Canterlot. A city that was once a thriving metropolis, ruled by a kindhearted demigoddess who views everypony as equal, is now taken over by the tyrant who had killed not only the two rulers of the day and night, but also the sun princess's pupil. With Lucifer as the reigning king, Canterlot was under the siege of his soldiers, mostly being the youngest and willing to do anything for the corruptive king.

Lucifer sat in his throne, the castle remodeled to fit his desires: the stain glass murals that once depicted the Elements of Harmony replaced by his own image, the atmosphere darker and gloomy like the arcane arts he controls, and a few corpses of some of his assassins who tried to kill him in the past, left rotting where they laid or already decayed, leaving behind a skeleton showing the injuries they sustained on their bones. As dark and elegant as he made he new palace, he stared at the doors far from him, scowling in disdain.

For the past fifteen years, he had been paranoid, awaiting the day that the alicorn who will stop him finally comes. He had sent soldiers throughout all of Equestria, searching every single corner, alley, hidden house in a forest or field no one knew about, several times over, and there was no sign of the stallion.

"Sparkle," Lucifer growled. "Whatever you had planned, you're succeeding in making me paranoid to the point where I can barely sleep, but I will not falter..." Growing bored, he got up from his throne and roamed around the castle. "What if this really was just a ruse, and you made this ploy to make me slip up? Clever, but not clever enough! Not even Starswirl the Bearded himself would be that asinine to think up a ridiculous scheme."

Lucifer soon found himself in front of his room, which used to be Celestia's, walking inside to his small study. The room was covered in bleak and dark colors, even the furniture fit the same color scheme. Thousands of books were piled up on his desk, many of them being historical tomes, catching up on the events he had missed out on for a thousand years. Some of them were actual diary entries from Celestia herself, reading the alicorn's thoughts throughout certain events. While lost in his reading, he heard the sound of a pony teleporting into his room.

"Your Highness," said the teleporting stallion behind Lucifer.

"Ah. Zero." Lucifer turned to the armored unicorn stallion, happy to see him. Unlike the rest of his soldiers, Zero's armor was completely black, covering every part of his body, including concealing his horn and tail. The helmet the stallion wore on his head had a visor, hiding his face, almost seeming mysterious. Even his voice was distorted through a magical enchantment, to further keep his identity a secret. The only other color on his full body armor was a red insignia of Lucifer's cutie mark on his flanks. Not a part of his army, but a hired mercenary who willingly follows the king, obeying his every command out of loyalty. "My most trusted mercenary. Please tell me you have any news on the whereabouts of my mortal enemy."

"Unfortunately, your grace, no good news," Zero said. "Word from Manehatten, Fillydelphia, and Las Pegasus captains stationed in those cities reported no sign of the male alicorn. My searches have also gone terribly so, my lord." Zero bowed to him in apology. "Forgive me."

Lucifer growled under his breath, but can't hold it against his hired soldier. "As usual. Rise, Zero. You are not at fault. It's those lousy fools who still rebel against me, despite my warnings."

"And what of the new recruits you accept?" Zero asked. "They lack the training and discipline needed to uphold your order."

"They are nothing but pawns." Lucifer looked out the window watching a few areas in Canterlot that had a few of the young soldiers terrorizing some of the citizens, doing whatever they please without any consequence. "The only reason I need them is to use as meat shields. I have unlimited power thanks to the dark arts, and since the Elements of Harmony are not in the hooves of those other mares, nothing can get in my way."

"Except for-" Zero added, only for the unicorn king to quickly spin around, rage etched on his face.

"I KNOW!" shouted Lucifer. "That alicorn Sparkle had mentioned! I still have no clue if she's playing me for a fool, and every part of Equestria has been searched until not a single speck of space has been overlooked! But these incompetent soldiers who still have their loyalty to Celestia keep irritating me with their lazy searches!"

Using his magic to grab anything he could, he picked up his desk and hurled it at one of the bookshelves in the room, books flying everywhere. Before he could release his rage again, he heard the sound of glass breaking, but not from a window. Moving around the mess he made, he spotted a picture frame that was hidden away in one of the shelves, the glass of the frame broken to pieces. Inside of the frame was a picture of Twilight Sparkle and her five friends, all of them smiling for the camera.

He sneered at the disgusting picture, only to look in confusion as there was someone else in the frame. Standing in front of Twilight was a young purple dragon with a green underbelly and spines. During his own attempts to find his nemesis, he had gone to Ponyville first and interrogated the Elements of Harmony himself. But out of all of them, he didn't see a dragon with them. His eyes widened, having a theory in his head.

Rummaging through all of the books, he quickly found Celestia's diary. He had bookmarked the incredibly long tome at a certain point, but he never got as far as the day before he killed her. Zero watched from a distant through his visor, watching Lucifer flip through the pages. He stopped until he reached the final entry, his grin growing as he read the princess's final words.

