you in control of your actions?”

‘’ No…..I wasn’t in no sense of control Caldorel sent us-”

‘’Caldorel?’’ Asked Luna her eyes full of curiosity and the longing to know more about me, I debated with myself and my magic to tell Luna about the five horned fel-unicorn demon that was fused with my very essence but Dust quickly comes to my aid

“Yes, the being within him, and please don’t interrupt, you are already trespassing in my Domain, no need to be rude as well!”

‘’And who are you to command my sister! you conjurer of cheap tricks!” barked Celestia foolishly and insulting my teacher... the fool, is she actively trying to get us all killed?

‘’Celestia hold thy tongue if you wish to keep it, " I said warning her... again, now I really beginning to believe Luna was telling me tall tales about her sister's wisdom if she keeps this up she'll be dead the only question is which one of us would do the deed? "do not insult my master I already explained it to you beforehand he is far above you-’’

Dust's magic slams into the back of my head resounding as a loud smack. The strike didn't really harmed me it was like a fly buzzing in my ear at the most but it did told me that he didn't favored my words. “And you know better as well! I’m no better than them, and don’t threaten those who are with you, that’s also rude!” he then walks over to bed and sits.

‘’Yes master-’’ said I rubbing the back of my head

Again he strikes me but this time it was by the means of magic leaving an stinging sensation greatly annoying me. “And stop calling me that! You are no longer traveling with me, and you're my friend, calling me ‘Master’ all the time is just weird since then!” Dust says while making random hand gestures.

‘’Stop that! My master was only showing you respect’’ said Nightmare stomping her little hoof and with her little wings spread in an attempt to make her bigger, quickly Luna pulls the filly in the safety of her legs. Luna looks at Dust warily before setting nightmare and herself closer me. in her eyes and the emotions I smell seeping off of her, she will me ask about Caldorel and my true form the next time we are alone it would be best for me to this time to delay that chat or at least until I had no choice in the matter.

“One, I’m his friend, I already know he respects me, he doesn't need to show it, and two,” Dust smiles and slowly turns his attention to me, “Master?” He said with a giddy voice.

I slap myself in the face pulling my hand down slowly, softly mumbling ‘’ Alvae grind my backside…….Yes she is my personal student, I will introduce you two in due time.” I had forgotten how Dust could be when learning that his students took students of their own.

“I’m looking forward to it… but you still haven’t given me the full story, who they are, and why you are here? They are really pissed you know, except for Jester, but he has a hard time being mad at you. But before any of that, let's recast that spell shall we?” Dust simply snaps his fingers and runes and symbols start flying around me, and a few seconds later a glowing orb appears in front of me, with the runes and symbols weaving through it. “You know what to do from here.’’

‘’Many thanks’’ I said before casting my own runes on the ball and then swallowed it whole instantly regaining the form of a human. My magic took a moment to ensure I was fully covered with the flesh of an human and that none of my others pieces could see the light of day ‘’Now where was I?’’

‘’Before you brought us here or before Dusty here slapped you?’’ chucked Discord returning to what Luna told me his usual charms but in his eyes I could see his distrust for me and Dust.... hmm it seems that ''the mad king'' does have some wisdom or at least smart enough to guard his words carefully.

“I'll show you how ‘Dusty’ I am when I shove my boot up your-”

‘’Oi we have foals in the room beside he’s a fool ‘’ said I gesturing towards Nightmare and the Kirin in the bed.

“How many times have I sworn in front of children and completely didn’t care Alke?” smirked Dust. I hate that bastardization of my name but I didn't really mind if Dust was the one saying it, he earned that right.

‘’ Too many times but these two are MY students I will not have you swearing in their presents’’ I said sternly and hope he would at least give me this much or rather Luna in truth.

“Well... “ I smiled when Dust looked like he was about to take him seriously… but that didn’t last long, “Fucking hell man you don’t need to be such a ass, I mean what's wrong with words like cunt, or shit, they will hear it eventually, and you swore in you native language!”

‘’Language’’ Celestia said with an grimmest and cutting her eyes at Dust.

‘’ Well at least they can't understand me’’ said I before swearing in different language just to prove my point ‘’Dru novl vaal tor’’

Dust looks at Nightmare, “That means ‘cock of the dragon slut’ kid!”

Luna immediately covered Nightmare’s innocent ears ‘’STOP!!!’’ she shouts

“Hey I haven’t seen him in over 500 years! Let this old man have some fun!” laughed Dust

‘’Has it been that long it seem just yesterday you tried to strangle that dastard of an elf Luwin’’ I said while surpassing a gruff at the memory of Dust and his hounds chasing Luwin after the count of twelve and the Elder learned that the Elves were responsible for the rise of Tydorel and his fall in the first place, that fact nearly caused all of Gaea to demand war with the elves..... damn knife-eared bastards, Senna Rose was the only elf worth living. Yet just like you can't trust fairies, nothing more surer in the world then the treachery of Elves. Outside the Tahuians, elves are one of the many things I loath Tahuians are simple to deal with, just kill them but elves are tricky fleet footed and an unnaturally mastery of bows, all forms of cavalry and magics, elves are one of the most greatest threats on the battlefield and also armed with a wicked tongue in politics there were a reason why the elves nearly conquered The Twelve Kingdoms and parts of Gaea long lost to the histories like the lost city states of Unda and Nariaos far into the south.

“Well that was only five years ago for you bud. Quite a thing it is really, traveling dimensions and all that, I told you the story of how I discovered that difference in times, right?” questioned Dust

‘’Yes yes you told me plenty of times in fact the last time you did I think even Senna fell asleep snuggling Hagi, that was quite a surprise when they woke up screaming for soap and ale’’ I said letting out a loud gruff that the memory the smile on my face threaten to break it into two.

“Good times, good times… we went off track again didn’t we?” said Dust merrily for one moment then sober (joy wise) the next.

‘’Yes!’’ shouted the others I couldn't tell which one of the group that shouted but it didn't really matter who in the end.

‘’ As I was saying I had little choice in the matter of bring them here the demon took complete control over my body and magic while the door was being broken down by an…..enemy’’ At that moment I noticed something very peculiar, pointing in the diction of the peculiar sight ‘’ What does he think he’s doing?’’

Everyone looked in the direction I was pointing out except Dust, and they saw someone with a white sheet over them with a beard sticking out of it, and written on the sheet in black marker was ‘stealth sheet supreme, limited edition’

Dust just shakes his head, “I have no idea.”

‘’Well…...we’re about to find out’’ said I before gathering hellfire in the depths of my belly, firing an single ember of the dark flames from my mouth much like a dragon setting the tip of bead on fire then waited for the show to begin.

‘’NO NOT THE BEARD! IT TOOK ME CENTURIES TO GET IT JUST RIGHT!!’’ a masculine voice cries in pain and horror.

Suddenly the dark mass rushes out from under the sheet with panic in his eyes before running pass Dust who simply sticks out his leg causing the the mass to fall flat on his face with an pained “thank you…..asshole’’

‘’ Who is that handsome beast?’’ inquired Discord cheekily

The mass magic’s itself up with a short range teleport and leaned on Discord, “I don’t know good looking, but thank you for the complement!”

Celestia gave Discord an extremely jealous look before stomping on his lizard's foot but the strike didn’t registered…..much. I couldn't help but to be mused by Discord's lack of reaction but that quickly ended when I recognized the mass's voice.... what is he doing here!?!

Discord grinned madly ‘’ Oh my and a gentlemen too…..what else does this place hold? So many delightful surprises’’

The thing ran it’s finger slowly along the underside of Discords chin, “Oh I can show you even more surprises~…” he said in a sultry tone.

Celestia with all her feminine ( and jealousy ) fury picks up a fire poker in her magic before striking the mass with all her girlish charms. I could of sworn to the darkness I heard her snarl MINE when she hit him.

The beast fell and grabbed his head in pain before quickly recovering with a smile, “Ooooh, feisty!” And made a cat paw gesture with it’s hand.

“Why are you here Chaos?” said Dust emotionlessly

“Oh just seeing the sights, petting the dogs, making sure you don’t completely ruin my daughter's mind, body and soul for your own educational/obsessive learning purposes, getting some cake from your fridge, you know, the usual things people do when visiting a friend's place. “

“You are not my friend.” donned Dust

“Love you too.” smirked Chaos whilst winking.

Nightmare from under her mother's legs cocked her head questioningly ‘’ and you are?’’

‘’ Sweet Alvae’s Arse Chaos you lump of annoying and craven flesh! What in the seven hells do you think you’re doing! If I remember right I told you to never be in my present again or I’ll turn you into raven food!’’ I fumed with a burning hatred in my belly, me and Chaos had never gotten along not even once we were glad to see each other.

“Are you still mad about the whole orcish women thing?” Said Chaos cheekily

‘’ What orcish women thing?'' Asked Luna curiously ''Or better yet what’s an Orc?’’

‘’ I don't know sister but seem to a mare of some kind.’’ says Celestia finally getting Luna to look at her with a raised brow. but that didn't lasted for long it didn't take a mind mage to know that they need to have a very long talk.

‘’It’s Nothing it’s the mad ravings of a lunatic!’’ said I in an panic tone. I did not want to remember that night I drank way too much trying to forget it and I'll be damned if I gonna to relive it again there are just somethings an dark mage shouldn't see.

“If it was nothing then you wouldn’t be angry about it! Come on I just hooked you up with that… beautiful young woman after getting you plastered! You were so into her when you had your beer goggles on, and took her up to one of the inn's rooms!” exclaimed Chaos magicking a pair of goggles in his paw.

Luna's eyes widen her mouth creating an interesting impression of a fish ‘’What?!?’’

At that moment I felt Luna's emotions erupted leaving me with a overload in my magical senses, fortunately I don't feed off of emotions if I did then... well I can't be too sure of what would happen ‘’Nothing happened between us……..’’ I incised

“...That you know of.” Said Chaos causing Luna’s eye to twitch.

‘’Chaos….RUN” I darkly growled my hands erupting in hell-fire ‘’And by the way that Orc was an undead she tried to eat me but you really knew that ’’

Chaos quickly reached into his pants and pulled out a sick with white underwear on it and quickly waved it, “Armstance, armstance, I’m just here to make sure my baby girl is ok!”

I looked to Dust in disbelief ‘’ What does he mean?'' Chaos a father? what foul sorcery is this!!!!

“You see this lov- I mean women right here, my latest student? Ya, he helped make her… and yes I know it is a terrifying thought, Chaos being a father…” Dust shivers slightly, feeling a chill down his spine.

I too visibly shiver ‘’I’m actually speechless right now’’ I give the floor a blank stare ‘’I am actually speechless……....is she one of them?”

‘’ But how?'' asked Celestia incredulously ''She is an Draconequus and he is something……else’’

Chaos smirks before quickly morphing into a complete copy of the Discord we know, but unlike the draconequus he held an old looking cane in his paws.

Discord bites his eagle’s talon nervously ‘’He looks even better~...”

Celestia looks at the original Discord darkly ‘’Discord’’ she growls in pure girlish rage causing our Discord to gulp.

‘’Aw you’re no fun’’ whines both Discord and Chaos pitifully upset that the fool Celestia ruining their fun.

“It’s not our fault we are attracted to ourselves, after all his is me, and I am him, were just… different, I made him that way… I think.” says Chaos in a mixture of unsure and well... chaos.

‘’What do you mean? you made me that way? ‘’ asked Discord raising an eyebrow not fully understanding the meaning behind Chaos's words.

“ I created you! I am the original being of chaos, Chaos! Me and my wife created your world and many others just like it, but not it, but at the same times all the same! You, you handsome devil, are a copy of me, with your own will, wants and desire, but yet you naturally, through still have pieces of me with you, carry out my will, which is our will, and I do the same for you! SO, You are an aspect of me, that is me, but not me, doing things I want, and you want, your way, but in mine!”

‘’Confusing we know’’ deadpanned both me and Dust flatly. Chaos was and is one of the most ancient of all beings, an Entity yet he no mere entity but one of The Eight , the very beings who created all life. The Eight are the very first of their kind beings born out energy; thoughts; emotions and actions. Though them life no existence itself is possible. The Eight created everything and they represent everything Chaos is the chaos collected from every world and action is made and will ever be made, everything that is chaotic exist because of him and he exist because chaos. Very confusing. And since he has an daughter means she is one as well.

After those words left the two humans the Alicorns and Draconequi started bickering amongst themselves about everything under the sun and the impossibles Chaos is, leaving the humans to their own devices. Dust and I sat back and watched the commotion while the small Alicorn filly Nightmare trotted up to Dust and pulled on his pant leg getting the attention of the said human.

She looks up to him with big eyes ‘’ Are you still going to kill us?’’ she asks.

You could've heard a pin drop with how quickly deathly silent the room became. I felt my heart sank at her words, my plan to keep Dust distracted had failed now he might truly end them. He could have Celestia and Discord I care not for what happens to them but Luna and the girls were different story I may not be strong enough to defeat Dust but I could certainly buy them time to get away.

The old mage looked down at the filly with a soft smile, and reached down to her, picking her up and setting the little one on his lap, just like a grandfather would do to his grandchild. “Can you tell me, or give me a reason why I shouldn’t little one? You have all intruded into my H.O.M.E after all, and Alkeyore didn’t have my permission to bring guests of any sort, whether he was in control or not.”

The Group of Alicorns and Draconequi stared at Nightmare on the lap of their soon to be killer if the little foal felt their gazes she didn’t show it. She quickly looked to me her master and gave me a sweet smile’’ No I can not give you an answer but I can ask you not too………..please?’’

Dust waited a while until he started to lightly chuckle at the young child's actions, “Tell you what, I won’t kill anyone here, but first you will have to do something for me.”

Oh no sweet darkness please don't tell his planing what I think he’d planning Nightmare is not a stigma she won't survive the trials.

Nightmare looks at the old human confused ‘’what?’’

“You will have to make a deal with me.” said Dust in sickeningly sweet tone

I quickly grabbed Dust’s shoulder with my right hand which causes the magic keeping my true hand hidden burn away painfully revealing the ash-blue furred claw, the talons lightly pressing into the mage’s jacket threatening to taste flesh . ‘’Dust’’ I growled demonically ‘’ leave her alone she is MY student’’

Dust looks at me with a mocking smile, and slowly I could see through the mages glasses blue light, and faintly make out runes and symbols of countless languages , “Are you sure you want to follow through with that threat before you even hear the deal? If so, I’m always ready to fight, you know that...”

‘’ I know but for her I will-” I growled more of my human disguise burning away but Nightmare shout stops me.

‘’Master Stop!’’ shouts Nightmare if as begging me to stop with this course of action.

I looked at her with flames licking the corner of my eyes the sense of protectiveness alighting both my heart and magics ‘’ Nightmare you know not of him the deals he makes-”

‘’But it’s my decision to make knowing or not! ’’ She cries and looks over to the group and with smile especially Luna ’’ but for them I would’’

Why is she doing this? why Dust is doing this? I brought them here I should face the consequences not my student. ‘’...Very well but I won’t agree until I hear the deal.’’ I said bitterly and release Dust's shoulder and it reverted back to the human disguise I wore since birth, the illusion spell only make it more solid and unable to be dispelled by others not dust or myself yet still it failed somehow .

“Alright then,” said Dust turning his attention back to Nightmare, “here are the terms and conditions of this deal.” He held out his hand and a soft green aura forms around it. “The deal is I will not kill anyone here… today, and that's if you agree to this one condition. When you are older, stronger, smarter, and you have completely mastered all the one known as Alkeyore Blood-raven has taught you, you will meet me here, in my domain, and we will battle just like I have done with Alkeyore with his training under me. I will be your final test. I will be your judge, your jury, and if you fail, your executioner. If you agree to this, shake my hand, and the minor deal can be made.”

I looked to my student wearily as if weighing the weight of the world on my shoulders (and in some truth I was) before shaking my head, at this Nightmare gives dust her hoof but I grabbed it instead before growling ‘’what spell are you using to seal this deal?’’

“ The Curse of Fate spell. It will make a tie between us, not harmful or painful at all, That will keep this deal bound to us both, and eventually, when the time comes, somehow, in someway, weather she comes to me on purpose, or by accident, she will, and there is no avoiding it. Nothing harmful, just assurance this will happen.”

‘’So she will not only have to deal with you but me as well when the time comes?'' I asked with a darkening tone "What if I took this deal in her place or break it with my own black magics?’’

“These can’t be severed, after all, it is a curse I won’t just place, but will be passively feeding.” nodded Dust saying in a tone that refused any chance to change his position.

‘’Dust you know you can't keep doing this each passive spell you take on will take it’s toll on you one day’’ I said bit more softly then was needed but it was truthfully.

“And I can’t wait till that day comes Alke, cause maybe on that day I will finally have my answer… so is she allowed or not?” said Dust growing tired of my interruptions.

‘’But what if the answer you seek is one you can not bare?’’ I asked, the flames in my eyes dying down

“If it works, I won’t have to bare it for long, now answer!”

I closed my eyes taking a deep breath unclenching my fist and clenching it again ‘’ Before I give you my answer is there another way?’’

“When do I give alternate options if I haven't already sated them?” said Dust in a half smile

I sighed heavily, I could see that there was no other opinion left ‘’Fine, but when the time comes I will be there and you will show her mercy even I can not stand against the Alpha for long.’’

“Don’t worry, I’m not using THAT test, it will be a Shadow Dance.”

An Shadow Dance.... the ancient rite from the forefathers of the dark arts? That is one test I would agree too. slowly and delicately I released Nightmare’s hoof ‘’Nightmare please choose wisely, once the deal is made your fate will be sealed and Dust will hold you to it until the time is right.’’

Nightmare closed her eyes before opening them looking at my concerned face ‘’ I choose to save my family.’’ The little Alicorn gave Dust her hoof sealing the deal. In my necromanic sight I could see chains binding her fate to Dust's and by the pained graze in her eyes I knew she felt them. But the pain she was clearly feeling disappear as the chains of fate melted away into Nightmare's essence leaving behind questions I'm sure she had.