Lucifer will arrive at any moment. I fear this may be the last time I will ever write my thoughts through paper...I'm really terrified. The one pony I gave pity for, who gave me the chance to stay strong for my subjects, is coming back. The darkness he wields was too strong, and I stupidly wanted to give him a second chance when I used the Elements on him. I just hope my faithful student's plan will work and Spike keeps our hero safe and secure until the time is right.

Lucifer looked back at the picture, staring at the dragon with the six Elements.

"Oh, Sparkle," he said. "You just made my search a lot more easier now."

Closing the diary, he tossed it aside, exiting the castle with a triumphant smirk.

"My king?" Zero asked, wondering what he had discovered.

"I know where he rests. I'll be taking a few guards with me to Ponyville." Lucifer laughed.

Zero watched as the unicorn left and began to make his way to Ponyville. The mercenary looked down at the picture of the Mane Six and Spike.

"...I see..."

Spike cleaned up the remnants of the party from last night, knowing this was one birthday party he would never forget. He just needed to give Solaris some space, letting everything he learned slowly sink in.

"Things are just gonna get worse from here on out," Spike said, sighing to himself. He finished cleaning up the confetti from Pinkie's party cannon, leaving a few crumbs from the eaten pastries to be picked up by a stray bat or mole who might be burrowing through. He soon stopped as he felt a familiar tingling in his gut he hadn't felt in so long, belching loudly as flames spewed out. A scroll appeared as the fire died out. Confused, he opened it up and read what was written, his pupils shrinking after reading it. "Oh no. He's coming."

Quickly running as fast as his body was able to, he reached his small work desk in his room, panicking as he quickly wrote out a message to the others. After he was done, he didn't bother rolling it up, breathing his magical flames around it and sent it to its destination. Spike rummaged underneath his bed, pulling out a pair of saddlebags for Solaris. He checked the contents inside, finding a map of Equestria, rations, a canteen for water, and a collapsible tent. Making sure that everything was accounted for, he ran out and headed for Solaris's room.

"Solaris!" Spike barged in, finding the teen on his bed, reading one of his novels. Hearing his uncle barge in unexpectedly startled the alicorn. "We're getting out of here, now!"

"Huh?" Confused, he didn't have a chance to react, Spike placing the saddlebags on his back. "U-Uncle, what's going on!?"

"Hurry!" Spike ran ahead, heading deeper into the cave. Solaris chased after him, still clueless as to what was happening. They stopped at a dead end, but Spike grabbed the wall and pushed it forward. Another passageway was found, unknown to Solaris. "You need to leave, now."

"What's happening?" Solaris wanted answers, afraid he'll never get anything just like before when he asked about his mother.

"I don't have time to explain," Spike said, kneeling down to his eye level, gently placing his claws on his shoulders. "Go out this way, and you'll see an expansive forest. Head straight toward it and stay going forward until you reach the ruins of a castle. Your aunts will be there as soon as they can."

"Why? What about you!?" Solaris asked.

Spike quickly pulled his nephew into a tight embrace. "Just do what I'm telling you and stay safe. You're in danger right now, and we're wasting time as it is." He gently shoved his nephew out into the hidden cavern, grabbing the boulder disguising the secret passage. "You're going to see Equestria for the first time. Please, don't do anything reckless, nephew."

He quickly closed the passage, hearing Solaris's muffled cries. Using his fire breath, Spike welded the rock tightly, keeping it from being moved by his nephew's magic. He was glad he was never taught teleportation. It would have made keeping him a secret harder than usual. Hoping Solaris would heed his commands, Spike made his way to the entrance of the cave, ready to face off against Lucifer if necessary.

"Uncle Spike!" Solaris tried to pull the boulder aside, but it was stuck tight. "How will I know if I'm going the right way!?" Groaning in frustration, he had no choice but to follow the way out. "If only he taught me teleportation spells."

After trekking through the cavern, he saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Squinting his eyes, he stood at the mouth of the hidden cave, his sight adjusting to the bright rays of the sunlight for the first time. As soon as he was able to see, he gasped as he saw the landscape. He saw the forest Spike mentioned, the sky and clouds, vast fields, and silhouettes of other towns miles away. It was nothing like how he imagined from the pictures he had seen in books.

"Whoa..." After taking in the scenery, he quickly shook his head, remembering his uncle just kicked him out and didn't really give much information as to what was happening. "Heh. Well, joke's on you, Uncle Spike. I have wings. I'll just fly around and see if I can find the entrance." Solaris flew up in the air a little, but when he saw how long the range was, he didn't feel as cocky as he seemed anymore. "Or it'll be like finding a needle in a haystack."

Solaris flew around, inspecting every crevice that could possibly hold an entrance to his cave-like home. He grew irritated, unable to find a single hole big enough for a dragon to fit through. Groaning in annoyance, he continued searching until he caught sight of some ponies coming up the trail. They definitely weren't his aunts, wearing black and red armor, being led by a unicorn stallion with a curved red horn. He quickly hid behind some large boulders, peeking over them as he watched them.

They soon stopped at part of the mountain, the leading stallion's horn glowing red. He shot a powerful beam of dark magic at a wall, the magical force behind it chilling Solaris's spine as he felt the overwhelming power, the beam shattering a rock that covered the entrance to his home.

"Dragon! I know you're in there! Come on out!" the stallion shouted, the guards behind him readying their weapons.

Spike walked out of the entrance, leering at the unicorn.

"Hey, you know how hard it is to find a perfectly sized door for my cave!?" Spike complained. He hoped he wouldn't have to deal with the stallion, knowing how powerful he can be.

"I didn't come here for small talk, dragon. I know you're hiding somepony here, a specific male alicorn, and I demand he show himself immediately!" said the unicorn.

As Solaris watched, figuring this stallion was the one named Lucifer he was supposed to beat, Spike feigned ignorance, tapping on his chin as if deep in thought. "Hmm...A male alicorn? Why that's just impossible. The only alicorns I knew of were actually female. One of them happened to be my big sister. Thanks for murdering her, by the way."

"Sister?" Lucifer questioned. "You are nothing more than her pet! You had a command your mistress forced you to obey, keeping the alicorn destined to destroy me in your care. Now, reveal him to me!"

"What proof do you even have?" Spike asked.

"Your disappearance from Ponyville. It was where you resided with Sparkle, am I right?" asked Lucifer.

"I moved out here so I could be alone," said Spike. "After you killed Celestia, Luna, and especially Twilight, I fell into a depression. I didn't want to hurt my friends if I lashed out at them in my sorrow. Thanks for bringing back those awful memories, you ass."

Growling in frustration, Lucifer had enough of this banter. His horn glowed, summoning a pool of dark magic underneath the dragon. Black chains shot up from the ground, wrapping tightly around his wrists and legs, forcing Spike down on his knees. Try as he might, he pulled with all his strength, but the chains wouldn't give.

"I have waited fifteen years to find this so called savior your 'sister' warned me about!" Lucifer summoned several magical weapons, aiming them at the dragon who eludes his questions. "And I am not going to wait anymore! Tell me where you're hiding him!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Spike exclaimed, struggling to break free of the magical bindings.

Lucifer thrust an ethereal sword through Spike's left shoulder, making the dragon shout in pain.

"I grow tired of this game!" Lucifer thrust another sword into his other shoulder, still not getting anything from the dragon. Solaris winced, unable to watch this monster hurting his uncle. "Talk, damn it!"

"Y-You better kill me then," Spike said, wincing as he fought through the pain. "I'd rather die then live in a world where you exist. Ruling Equestria, killing others just to prove you're powerful, you're nothing but a coward hiding behind your dark magic! You'll bring this kingdom to ruin, and everyone around the world will see you as a tyrant that needs to be taken down!"

Lucifer glared at the defiant dragon, summoning his favored dark katana out of its ethereal sheath. "I'll gladly reunite you with Sparkle and the princesses. But I know he's here." He prepared to thrust his blade through Spike, aiming directly at his heart. Solaris gasped, getting mad, not wanting this torture to last any longer. "Have fun in the afterlife, wingless reptile!"

"LEAVE MY UNCLE ALONE!" Solaris shouted, flapping his wings hard, flying directly toward Lucifer. His hoof was reared back, ready to punch the unicorn away, his hoof glowing brightly of its own accord.

"Wha-" Lucifer was too slow to react, feeling Solaris's hoof break through his magical barrier, the sound of shattering glass echoing all across the mountain range. The alicorn's hoof made contact with his face, sending the unicorn flying off down the mountain, making him tumble down the jagged cliffs.

With the unicorn knocked for a loop, his magic was dispelled, freeing Spike from his bonds as well as dispersing the floating variety of dangerous weapons. The other guards that followed their king were shocked, seeing a male alicorn for the first time in ages. Spike, on the other hoof, wanted to strangle his nephew for doing the dumbest thing he could have possibly done.

"Uncle Spike!" Solaris helped his uncle up, thankful he managed to save him, but had no idea what that strange light was. "I'm so glad you're ok!"

Instead of receiving gratitude, the alicorn was instead gifted by a hard slap to the face by Spike. "You idiot! I told you to head straight for the forest! You just revealed yourself to the most dangerous stallion in Equestria, and he wants to kill you!"

"B-But you were-" Solaris stammered, wincing as his uncle berated him for putting himself in this predicament.