“Alright then, the deal has been made, I can’t wait till the day… so now I will ask, Alke, do you need any help with teaching? Materials, books, torture devices, chains? Anything, I’d love to help!” He quickly stood up and put Nightmare on his shoulders, which she marveled at the height.

‘’Torture Devices?” Says Luna paling at the indentations of the said devices. Yes Dark magi had use such devices for a number of purposes but I had always find them to be an hindrance to teaching and building a reasonable relationship with an student then again they do break stubborn ones...

‘’Chains??’’ Said Celestia equally paled as Luna.....wait did I detected arousal in Celestia's words? Interesting

‘’Books?!?!? YOU MONSTERS’’ cries Discord dramatically

“We eat those all the time you know?” Deadpanned Chaos, back to his original state.

Suddenly Nightmare’s stomach protest almost boxing Dust in the back of the head. At the little roar, the female draconequus floated off the bed mumbling and sweetly sighing Dust’s name, as to which the old mage looks behind him at the Draconequus with raised eyebrows and ‘’are you kidding me’’ expression while I looked between the two before chuckling like Chaos much to my shame.

Dust quickly looks at the chuckling being, “What’s so funny?”

‘’Looks like it…smells like it so it got to be it…...Dust I believe that-

“Shut the fuck up Alkeyore Blood-raven.” He says calmly.

‘’What’s Fuck??’’ Asked Nightmare innocently and Luna grasps and glares at the old mage with daggers in her eyes. While I on the other hand shook my head at my master in disappointment but truth to be told he is a lot better then he use to be.

“It’s when two beings fornicate to produce a child, now let’s get you something to eat.” He replies and walks over to the door.

What’s fornicate mean?’’ Said Nightmare with a cute tilt of her head. Poor Luna she looks like she might faint or kill dust if he answers that one.

“Ask Alkeyore, he has done it plenty of times.” He tells her and opens the door leading to a hallway of doors. Dust's Domain could lead you just about anywhere only problem is choose the wrong door then your body may never be found.

“I'll stay behind and watch my daughter and the Kirin.” States Chaos with a twinkle in his eye or what I amused to be an eye... shiftshapers always leave you guessing what is and what's not. But in my experience having one on your side often leads to good fortunate.... most of the time that is.

‘’Chaos you dirty son of an Draaosian you better not do anything I and Dust won’t do’’ I hissed if only Chaos could feel my hatred for him I had always preferred his brothers Death and Darkness they are at least creatures of logic and order. Yet for most seceding difficult to get long with but that is rather natural given who they are and all.

“Hey who raised a child here, besides Dust.” Chaos say proudly and summons a handmade #1 dad mug filled with coffee and takes a sip.

‘’Oh you would surprised what you could find in…...wait what? What did you say about Dust?'' I gasped Dust has a kid.... where's my ale? My thirst be strong .

“I have a son, forgot to tell you that when we had our little catching up ramble session. Now let’s go already!”

‘’Dust …..no it can wait I can’t decide which is more unnerving Chaos having chaos spawn or Dust having a son……what in Darkness’s name had I missed!’’ I said expecting more unnerving surprises. I am a dark mage and most dark magi hate surprises, they are completely impossible to plan for and most of the time illogical it that only makes it worse with the paranoia that comes with dark magic which often leads to dozens of dancing copses which leads to white magi hunting us.

“Hey I’m a great dad,” he snaps his fingers and also summons a handmade #1 Dad mug, “I have this mug to prove it, even has my sons name on the bottom, I was crying when he gave this to me, I was so proud. I mean look at this, he was only three when he made it! It’s perfect!”

‘’I not questioning that you are not a good father just that... well... it’s seems unlike you but I am questioning Chaos abilities if that is truly his daughter then he certainly knows how to raise them heh’’ I said just to be civil yet then again Gaeaish are not particularly an civil people. Bad blood and all.

“You will not touch her!” quickly replies both Dust and Chaos frighteningly.

Luna glares at the dark human and stomps on his foot before passing by trotting quickly to watch Dust and more importantly her daughter and everyone else follows leaving me behind. Shaking my head and not seeing why my comment lead to such an reaction I asked aloud to no one in particular ‘’What did I do????’’ Sighing at my unfortunate attempt at being civil with the likes of Chaos I walked out of the room following the group that willingly abandon me in this dark place.

‘’where are you taking us now?’’ half asked/demanded Celestia

“The kitchen, where else would you go to get food?” said Dust

Celestia rolling her eyes ‘’ We are gods we don’t need food’’

“eheheheheHEHEhahahHAHAHAHAHAH!!! *sharp intake of breath* AHAHAHAHA!” Dust laughs all the way to a door on his right, he opens it to an elaborate kitchen.

‘’What so funny?’’ asked Luna confused

‘’Luna please don’t get him started’’ I said with a sigh, that is one conversation I rather not have again the last time I had it half the Count of twelve and the priesthood called for Dust’s and my heads. Which did led to some uncomfortable adventures in the sewers of an major Tahuain city....never again.

‘’What you mean?’’ Luna asks while closely watching the silver haired mage laugh like he was just told the best joke of his life. Nightmare looks as just bewilder given the mad laughing in her ear.

‘’You’ll find out soon enough’’ I relied in kind

‘’Find out what’’ Discord asked raising a brow.

“Let us get some food before I kick you into the dirt.”

Celestia who looked visibly tired of Dust and myself presents and Dust's antics are clearly getting to her ‘’What you mean by that!’’

For a supposed wise and motherly Alicorn, Celestia seems to be anything thing but in the given situation..... At that moment Nightmare lets out a low whine before whimpering into Dust’s ear reminding us all they we have a very hungry filly in our company and judging by the smell she also needs a bath living in a ruin didn't did her any favors....including us as well. Perhaps Dust will let us borrow the lake later.

“Yes, yes I know you're hungry,” he walks over to a stool at the kitchens prep table and sits her down, “now open wide and show me your teeth.”

‘’What are you doing?" asked Luna walking up to Dust and Nightmare still watching the mage closely and curios in what he had planned for the filly ''Why you need to see her teeth?’’

“To see if I can even provide food for her,” Nightmare opens her mouth and Dust see’s omnivores teeth, sharp too, “you can eat meat! Splendid, because that is all I have.”

‘’What!?!?!’’ the Alicorns shrieked in horror and a bit green around the face or rather muzzle in this case.

‘’He’s has a sensitive stomach the only thing he can eat without great pain is the flesh of animals’’ I explained watching to see what their reaction is. Well I know now by that outcry the Alicorns either don't eat meat or completely against the idea which may lead to even more problems... further study is needed.

Luna yells with a stomp ‘’ I’ll not allow my daughter to eat meat!! It's completely barbaric! only savage Wolfponies and stallion stealing Lamais eat flesh she is an Alicorn the very enthronement of ponykind''

‘’But Mother!!’’ Whined Nightmare while giving her mother a pout ‘’I’ve had meat before! How you think I survive living in a ruined castle?’’

Luna’s head dips close to the ground and at seeing this I placed my hand on her back rubbing it letting her know it wasn’t her fault that Nightmare was left in said ruin. But this did gave me some insight on pony customs based on the terms Luna used carnivores are not welcomed in pony society which in turns leaves their relationships with carnivorous species wanting. I wonder what is the gender gap for ponies? based on the words Luna used and the fact most ponies I had seen up to this point were female.... again study is needed.

Dust slams both hands on the other side of the table, instantly getting the filly’s attention, “So what do you want kid, I’ve got all kinds of meat from many different animals and creatures. How about some uni- I mean Leviathan! Yes Leviathan! How does that sound?”

‘’Ohhhhh Leviathan raw or cooked?’’ I said with an hungry look, I had partaken in the flesh of many creatures but I doubt my palate had taking part of such a beast. As an dark mage, raw flesh is best... cooked meat doesn't really help fuel the innate magics in my being or sates my hunger a lesson many of a dark mage learned since the beginning, we often feasted on the bodies of our enemies to regrow missing limbs, to properly regrow limbs among other things raw flesh is a must.

“Well it all starts out raw, so yea. I will be cooking it for me and this little lady, but you can have yours raw since you can handle it.”

‘’ Alkeyore!’’ Luna cries appalled of my inquiry and all the greener for it.

‘’What? I am a dark mage, after all my body has certain needs’’ I said while explaining why but not giving any details. Not that I cared but I rather not get vomit on Dust's floor.... that will get us all killed.

‘’Yeah’’ says Nightmare poking an hoof at her mother ‘’ we have special needs!’’

Dust stood up straight and smiled, “Alright two medium rare Leviathan steaks and one raw coming right up!” Dust gently glides his left arm over the table, making three plates appear, and then glides his right are over making the steaks appear. “Whala!”

Instantly both Luna and Celestia’s faces turn even greener than before a feat I think is impossible and Discord raises a brow questioningly at Dust ‘’Chaos Magic?’’ ‘’How?’’

“Actually it is not Chaos magic, it is reformation magic. This type of magic lets me take certain particles or atoms I have stored in a pocket dimension, and reform them into their original shape. I also mixed in some time magic and fire to cook the two. You know, simple stuff.” Dust explains nonchalantly while setting down some forks and knives, which appear out of nowhere. The three so called gods were stunned never before they seen or heard of such magics nor how quickly the spells were casted they look to the dark human who was calmly craving his bloody meat by the means of magic as if an nobleman remembering his words from the one called Dust.

Nightmare started to dig into her steak, using her magic to manipulate the tools, “Come get your food Alke, just be warned raw Leviathan is chewy.” He warns before wiping his mouth, with his steak already gone.

‘’ Dust I am a noble and such I must use my manners plus I must set an example for my student after all you are the one who forced them into me.’’ I said bitterly I am Rohirian useless skills like table manners are beneath me. In the hinterlands you need to learn on your feet or die simple. While court may have certain demands being civil and reasonable to everyone under the moon is useless or rather impossible with certain beings. Be kind to your friends and be heartless to those who wish you harm. Simple.

Dust just chuckles and watches me approach the table with a hungry look in my eye, which makes him smile. He then looks back at the three stunned guests, “I don’t know what to feed you three with… I have sweets, but other than that I have no plant matter around here that isn't deadly, sentient, or wood.” He says while scratching his head.

‘’Cake?’’ asked Celestia a bit more hopeful for her own good.

“Yes I have cake, only chocolate though…” Dust eyes widened as he watched a drop of drool slowly drip out of the alicorns mouth, “OOOOOkkkkkkkk, I guess that is a yes…” man snaps his fingers, making a beautifully crafted chocolate cake appear on the table. “Just made it the other day, I was bored.”

‘’Celestia you are a princess please show some manners’’ I said licking my lips before jumping back at the blur of white that shot itself passing me almost cause my meal to fall onto the floor only to be saved by my already ruined robes ruining them even further then what should be possible ‘’Curses’’ I hissed.

“Oh shut it, if you want I can make you new ones, or wash that one, or both, I really don’t care.” Dust explains while cutting the cake for the white bitch- I mean alicorn princess.

‘’Moondrops?’’ asked Luna trying to dissemble the green on her muzzle

“No but I have Ice cream. Thirty two flavors as well!” exclaimed Dust

Luna swoons and faints at the sheer number of flavors causing me to rise a questioning brow. What?? what the in the seven hells is so great about ice cream? I asked myself it does nothing but try to freeze the fires in my belly.

“Stop being dramatic and tell me what flavor you want.” Dust sighs.

‘’We wants them ’’ screeches the midnight blue Alicorn showing no signs of the earlier fainting spell all but slamming her hooves into the poor table ‘’we wants them all!’’ she madly cackles

“Done.” Dust says simply, summoning forth a sundae the six times size of her head filled with all sorts of different scents and flavors. He looks over to the final guest Discord, “You?”

With a snap of his paw the chaotic creature in order to summon a pile of old books but nothing appears much to his annoyance ‘’Have any old books?’’

“I got some Robert Frost crap, and some Elven ideology books. I don’t care for either.” Asks Dust confused.

Discord grimmest for a few seconds before cackling ‘’I’ll take them, pass the salt! for the love of chaos pass the salt!’’

And Dust did just that when the chimera joined the table. Everyone was happy and content with their meals, joking and smiling, while oddly actually enjoying each others' presence, except for Dust who just leaned his head into his right hand and watched all of them with a far off look and a smile. After a while a drop of blood formed from his eyes and cascaded down his face.

Celestia notices the drop of blood ‘’Are you alright?’’ She asked in concern

At hearing the question I looked up from my meal and stared at the white alicorn and the growing concern on her face ‘’Dust?’’ Immediately my eyes followed where her eyes landed, then I teleported out of the seat to Dust’s side zapping the old mage with minor lightning based magic.

Dust jumped slightly at the shock, jerking his head up from his hand, he looked around at everyone, seeing concern on everyone's face and felt me placing a hand on his shoulder he felt something on his face and touched it, pulling away and seeing blood on his fingers he quickly got himself cleaned up with magic before inhaling quickly through his nose, “Sorry everyone for the… scare, I was just remembering some things.”

‘’Dust you need to rest you been pushing- I started only for Dust interrupt me already knowing where I was going.

“Anyways! Now that everyone is finished let's go to the library and get those books to teach the kids with shall we!” Instantly the room shifted into a MASSIVE library, shocking the newcomers by the sheer size. “What books did you need again Alkeyore, Dark magic scriptures and runes, I know you need a book on that for sure, but what else.” Says the mage, completely forgetting about the incident that just accord.

‘’ Well Dust I mainly need Dragon tomes, I am well endowed with the other magics but dragon magic…..well there’s a reason why Dragons don’t teach their magics to outsiders’’ I said with clear concern for the old mage written on my face not forgetting what just happen in the kitchen. If Dust continues in the way he's going he'll destroy his body long before killing himself then again that maybe is what he wants.

“Oh yes, they are very secretive kind they are, but after you, well, you know… killing them off one by one and drain their memories, you learn a thing or two.” He say while quickly rubbing his jawline and then starts looking at the shelves before looking of in the distance and seeing what he was looking for, “Come, this way for the dragon tomes, then we will go east and get the other books.”

‘’Y-you killed Dragons??” gasped Celestia

“Well more like met, talked, fought, captured, tortured, and then executed, but yea kill sums it up nicely.'' said Dust focused on his collection of books.

‘’Well they did tried to eat/enslave him’’ I said defensively, most dragons do have a superior complex that all well too often clouds the mighty wisdom they possessed. It's often takes the Dragon Elder or some other powerful being to break them of it dragons are powerful creatures after all with countless special abilities some dragons breathe ice instead of fire, some with the power to shiftshape into any form of their choosing just to name a few.

Celestia and Luna shouts appalled ‘’And that was the answer!!!’’ as I said they did tried to eat/enslave him so losing their lives was payment enough.

“Well that was one of them, but it was the best one to get what I wanted from them.” shrugged Dust

‘’What did you wanted from them?’’ The newcomers asked while I already knowing the answer took further notice of the library it wasn't the one we arrived in but it was much bigger than the last time I was here or at least I think I been in this room before. difficult to say with the domain extending and retracting according to Dust's mood.

“Everything.” Dust replied calmly and emotionlessly.

‘’This isn’t the world you know my dears, things work differently here…..he works differently’’ I explained reminding them that this isn’t their world and their rules meant nothing. perhaps this time it will stick to their brains, an often'' thoughtful'' organ if truth be told the mind mages would love to see how my mind works the way it's does including myself, I wonder how Celestia's brain looks like? is it made out of cakes she seems to adore or various types of teas??

Celestia's breathing grew deep and heavy ‘’You- you're a monster’’

“Eh, I see myself as a true scholar and a phalanophist!” Shrugged Dust not really caring for what other thought of him

‘’ A Phalanophist for whom!’’ Celestia growls with a strange look in her eyes....I can't place it but I'm sure I seen it on anothers' face but whose?

“Myself and my students of course.” said Dust with magical light behind his glasses.

‘’Well Dust what has happen since you leave Gaea’s shores?’’ I asked seeing that this was a VERY good time to switch the topic. Again I didn't really cared what happens to Celestia since she been digging her own grave since waking up but I rather return to Avalon with the group intact. Not that I would mind but keeping the group together would make things less complicated on the return trip.

“Hmm, well not much actually, just went to another universe, committed mass genocide to liberate an oppressed group of people from some elves, then I became their King, created a marvelous empire that spanned three quarters of the globe, raised a son, made him my student and taught him, and yes he was a stigma user, married him off to his wife, who was a elf by the way, left when he was in his late twenties, you know I can’t stay in one place for too long, and that was almost four hundred years there! Anyway, went somewhere new, fought some demons for about a century to gain their knowledge, got my boots melted off, went back to my original home… some stuff happened that I will only discuss in private, went to my old magic relic dealer, got a book, got sent to some place full of anthropomorphic creatures, like your new friends, but, well, human like, got caught up with Chaos and some politics, started training my new student, her name is Pandora by the way, and now I’m here, again nothing much, you?”

‘’Uh where do I start, you won't believe this but Hagi and Senna tied the knot right after you left, the wood elves are closing in on recreating their kingdom hailing you as an elven guardian spirit of sorts, The count of twelve are at each other's throats yet again it seems your lesson didn’t took up root which in truth very not surprising at all given their ‘’histories’’ but now they officially recognize The Confederacy as the twelfth kingdom of Gaea, had to end another war but this time it was between the Beastmen and the Ogres which is nearly unheard of, after that we manage to slay one of the arch-demons retaking larges sums of territories it seemed that finally we were make leeway in the war against the demons after eight thousands of struggles and setbacks…..Then Teigue returned..…..’’ I said tailing off at the memory and the memory of what happen, hen I haven't even mourned for my friends yet everything is happening too fast, the pause causes Dust to look at the dark mage.

Dust stop and so did the rest of the group he turned around with a smile and pointed at me, “I Told you those two would marry! Haha, called it. Second, ewww… just… why? Finally, what did he do, Alke, I can hear pain in your voice at the mention of his name…” Dust gets a serious expression on his face.

‘’Dahirm-hal’’ said I sorrowfully... it- it....I'm not really to tell Luna nor would it be proper to do so not yet or at least when Celestia gathers the leaders of Avalon.. ‘’ Dust please make this private…….’’

Dust nodded his head and everything grayed out around them frozen in time and space, “ I just used Time-scape this conversation will go by almost instantly for them. Now, who do I need to kill…”

‘’Do you remember The Battle of Red Hill where Teigue fell to his death?’’ I said recalling the event that caused everything. It all started on that day. I remember it clearly......

Dust just nodded.

‘Three years later he came back unscarred as if trapped in an time warp, at first the others and myself wept healthily to see that he survived the fall but there a few things odd about him speaking to himself in different tongues when he thought he was alone, he refused to eat nor drink. I went to The Elder and told him that I believed that something was wrong about him like there was a dark cloud about him yet he didn’t heeded a single word I had and sent me after a troop of frost elves and fel-unicorn that Teigue claimed to have spotted. There was no troop to be found when I arrived all I found was an trap of light based magics sealing me in it for three whole days. Once my magic destroyed the seal and I raced back to Black Rock Keep where I found……where I found ‘’ I struggle to hold back a sob, weeping sounded so good to me at that moment but it won't do any good, it wouldn't bring them back. Tears are a woman's tool, completely useless....but sometimes needed.

I found myself surprised, because in a matter of seconds Dust was in front of me and embracing me, trying to calm me down, “I can already guess what happened Alke, it takes a lot to upset you like this… I'm guessing he is also the reason why you are with them?” Dust said, referring to the group I came with.

‘’Their Dead! Dust their dead!! Senna, Hagi, Screech, Elder, Morning star, Tegid, Erk, Garanhir! Everyone is dead! They were slaughtered like animals! I could barely tell who they were they were so mutilated!''

Dust gripped on me tightened, and I could feel heat radiating from Dust as small silver and black particles formed around us, “ It will be fine my friend… I will erase him… I will erase everything about him… no, I will just erase that world-” I moved a bit away from Dust and saw that his Sigma blazing underneath his glasses and panicked.

‘’No Dust! There's been too much blood spilled! You don’t need to destroy Gaea there are many innocent lives dwelling there!! Teigue will die a traitor's death but you don’t need to sully yourself with the blood of those who don’t deserve it!’’ I yelled trying to calm Dust down, no no sweet Darkness NO I can't lost him too!

Dust started laughing… it was mad, he was losing control, “It wouldn’t be the first time! You know that! All the world has done is hurt you, caused you pain, I can get rid of it all-”

‘’No my brother is there!!!’’ I yelled my voice so full of panic but of course i just then realized what I just yelled ohhhh Alvae's flying tits... but it caused Dust’s mad laughter to instantly stop .

“What?” Just as quickly as it happened, it all stopped. The dust in the air, the heat from the old mage, the flare of his Stigma, it all stopped. “You… have a brother?” He asked intrigued.

‘’Oh humping trolls on an Draaosian cock…….WHY IN THE HELL I JUST SAY THAT!!!’’ said I both pale and green in the flesh. This is bad very bad I just sign my baby brother's death warrant........ FATHER!! MOTHER IF YOU CAN HEAR ME!!! HELP THIS BLINDED SON OF YOURS!!!! I just killed my own brother (in a way).

“So you do have a brother.... Does he, you know, have one?” Dust asked, and I could just feel the crazed gaze behind those glasses.

‘’Yes………but I had hidden him away far from my enemies and the foes of my clan, He’ll never know of struggles I had suffered for he is protected from all even himself but they give him the name the Accursed Earth’’ With the goblin out of the bag I had no choice but to tell Dust if I tried to worm my way outta of this one my brother won't last a day once Dust finds him. I just hope that his guardians could protect him now that I am gone. If the curse of our clan claims him then there will be none to aid him until the next generation of Gaeaish Heroes are born. Until then the magics I taught him will be his guide.

“SO when can I meet/inspect/study/train him?” Smiled Dust with a dangerous gleam in his eye

‘’I had trained him myself using many of the same lessons as you gave me but perhaps one day you’ll meet him’’ I said feeling small under my old friend’s gaze. It was hard to teach him those lessons but that was because of my own heart all I wanted for him was to be far away from the battlefield and more importantly unknown to our clan's numerous enemies.

“But you don’t have the binding… he needs to be bound Alkeyore, you know that, and even if you did one of your own, I will tell you now that it’s not strong enough, I’ve studied these for many years Alkeyore, and from the sound of his name alone, he is one of the higher tier users.” frowned Dust

‘’Even if I use my own life source to form the chains combined with blood magics? I said I tested those special chains myself they will hold or at least give him some manner of control over his body if the stigma dose take over.

“Alkeyore if my assumptions are correct he holds a Yggdrasil Stigma, those chains won’t bind him, they will only make him stronger!” Dust said slightly irritated.

‘’Hints the reason why I taught him only the magics of the green world he only skilled in the healing arts’’ I shot back, I knew the risks but my love for the only (human) family I had left was greater if it must be I alone bear the weight. I knew somewhat of my demonic family Demon Clan Arusi as far I know they hadn't attempted to contact me meaning they too could very well dead as well, the last time I seen them was when mother sent me to dwell with my human father..... because of what I am she sent me away out of love in order to protect me from the Arch-Demons. I wonder if they are still alive... mother, sisters I miss you.

“And that is why he is dangerous Alkeyore, imagine if, IF he got himself an army, then imagine if the stigma got control, it would be a undying army. Completely indestructible. You should know the power of said stigma, even your flames can't destroy it’s creations!” Dust said trying to talk some sense into me his friend.

‘’......I know but….but what was I supposed to do! He is the only family I have left! He won’t survive the binding! The strain would kill him, his heart is weak!’’ I said my eyes staring deep into Dust's glasses.

Dust sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “I’m going to tell you something, but you best keep it to yourself, got it?” Dust told Alkeyore while still pinching the bridge of his nose.

‘’ Dust…..I know I should of contacted you about him but-’’

“You saw the door when you walked in, right Alke?” interrupted Dust

‘’Yes I did…..’’

“Did you see that blade in the door, and the new runes on it?”

‘’Where’s this is going?’’ I asked Dust had always been a strange one

“ I finally, after how many years of looking after the first death of a student, found a way for anyone who holds a stigma to survive the binding process… It took so many years of research, and only fifty years of searching for the correct items, but I did it my friend! You don’t even understand how happy that made me, and just that thought, the thought of never losing, or even have the risk of losing another!” Dust brought his head up with a glee filled smile, “I found a way for any of them to survive!”

‘’How?’’ I said in shock, I knew that runes already on the door kept us from dying from magical overload but to completely denied the chains of death? Genius this changes everything. ‘’How?’’ I repeated

“Well I just did it recently, it is actually the reason why I had to leave my son and my kingdom, I just had to do this. I tracked down one of Harmony's greatest creations, Michael, her first corrupted, Lucifer, asked Life for her blood, got the most dangerous weapon known to history, the Blade of the first murderer Kane, took the soul of a star dragon, and finally… a Stigma.” Dust smile dropped slightly at the end of his explanation, but it still held.

‘’Harmony!’’ Are you sure it wise to call upon her creations after all she done? especially to you?’’ I asked fearing for what was left of Dust mind, Harmony the greatest traitor to ever lived but I thought her creations the angels were all destroyed in the war she waged against the very heart of existence her fellow Entities. But if Michael the father of War himself and Lucifer the Fallen survived.... it meant that the eternal war of angels between demons is still raging even after Harmony the creator of angels death.

“They can’t complain when they are dead.” He said simply.

‘’Not to you perhaps but to us Hades stigmas.....’’

“You’re fine, I took their essence and then stabbed them with the First blade, Their souls are no longer free, they are trapped within the blade.”

‘’And what of Nephilim? Any news of them yet? I asked if the war is still waging the rest of the Nephilim were still in hiding, well most them that is. For what I could gather from both Dust and the few Entities I know of, Nephilim are a extremely rare breed since both angels and demons hunt them ever since birth, most never reach adulthood. I often wonder what it would be like bring the Nephilim together in our own realm..... perhaps when Dust restore life to this place perhaps he'll allow us sanctuary.

“A few have sprouted up in the wood works, but nothing too significant, and your kind is elusive, so It is hard to track them down exactly.”

‘’Of course with the demons and angels hunting them even you would hide if it wasn’t your powers and hounds.’’

“True, but the problem with the nephilims is the fact, they to have power, it only takes one Nephilim to kill an entire army of both angels and demons, they just don’t know their own strength, if they did, they wouldn’t be hunted down, they would be doing the hunting.”

‘’Aye but unlike me, they are still babes they need to be taught how…...if you find them send them to me I’ll show the powers of our people…...even if I lost all of my humanity I am still their king if only they…...well you know.’’

Dust started to laugh, “Good luck telling them YOU are their king, your kind are naturally rebellious!”

I joined in the laughter ‘’ Oh tried to be the ruler of the dark magi then we’ll see whose rebellious!’’

“Boy some of the ones I’ve sensed and heard about will give you a run for your money… and life.”

‘’ We’ll see about that…...what you do mean by that?’’

“Well one of them kills demons.”

‘’Dust …..You know that I done that too’’ I smiled whilst shaking my head at his forgetfulness.

“Yeah, but this one does it daily, and it’s his job. He also killed off half of hell in just a few days. Oh and he shrugs off mortal wounds like they were nothing more then cuts or scraps…. And he has a sword capable of killing almost anything, along with being the son of the strongest demon to ever live, in pretty much every universe… so if you meet him, have fun with that.”

‘’First I am an Gaeaish we fight demons just as daily. Second where is he? We should send him to Gaea to even the odds lastly which demon?’’ It was safe to say that my interest was pipped if what dust said was true then Gaea could be restore back to her former self.

“Sparda.”

‘’ Sparda…...sweet Darkness how close is he to his father's power’’ I gasped ever since I meet Dust I learned not only Gaea was under demonic threat but many other worlds were and I studied their demonic races as much as I could of the ones he had told me about. Sparda is one of the more powerful ones, able to destroy entire worlds on his own. And to think he had a son.

“At this point I dare say he almost exceeds him.”

‘’Dust…….have you been drinking?’’ I asked truly wondering if Dust had been hitting the juices of the barley.....again.

“I can’t get drunk, so why would I?”

‘’You fucked an Draaosian after trying Hagi’s brew then ran through Orthos’s streets in the nude scaring the young girls half to death’’ I deadpanned not even I would touch an Draaosian woman. Not even blindfolded.

“Like I said, some of them will give you a run for your money, oh and Sparda had TWO strong sons.” Dust announced with a shit eating grin.

‘’What….the …..fuck….Dust where’s the ale? now tis I who needs a drink or sixty.

Dust simply laughed, “Anyways anything else you want to talk about while we are here?

”Yes…...you know that Kirin I brought with me’’ I asked the subject of what Moonlit told me of the Avalonian Humans was one I sorely needed his council on. Dust's council has aided me greatly in the days of old it will do once again.

“Yes, they a pretty rare you know, not everyday you see one. I have one somewhere in my little slice of the multiverse, I just don’t know where. And yes, I lost a Kirin… don’t judge me…”

‘’According to her in the world my companions are from, there were humans living there’’

“Hmm, interesting, since from where Pandora is from, in her world there are no such things as humans. Constants and variables…” Dust said intrigued.

‘’Hmm how you knew what my companions were or that they came from another world?’’ I asked intrigued as well of what knowledge he will offer me this time round.

“They exist where Pandora is from, same names and all. But they are more human like, again constants and variables…”

‘’And who is Pandora’’ I asked feeling I already knew the answer perhaps Chaos's daughter...still don't know to make of that one

“You know that draconequus who is my new student? That’s her.”

''Oh, we getting side track as I was saying Moonlit that’s the Kirin’s name and somewhat mention by Discord..... and the Alicorns outside my student Nightmare their homeland was once ruled by a group of human deities……-

Dust just started rubbing his temples, “Go on, I’m listening and trying to get rid of the stupidity at the same time, I can multitask.”

‘’Well besides the fact they MIGHT think that the both of us are long lost deities, Moonlit says that the humans were eliminated by Alicorns who replaced them as the gods of Avalon yet I have nothing concert but still whatever they believe it or not they were an branch of humanity were supposedly killed…..I plan on learning more yet what are you thoughts?’’

“I think I should show them how wrong they are, and instill some fear into their leader, whoever they are. You?”

That sounds like the Dust I knew I thought before giving my own thoughts ‘’Well as I said nothing concert but they have said many times that I am a god. I think I could use it to my advantage in order to uncover what really happen and the Kirin says that the war the resulted in the death of the native humans happen over two thousands years ago if we are to find answers we’ll need to seek out immortals which are probably the Alicorns that done that deed in the first place.’’

“Hmm, I actually find this whole situation you are in pretty funny.”

‘’How so?’’ I asked

“I had to do the same thing when I killed off the elves in the world of my kingdom. I play the role of a god who blessed them, and then after finding out what I wanted, I killed them off with one fell swoop.” Dust explained smiling with pride of his students plan being so close to his own. “I taught you well.”

‘’Yes you did’’ said I with a smile if only we could kill Luwin and his lot ‘’but an elven god of all things? I’ll rather be an Lycan or better yet a Lich then being a damn knife-ear’’

“Hey, you know I’m a wolf in sheep's clothing, and it doesn't matter the color of the wool, I can play the part.”

‘’HENhenhenhahahhaa’’ I laughed Dust could always make me laugh ‘’ so how we’re going to do this?’’

Dust smiled, “It there someplace in their world that isn’t heavily populated? And would they happen to know it’s rough coordinates?

”Hmm from what little I know it would be the Everfree Forest but that’s no good too close to heavy sums of population but there’s is the south they are the bastions of human worship yet I believe that the badlands are the less populated yet for the strangest reason I’m being drawn to go south…..I think this maybe the reason why the demon sends us here……..why you asked?’’ I said again I knew where he was going but sometimes verification in needed.

“Because I think I might be the one to take you and your friend's home…” He smiled, knowing what happens when he enters a new world.

‘’Hmm perhaps but there are a number of things I need to do first’’ I said levitating the keystone into Dust's hand, hen in all the enticement I completely forgotten about the stone but this is the best course of action I fear I can not protect it any longer ''I believe you know what this is’’

Dust inspected the gem, feeling it’s glass like texture and odd coloration, “Yes, yes I do… why do you have it with you?”

‘’Hagi and Senna died to keep this from Teigue…..Hagi gave it to me in hopes I’ll manage to keep out of the hands of Gaea’s foes which was the catalyst of my ‘’banishing’’ to the world of Avalon I know not how I nor the gem survived that cocktail of unstable magics yet here we are….. I believe that the last remaining free keystone would be safest with you because it’s clear that I can’t keep it safe if Teigue ever finds it then Gaea will be at her end ’’ I said Dust is the only person in all the realms I would trust with something this important ‘’I know you find it strange that I still protect Gaea after all it had done to me.

Dust was silent for, thinking and contemplating on what to do next. He then did a silent whistle and Skol appeared, “Take this to the zoo and put it within the mimic..” Skol smiled and did as he was told, taking the keystone within his mouth and instantly vanishing, but not before stopping and peering into Luna’s eyes looking… hungry. “Alke, you need to learn something. There is a certain time when you should stop and reevaluate the situation. When you should relax and look towards the future, instead of the past. I always told you your limit is your mind, and it’s limit is your knowledge, and its limit is your environment. Learn, please.”

‘’ You always say that’’ I said flatly, my duty.... no my clan's duty is not yet completed then an odd thought crossed my mind the she-fairy that's been haunting me. ‘’ Dust does the name Artemis mean anything to you?’’

Dust just looked at me bewildered, “Umm, did you two have a falling out and you just drank your way to amnesia or something? “

‘’Dust…...what are you talking about? I had never heard of the name Artemis until and vision of sorts mention the name…….I was having words with an women I never before and this woman has appeared before me an number of times yet I know her not’’ I said with a sinking feeling then my head starts throbbing is if a giant just popped it like a grape then it's gone just as quick.

“Artemis is your wife you know? Remember the drop dead gorgeous fairy with a kind voice and… interesting temper to say the least.”

‘’Wife? What Wife!?!? Dust jester has clearly slowed your mind’’ said I wide eyed and unsure of my friend's sanity or lack thereof. I can't be married....Could I? no that's is just wishful thinking I am a dark mage emotions are my playthings. I controlled my emotion, my logic in intact, I am not married. My heart is stone. But then the images of both Artemis and Luna appear in my eyes....they were smiling at me then the memory of Luna seeing my true from played she was still smiling warmly but then the images was gone leaving me questioning my control and sanity.

“Correction, he makes it faster, and also I think I would know who and what she is to you since I was the one who did the ceremony.”

‘’Then why I don’t know her ‘’ I growled demonically there's was no way I had fallen in love and married, my duty is not complete.

“That is a mystery I think only you can solve my friend, but I think we should unfreeze the others, because being stuck in time for a long period is rather uncomfortable.”

‘’Says the man who slept with a Draaosian’’ I said while I couldn't help to grin at Dust's uncomfortable expression ‘’but yes we should yet one more thing why is Pandora signing your name so’’

“Boy you don’t know half of the things I’ve fucked in my years. For science of coarse. And I have no idea why, but I’m feeling something for her as well, and it’s as if we are being drawn together by some unknown force… Alke I’ve thought about her in ways and using emotions I haven't even blinked an eye at since I was twenty one years old. ” Dust said in a wondering voice, and it quickly change mischievous “ And what about you and blue over there? Seeming pretty… silk between you two?”

‘’Tis natural to feel such ways giving how lonely you are traveling world to world seeking knowledge and the like, maybe a lover may what you truly need but-’’ I started before cutting my eyes at him incredulously ‘’what exactly are you implying here Dust or rather Jester judging by the tone.’’

“You know what I’m implying here, now let's get what we need from here shall we?” He snapped his fingers, and the color came back, and time now flowed here once again. “Let’s keep moving everyone!” he said, none of them noticing that they were just under a spell.