"I would have been fine! Your life is on the line, not mine! Now get out of here before he gets back up here!" Spike continued to scold Solaris, unaware of Lucifer floating back up in a fog of black smoke.

He reformed himself, sporting a very nasty bruise, and he was outright enraged. He felt his cheek, a bit of blood spilling out of his mouth. When he looked at the dragon yelling at the alicorn, his sneer melted, one eye and ears twitching in confusion as he saw how young the stallion was.

"W-Wha-What?" His eyes were glued on the teen, too young to be the warrior he was expecting. And the alicorn didn't have his cutie mark yet, his flank still bare. "T-That's Equestria's savior? A-A...A child!? And he broke through my shield!?"

Green mist began flowing from his eyes, growing more enraged as the pony who he expected to battle to the death against, the pony who actually managed to injure him where the princesses couldn't, and was an alicorn, was actually a teenager who looked like he had never seen the world all his life. He yelled in fury, horn shining brightly as a row of dark spikes shot up from the ground, heading straight for the dragon and alicorn.

Spike saw Lucifer just as he let loose his magical prowess, grabbing Solaris and leaping out of the spikes' path before it could impale them. "Ok, you gotta go! Now!"

"But I don't know where to go!" Solaris was terrified, feeling Lucifer's power growing stronger in his rage.

"If you just listened to me, this wouldn't have happened!" Spike looked back toward Lucifer, the unicorn stallion running straight for them with his magical katana glowing a powerful dark aura. They were lined up for him, able to kill them both with one thrust. There was no time to escape with the guards finally snapped out of their stupor, able to follow them if they ran. He had only one choice, and it was a little risky. "I'm sorry, Solaris. I love you, nephew."

"Huh?" Solaris wondered what Spike meant.

The dragon quickly turned his back to Lucifer, taking in a deep breath and breathed his magic dragon fire all over the alicorn. It was surprising to him when it didn't burn him, feeling his body being incinerated, but feeling no pain. Before the flames fully consumed him, Solaris watched in horror as he saw Lucifer's magic blade went through Spike's chest, blood spurting out from the fatal wound to his heart.

As the fire disappeared, Solaris was thankfully gone, no trace of him to follow. Spike smirked, feeling his strength fading as he felt his body going numb. He turned around, revealing no sign of the alicorn, relishing in the expression on Lucifer's face.

"Heh...Like I said...What...alicorn...?" Spike's breathing was labored, laughing weakly as he fell. He gave out one last laugh, his last breath faded as he succumbed to his injury.

Lucifer looked around, finding no sign of Solaris anywhere. Growling, he looked down at the slain dragon, seething with rage as his one chance to end his paranoia was taken from him. He let out a demonic roar of frustration, his eyes glowing menacingly as he called forth a large ax, slamming the blade down on Spike's neck, beheading his corpse. He looked at his guards, who were shaking in fear at their enraged ruler.

"What are you idiots doing standing there!?" Lucifer shouted, snapping them out of their terrified state. "Find him! FIND THAT ALICORN BRAT! NOW!"

The guards scrambled around, fumbling into each other until they finally split up and began searching for the teen. Lucifer glared at the scorch mark where Solaris once stood, unable to trace what kind of magic was inside Spike's flame breath.

Deep in the foliage of the Everfree Forest lies the ruins of the castle Celestia and Luna once resided in over a thousand years ago. More plants and vines grew all around the debris and remains of the still standing walls, though surprisingly, no creatures dared to enter this area. From the sky, a plume of smoke floated down to the center of the ruins. As it hovered above the ground, green flames appeared out of the smoke, shooting a startled Solaris out of the teleporting flames, remnants of the ashes being absorbed into his body before it disappeared.

Gasping for air, inexperienced with that strange mode of teleportation, he felt all around himself for any burns. Thankfully, he was unharmed, but what he saw before he saw flames across his vision left him distraught.

"Uncle Spike!?" As Solaris called out for his dragon uncle, he finally realized he was taken somewhere far from the mountain range. He saw the ruins hidden deep in a forest, possibly the same ones he was supposed to go to. Guilt welled up in him, getting his uncle killed because of his stubborn need for answers to anything he didn't know was going on. "...No...H-He was stabbed...Through the chest." Tears began to well up in his eyes, losing another member of his family, and he not only witnessed it, but caused Spike's death. "Uncle...I-I'm sorry...I should have listened...It's all my fault..."

Solaris collapsed on the cold, worn out tiles of the castle ruins, his forelegs covering his face as he sobbed. He had learned just yesterday that his mother had been dead for all his life, and now he just lost his uncle, watching him die before he disappeared, far away from the unicorn that wanted to kill him. And to make things worse, he was all alone, with no knowledge of where he wound up, completely lost in a forest filled with dangerous creatures roaming about.