‘’ Why would thou want to talk in private?’’ asked Luna in confusion with absolutely no idea of the conversation we held in limbo and it will stay that way until I learn the meaning of what Dust was insinuating me falling for Luna hah we are friends. Nothing more.

''Are you sure about that one'' smirked Caldorel mischievously finally speaking up ''after all you haven't been yourself since meeting her...''

Caldorel fancy hearing from you now of all times I thought while growling at the demon.

''Ah sorry about that master Hades was trying to break through the seal again and I learn of something you may be interested in'' said the demon with a dark bestial grin

''Oh and what interest that would be?'' I had little interest in Caldorel's dealings or council but there were times where the demon proved to somewhat helpful and insightful not that he care of what happens to me but he needs me in order to stay alive if I died then so does he meaning it is in his best interest to keep me alive as long as possible.

''The memory charm that's not only blocking 37% of your memory but drain a large sum of the magic that went into keeping your human disguise from failing.'' that instantly caused me to take a sudden intake of air as my eyes widen at the implications... I was under a spell?

'' Can you break it?'' I asked the demon if I was truly under a memory charm then who casted and why? what was they trying to hid from me?

''hmm yes I have the power but it has a cost''

Of course there always a price ''what is this cost?'' I snarled ''what is it you want?''

''Oh it's nothing much actually it's a small thing really'' said the demon sweetly before I felt him wrap around my soul lovingly ''I want you to embrace the 'demon' within become an Arch-demon''

''I am already more demon than man how could I become more demonic? there is nothing left in me that is a man. Become an Arch-demon? this is a fool's errand Caldorel, '' I mentally fumed how could I become more demon than I was already was? my humanity is dead, there is nothing left to give.

'' I can show you how Alkeyore'' said the demon '' you are my sister's son, she was the greatest of us.... this is your birthright just as the rule of Rohnir, the nephilim and the starlight kingdom your mother's kingdom was''

''If this uncovers my lost memories then so be it show me how to become a Archdemon'' I thought emotionlessly, I had little choice in the matter if I am to recover my memories and perhaps learn of the she-fairy that Dust claimed to be my wife .....‘’Worry not my friend it’s already taken care of’’ I said to Luna as I felt the demon start his work yet I start to wonder about Dust's insinuations... could they be right? Was I falling for Luna?

‘’How?’’ asked Celestia not accepting my words on the matter like she has done so many times in our short time of knowing each other

Dust just said out loud, “Don’t ask about it.”

‘’Ask about what?’’ said Discord cocking his mismatched head at Dust

“Good boy, have a treat.” Dust replied having a glass of chocolate milk appear in Discords claws.

‘’But I’m lactose intolerant’’ whine Discord with big puppy eyes

‘’Discord you bathe in chocolate milk’’ deadpanned Celestia while taking time to study the many titles of Dust’s books.

‘’Oh yeah that’s right’’ giggled the mad ‘’god’’

Dust then abruptly stops and looks up a book case, quickly scanning it with his finger tracing the air, “AH, here we go~!” he then floated a old, dusty tome down from the top shelf. “Here we go, one book on the lost Dova arts of the sky lords! Filled with everything you need to teach that little Kirin how to breath fire, engulf herself in almost any element, at said element for power, and eventually transform into a dragon after so long.” Dust handed the book over to Alkeyore, “Don’t lose it.” he said sternly.

I opened the book and frowns at what I see ancient dragon runes one of the few tongues I can't read ‘’ Dust how am I to teach Moonlit if I can't read the tongues that dwell in this book even then how you know if she even can use these spells? if she of a different draconian race then the ones who wrote this....’’

Dust walked up to me and tapped my forehead, giving me an instant headache, but when I looked down at the book, I could understand the words within. “Anyone, and anything can learn this magic, if taught by a dragon, but since she has dragon within her, she can learn it. Dragon magic is universal you see. No matter where, when, or what type, they all understand the same tongue and powers, that is why dragons are so strong and unique, they are the same wherever you go.” Dust spoke with wisdom. “Now we need to get Nighties book/books next, let us go.”

‘’I’m still not sure about this Alkeyore, dark magic is one thing but can we trust this man?'' said Luna with wisdom is her words, her eyes hard at the man who had taught me and more ''How can we expect to trust this wolf’s in sheep's clothing and if he has my daughter safety in mind’’

“So you are smarter than you look I see?” Dust said with more mockery in his voice than anger.

‘’Is that mockery in your voice you poor excuse of an elder god’’ growled Celestia again forgetting my warnings. why do I even bother...go ahead Celestia get yourself killed. I'm not cleaning up the mess you're going to become.

He growled right back, “I’m not a god you poor excuse of a intelligent lifeform! You are nothing more than prey in a wolf’s den, and yet you still chose to make a noise, either you are brave, or you have no survival instincts whatsoever!” at the end of Dust’s rant they all heard a very deep, rumbling growl, “You best choose your words more wisely in the future, lease you lose the ability to think at all when everything goes black.”

‘’Hello Lady Hati Sol-searcher’’ said I with a smile perhaps this will get Celestia to behave ‘’ How goes the hunt!?’’ as soon those words left my maw I felt the tail hairs tickle the back of my neck in greeting.

Celestia pales even more whiter leaving me to wonder if it was even possible ‘’What was that?’’ she squeaks

‘’A hound’’ I say warningly

“Your end.” Dust said darkly.

‘’And then your end Dusty ‘’ growled Discord his talons ready to snap.

“Boy you are nothing more than a fly to me, buzz, buzz, buzz you go, until my hand makes you go splat.” Dust got into the draconequus face, “If you think you can win, please try, I don’t think I’ve ever experimented on your kind before, and I always love new subjects to study in the morgue.” Dust flashed his fangs, obviously trying to provoke Discord.

‘’Dust leave the children alone they're not the worth the time nor the effort, I think I spy Nightmare’s books’’ I said in attempt to diffuse the situation before blood is spilled ‘’ fly we must if we are to teach the hatchlings for they have no wings’’

“They already know it, they just hide from reality under the false pretenses of ‘gods’ and all powerful beings, when even a child with only fives years training could rip them from their pedestal, they just want to ignore that fact since they most likely never gave anyone else the chance to even learn a quarter of what they know, in fear of the curtain being dropped.”

‘’and what makes you so great, what makes you the judge of others!!’’ accused Luna indignantly pointing her hoof at Dust taking a moment to place Nightmare in the safety of her legs.

The walls of the library get replaced by a clear glass, and outside of that glass is just pure darkness… until there is a small light that implodes on itself and bursts outward creating an entire galaxy from the blast, thousands of stars, planets, black holes, light, and even a new sense of wonder within everyone's minds. “I’ve dedicated my LIFE my UNENDING LIFE to the study of everything. I’ve spent countless decades researching only one subject at a time, in more than one universe, to perfect the knowledge and see if it is consistent. I’ve discovered things long thought impossible, created things no one could even dream of, taught countless students and rose and crushed even more civilizations in my conquest of knowing all I can… and I’m still far away from learning it all, for I have only scratched the surface child, and this, “ he pointed to the new galaxy he just formed, “is nothing compared to what I could do, and yet it’s not enough… If knowledge is power, than I am the strongest, but in my eyes I’m still the weakest for I do not know it all, but I still know enough to see children trying to play ‘god’ when they can’t even support the weight of their own psyche. That is what makes me judge.” he clapped his hands, destroying the new cosmos as quickly as he created it. “I’m not better than you, but I am smarter than you, and in turn stronger than you.” he turned to me, even I binging shocked at the display, but not fully surprised, “second bookcase, sixth shelf down, there should be anything you need there to teach a beginner, now if you don’t mind, I forget what day it is and I need to check.” he said disappearing in a blink of an eye.

I reached out with my magics taking the books I deemed to be of worth to nightmare’s lessons ‘’ Nightmare my student I trusted you watched Dust closely? he only shown a fraction of the might at his hands and you did well in heeding my words but Celestia, Discord Luna I am disappointed in you all you each failed to keep in mind my warnings you should consider yourselves lucky that Dust didn’t killed you outright for such words.’’

‘’But he started it’’ said Celestia indignantly

‘’Alkeyore why are you disappointed in me?’’ asked Luna sounding hurt.

‘’Your nothing but hatchlings without wings here, stop trying to argue with him as I said he's above you’’ I said slamming my fist into the bookshelf '' he won't be as merciful the next time so please for your own sake listen to my wisdom!''

Discord just stood there with fear and shock dug deeply in both his face and being a light shake heavy in his head.

Celestia looks over to her mate in concern ‘’Discord are you okay? You’re not scared by that cheap illusion were you?''

‘’ Celly that was no illusion it was…..real. It- it was all there Celestia and then poof it was all gone…..Alkeyore tried to warn us but we thought we knew better.’’ said Discord unnerved his claw reaching out of the former galaxy only to touch nothing, he looks at his claw and back to where dust once was with fear in his eyes

‘’What!!’’ shouted Luna and Celestia nearly deafening both Nightmare and me.

‘’As I said you only hatchlings without wings here fools that thought their gods…if that man... that being isn’t a god then no one is for they are his prey, only food for the wolf with a smile’’ I said my voice hollowed

‘’And he’s the one who taught you? asked Luna visibly shaken of the man called Dust, her kin Celestia and Discord sharing the same fate and thought, this time they were the mortals here not the other way around.

‘’Where you think I gotten my scars……most of them are from his so called lessons if any lesser man faced what I faced, seen what I had seen he would've died long ago and some had in the past so no he doesn’t teach he forces you to learn…to adapt or your basic instincts does. I could teach you the spell of five hours or I could throw you into the ring with a beast designed to kill you and you’ll learn that spell in five minutes I guarantee you’ll learn it or die a painful death.. THERE ARE NO SECOND CHANCES you learn or die simple as the night is long.’’ I said my hands warping themselves around my arms rubbing them as if a never dying flame was devouring them Luna seeing this rushed to my side worry eating away at her as her hoof touch my arms feeling the scars under the sleeves as my robe open a few inches. only showing a bit of my chest.

‘’What has that that monster done to you’’ She said once again seeing the scars on my chest though the opening of my robes.

‘’He made me the strongest I could be, just as I asked for. ‘’ said I before calming down ‘’ we made a deal…we all did, all of Dust's students had made the deal, lou he told us what could happen, what would happen, warning us of everything he gave us many chances to walk away yet we stayed he said that the day would come where the choice will died. but we remained all for the strength we needed and we gladly pay the price in blood some would call us brave, others say we’re fools the fools who let him in……and the wolf is hungry once again’’ I ended the rant by looking at nightmare with haunted eyes ‘’ soon your turn will come too’’

‘’Does he ever care about you?'' said Celestia showing real concern for me but I couldn't tell if it was really for me or Nightmare ''any of you?’’

‘’Yes he cares about us all but few of us care about him our teacher’’ I said truthfully

‘’how can you say that Alkeyore he’s a lunatic’’ says Luna appalled at my words....Dust may not show how much he cares but he has his moments at times.

‘’Luna sometimes it takes a monster to show the way and it takes a monster to create monsters just try to live the way he does and for as long he has, then we’ll see if you are near anywhere you are now, to see if you keep even a glint of sanity left it takes a sane man to see that he’s insane while a insane man claims to have his sanity.’’ I said using the very same words my father Talos once said to me to comfort me about my Nephilim form, to remind me that I was not a monster.

At that moment Dust reappeared rubbing his forehead while looking surprised. “Well I’ll be damned.”

Turning my head towards dust I asked ‘’is something wrong Dust?’’

Dust just kept staring off to nowhere, “It’s my birthday today… I’m ten thousand'', then he shook his head, “So… I have a surprise for the little ones!”

‘’Stay away from them creature the foals don’t need of anything that’s of yours!!’’ said Celestia flaring her wings in an attempt to make herself look bigger but her eyes betray her fears.

Dust turns to me with a sigh, “Do they understand that I can give a shit less about what they say or try to do? They just don’t learn do they?”

‘’No it’s clear, they don’t well at least Celestia since she show the most bark’’ I said in agreement whilst removing my hands from my arms, the phantom burning had stop a few moments after Luna touch them... did she cast some sort of healing spell? that can't be it as far I had seen her horn lights up when she cast a spell perhaps all Alicornian magic is done though their horns.... that something we need to remedy after all relying on a single part of body for magic often leads to it being cut off by mage hunters.

“Well at any case,” Dust turns to Nightmare who somehow escaped the safety of her mother's legs to my side when she was comforting me ....hmm clever girl, '' I’m going to personally teach you a spell! Same for the other little one.”

‘’Which spell?’’ I said interested in what kinds of spells he had in mind... so many possibilities given the girls personalities yet could moonlit even use magic? was she old enough to be able to cast spells? she is a dragon but sometimes magic often surprises even the oldest of masters ‘’I doubt Moonlit even knows how to gather magic yet’’

“Boy if I can teach a tree how to gather magic and make itself glow, I can teach a sentient creature how to breath fire.”

‘’Remember last time you did that, the dwarves still afraid to look away from that hammer ‘’ I said with a shiver, even I nearly got caught on fire a few times because of the fang of the forge the very first hammer to even be crafted. I still had no idea how Dust taught it to breathe fire.

“Yeah, but that hammer was cursed with the spirit of a old grouchy Dwarf, not my fault he’s a dick.” Dust said shrugging

‘’A quick Necromancer rite would help those dwarves or at least regrow their beards’’ I said not really surprised at Dust's reply.

“But for you Nighty, I have something fun for you to learn.” said Dust knowingly

‘’Oh? What is this spell?’’ Nightmare said starry eye at the chance to learn her first spell since accepting Alkeyore teachings.

Dust smiled and crossed his arms, he then instantly turned pitch black before fading into a light gray, almost invisible, and he looked to be flowing like water, “It’s actually a dark mages best tool for almost anything really, it’s called Plane’s Walk. Let’s you shift from one plane of existence to another, allowing different interactions with different things, for example spirits. Most of the time it would be impossible to interact, or at least touch or see a spirit if they didn’t want you to, but this spell let’s you go from our plane to theirs. But there are many different planes my dear, and over time you will discover them, but first you must learn this spell.” he then popped right back into full color.

‘’ Nightmare this is an very basic spell but has it’s dangerous if you go to the spirit realm everything that dwells there you can touch and they the same to you and there are many spirits who want to prey on untrained mages even veterans of our art find danger there never use it unless I or Dust is with you. But do not fear if you can’t do it as quick as Dust or myself we had many years walking the planes.’’ I said pleased with Dust's choice of spell-work, The Plane's walk spell a quite the handy spell to have it makes magic schools like necromancy much easier to master because of the knowledge of the spirit realm itself, ‘’Luna before you say anything as long as nightmare is with me or Dust the spirits won’t move against her.''

‘’Alkeyore I’m not afraid of the spirits harm Nightmare I fear Dust doing it instead’’ said Luna with an distrustful eye towards Dust, her hooves nervously scratching at the floor as she watch nightmare approached Dust when he ushered her over to his side.

‘’Then by that logic then why is he telling her everything she needs to know on how to cast the spell plus if he wanted to hurt nightmare then he would've already done so’’ I replied watching as Dust places the filly in his lap explaining the inner meanings of the spell with a smile. ‘’He might be rough and utterly mad but he has an kind soul especially towards children plus he has more parenting experience then the both of us combine.’’

‘’But still’’ Luna says uncertainly as she looked me in the eye ‘’ I don’t trust him’’

‘’How could he be kind to a foal when he’s been so cruel to us’’ frowned Celestia watching dust's inaction with her daughter with disbelieving eyes.

‘’Ha! you think he been cruel to you? Bah, he only lectured you if he wanted to be cruel then he would of unleashed Hati and Skoll on you by now’’ I said using pure logic Hati and Skol the two hounds who will swallow the sun and moon... it's ionic in a way I had both the sun and the moon of Avalon at my side all it would take was for dust to give the order.

Instantly a very deep growl and excited bark echoed throughout the room causing the two older alicorns to flinch as if struck by hot rods of iron.

They then heard from Dust, “Hey, calm your shit you two!” slight whimpering and a deep sigh was heard.

‘’They just wanted to play’’ I chucked before turning my attentions back to the alicorns ‘’as I said if he wanted to cruel then he would already done so’’

‘’Play??!!’’ shouted Celestia looking at me as if I grew seven heads ‘’those.. those things! sounded hungry!’’

‘’Alkeyore how you can understand that?’’ said Luna curios of my many 'talents'

‘’Necromancer remember I deal with all spirits both good, dark and everything in between plus those two are not spirits I’m so use to being around them’’ I said smugly before something hit me in the calf, something thin and dense‘’ Damnation Skol I’ll make an pelt coat out of you, you arse!’’

Demonic chuckles met my threat, taunting me in the shadows I could see the large hell hound waiting for me to chase after him... he's always love playing these games even when he superpose to be guarding Dust's Domain.

“You better be able to back up those threats Alke.” Dust announced, now having a big book out in front of him, pointing to various glyphs and runes, most likely teaching a few to Nightmare for her to have an easier time learning the spell.

‘’ You and me both know it will grow back’’ I said shaking my fist to the shadows in the room. This only caused for Skoll to smile flashing his fangs at me. he was lucky that only I and Dust could see him, The Alicorns and Discord would probably grab Nightmare and run into the gloom of Dust's Domain.

“But will you?”

‘’Necromancer remember I’ll just eat the pelt to grow back my body parts’’ I said moving my eyes from the shadows to dust allowing some necromantic magic to follow throughout my body ready if Skol decides to keep up this game of his.... one good shoot then there will be one hound who missing his tail.

“Doesn't mean YOU can’t be eaten.” Dust said, with Skol chuckling more.

‘’You know I’m venomous’’ I argued, any good master black wizard will have some plagues at his disposable, often very handy for when White wizards decide to 'cleanse' an town of black wizards.... the white wizards were going to burn down the town anyways. Plus it always did made a good getaway.

“You know his stomach is basically a black hole right?” Dust argued right back, “You're talking about a wolf that literally ate both the embodiment, AND literal moon right?”

He had me there...‘’Touche’'

‘’What you mean he ate my MOON!!!! Shouted Luna with an panic look

Dust sighed, “ I’m going to need to give another lecture, aren't I?”

‘’Oh be kind Dust she’s watches over the moon where’s she’s from plus you do have her daughter in your lap’’ I said after taking some time to calm Luna down...

“Oh, you know I can do two things at once, I am quite the multitasker!” boasted Dust rather truthfully unlike one rainbow maned Pegasus or one lavender Alicorn screaming in my ear

‘’I’m sure that was what that Draaosian said before you showed her the light’’ I said.... I really don't want to know how or why Dust wanted to 'sample' an Draaosian woman

“Boy trust me, there was no light on that night.” Dust said with a chuckle.

‘’No not in front Nightmare’’ said Luna with a mother’s fury in her eyes. I knew better than to defend Dust on that one even though I was the one that brought it up in the first place.

“Oh she’s fine! You know if you baby her too much, when she does find out about all of THAT she’ll be a lost cause right? Hell my parents cursed in front of me all the time, and I knew what sex was when I was six, and knew the effects of drugs and other things when I was eight, and I never abused any of them and didn’t start swearing until I was seventeen! I did the same with my son, and got the same reaction from him.”

‘’What’s sex?’’ asked Nightmare cutely

Oh sweet Alvae, she did not just asked that...... in front of Dust...

“How old are you?” Dust asked with a flat look on his face.

‘’ Eleven and a half…I think ’’ said Nightmare unsure but more or less right given her current size.

Dust stares at Luna, “Are you going to give her The Talk, or do I need to do it?”

‘’The Talk’’ gulped Luna nervously, her eyes mere pinpricks ‘’but but I haven’t thought about…..I just find out I had a daughter’’

‘’Dust it’s a little too soon for that…..she and Luna only have about a day or less of being mother and daughter ‘’ I said in a stern tone given my long time experience with Dust I knew he wasn't going to let it die down just as I knew he wasn't going to listen to me.... that is just how he is when curing the ignorance of others.

“Then are you going to give her it? No matter what she is learning this today.” said Dust adamantly on the subject

‘’As her teacher I will WITH Luna’’ said I much to Luna’s horror..... sorry Luna but if I am going to do this or rather Dust making me do this then your coming with me. And I really don't want to do this.... Sweet Alvae what is happening to me? I'm going soft....

“Need any books on anatomy? Biology? Porn mags? Anything?”

‘’No……’’ I said slightly nervous, why in the seven hells I am nervous about this? it's just a filly. The sooner I get my memories the better ‘’ I’ll have everything i need isn’t that right Luna……..Luna?'' When Luna didn't answer me I intermediately turned to my friend to what was the matter and with a spell at the ready if Skoll decide to misbehave and attack Luna only to find her in an alarming state she just stood there, still as a statute with her mouth agape and a soft ‘’Eeeeeeeh’’ filling the air.

‘’Er…...maybe the biology book’’ asked I while waving my hand in front of Luna’s eyes trying to bring her back to this realm.

“Okay, what book? Equine, human, demon, angel, dragon, whale, shark, amibia, Draaosian, orc, dwarf, werewolf, wendigo… don’t ask how I know their mating habits… just… don’t, anyways-”

‘’Um……….just give me a basic book on mammals…..just keep the rest to yourself, no need to give Luna a heart attack'' I said with real worry that could very well happen despite she is an immortal... of course if it did I could easily heal her but still..... she didn't needed this.

“Ok, but seriously, the wendigo’s man… just… the female eats the male’s-”

‘’STOP!!’’ I shouted along with Celestia and Luna stopping Dust from finishing that sentence………’’wait we’re missing somebody?’’

Discord ….’’Eeeeeeeeeeh’’ *falls over*

we all just stared at the fallen form of Discord for a few seconds before garbing both Luna and Nightmare magically, casting a another shadow step spell, allowing for the shadows to us whole before teleporting us into different section of the Domain of Dust effectively abandoning Celestia and Discord to Dust and whatever fate he had planned for the two doomed trespassers

Once the shadows felled and sight return to me and my companions was I instantly greeted by Luna glaring at me with the fiery fury of an mother while Nightmare was waiting patiently with amused smile on her little muzzle....she was up to something. But what? it was hard to say yet I knew she is up to something... as a dark mage paranoia often follows and it's often the dark mage is right.

''Alkeyore '' says Luna in a tone that spoke of questionable intentions, the kind where you know there will be trouble which I returned with a rather plain look of my own. The silence was daunting as we both simple looked at each other, not daring to make the first move, the first of the many battles of wills I knew to come. The struggles of a master and a mother each with the best intentions in mind. who will win? whose will is stronger? It only a matter of perspective.

''Luna... my friend we both know this will happen though we both don't want it too.'' I said breaking the sound of silence. Yes I may had lose the battle of will this time but sometimes to achieve final victory sacrifices must be made. Life is filled with countless sacrifices even in death there are still sacrifices yet we still make them all of the forlorn hope of having a better life.... sometimes it would be just so easy to let go... yet that is a choice I can no longer make.

''But why? why we must do this? You swore an oath to protect me and my daughter.... was it just empty words to you?'' asked Luna reminding me of the my own words back from the castle... before Celestia and Discord came... it made me angry how dare she even question my word! I had protected her and the others many things if it wasn't for me they would of died the instant they set foot in this place but they ignore my warnings but she has the gall to claim that my word is worthless!

'' I remember my oaths!'' I snapped at the blue Alicorn darkly, at the snap the shadows sharpen their inky blackness ready to sever my command if I saw it fit too, '' I will always hold to them but you saw Dust and his power! Even I can not stand against Dust for long!'' Though my rage was blazing I still was truthful in nature. ''How could I stand against that kind of power Luna if you see a way then tell me so! But against Dust there can be no victory, I had fought in enough battles to recognize a lost battle when I see one!''

''But'' said Luna struggling with finding a way to find fault in my words, she sigh when she couldn't she knew I was right and right I was , ''....I am sorry Alkeyore it's it's just.... I-I-I am scared'' she said with her ears flat against her skull '' I fear for us, I fear for my daughter ever since you brought us here I couldn't felt like myself and then Dust..... what is he really?''

I sigh and using my magic I brought Luna into my arms at first she flinches in surprise but soon she smiles at the gesture I felt my earlier rage faded once I embraced her, it was only natural to be afraid '' I understand, Dust means well but after me and his son......we are the only things Dust has, he spent countless eons alone in his conquest to learn everything that is, was and will be. He doesn't know how to treat or interact with others, he may seems to be cruel but he is much wiser then I will ever be.''

'' Alkeyore I'm not ready'' said Luna in a small voice

'' It's either us or Dust does the deed and it maybe in our best interests to do it ourselves... no telling what horrors Dust will fill her head with.'' I said hoping that logic would agree with me

''Master, Mother is this a good time to tell you that I already know what sex is.'' said Nightmare with what seems to be a bored tone but that pleased expression on her little face betrayed her.

''WHAT!!!'' both I and Luna shrieked, WE BEEN HAD!!! BY A LITTLE GIRL NO LESS!!! this is a outrage my mind screamed '' WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT!!!''

''Mother I am born from your emotions and magic am I not? And by that logic I also have all of your memories from a thousand years ago''
Nightmare explained smugly. '' all of your seven hundred years worth of memories''

''B-But the cute filly '' I stuttered, stun at this revelation while Luna stood there in my arms staring at Nightmare with big eyes. Nightmare you are such clever girl.... if I wasn't pissed/stun I would reward you for such quick thinking. I often looked for wit in my students as well a good swords arm and the strength of will... it seems I may had found one that may become one of my greatest pupils if set on the right path. Tis difficult to find a worthy student.

'' While I may have the mind of an adult mare I am still very much a filly much of what I acted belong to my filly while my reason and logic hails from the mare trapped in this cute body of mine, and besides how was I was suppose to get us away from Dust? '' said Nightmare matter of factually once again impressing me. '' it would be in our best interests to come to terms with everything that has happened so far.'' ''Such as this Caldorel that sent us here or that beautiful other form of yours?''

she has a point... '' Nightmare...'' I said sternly my mind wondering at just how much she knew, yes it would be wise to this time to set terms but this is not the time nor the place yet..... this girl, this mare in the body of a small filly found my Nephilim self beautiful how she could find such a monstrous sight to be beautiful? ''How long you was going to keep this up?''

''hmm '' went the little filly taping her chin with a hoof thoughtfully '' how long you two going around the bush about falling in love with each other?''

The only sound that could be heard was the sound of silence. As both Luna and myself looked at each other bashfully.

'' Oh come on it's so obvious'' said the filly throwing her little hooves in the air.

''Alkeyore I don't what is worse your friend or the fact my daughter takes after my sister....'' said Luna in a stupor, weak in the knee luckily she already was in my arms...... or was it? Now not only Dust teased at the idea now a little girl who is going to be in big trouble when we return to Avalon just pointed it now. When did this became my life? Of course I just had to land in the one place where the biggest threats are defeated by friendship if what Luna and the Elements of Harmony told me was true. Dust I hope you still have some of Hagi's brew.... I sure I'm going to need it before the night is though.

'' Luna... is what she says true?'' I asked for one since knowing Luna I was the one wanting to know about for the mare who still was in my arms. I don't know how to accept this, Luna falling in love with me, Nightmare finding beauty in my demonic form or the fact I have a wife who I somehow lost all memory of.... what is Luna to me? I asked myself, what is she really? She is my friend yet I treat her more then a friend.....is she my friend or something more? No wo- mare would want the likes of me as a husband, love isn't something that was destined for dark magi... or is it?

'' I don't know Alkeyore I truly don't know.... I need time to sort my feelings so until then please stay with me '' said Luna looking up at me with her eye shining before turning her attention to Nightmare '' But I do know that some little filly is going to be grounded for five hundred when we get home.''

''But MOOOOM'' whines Nightmare her cheeks puffed out in an adorable pout '' I can't even fly yet''

'' Listen to your mother Nightmare'' I said shaking my head whilst making a personal note to give Nightmare more challenging tests to see where her magic stood and work on building her relationship with Luna so far it seems that they are bonding quickly but how long that would last, only Darkness' truth knows '' now we have to make it at least look like we had The Talk, Dust doesn't take to kindly to being tricked....''

Killing Demons is much easier than this.... '' If we are going to save our hinds then follow every word I'm about to tell you.....''

When we returned to the others, an sight most surprising met us...... everything was just how we left them Discord was still passed out with Celestia still trying to revive him and Dust was just sitting there. Nothing had change no flames, no stench of death in the air or screaming…. It was all dreadfully boring

Celestia nuzzling her mate's cheek whispering ‘’Discord please wake up’’ ‘’Dissy honey wake up’’ as she in vain attempt time and time again to revive the so called god of chaos.

Discord stirred in his sleep as if Celestia's efforts had succeeded but instead the chimera promptly shout in his sleep ‘’No mommy I don't want to eat the pretty pony she’ll give me a tummy ache!!!’’

“We’ll someone has skeletons in the closet.” Dust said with a bored expression.

‘’What’s going on here?’’ I said with a brow raised at the Draconequus.... Celestia just face palmed or is face-hoofed the proper term at Discord's shout. Anyways it appears that Discord has some explaining to do once he returns to the waking word.

“He’s broke,” Dust said pointing to Discord, “she’s worried,” he says pointing to Celestia, “and I’m bored.” he says pointing his thumb at himself while resting his hand in his right palm. “So how did the little one take it?”

‘’Well as one could expect but if you’re bored then why don’t you fix him?’’ I asked in wonder usually Dust would be full heatedly at work extracting for any information for any unusual species he came across.

“Because that is just as boring, and I enjoy him being quiet.” he then appeared next to the filly, “So you ready to learn even more today?”

‘’Yes….meep’’ Nightmare says in small shy voice acting exactly I told her too... now if she remember the lines we agreed upon.

“Hey, the birds and the bees aren't that bad, it’s a perfectly natural part of life! It’s very disgusting, but that is just how things are. But the next thing you will be learning is cool and not revolting at all!”

‘’No it’s not that…..it’s well Alkeyore says that you tried it with an Shokr thing’’ said Nightmare bashfully despite having of idea of what a Shokr exactly was. A humanoid bat.

“Yes all in the name of science… and lust, but mostly science. Hey it’s not like they are a mindless animal right? That would be weird.”

‘’......right’’ says Nightmare with an unsure look on her muzzle

‘’Nightmare’’ says Luna with motherly worry before taking a moment to magically step aside near me but her eyes never leaving those of Nightmare ‘’ be careful’’

‘’Don’t worry Luna she will be with us all the way ‘’ I say in attempt to calm Luna's nerves, an gesture she took to kindly. She trusted me and as Nightmare's teacher that is the only thing I could ask of her.

“One, I’m no pedo, so get your minds outta the gutter, and two, gross.” Dust pipped indignantly

‘’Dust…..what is wrong with you, I meant in the spirit world’’ I deadpanned feeling a bit alarmed at Dust's tone but what on Gaea is a pedo? ‘’At least I think that’s you unless Jester is out of jokes’’

“Boy who the hell do you think we are? And do I need to start the list of everything wrong with me?” snipped Dust warningly

‘’ please don’t, that will take forever and a day ‘’ I said very close to the actual truth.

‘’What about them?’’ asked Nightmare pointing a hoof at Celestia and Discord.

Dust quickly raised his hand and clicked his fingers, and they both disappeared, “They are Chaos’s problem now.” a door appeared behind him, “Let us go.” he opens the door and walks in.

‘’Dust are you sure it’s a good idea to leave Discord and my sister alone with Chaos he’s well chaos.’’ asked Luna with a very fair point.

“Probably not, but I’m more focused on her training than of future consequences.” he replied blowing off all her worries. Same old Dust.

‘’Chaos seems to like Discord and Celestia, that my friend is a really good sign.’’ I said using my own encounters with Chaos and the few times I had seen him prove why he is one of The Eight, it was one of the few sights even I had night terrors of and it's usually I who gave another the night terrors ‘’ Nightmare I trust you know how to gather magic?’’

“That won’t matter even if she does, because she won’t be using her horn to cast this spell.”

Luna gasped before to my surprised challenged Dust ‘’ But that’s impossible you need to use your horn that’s the very basics of Equestrian magic’’ Oh this is going to be entertaining...

“But this isn’t equestrian magic, and all my students, even if they are not a Stigma user, can channel magic through any point on their body and cast a spell, isn’t that right Alke?” Dust counters with the pure logic of his teachings

‘’Yes, it’s a skill that every mage needs to learn.’’ I relied before adding onto Dust's logical teachings ‘’you should never rely on a single point on the body to gather magic’’

“Exactly, it doesn't matter if in Equestria it is only done one way, this isn’t Equestria, and you will be Alke’s student, which makes you a successor of my training to him, and I will not have anyone learning any of my lessons not be able to cast magic by using any point that exists on their body, you understand?” Said Dust to Nightmare

‘’ But that is not how it’s works,'' Luna argues adamantly ''Fundamentally the horn is the most in important part! The horn gathers magic the fastest and be able to withstand the magical pressure of advanced spell work.’’ Hmm a really interesting point Luna yet... something tells me that isn't the full story who says that using the horn is fundamental to spell work? One of the best ways to control mages is to control the 'accepted' style of magic by limiting the knowledge released to the public... the white wizards are famous for such means of control to them the only 'good' and 'pure' magic is their own while the other kinds of magic are 'evil' and must be destroyed at any cost.

‘’ Mother I may not know much about magic but from what Dust is saying this a completely different style of magic’’ says Nightmare with a knowledge lusty look about her. but doesn't she has all of Luna's memories to a point thus nearly all of Luna knowledge of spell work? I wonder...

‘“You’re on the right track Nighty, but let me help you out a little.” Dust tapped his foot causing a robotic arm to come down and scan Nightmare with a blue light. While this happen a perfect copy of her form projected in front of him, “Ok this is you. Your body is made up of multiple layers, some being physical, and nonphysical.” Dust tapped the hologram and caused it to scatter around the room, showing all the different layers to Nightmare’s body. “This right here is your magic channel system. This is what causes the mana within you body to flow to your specified area, and be formed into a spell. As you can see, some areas are highlighted more than others, specifically your horn area. That is because of how much more use it gets, compared to the rest of the areas of your body. These channels are a lot like muscles if you will, needing use to get stronger, and just like when it comes to lifting weights, if you do arm day everyday, your legs are weaker, and just continue to get weaker from neglect. But if you start exercising them more, rather than your horn, eventually they will improve.”

‘’But how she would be able to release the magical built up? Luna said intrigued with Dust's words and his machine ''The Horn does it naturally.’’

“Well I’m looking at her entire body right now and see nothing that would make it impossible to release the magic, unless she was mentally conditioned to only be able to release it from her horn.”

‘’But- but that’s impossible we were all taught that the horn was the only release point ever since the first spells were written!’’ Luna says in a shock tone.

And once again my insight was proven correct but who could of convince the the ponies even the Alicorns that only the horn could release magic.... Sleipnir! of course based off of what Luna had told me he is the oldest of the Alicorns thus the one who could of tricked the rest of his kind into weakening themselves.

“Well whoever taught your kind and wrote said spells is either a fool, or a genius.” Dust then got rid of the holograms, “Anyway, let’s start with the first step of this, training yourself to use the other channels.”

‘’And how I do that?’’ asked Nightmare eagerly

Dust lifted up both of his legs at the same time, and sat mid air with them crossed as if he were about to meditate. “ Ok, get into a comfortable position alright?”

Nightmare nodded and tuck in her legs as if sitting on them. Luna raised an eyebrow at Dust but also so took the same position watching the ancient mage closely. I adopted the same stance as Dust but his hands were already a light with magical power.

“Ok, now I want you to draw in the mana around you, not slowly either, like a flooding river. We need to jump start those currents. You can achieve this, but it will hurt a little, not a lot, but you will feel you body temperature spike and fall rapidly. Once you have the mana focused to your core start pushing it through you body slowly, evenly distribute it, and once you feel it half way down your legs, force it all at once.”

Nightmare closes her eyes at did as Dust instructed at once she felt her body burning but then strangely the fire fades away along with her magic ‘’ Dust is that supposed to happen? I felt a fire then nothing.’’

“That's alright, it won’t happen on your first go of it, it will take time. Alkeyore could only cast make efficiently through his hands when we first met, but after some time with this almost everyday, he became great at it no matter where he casted it from. Just keep trying until you get it, I have all the time in existence to wait.” Dust said very calmly and patiently.

‘’ Nightmare try again but this time when you feel that fire don’t concentrate don’t focus on it, leave it be it will spread on it’s own’’ I said in an encouraging tone.

Nightmare tries again feeling the burn but followed her teacher’s advice and left it be yet not enjoying feeling it spread throughout her small body. Soon she could see magical flames licking at her hooves and a slight ringing in her ear before pain started to run through her veins at the pain she lets out a yelp and loses the magical flames. Luna attempted to rush to her daughter’s side but a glare from Dust stopped her.

‘’Nightmare don’t be afraid we are here at your side’’ I said in a soft tone, she needs to become custom to the sensations of pouring magic into the whole of her body and the only way to do it is though the burn of new magics. I know she will get passed this.

“Shh, let her learn for herself. She will get it with time, they always do.”

‘’Aye but she is just a child and we need to teach her how to fly perhaps we need to show her how’’ I said debating with myself whether or not to show her the spell step by step. it could be easier on her and of course Luna.

“My son was just a child as well, and she is older than him when he learned, have some faith in your student Alke, in the end she will prevail. If I didn’t have faith in you, you wouldn’t be so strong now would you?”

‘’Dust it’s not a question of faith but it is something else, Nightmare is different from your son unlike him she isn’t a stigma bearer and she wasn’t taught magic as soon as he did, remember that she did lived in a ruin alone’’ I pointed leaving out the fact she knew much of Luna's spells... it is very difficult to learn a completely new style of magic after doing a single style for so long as Luna did with the horn style.

“He was five Alke, his Stigma was far from awakened, just trust me on this.”

‘’Since when I did not trusted you if I had to I would trust you with my-

“Well since we have been talking here, she almost has it down pat, look.” said Dust pointing at the filly.

Sweat poured from Nightmare clleached brow, a light filly growl sound from her throat and magical flames licked at her hooves and wings before fading out like a dying fire.

“Just let her go Alke, she will surprise you. They always do.” Dust said with a knowing smile.

‘’But I promised to be her protector and to raise her alongside Luna, how am I supposed to let her go?’’ I said in concern, ''I am Blood-raven my word is my bond I can never break it for that is the way of my clan.'' Luna's ears lifted themselves at the words remembering each of the words of the oath I sworn to her, I'll keep to it as long she holds me to it. Reaching out for the mare she smiles at me.

“You will be protecting her, by teaching her how to help herself when able. As an old saying from my world stats, give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will never go hungry.”

‘’And an saying from my world is ‘It matter not if you're a King, I'm still going to kill ya and piss on your copse when I'm done’ or ‘Peace is a fool's dream, war is reality and it's time to wake up’ I countered with a small smirk, the smile on Luna's muzzle falters as her mind drank the inner meanings of two sayings and they painted Gaea in a darker light. ‘Peace is a fool's dream, war is reality and it's time to wake up’ there was never a notion more truer than that.

“To quote another saying from my world, ‘Kill yourself’. That is all.”

‘’How is that a saying? Sounds idiotic’’ I chimed ‘’and we’re off track...again’’

“Actually that was a popular joke in my world back in twenty sixteen, along with ‘drink bleach’ and ‘ Moron, fucking moron’ but yes we are off track, but she isn’t” he points to nightmare again.

This time Nightmare’s body lost it’s color and grew gray and dead before returning to her normal black, panting heavily struggling to keep the magic controlled.

‘’So she did it…..'' I whisper aloud whilst walking over to the filly and congratulated her on her feat. I was proud of her my student now if she kept at the spell she'll master it in little time, most would take years before reaching where she stood now if she is able to master the plane's walk spell at this very early stage of her training then she might be able to use the Shadow Imprisonment and the Crimson Nightmare spells. out of all my students none could master them outside of Dust. Finally after all these years I may had found my successor. Luna could only stare in shock at her daughter actually managed to form magic outside of the horn.

Dust walks over to Nightmare with a satisfied look in his eyes,” Well that didn’t take long at all, you might actually be a challenge someday kid, but nevertheless, we are not done yet. You just learned a useful skill that doesn't make you easier to disable than a Zeppelin. Now you must,” Dust took another look at her, seeing how tired she was saying unknowingly his thoughts aloud for all to hear ''… oh that’s right, she is both a non stigma user and a child… damn, relax a bit until you are ready. Yes, that it, just relax.” Dust started to fidget a little, not used to teaching magic to non stigmas. They have more durability you see.

‘’Well that’s new ‘’ I whispered mischievously and loudly just enough to make sure that Dust heard me ‘’ getting tried old man or you’re going soft on me? Perhaps I should fetch you some warmed milk for the night.

Dust just glared at Alkeyore, “Get him Hati.” I was then tackled by some invisible force to the Alicorns eyes but to me a large wolf like hell hound, laughing and grunting in pain as I was dragged across the floor by Hati and tickled half to death.

‘’Alvae damn it, get off me Hati or no more poached dragon eggs for you!’’ I shout, at the words Hati stops for a second and turn to Dust with a whimper and puppy eyes.

“Hati I raise you hunting rights in this new dimension if you continue. Trust me, there is plenty of prey there.” Dust said with a dark and completely evil ( at least to me) smile.

Luna looks at the poor dark mage with a hardened gaze “poached dragon eggs…… Hati or whatever you are move over so I can….”. She tails off at the moment when she felt something akin to a tail brushing under her chin and a snickering growl in her ear

‘’Luna!! Ouch Hati my arm isn't a chew toy! Stop that before I decide to shove itching powder into your ear with demonic ticks! I shout at the complete mercy of the female hellhound then I heard Skol's ionic chuckle growl ‘’Stup it Skol before I take away your favorite angelic chew toy and give it to your father, he’s been wanting a new one!

Nightmare starts giggling at the randomness of the whole situation which Luna soon promptly follows

Dust just shakes his head chuckling, “Alright girl that’s enough, go get something to drink.” I stopped getting pulled around and a loud, but happy bark is heard before everything goes silent, except for my pained moans, and drool dripping from my face and arms.

Nightmare looks at Dust with big eyes and an adorable pout ‘’ can I have something to drink please?’’

Dust just looks at her blankly before roughing up her mane while chuckling, “Yeah kid, what do you want?”

‘’ Watermelon wine with seed cakes’’ she requests with all the cuteness a (tricksy) filly could have. Is this my student?...tricksy little devil.

“...” Dust just deadpans at her request, “Your too young for that, I’ll just get you some Kool-Aid and Twinkies.”

Do I smell a hypocrite? he'll ruin a filly's innocence but won't let her have wine Hypocrite I say.

‘’What’s Kool-Aid and Twinkies? questioned Nightmare and Luna clueless as to what Dust was talking about.

“Liquid sugar and heaven.”

‘’Heaven?? Didn’t we destroy Heaven on that meaningless mission to hunt down that sword…what was it’s name again stareater? Or was it Arondight?’’ I said questioningly as far I could remember on that specific failure of an adventure. We did found the sword but it lost all of it’s power a long time ago making it all but useless for the purpose we needed it for ‘’the names of the holy and demonic weapons always escapes me’’

“That was a bandit group called Heaven, but I’m talking about something completely different, pretty much calling them heaven just means they are really good.” Dust conjured a small table in front of the filly with a box of Twinkies and pitcher of Kool-Aid (blue raspberry) and poured her a glass and taking a Twinkie. “I live off these things you know.” he said before taking a bite of the golden pastry.

As he devoured the helpless snack I noticed the berries he placed in them ‘’Dust….why you have nightshade in the cakes…again if you want to have nightshade you need to fry it ‘’ I deadpanned, taking a moment to check the rest of the pastries…just in case. I had no idea if the girls could eat nightshade and I don't plan to find out that if it is fatal to them though I could easily cure the poison.

“Hey I only put them in mine, and why would you want to fry berries? They are good when they are fresh.” he replied taking another bite of the sugary, sweet, deadly pastry.

‘’Dust you know the flowers are the best part of the plant’’ I argued, ‘’Luna, Nightmare the rest are safe enough to eat it’s just that Dust tends to forget that only he and I can eat nightshade without being affected plus it’s makes very good tea’’

“You, sir, are disgusting.”

‘’I am Dark magi after all my good sir’’ I smirked feeling a bit parched ‘’Now about that tea’’

Focusing my magic into my left hand I forced a healthy Nightshade flower to grow out of my palm before surrounding the deathly plant in water, earth and fire magics instantly creating a teacup full of nightshade tea, sipping on it with a pleased smile. it was thanks to my dark magic I was able to safely drink the deathly tea.... I was already venomous thanks to my years of training in the dark arts currently I carry four different plagues in my body like many powerful dark magi yet each were designed for specific species of enemies thus making them reasonably safe to those outside of my targets if they ever escaped my body. The body is amazing thing really. Ah how I missed my tea only in the Confederacy one could enjoy nightshade tea because of it's deathly properties thus making it one of the confederacy's delicacies but even then only dark magi could safely drink it.

Luna looked uncomfortable for a moment, unsettled once again at my and Dust's behavior ‘’.....Alkeyore I never knew that you were this…eccentric’’

‘’Only when I am with this old airbag’’ I chuckled before putting my arm round the glaring Dust feeling my robes' sleeve run up it flashing my badly scarred limb at the mare, I could tell that she suppressed herself from shivering at the sight, ‘’ I find it to be more.... what's the word, safe or is it at peace when Dust is around. It’s, well, he has faced as much suffering as I, we tend to be at peace with each other for together that pain we have endured is a thing of the past.” And I also see Dust as family almost like a older and sometimes wiser brother, someone I can rely on and share every secret without worry…. Because he doesn't talk to anyone else.’’ I finished with a smirk

Dust jabs Alkeyore in the stomach with his elbow, “Putting my antisocial tendencies aside, I see Alke here as a family member as well. I’m actually quite used to having a large family, for that is how I grew up. I was raised by my parents, and had a older sister along with five uncles, nine cousins, three aunts, two grandmothers, a great grandmother, and many other assorted family members… but only my niece remains. That is the last of my blood, everyone else passed before continuing the bloodline, or were just sterile. But my one and only niece will carry it on! But what I just mentioned was my BLOOD family. If I wanted to list all the others it would take a while, but all of them are also gone except for my son and daughter in law, along with Alke here. They are all I have left. I tend to be really open around those I see as that close to me. I truly care for all my students, it is just their choice to return it, and so far, besides my own son, Alkeyore is the only one out of the many who has done just that.” He says with a smile putting an arm around Alkeyore with a smile, “Even if he is a pain in the ass to keep around, I still love this bastard like a brother!” he announced with actual happiness in his voice, and a laugh to back it up.

Luna looked at us with a new light in her eyes and the emotions I was picking up on from her told me anything ‘’it amazing to hear how you speak of each other, tis a rarity to see let alone hear of such warmth and closeness even in blood kin. Alkeyore what of your family? Are you close to them as your are with Dust?’’

The warmness in my face faded as my mood hardens ‘’ My clan is dead, I am the last of a bloodline that had lasted for over ten thousand years….war, betrayal and a dreadful curse has seen to make it so. From the very first Blood-raven the clan’s fate was weaved with that of Gaea’s, Blood-ravens had always protected Gaea and it was costed us dearly for no one held the power nor the will to see to that Gaea lives. Outside but a few yet even that was rarity nearly all Gaeaish lack the will to better themselves outside of completely destroying their people's enemies The Blind Fools! They rather kill each other instead of protecting Gaea from our true foes. In all of her corners every ear knows the name Blood-raven for we had rule and led the Geaeish well yet as the years passed a little more of the clan passed in turn protecting a world determined to destroy itself until I was who all that was left… and that legacy ends with me that my friend is another thing I have in common with Dust we both are the last of our lines and our homes look to us in very high regard.’’

‘’Alkeyore….I’m sorry I didn’t-” Luna started but I stopped her with a hollow look.

‘’Don’t Luna just don’t... the dead has no need for such words...and you wouldn't of asked if you didn’t know’’ I said with my heart sinking.... ten thousands, ten thousands years my family severed the Gaeaish and we had nothing to show for it outside a useless and unwanted legacy and unfilled duties... Alvae how low we had fallen. The Dead has no need for tears or words....pray to the old gods or the new is nothing but waste of breath. Brother please break this cycle..no this curse on our human family, you are our last hope for true peace.

‘’ Master…’’ said Nightmare with shining eyes

‘’Yes?’’ I asked looking at the small filly with curiosity

Nightmare goes up to me and to my surprise she hugs me tightly bringing a small smile to my face. Luna does the same but in some ways in was more meaningful yet it reminded me that I had friends.

‘’Thank you Nightmare, but let’s change the subject Nightmare are you ready for the rest of the spell?’’ I said ready to move on from the subject.

“Not yet, she still needs rest and energy, especially since I want her to cast it from her hooves.” Dust walks over to a random part of the room and flicks the air, causing another screen to show up, “Says here it will take another twenty or so minutes before her new channels heal from the force just recently applied to them. Even with the constant healing ward I placed on her. If she didn’t have that this would take a few months.” he turns back around, “What to do, what to do…”

‘’Dust I am a necromancer I know the body well I know she isn’t ready to cast but I never said that she would cast the next part now did I hmm’’ I said knowingly sometimes it was too easy to mess with him but I did had a reasoning for wanting to get nightmare back to the spell I need to see how large her pool of magic was.

Dust throws his arms into the air, “Then why the hell did you ask a question you already knew the answer to!” he yells

‘’Wizard’’ I say with a simple nod causing a another untended spell of giggles from the girls. Huh so they know that joke as well?

“That is, quite literally, older than me.” Dust deadpanned

‘’You can thank Chaos for that one’’ I said throwing said creature to Dust’s mercy or lack there of ‘’such wonders he shows me from your world’’

“I need to stop letting him show you stuff from my dimension.” says Dust pinching his nose and shaking his head.

Luna giggles at Dust’s discomfort which caused the mad human to give her a stink eye, ‘’ well since we have nothing else to do Alkeyore I haven't seen much of your power how about a demonstration or perhaps a spar is in order?’’

‘’Hmm this is the training room so it can be done...what says you Dust?’’ I said liking the idea of having a spar of sorts it been quite a while since the last time I had one.....Hagi you was always my favorite sparring partner, I am sorry old friend I should of been there to save you.

When Dust did not answered me. I looked over to where he was last and I saw him sitting at the little table with a screen in front of him letting Nightmare play some sort of game on it with what looked to be demons fighting this guy in strange green armor, and a lot of these things he calls guns “Sure whatever, Get the berserker power up!” he said causing Nightmare to yell in enjoyment.

‘’Rules?’’ I asked shaking my head at my old friend.

“When are there any?” says Dust watching Nightmare play the gory game.

‘’ Rule one no killing blows’’ Luna states holding her head high watching me trying guess at my combative abilities. but that rule was too obviously in nature this a spar not a true battle.

‘’Rule two no invisibly’’ I said another obviously rule but this is an spar between two mages after all . Gaeaish tradition states that there must be no invisibly

‘’Rule three My sister and discord get to watch’’ says Luna with a certain look in her eye.

‘’How that’s a rule? I asked curious in that choice of ruling. If Luna heard me she didn't show it

We both hear a click and we intermediately shared a look at Dust, “Done, they can now watch the fight on a monitor within the room, cameras will be recording this match at all times for scientific purposes.” he tells them without even looking at them.

‘’ Rule four the only weapons that can be use are from Dust’s experimental armory’’ I said giving us both the opinion of using weaponry in case Luna showed to show more of her skills.... Hen I wonder how well she can dual since she is a quadruped she's reliant on her magic to use weapons meaning if trained correctly she can use multiple types of tools and large number at once.... this is going to be fun.

‘’Final Rule we both must be in our natural forms ‘’ Luna says with her horn already glowing with a spell... my eyes widen as the inner meaning of her words hit me, she wants to face my stigma The Hades. No she does not know what she is asking for....I can't leave her face my stigma, if she did then she'll.....

“No can do on the last one.” Dust says still not looking at them.

‘’Why?’’ asked Luna not understanding the danger she just tried to place herself in. Stigmas are nothing to trifle with they are the very embodiment of destruction all stigma are not matter what kind their are or what kind of power they possess they will only exist to destroy.

Dust finally looks at them, specifically at her, “You’d be dead at the start.” he says grimly before going back to cheering Nightmare on.

Luna looks at me fearfully her mind racing with itself trying to guess the true power behind stigmas specifically my stigma. Luna as long I live you'll never see the power of my stigma, the curse it gifted me with this I swear.

‘’ I think you meant my Nephilim form….yes?’’ said I with a single eye alight with red aura it's ghostly flames lick the corner of my eye and the illusion that kept me human melted away revealing my near demonic form and two weapon racks bursting out from the ground beside the both of us each filled with weaponry of countless worlds. ‘’Get ready Luna…..cause the shadows are about to fall ’’

Canterlot
An week ago, Avalon Time
Twilight's PoV

The hall echoed with the sound of our hooves, my mind racing because the fact that an legend was walking beside me the golden Alicorn Sleipnir the king of all Alicorns and chief god of all ponykind, the very stallion who taught Starswirl the Bearded the magical arts. Out the corner how my eye I could help but graze at his godly face the only blemish was the scar that took his eye yet even then he looked perfect, shaking myself out of the spell I placed on myself, I began to wonder what he was doing here? why now the King of Equestria returned? Did it had something to do with Alkeyore and Luna running away with him? How did he spoke to me in my mind? I never seen any mention of such magic yet some how he knew it.

''So tell me my little Alicorn how long you been an goddess?'' asked the Alicornian King without pause his remaining greeting my wandering gaze ''from your ignorance of our ways an oversight on my daughters part which I intent on correcting, I wouldn't be mistaken in claiming that you had earn your Alicornhood less than an year ago.''

''It would be three years next summer your majesty'' I relied with the hint of nervousness in my voice

''Three years.......'' said Sleipnir for a moment I could swear I saw a dark smile on his lips before he spoke in a tone that told me he wasn't happy yet happy at the sometime ''it's a pity that Celestia has yet to teach you the ways of the Pantheon and fear not I myself will teach you how to rule as princess and goddess, I trust you know the names of your godly kin.''

''Yes I do, it was the first thing Celestia taught me when I first became her student.'' I said with hint of pride Celestia was the greatest teacher of the magical arts an filly could ask for.....she was perfect just as the sun she rose each and every day spread love and warmth to all she touches... the kind mare I want to be, Celestia oh my goddess how I long to be like you...

''Then recite the names of the Alicorns who sit on the Pantheon's inner circle'' ordered the king his eye closely watching me

''Sleipnir the god of Judgement ; Faust the goddess of Fate; Hel the warden of Tartarus; Geinzah the god the Storms; Pongaea the god of the earth; Naga the father of the beast herds and the god of nature; Venhayia the god of winter; Celestia goddess of the sun ; Luna the goddess of the moon and Ponidite the goddess of lust and motherhood.'' I said listing each of the ten seats of power even the long vanished ones Faust, Ponidite, Venhayia and Naga the four lost elder Alicorns according to legend they were hidden away in lands far from pony kind in ethereal slumber. No pony knows what happen to the four elders or why they slumber but supposedly they disappeared after the Titan war without a trace.

'' Ah I see that Celestia taught you well but you are half right because half the circle is gone leaving their seats open to the many lesser Alicorns who jealously contend for each open seat for more power......it's a pity to see so many unworthy Alicorns dueling from something that is isn't theirs to claim.'' said Sleipnir in an hollowed tone '' Especially now with the human Alkeyore Blood-raven appearance.....''

My body freeze at the name ''H-how you know that name?''

''I know many things little Alicorn such as your.......relationship.... with that Dragon Celestia gifted you with, it would very foolish to think that I had left Equestria in the hooves of my daughters without some way of keeping an eye on things in truth I had watch both Celestia, Luna and Discord, lending them an helping hoof in their reigns from the first day they sat on my throne I been aiding them allowing them to remain unaware of the many contingency plans I had put in place.......'' said Sleipnir leaning his face into mine letting his breath to lick my face, I uncomfortably took a step back, a low whine escaped my throat at the cold almost deadly look in the male's eyes and how close he was to me before the look faded away ''you are an smart mare Twilight you should know that I wouldn't leave the fate of my kingdom to foals barely out of their two thousandth year especially the likes of Discord and my sweet but naive daughters without an contingency. Now one of Ponykind’s greatest foes has appeared under my very muzzle and Celestia failed to alert me and the Pantheon, it is clear to me that I was in the right when making the choice to watch my own blood. It was good timing for the leaders of Equestria's herds to gather for a grand meeting in the next few days I will not only help you in way of the gods but ready the kingdom for the coming storm.''

The ancient Alicorn stepped away giving me some very much need breathing room and return to walking my eyes heavily feeling on his moving from my mind raced with the hidden meaning behind his words and question of how many contingencies he had in place? what was their purpose? how long had they been there unseen by me or my follow princesses and why he put them there in the first place? I felt a chill brush upon my spine telling me that something was off with the Alicorn Stallion but what? Alicorns had always embodied harmony and peace but what could different with Sleipnir?

'' Come my Little Alicorn we must prepare for our guests and for when my daughters return to us hopefully with the human in chains or dead either way is worthy of praise for humans maybe few are very powerful. I had already taken liberty to summon the rest of your companions the Elements of Harmony if Alkeyore prove to be far beyond the magics of my daughters then the elements may succeeded where they had failed or I myself will have to act to protect my faithful ponies from the wrath of an old god. '' said the older Alicorn

At hearing the king's call and my own curiosity of the stallion who had not only sired my teacher but very legendary guardian of the pony race I quickly rejoin Sleipnir questioning his logic in summoning the bearers of the elements of harmony ''My friends? But why?''

''You and your companions have harmony's soul do you not?'' said Sleipnir raising a curious brow ''If you and your companions are indeed the Element's of Harmony then you should have Harmony's soul.''

''Harmony's Soul? You mean the Rainbow power?'' I said questionably while asking myself how could harmony have an soul?

'' What you call the rainbow power is Harmony's Soul, the very essence of the mother of Alicorns, it is from her that the first Alicorns came into being.What we call the Elements of harmony are the remnants of her and her power......the very same power that course though you and your friends veins. You should've known that you didn't simply found such powerful Alicornian relics in a ruined castle. No you and your friends were destined from birth to wield Harmony's soul, from the very day you from born Twilight you were meant to met your companions and wield this power.''

''But we don't know how to wield it!'' I argued ''after we had to return the elements to the tree we lost the ability call upon the elements, it was only after when we opened the box we could use them against the mad centaur Tirek but after the slaying of him by my brother Shiny that newly awaken power faded away from us without it my friends and I can not fight Alkeyore.''

''and that's is where you are wrong Harmony's soul didn't faded away, its slumbers within you and your friends waiting for when it's needed again. But since your amendment on this notion of you losing power of the elements, I'll tell you of another source of ancient magics that would greatly aid you in the coming battles, in the forbidden sections of the royal archives under the thirteenth bookcase, the third shelf, sixth book to the left behind the journals of Clover the clever is an red tome, the cover of the said tome reads The Book of Broken Hooves. Within it's pages are powerful and ancient magics far older than I one of the first alicorns in existence, it's one of the few relics that survived the Windigo wars and our eventual arrival to Avalon but I warn you if you ever seek out the tome once you open it......once you call upon its magics there is no turning back, I only allow certain individuals to look upon it pages and that time is very limited you must learn every spell charm and incantation it has to offer before that time runs out any more then you will answer to me and me alone such magic as this very important to our race's history and I won't have the unworthy sully it.'' said ancient Alicorn

'Why you're telling me this? I asked ''why I never heard of this book? I've spent my entire life in the archives and never had I seen an thirteenth book case-

'' Many had tried to master it and many failed, Clover the clever, Starswirl the bearded, the nine unicorn saints they all failed yet I believe that perhaps you'll succeeded where they failed '' said Sleipnir as we approached the doors to the throne room the guards at the sides of the door they nodded to both me and the King opening the doors with their magics revealing my friends with their backs to me at the sight of the five of the most mares to me I hear Sleipnir lean down to me and whispered in my ear ''if you want to protect your friends and Equestria you will seek the tome if you should fail then I can't genuinely guarantee their safety such is the fate of heroes and heroines unless you want them to meet death.''

I flinched at the sudden change in the older Alicorn's voice it sound so cold so dark for a moment I thought I was facing down the likes of Nightmare moon, Sombra, Chrysalis even Tirek yet it was from the stallion who ruled both Alicorns and mortal ponies. The one said to be one of the greatest of heroes known to ponykind yet at thinking of the name Nightmare moon I remember Celestia telling us of Alkeyore having the dark mare in his company and that she was Celestia and Luna's daughter......impossible their both mares and sisters how could they have an daughter!....No it must be an trick! the works of dark magics Alkeyore and Nightmare must be working together and using Celestia and Luna like playthings destroying their sisterly bonds weakening Equestria and our resolve . Yes that is that's what Sleipnir meant he doesn't know if he could stop both Alkeyore and Nightmare from doing the same to me and my friends and this book may have the spells needed to counter dark magics its ancient enough to have such spells but where is the thirteenth case? why I never heard of such an tome?

It's in front of your eyes yet is not for it sleeps between to numbers of six and seven I head the stallion whispers in my mind do not seek it until the full moon it's light will show you the keys

''Of course there should spells protecting it so the knowledge wouldn't fall into hooves of Equestria's enemies '' I mumbled to the king.

''TWILIGHT'' my dear friends called where they noticed my presents and galloped to meet me with smiles on their muzzles unknowing the danger they were in the danger that I must shield them from yet I noticed a smile on Sleipnir lips an seemly predatory smile as his eyes moved from one to another of my friends growing wider and wider before vanishing as if a tick on the eyes but I could of had sworn he licked his lips hungrily at us.

I blink my eyes a couple of times trying to recall the look but I couldn't perhaps it was truly an tick on the eyes and never happen but why I feel like I am in the gaze of a predator from years live with Spike I knew the feeling of the gaze of a predator but Spike's gaze was more playful and loving but this gaze cause the little hairs on my muzzle to stand nevertheless, I shake my head and return my friends' smile in kind '' Hi Girls how's the rebuilding coming along''

'' Well it's no Barn Raising but I reckon with em stallions working Canterlot will rebuild in two weeks'' said Applejack with an unsure look '' could be longer with the internal damages''

''An terrible business truly'' said Rarity with an nod of her head '' Lord Alkeyore's magic struck us hard and true right here the unicorn workers' own magics can't reach I dare say his expertness in the arts of magic and warfare out shines even the strongest of unicorn battle wizards he knew exactly where to hit us'' ''But where are my manners whose is this dashing stallion you have with you Twilight dear''

''I am King Sleipnir the God of Judgement, my good lady '' said The ancient god with an friendly dip of his head '' I have heard many things about you and your friends and I must say that my loyal servants word's fail on seeing you in person Miss Belle.''

Rarity giggled her musical giggles and fluttered her eyes at the Stallion ~Ah I see that the portraits of you has failed to capture your gallantry as well Good King~

''Yeah yeah not important Rarity but who this guy think he is! I mean attacking us like that, he's lucky that I wasn't there I would of kick his human flank if he ever gotten close to Canterlot'' boasted Rainbow forgetting to show her respect of the deity in the room and the solely focused on the reneged human. Her wings twitched with the obvious itch to spend her wings and go after said human herself Pinkie on the other hoof wisely which is very strange for her stepped on a rainbow tail and shake her head at the the cyan pegasus.

''Dashie this time we should think before running into the dark, we know very little on Alkey if we fought him as we are......well nopony wants a funeral party'' said Pinkie catching ever pony who knew the party mare by surprise.

''Um....Pinkie is right Rainbow, he is a human after all if he was able to shut down Canterlot in a single act he would probably do worse if you attack him ....eep''' mewled Fluttershy much to Rainbow's annoyance but the shy mare did had an point if Alkeyore could do so much damage to an city as large as Canterlot then taken him head on without the elements would be suicidal at best.

''For plum's sakes Pinkie? yer feelin' alright? that doesn't seem like ya'' asked Applejack concern.

''We had never faced an being like him girls.......there's a time of fun and parties but this is not the time, well not now anyways'' said Pinkie her wild and poofy mane deflated into dark and straight, an very bad sign given what happen last time but with Pinkie you could never know what could happen.

''Pinkie?'' I said concern raising in my voice as I took a step towards the pink mare

''He must be so sad'' stated Pinkie causing Sleipnir and the rest of the girls to rise a questioning eyebrow

''Who's he?'' I asked

''I know those eyes'' Pinkie whispered softly to herself absentmindedly '' those eyes... those eyes.. those silver eyes''

''Whose eyes'' I asked again this time closing the distance between me and my strangely out of character solemn friend, in my years of knowing her I never seen her like this. it didn't sit right with me, none at all. How could giddy mare like her be so affected by......

''Alkeyore......didn't you see his eyes.....' said Pinkie with tears threatening to spill, unsettling shivers past though her coat turning it darker shades of pink ''such loneliness, so much darkness he is suffering Twilight I could- I could feel his pain in my bones.........they held the same eyes.....'' that was the last thing to leave Pinkie's mouth before falling over unconsciousness.

''Ah yes Pinkamena Diane Pie'' the sound of Sleipnir voice cause my head to whip from my friend fallen form to the stallion and importantly his horn, the magic on the horn dim with an powerful sleep spell the same spell that caused Pinkie to collapse to the unforgiving floor '' I believe that last we met was when you were just a filly........Twilight it appears that you and/or your friends need to take her to the medical wing she was suffering from a psychological breakdown from stress and possible black magic exposure. ''

''How you know Pinkie'' demanded Rainbow and Applejack who leaped to the sleeping mare and dragged Pinkie onto her back to carry her Fluttershy was with them checking the pink mare for any abnormalities.......outside the usual Pinkie Pie, ''what was she meant by they?''

''Yes I know her yet I know her not'' said Sleipnir coolly '' it's seems you forget to whom you're speaking to I am Sleipnir the king of both Equestria and the Alicorns. As the god of judgements tis my duty to know all of my subjects for it is I who they stand before when death calls them to the Edar yet what did she meant by they? mere vagaries there are many ponies in the worlds after all I suggest you forget such notions and help your friend.''

''Darlings please take Pinkie to medical'' said Rarity in an even tone '' I may not know much about black magic exposure but I do know it's not an simple stitching it would be for the best for the medical-ponies see what they can do to help''

''Rarity'' growled the reminder of our friends each outside of Shy glared at the stallion.

''Rarity is right our first priority is Pinkie if she had truly be exposed to black magic all of we could be at risk especially myself and Shiny because we're hit by one of Alkeyore's spells.......Lord Sleipnir did the right thing by casting that sleep spell now Pinkie won't be able hurt herself further.'' I said in concern of what damage had Alkeyore done to us, truly how was he so powerful and able to out maneuver us as if we were foals yet Sleipnir and Pinkie's actions bother me even more one Pinkie wasn't acting like herself and her coat had darken to quickly for it to be natural. Two given just how quickly Sleipnir casted the spell, it seemed he was prepare for something like this to happen before hoof, did he think or knew that Alkeyore did more damage than we currently knew? and somehow he knew Pinkie outside of his duties as the Alicorn of judgments he said that the last time he seen Pinkie was when she was an foal but how? why? what does it have to do with our current situation?

''Come on Shy, Rainbow we need to git Pinkie to the docs'' said Applejack looking at me and Rarity funny ''we can talk about this later after Pinks is fixed up''

''But AJ-'' started Rainbow Dash but a quick look from the orange mare shot down any retorts from the cyan Pegasus with but an nod my direction she with Rainbow and Fluttershy left us alone in the throne room. Once they were gone Sleipnir silently walked towards the three thrones each bearing the cutie marks of myself and my fellow princesses and once again his horn glowed with magic forming an fourth throne for himself from the marble of the floor '' Miss Belle?''

At hearing her name Rarity looked up to the stallion with stars in her eyes, ''Yes my king''

''I hear that Fancy pants will be having a dinner party in few days and it's seems I have an slight problem it appears I have no companion to join me........ this is something that needs to be remedy because my long absence from the court had left me wanting in the relationship of the crown and the nobles, would like you company me in this matter?''

Rarity visibly struggled from letting out a squee of excitement, nervousness all wrapped together but quickly fought down the urge with an respectful half bow ''Yes of course my king it would be my pleasure.''

I was not surprised with Rarity's answer, I knew she had dreamed of being to enter the ranks of the nobles and I was glad for her she was finally so going to achieve what she always wanted but what is this sinking feeling that's burning it's way into my stomach? Why do I get the feeling that something bad was going to happen?

The Continent of Gaea
The Orc Realm of Orciemia

Along the great river Yoir Fua, an river that follows between The Beron Empire and Orciemia was a shadow on the water, Rohnirains silently sailed the river with blades gleaming in the moonlight. General Reymore smiled darkly before hissing faster to the rowers the journey to Magi Confederacy was days away but first they had to reach the river's' end and then cross orc infested swamps. Yet that wasn't the only challenge facing the Rohnirian General even if he'd manage to reach the orc-magi border he'll face what gave the Confederacy it's other name The Realm Hidden in Shadows, Alkeyore and the other dark lords created an powerful enchantment that concealed the gates into confederacy, one that was eerily similar to the magical mists of the Mourning Mountain yet unlike the mountain, the confederacy was drowned in an eternal moonlight serenade. Reymore was there along with his king Dulaman for the former hero of Rohnir's coronation as the king of the dark magi, from the first time he seen the realm that Alkeyore had created he knew it went against the laws of the natural world. It was a place where no mortal should walk, a land cloaked by everlasting night, where nightmares freely walked among the people and monstrosities born of magic with fangs bared in an knowing smiles.

This is the Dark Magi Confederacy, the kingdom ruled by dark lords and cursed by undeath the place where the fate of men is but an plaything. The mere challenge of taking the Confederacy made the general's heart soar yet also he feared the dark lords and their monstrosities, The Blackfire Guards, fire elementals born from hellfire created by Alkeyore himself to defend the kingdom from legions of Tahuian Templars led by one of his best students Nar-Thosik. The Blackfire Guards were despite their nature were a purely defensive unit; The Forswore Swords, a group of swordsmen of all the known races both living and dead created by the dark lord Averaon Shadowmore for the duty of raiding the Confederacy's enemies and capturing new territories, the reason why they were called The Forswore swords is they forsook their ties to their native homes and their very race all of the purpose of severing their master Averaon the the lord of decay; The Bane-Fangs, an group of feral beast under the control of the dark lord Draugr Dragon-Soul the leading general of the kingdom... Draugr the deathless was once a powerful druid and an Rohnirian general but that was before he aided Alkeyore in his escape from custody forever branding him as a traitor to the crown. And of course The Hollowsteel Knights, led by the leader of The Fallen, Ixion Aeonn a great Centaur from the lost kingdom of Maeus . Five Dark Lords (four currently with Alkeyore gone) on the ancient seat of the kingdom of Orthos.......the true twelfth kingdom of Gaea only with six will the throne of Orthos will be restored. Which is something the Rohnirian general couldn't allow the twelfth kingdom died during The Age of the Red Moon and dead it should remain the magi done enough damage to Gaea in the War of The Demon King...... the magi kingdoms should never be allowed to rise again. The Confederacy needs to be destroyed to ensure that Magi never rule Gaea again, it was their fault that Tydorel the mage who would become The Demon King became the high king of Gaea. Now with the Lords of Magic gone there was nothing stopping the kings from cleansing Gaea of the taint of magic, without the Lords of Magic there's no one protecting or governing the magi clans outside the kings and queens with magic Dryads; Dragons; Dwarves; Orcs; Elves; Dragons; Magi.... they all will be cleansed by fire.

Reymore eyes glanced at the nearby darken shore watching as the forms of the trees pass by the beast of the wood slept in deathly silence ....... something was wrong it was quite too quite the Fang- Serpents the dominant predator of Orciemia was never quite they gave off scream-like cries when hunting and they always were hunting. The General stringed his ears hoeing for some sign of life beyond him and his men, yet he couldn't find none. For a moment the Rohirian coulda sworn he heard the stomp of metal on wood but firmly believed it was one of his men that did the deed.....they were getting antsy, Rohirians belonged in the high mountains and hinterlands not in the river lands it went against Rohnirian nature itself.

''Sir something doesn't feel right, the beasts are silent'' whispered one of the older Rohnirians in the general's ear '' If I be so bold we should turn back and make like the owl on the starless night.''

''No, we can not turn back, we must move forward.'' hissed Reymore glaring his green eyes at the elderly Rohnirian '' if we can not withstand this feeling then The Confederacy would be our death if we are to destroy that realm then we must deny this unease.

''But sir- the elderly warrior was silenced by a single arrow striking his face sending him to the realm of the dead.

''Incoming!!!'' shouted the general to his men warning them but it was too late.

The sound of arrows filled the air striking the train of Rohnirian transports immediately killing the men at the oars causing the transports to die still in the water. Once the sound of arrows died and the shore land grew quiet once again the general quickly ordered his men into defensive formations and head to the shore, without a word the surviving Rohnirians simply threw the dead into the dark waters below without any ceremony or well wishes on the other side and took their places at the oars but this time shielded by the other Rohnirians staring into the dark watch for another flurry of arrows. Again arrows were fired yet in different diction caching the Rohnirians in the back tearing though their numbers as if their armor didn't count for anything again the men at the oars felled only to met the same watery water as they were replaced by new oarsmen, Reymore shouted order after order keeping his headed towards the nearby shoreline if they remained in the boats they would be sitting targets for the hidden archers. When they had reached the shore the arrows fell silent once more, Reymore and his remaining captains gathered what remained of the army and ordered them into a tightly packed shield wall hoping that the thick wall of metal would stop from more arrows claiming more of their number.

''Sir?'' asked one of the captains warily ''what in the name of the seven hells are we fighting? Elves?''

Reymore watched the darken treeline his green eyes glowed in rage as his ears closely listen to the sound of metal on wood ''No not elves........Elves don't wear armor of metal whatever attacking us is fighting in the elven way......it must be the orcs.''

''Orcs? since when the orcs fought like elves'' asked the captain with sneer on his face ''the beasts are too stupid to use tactics''

'' Theses are Orcs boy!! Not an mindless rabble of Tolls nor hungry Ogres! they are smart like we men'' Reymore snapped at the young captain his experience making itself known is his voice ''The Orcs had fought the elves long enough to use their way against them......beasts they may be but they are smart beasts. Think of them as the Shokr or even the Beastmen only less hairy!''

An shout from one of the men caused the general to move his gaze back to the treeline. Armored Orcs with crudely forged pikes step from the wood with robed orc maids at their backs, the Rohnirians gave of wind of nervousness at the sight of the robed orcs yet not one dared to leave the safety of the layers of metal and muscle. They instinctively knew what these maids were Orc Shamans, the Orcish version of magi, at the beginning of the mission they knew they'll would have to deal the weavers of magics yet they have no true answer on countering the shamans outside their own Green magi which they undoubtedly had few of thanks to the arrows. Out of the Battalions of Orcs three stood apart from the others with an clawed hand in the air ready to give the signal to attack.

''Alvae damn them to the grave'' cursed Reymore narrowing his eyes at the robed orcs tightly gripping the sword at his side. He carefully looked for any means of defeating the Orcs while keeping the number of his own men from falling even steeper.....he could find none if he was to flee many more would die to arrows in the back if they fought then the Rohnirian army wouldn't be strong enough for the assault on The realm hidden in shadows. Yet still he was Rohnirian the descendant of the wild-men of Huinir, the crown princes of the mountains, the true pure human tribe and he nor his men would run for that would an insult to all of the Rohnirian Tribe.

''Alvae Vuur Hala wirklik Hölleu'' cried Reymore in the old tongue of the Huinir. At the words the Rohnirians charged the orcish battalions screaming like wild animals and just as eagerly the Orcs returned the charge with the Shamans morphing themselves into great war beasts or meeting the Green Magi spell for spell. Rohnirian arms met with Orcish pikes with an almighty clash some found themselves impaled on the longer pikes while other launched themselves in the air over the defensive wall of pikes and rammed into the orcs using the weight of their armor and swords to crushed the more lightly armored orc pikemen before being batted away by the thick arms of the transformed shamans throw the unlucky on to the pikes disemboweling them. The green magi called upon the earth to swallow up both orc and shamans burying them alive deeply into the earth where they died from suffocation and summoned their familiars to break the wall of pikes and to hold back the shamans from crushing their kin. Reymore with his captains left their kin behind and attack the orc leaders in hopes of ending the battle swiftly unknowingly weakening the Rohnirian lines. Magic and Steel gleamed in the river lands as the two sides fought brutality as it was fitting for Gaeaish yet as the battle raged the Rohnirians found themselves being push back into the river where they came and the boats sinking from arrow fire. The Royal Green Magi struggle to keep the majority of the shamans from strengthening the Orcish lines yet the Rohnirians still fought on refusing to bend the knee to the more numerous orcs and they paid for it dearly. Already weaken for both ambush arrow fire and the very clear signs of Rohnir's strength weaning from the pasted wars Three Kings' War and the pasted Civil war known as the The Falcon Rebellion or rather The War of the Raven and The Falcon Clans, The Draaosian-Rohnirian war. The Orcs easily cut down the depleted Rohnirians, the battle quickly grew into an slaughter, in the amiss of the fighting Reymore dual the orc that appeared to be the chief of the Battalions along with pure hated on his face he could see how easily the orcs were stealing his victory from him and the rage made him blind to the other orcs at his back, around the duel the much older Rohnirians glared at the general that foolishly led them there in the first place......they remember.....they remember the time where Rohnirians were the terror on the field the days where Clan Blood-raven ruled Rohnir long before the dead clan White Falcons and the Irehearts, the clan that dare to call themselves the rulers of the Rohnir tribe. No the clan Blood-raven had always ruled the tribe even when the Rohnirians were the wild-men of Huinir. The Blood-ravens ruled ever since the fall of the Blood-ravens the tribe had been weaning in both strength and number, Dulaman the so called King and his clan have done nothing to restore the tribe back to what it was, the very last time the tribe had any strength was General Alkeyore Blood-raven the hero of the tribe and rightful king saved the kingdom from destruction but sadly his deeds were for naught for Dulaman and his allies made Alkeyore Blood-raven outlaw and attempted to take his head yet Alkeyore was stronger then the King and his followers and escaped Rohnir in banishment with an vengeful prophecy upon his lips.

When the red day calls
The end of the kings shall come
When the silvery light whispers
Dulaman the last king will die
And to the winds will the sons of Rohnir shall go
To never rise again for the mountains will crumble
And Death and Darkness shall take the oath-breakers
The end of Rohnir is neigh
So say I, The Raven In The Blood!!

Slowly the old Rohnirians and an number of the young stepped away from the battle and into the shadows of the river-lands abandoning the oath-breaker general Reymore one of the men who dammed the true king Alkeyore and those that were loyal to Dulaman for the red day calls. Soon the silvery light will whisper, it was time to make ready......ready for the destruction of Rohnir and silently fade as the Huinir did before them into the winds forevermore. Never again to see the light of day.

Far from the battle upon an hill looking over the river lands stood an woman whose hair was the freshly fallen snow with red silken cloth flapping in the wind once she open her mouth forming words beyond the ears of mortal men before spreading her wings and flew into the ever stormy Gaeaish skies. Leaving not a trace of her present upon the hill from where she stood none but a single rose whose gleamed like a golden hoard, an fitting passing gift for the dead and dying. Far into the night she flew letting the wind and rain dance around her leading the lady deeper into the heart of the tempest from the heights she looked down on the world below......watching......waiting but for whom or what? she sighed heavily as she watched hosts of orcs march from their cities and lairs drumming their war drums heading into the west to the lands of the Berons with eyes burning red with vengeance. At the backs of the hosts of orcs marched the vanguards of the Warchief painted in black and the honor guards of the Fairy Queen Isika and the dark mage Nar-Thosik each keeping step with the other ready to fight and if need be ready to die. Even the minor races of Gaea saw it fill to lend their lot in deciding Gaea's fate Trolls; Ogres; Cyclopes, Graymores grayish blue giants with boorish tusks and three eyes the four giant races of western Gaea lumbered slowly with fleshly ripped tree trunks in their massive hands and crude form of armor covering their chests and massive soft bellies, The Drosi wood elves the last of the free elven peoples outside the rule of Luwin the lord of high elves of Aylie and the evil elves of the fallen realms, the majority of their race dwell the wild woods of the duchy of Draaos. Goblins a cowardly race of raiders often an unwanted and utterly useless waste of time annoyance for most the Gaeaish peoples but numerous; Beastmen the common term for satyrs a very old and wild race that was forced abandon their native homeland now that makes up the majority of Tahuia; Lizardmen another displaced race but this time from Ern instead of Tahuia; Horii an sub species of dragon-like creatures no bigger than an small dog and breathed toxins instead of fire, another displaced race from Tahuia marching in unity, Shokr a strange race of humanoid bats who often work as mercenaries and pirates also very often in the employ of the Rohnirians; Augga Avian humanoids with two sets of wings and dress in only the feathers on their bodies, they are a nomadic race with little regard of the laws of the Twelve Kingdoms and the nearly extinct Gaeaish Pegasi flew overhead, together the minor races forged their own army unbound to the twelve kingdoms or the Fallen realms, they gather in the north while in the west slept the might of the count of twelve unknowingly of the battles to come the very war they had unleashed, finally the fallen realms were striving watching with glee as they long time enemies gather to slay one another and soon the war between Demon and Gaeaish will began anew.

''And thus an new age begins but at what cost? will this be Gaea's end? Has the time of heroes ended? will the time of ending come?'' said the lady as she too followed the armies unseen by the eyes of mortals. As she flew across the soon to be battlefield her mind question the logic behind this, what was the cause of such madness? Where were the Lords of Magic? Its' their duty to keep a age such as this one from happening yet how they would allow this to happen? why are they doing nothing? the thought didn't sit well with her it only made her wings flap faster further into the tempest yet the thunder and the lighting dare not touch her but still the questions didn't took their leave they nagged her telling her many things. ''it can't end like this we come so far....yet...''

''Alkeyore, Dust where are you?'' she asked herself her eyes glowing white with magic forming an aura around her body freezing the rain and wind binding them to her will ''Gaea needs you........I need you''

Red Sea
the ship Storm Rider

The rest of the trip was pure agony for Elron seeing that Nara getting closer and closer to Kren after that moan filled night for the remainder of the trip.He heard Nara and Kren go at it two more times during the trip. He had to change his plans and go for the closest harbor he could afford to take as a detour and could safely dock his type kind of ship. That seemed to be an harbor just about in the middle and about at the tip of Awanian coast. A little larger fishing harbor town by the name of The Great Port that also had connections to some nearby mining sites.

He found that place on the map, but it was about a week away and he had to watch and fume as Nara during that time getting more closer to the cursed human. He also had tried to use some earplugs to take away the sounds of Nara moaning in contentment during the night. And also to shamefully replace his bedsheets as his dreams didn't help with his mental image of Kren ravishing his sweet Nara. But in the humans stead he was the one making Nara moan those sounds and him pumping her full of his sperm.

He had woken up in the morning with his sheets coating in his cum as he have during the wet night dreams came in the bed. But he getting a little depressed as he wakes up and find his bed devoted of Nara.

He had also to his shame tried to stage some minors accidents to cause some minor or major damage to Kren or at least make the human humiliated and make a fool of himself so that Nara will lose interest, his justifications also to such actions was he wanted to bring that human down a peg or two and not boost so much about him nailing Nara. He have started to hear the rumors from the other crew members and seeing the looks of jealousy from some. He couldn't fault them for that, he too was green with envy and had a longing look in his eyes as he watch Nara sit near or giggle or laugh at the humans jokes or conversation.

But every stage accident was met with failure. He tried to drop a bucket on Kren, but it hit somefeather else. He tried to place a banana peel so Kren could slip but instead Nara got caught in it, Kren seeing this managed to save her and Elron could only watch Nara leaning on the human with a small blush on her face as Kren helped her stand up straight and they continued on their way.

He then tried to put some spicy ingredient in Kren's food but he didn't seem to register it, when Elron himself tried it in confusion wondering why it didn't work. He in a comical manner breath fire from his mouth like a dragon and had to dunk his head in a barrel of water to quench the flame and thirst. The icing of the cake was hearing Nara laugh at it. He was sulking for the rest of the day after that.

Many similar actions ended the same, meaning in failure and he at the end of the week was spent and could only watch Nara still being near Kren. His spirit was lifted when the lookout yelled that land was in sight and so was the harbor. He could also see the thatch roofs been seen.

He couldn't wait as the boarding plank was set and watched with glee as Kren was seen coming out from the ship with his small possessions on him and heading for the plank. He passed Elron and thanked him for the safe trip and that he took aside his valuable time to drop him off somewhere.

Elron had a forced smile and expression as he took his hand with his claw and shook it and wished him good luck. The human nodded and walked down the plank and was seen walking down the dock and heading inside the small town. Some of the towns habitats stopped to watch the human in wonder, curiosity or awe. Some foals pointed at the human as he strode past them.

"Finally he is gone...." Elron said with a relieved smile. He turned to his crew.

"Alright everyfeather let's fill some of our stocks and then let anchor and set sail, we have wasted enough time and need to get going.."

He with a skip in his steps turned around and plan to head down and find Nara. But before he could head down he saw Nara ascending from below. He seeing this smiled but that smiled turned into a confused frown as he saw Nara with a bag over her back. It was her traveling bag.

"What's with the bag Nara? We didn't plan to stay here for long."

"Well Elron I have packed all I own and planned to follow Kren." Hearing that Elron eyes going wide.

"W-What?!"

Nara then gave him a piece of paper.

"This is my discontinuance paper, I also wrote down a short list of names that could replace my position."

"Nofeather can replace you!" Elron said, he then looked the way Kren had walked off too, his eyes narrowing.

"He made you do this?" His voice had some venom into it. Nara seem to ignore that. She then started to walk towards the plank, Elron following her close behind. His expression and walk troubled.

"No this was my own decision. I have still a life debt to pay and I figured I could help him be his guide. Besides Somefeather has to, he is one of the gods and the rest of the natives need him especially when the war starts.''

"Didn't you already do that with him ravishing your for almost two weeks?" Elron blurred out, he know then that he had put his paw in his mouth as Nara then stopped cold and turned to him, her eyes narrowed and she had an angry expression.

"Say what?!"

"Come on Nara, don't lie. Most of the crew knows about the moaning sounds that have been coming from your cabin at night. Hey I have had trouble sleeping because of the moans you have made during that time. What else to explain that he has ravished your body and claimed you." (still seems that he had his paw in his mouth).

Her cheeks was taking on a red hue but she still was pouting angry at him. he saw her wings ruffle and move in irritation.

"I thought you know me better than that Elron. I'm not some wanton chick that eagerly spread her legs for anypony or any griffin."

"B-But the sounds, the moans... The rumors... You're happy glowing expression afterwards...." Elron stammered.

She leaned closer and pressing her beak against his, looking into his eyes. Any other time he would like her to be this close but not with those angry eyes boring into his.

"Besides what me and Kren was doing in private was not any of your business, it wouldn't matter if we made passionate mind blowing love or not, if I right now carry his cubs or not. That is between me and him, and for your information his hands are divine as it should be for an god. See you later Elron. Ohh and say hi for me to your mother when you meet her."

Nara then with a huff and her tail flicking him on the beak walked down the plank and then with a quick trot headed the same way Kren departed. Elron was looking at her swaying backside in despair.

He was still sitting there a few moments watching the direction she had went to before he slammed his claw on the railing.

"Curse that human, I will get him and make Nara come to her senses."

He then started to rant and curse for some time after that. Some passerbys looking at the gryphon king as he ranted, shook his claw at some direction and walked around the spot as he huffed and puffed.

Some young fillies, colts and Diamond dog pups pointed their hooves/paws and asked what the funny gryphon was doing. Most ponies and Dogs shushed them and lead their young away from the place and the ranting gryphon.

Author's Notes:

sorry it took me so long to release the chapter Dontaskaboutit the guy I was doing the colab with had completely disappeared on me... I've attempted to contact him many times but the last I heard anything from him was months ago.

Ages
Discord 2012 due to being trapped in stone if he wasn't then 3012
Celestia 2000
Luna 700 due to being trapped on the moon if she wasn't then 1700
Nightmare moon 11ish
Moonlit Bloom 14ish
Alkeyore ???
Dust ???
Chaos ???
Pandora ???

Sweet Chrysalis..... did I really wrote that MUCH? The Ship scene is by Portal82. Luckily I cut the chapter in half (more or less) cause I really don't want to kill my editor with the seemingly never ending chapter, shit I won't be surprise he doesn't faints after seeing the final word count. Now back to the story as I said I cut the chapter in half in order not to kill your readers so please leave comments about how I done and if your lucky I may make a video of me replying to each one so leave all the comments and question you want. And if you are able to name each and every plot line in a pm your oc may make appearance in the coming chapters.

and if I ever tried to write another 63+ chapter again... well it wont be a pretty sight

I couldn't remember if I'd shown you these before
By CannicusPalentine

Ixion Aeonn leader of the fallen (sadly it seems to stop working)

Princess Gwen (the closest pic of her I could find)
http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee515/gothironspynne/Mythic%20Legions/female%20orc%202_zpsoapi0v3l.jpg

This is Lord Despair signing out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLLqdhGDMTs