The black smoke rose high into the black night sky. The flames stood high, spreading its warmth and bright light around the area like a giant bonfire. Watching from his spot behind the tree line, Dust saw his new life burn away. Everything he'd built up with Rarity, everything gone. He pulled his hood over his face as the smoke descended upon him, the smell of burning wood and something... more sweet. Or maybe sour. He couldn't decide which one. But he knew where it came from.

As the cottage ceiling gave way, a series of thundering cracks reached his ears. Dust couldn't take it anymore. It was too much for him.

Turning around, he disappeared into the forest.

Time had stopped as he held Rarity’s body in his arms. A beautiful, wonderful mare. And he destroyed her.

He'd tried to get life into her again, but nothing worked. Her body had already gone cold. Picking her up gently, her legs and head hung from his hands, swaying back and forth. He put her down on her side on the couch. Putting a pillow under her head and a blanket over her body, she looked as if she was sleeping.

"There you go, honey...” He whispered as he gently stroked her cold mane. "Sleep well, my love. When you wake up, we could start furnishing together. You can have as many mannequins as you want. Whatever you wish for, I'll give you."

He sat down next to her, laying himself down behind her. Laying his arm around her, he pressed himself close in a tender embrace.

"I'm so sorry I slapped you... I promise, it won't happen again."

Stroking one of her forelegs slowly, he eventually grabbed her hoof in his hand. Holding her close, he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"You're so cold... you must be freezing."

Resting the side of his face on her head, he pulled her closer, trying to warm the frail little body.

"Rarity?" He asked. "You know I'll always love you, right?" He whispered into her ear, pulling up the blankets higher.

"I'm so sorry...” He began whispering, tears building up in his eyes. ".. I never meant to hurt you. I don't know what happened to me... I'm so sorry, Rare."

Slowly, he let go of her, and sat up in the couch again. Looking down on her face again, he gently stroked her chin, moving some of her mane away from her eyes.

"This... This is wrong. This isn't the way it was supposed to end...” His voice failed him. "We were supposed to be husband and wife, live a happy life. Kids.. Our children."

He got up from the couch, looking over the room. Stopping at where Rarity fell, he saw something long and white on the floor.

Her horn.

It couldn't just stay there on the ground. It needed to be with her, where it belonged. Dust took a few steps over to it, bent down and picked it up. He didn't even remember how he broke it. Or if he did at all. He got up quickly and hurried back to Rarity. He placed the horn down on the couch next to her face.

Dust got down on his knees on the floor, looked into her face. Then leaned his head in and gave her one last kiss. His lips stained red from the blood still dripping from her mouth.

"I'm sorry, sweetie...” He started crying again. He'd been holding it back, only letting a few tears slip out, but now he couldn't hold it back anymore.

".. Please answer me. Please get up. I'm sorry, please...”

Even though he knew she wouldn't wake up, he still had to try. Deep down in him, he was hoping this was just another one of his nightmares. That he would wake up in his bed next to a snoozing Rarity, alive and well. He just had to try and wake her, and maybe it would all stop...

He removed the blankets from her body, reaching down and picking her up in his arms. He held her close and continued to cry loudly. Dust went towards the door, opened it and stepped out into the cold night.

"Hello? Anypony?! Please, I need help!"

But nopony answered his cries.

Hugging Rarity closer, he set of into the darkness. Running as fast as he could, he headed for Canterlot. He could get help there; Rarity would be alright if he could get there. The snow was thick, making it almost impossible to walk, but Dust pressed on. Just a little further, just a little faster, and everything would be alright.

She would get help, get better, and forgive him. They would get married and live happily ever after. That's how the story always ends, not like this. Don't give up, keep on going. But his legs gave way under the cold, and he tumbled to the ground. Rarity slipped from his grip, landing in the snow right next to him.

It was no use. He couldn't move anymore. Dust dug his hand through the snow until he found Rarity, and grabbed unto the first part of her he found. Looking up into the sky, he saw the moon shining through the dead treetops.

"... Help... LUNA!" he yelled out in the night. "Anyone! Celestia! Luna, help her!"

Silence.

"Rarity, my love... Please, don't leave me...”

The shadows surrounded him as he walked further into the forest. The bright light from the burning cottage had disappeared, but he still felt the smell. It had been so easy. Unlike when he'd spent weeks trying to get that glass to move, he merely had to envision fire, and hot flames sprouted up around him. Maybe this ring was meant for destruction.

The sun rose in the east when Dust finally returned. Spreading its bright rays of light over the burnt down skeleton of his cottage. His life. The snow was stained in black soot and ashes, and all that remained of the house was a few charred wooden planks that refused to give in to the flames, and the fireplace.

The fire had turned it black. Dust held his breath as he approached the smoldering ruin. Grey smoke still rose from the ground. Oddly enough, the main door was still standing. Partially burnt and black, some spots of red embers still burnt in the frame. Dust reached out and grabbed the handle. Pressing it down, it fell to pieces in his hand.

The door slowly turned a few inches on its hinges, until the frame snapped and it fell into the ashen ground. Dust stepped over it, entering what used to be his living room. His feet sank down deep in the ashes.

"Honey, I'm home...” He whispered as he looked towards the fireplace. The couch had completely disappeared in the flames. Looking to his right, he saw part of a black mannequin head breaking the surface of the ash. Its ears and snout had been consumed by the fire, leaving a strange head looking more like some disgusting, melting monster, than a pony.

Stepping through the ashes towards the bedroom, Dust no longer felt any pain in his heart. His sadness had burnt away together with his house.

He'd moved the bed to the middle of the room before the fire started. But now it was gone, no trace of it could be found. Devoured by the flames, and along with it... Rarity. She was gone now.

Examining more of the burnt down ruin, he eventually stumbled upon something partially covered in the ashes. Instantly, he recognized the shape and red color of it. He picked it up, brushing the soot off of it. Rarity’s glasses. Somehow, they'd survived to fire; even the glass was still intact. He held them tight in his hands, afraid to lose them.

"Drift away." He whispered. "Away from this world. I hope you're in a better place now, sweetie. I'll join you soon, I promise."

Dust let himself fall backwards. Sailing through the air, landing with a soft thud in the ashes. It covered his entire body, and because his hood covered his face, he could still breathe, even though he was buried completely. A cocoon of Ashes. A coffin of Shadows.

Was this the end? Would he die now, reunite with Rarity in eternity? He would have to stay here a long time. What would kill him first? Starvation? Dehydration? Suffocation or just the cold? He didn't care. It could take as much time it wanted to, it didn't matter to him.

"Dream on."

Dust's heart skipped a beat. The voice again. Only this time, it wasn't in his head, it was right next to him. It sounded like Luna, but also somewhat distorted.

"Leave me in peace." Dust said, hardly opening his mouth.

"No." The voice answered.

Dust didn't answer. He wouldn't let this ruin anything again.

"I can't leave you in peace, for you have entered my realm. It's rather you who should leave me in peace." The voice spoke slowly.

"Your realm?" Dust asked.

"The realm of eternal night. Kingdom of shadows. And power."

Dust felt the ring around his neck vibrate slightly as the voice spoke, but he stayed silent. The voice didn't say anything else.

"What are you?" Dust finally asked.

He turned his head gently to the left, to not disturb the ashes covering him. A pair of big blue eyes stared at him through the darkness.

"I'm whatever you want me to be." The voice hissed. "I'm whatever your heart, body and mind desire."

".. You're Luna." Dust said. "Why her?"

"You know why." The blue eyes narrowed as it answered.

"No, I... I don't."

"You want me. You want Luna."

"No, I only want Rarity...” Dust said in an uncertain voice.

"And she's gone." The voice answered. "You killed her. You made rid of her to be with Luna."

"Stop it, that's a lie." Dust answered the voice angrily.

"You know it's the truth. Deep down. That day that Luna saved your life, something happened to you, didn't it?"

"I...”

"Don’t deny it. The moment you laid eyes on her, you wanted her. Such a beautiful blue coat. An angel, wasn't she?"

Dust was unable to speak.

"And her power. You felt it. Just like that thing around your neck feels your desire for it. But she would never love you, right? A lowly, pathetic scumbag, shunned by society. Why would she care? She would, if you had more power."

"And... How do I get this... power?" Dust asked slowly. He felt as if he was floating in water, everything around him was empty. Someone else moved his mouth as he spoke.

"Unicorn magic."

The feeling of emptiness grew stronger. It moved into his head, and he felt his mind fading.

"You want Luna. But you've been too ashamed to admit it, even to yourself...”

The voice faded away, along with the rest of the world.

When Dust opened his eyes, all he could see was grey. And endless sea of gray. A few white spots moved randomly across his vision. He realized he was looking at the sky, at grey clouds and snow falling unto him.

He slowly got up into a sitting position, resting his weight on his lower arms and elbows. He was still in the ruins of his house. The smoke had stopped, and the embers had died down. Snow had started to build up around him, creating a field of black and white. Remembering what had just happened, he felt a chill going up his back.

That thing, whatever it was, had been down there with him. Buried in the ashes. Maybe it was still there. He remembered the things it had said to him. He wanted to throw them away as lies, but he couldn't. The voice had been right all along.

Dust got up from the ground, not caring to brush the soot and snow off of him. Quickly, he went over to the place he knew the bed had been. Reluctantly, he started digging through the ashes. After some time, he spotted something bright covered in soot.

Picking the horn up, he felt disgusted at himself for doing so. But he had no choice.

As he held it before his eyes, he felt the ring vibrating again. Grabbing it in his other hand, he felt the horn react as well. He brought them closer together. As the horn touched the ring, they were both covered in a blinding red light. A thunderous ray of light emanated, blinding Dust as the snow and ashes flew into the air, encircling him, creating a gigantic vortex around him.

The red light joined the vortex, then shooting straight up into the air, forming into an endless red beam of light. Strings of lightning shot out all around him, throwing even more snow up into the air. The ground shook as the beam disappeared back into the ring, followed by a massive bang.

Dust was thrown backwards through the air as the ring nearly exploded in his hand, sending a shockwave across the area. He hit a tree hard, coming to a sudden stop before he fell to the ground, groaning in pain. His ears rang from the impact, and his vision blurred. Blinking it away, he saw... Nothing. Everything was back to normal. The vortex was gone, as well as the red light.

His back ached as he stood up. Immediately, he felt the ring around his neck had grown heavier. Did that mean... It had absorbed the magic?

He wasted no time in trying it out. He decided to go bigger this time, no more pathetic glasses or books, no fires. Turning around and backing up a few steps, he focused on the tree he'd hit.

A branch snapped in half. And then another. Eventually, almost every branch on the tree had been broken off, simply by Dust imagining it. He reached out put his arms towards the tree, clearing his mind and only thinking about one think. Then, he quickly moved his hands in a parting movement.

The tree cracked, snapping in half down the middle. Splinters tore off, sailing through the sky and landing in the snow.

Dust felt his heart race. This was amazing. A rush he'd never felt before. He smiled as he observed the tree breaking under its own uneven weight. His vision turned red as he broke out in laughter.

A distorted, inhuman laugh.

The time had come.

"Guards!" Luna’s yell echoed across the throne room.

The wooden doors flung open, and the couple of guards from earlier rushed inside. Dust looked at Luna, then at the guards. Holding up his hands to show he surrendered, he slowly walked over to meet them.

"Seize this man!" Luna’s voice boomed as she looked with burning eyes at Dust.

The two guards placed themselves on either side of Dust, pointing their swords at him. He looked down at them, seeing the anger in their eyes, and sighed.

"I was really hoping it wouldn't come to this..." He said in a low, sad voice.

Turning his head to look back at Luna, he saw only anger in her face. Then, before any of the guards had time to react, he grabbed the left guards head, pushing up with his legs and launching himself into the air. Without letting go of the stallions head, he did a cartwheel through the air, and a loud crack could be heard. The stallion was dead before he hit the floor. Dust landed without a sound on the other side of the guard.

Luna gasped in fear as she saw the guard fall dead. Instantly, the other guard yelled out and rushed towards Dust. Holding his ground, Dust simply looked at the other guard and reached out his arm towards him. The pony stopped dead in his tracks as he crashed into a wall he couldn't see.

The hood had fallen off from the humans head, revealing his face. As Luna saw it, she finally recognized him. How could she even forget?

"You... I remember you now, Dust." She exhaled.

Dust looked up at her with disappointment in his eyes.

"How could you forget me, Luna? Seeing as I'm the only human in Equestria...”

"I... I don't know. It was as if you were wiped from my memories."

Dust shook his head, and then reached for his hood. He pulled it up over his face, and as he let it go, more guards rushed through the gate. He gave Luna one last look, smiling.

"We shall continue this conversation another time, my dear."

One after one, the guards tried to reach him, but where stopped by his magic. Taking one last dramatic bow, he backed up towards the wall. Then he turned around and ran for one of the big windows. Launching himself through the air, he raised his arms to cover his face as his body tore through the glass. Shards of broken glass flew through the air, mixed with the snow that immediately blew in through the broken window.

Luna rushed towards it, looking out through the hole and seeing nothing except snow.

"Guards...” She said slowly. ".. Go get my sister."

The snow blew across his face as he fell. Keeping his arms close to his body and his legs straight, he sailed to the ground like a missile, gaining more and more speed. This wasn't good. He'd fucked up, and would probably be hunted down. Every royal guard would come after him, and wouldn't rest until they got him.

Aiming for a rooftop far below, he stretched out his arms and legs to slow the fall. When he had a few feet left until he hit ground, he flipped around and landed perfectly on his feet. The roof cracked at the impact, but didn't break. Without stopping for even a second, he started running across the roof. Approaching the edge, he held his breath and jumped into the air.

Behind him, he could hear the sounds of shouts and clanking metal. The guards where already giving chase.

Dust landed smoothly on the next rooftop, this one angled to the side. He had to run leaned to the side, one hand sliding over the roof panels. And then he came to a stop. The edge of the roof stopped him and no buildings where close enough for him to jump. He needed another way. Quickly, he turned to his side and started climbing up to the top of the roof.

Getting up on the top, Dust balanced on the narrow roof. He could see the guards now, both in the air and on the ground. They wouldn't give up. On the other side of the building he saw another rooftop, one that he could probably reach. He took a deep breath, and ran down the steep roof, and pushed off.

He sailed through the sky, arms waving and legs kicking.

When he looked down, he saw more guards on the ground beneath him. Then he hit the roof. His left foot touched down on the edge, while his right missed, and instead slammed into the wall. A split second latter, he fell. Not having enough time to react, he didn't use his magic, and crashed hard into the street below.

He fell through some sort of cloth stretched out over a door, landed on a small table, and rolled down unto the street. Wheezing in pain, he still pushed himself to get up. But the guards had already blocked off both sides of the alleyway, and was coming closer, boxing him in between them. There was no way out, trapped like a rat.

They slowly came closer, swords and spears ready to strike. For a moment, the red that had coated Dust's vision disappeared, and he felt like he just wanted to drop down on the street and cry. Maybe the guards would show mercy and not hurt him, and maybe Luna could forgive him...

NO! Kill them!

His vision became red again. All his doubt was blown away, and he only felt a strong urge to kill. He rushed towards the guards, diving straight into their lines. In a matter of seconds he'd knocked two of them unconscious, picking up their swords as they fell. But he didn't care about the others. Even though he wanted to kill them, he managed to hold it back. There was no need for further bloodshed.

Instead, Dust rushed quickly through the rest of the stallions, who stood baffled a split second, due to his immense speed. Then they took off after him. Criss-crossing over streets and into alleyways, Dust did his best to lose the ponies, but they never gave up. He rushed out from an alley and into a rather big street, running past some shop on his right. As he passed, a door opened and a mare stepped out in front of him.

He didn't have time to evade her, and simply took a leap over her. She looked after him in confusion, before turning to see the guards coming. She pressed herself against the wall to evade being trampled by the mob.

Dust's whole body ached, he couldn't keep on running anymore, and he had to stop. He had no choice than to accept his fate, if he kept on running he would collapse eventually anyway. He slowed his pace and stopped. He turned around to look at the guards, once again raising his hand in defeat.

As he relaxed and managed to stop his panting, his vision turned back to normal yet again.

"I swear, I didn't do anything to hurt Luna!" He yelled at the guards.

But the stallions didn't react to his words. They simply surrounded him, pressing their swords and spears against his back and chest. If he moved only and inch they would pierce him.

"Let him go!" A voice rang out across the street. A voice Dust hadn't heard before, regal yet soft, sounding somewhat similar to Luna.

The guards backed off, and Dust now saw a mare approaching him. She was big, probably a bit taller than Luna. With shiny white coat and a shimmering mane, shifting in all the colors of the rainbow. Dust recognized her, from that day he'd been brought into Canterlot, into that crowd, that violet unicorn’s speech...

"You must be Celestia." He said as she came closer.

"Indeed." the mare answered. "And you're... Dust, I presume?"

Dust nodded.

"My sister has told me quite a lot about you...” Celestia said with a low voice.

"I did nothing to hurt her." Dust hurried to answer.

"No?" Celestia answered with a strange look on her face. Dust didn't like it. "As far as I know, you laid your hands on her. She looked quite upset."

"I-I...” Dust didn't know what to answer.

"You threatened her, didn't you? And you used violence against her...” Celestia said with a calm voice.

"You're lying!" Dust spouted at her. "I would never hurt Luna."

"But you did. I saw her neck myself. A rather nasty mark from human hands around it."

"No, that's a lie." Dust said, shaking his head slowly. He felt anger building up inside him once again.

"It's not a lie." Celestia countered back. "If I want it to be the truth, so it will be. Do you understand me, human? You don't belong in this world, and you have nothing to say against me. You disgust me. If only Luna would have let you die that day, but she had to be a hero... Guards, take this man into custody. He will be executed in the morning."

The guards exchanged surprised looks. This didn't sound like the Celestia they knew.

"But, my princess...” One of them began carefully." You've always said we don't kill anypony...”

"But he's not a pony." Celestia answered in a cold voice. "He's a human, filthy and disgusting. Tomorrow, he dies."

Immediately the guard started to object, but Celestia cut him off mid-sentence.

"Do as I say or you'll join him."

The guard closed his mouth and fell silent. Without even a second look at Dust, Celestia turned to leave the street. Dust watched her leave. His suspicions had been right. She was a bitter mare who hated humankind. And she was willing to kill innocent ponies to be rid of him. And she lied about what had happened between him and Luna. Tomorrow, the whole world would know how he apparently tried to kill their beloved princess. And then watch him die.

"Celestia!" he shouted at her. His vision turned red again, and his mind became blank.

She turned to look at him, but gasped and took a few more steps away from him as she saw his eyes.

"I thought you were supposed to be fair, just and truthful. I thought you were a kindhearted ruler, but now I see you're nothing but a Joker in the deck. You're a false ruler, and I swear, tell one more lie about me or Luna, and I will kill you myself."

Celestia looked at him with fright in her eyes. The great, almighty Celestia, scared by a human.

"Grab him, now!" She yelled franticly at the guards.

They approached Dust, but stopped dead in their tracks as he opened his mouth.

"ENOUGH!"

He panted heavily. The guards looked at him in fear as he hunched his back, groaning in pain. Something moved inside his chest clawing at his skin. Long, dead fingers...

A horrible ripping sound was heard and Dust screamed at the top of his lungs in pain. He felt two open holes on his back, and something moving out of them. He fell to his knees in the snow as even Celestia backed away in terror. He arched his back as a final, terrible singe of pain shot through his back.

A pair of big, black wings sprouted out, reaching high up into the sky. A few feathers fell off of it, sailing through the air.

Nopony moved. The only sounds where the wailing of the wind and Dust's panting breath. Slowly, he stood back up. He looked at Celestia, and red smoke rose from his eyes. The smoke spread from his eyes, eventually emanating from his entire body. Dust and Celestia stared at each other, neither of them breaking eye contact.

Then, with a strong flap of the wings, Dust took flight. He disappeared into the cloudy sky, with such speed that not even the fastest flying creatures could even dream of catching up to him.

Celestia watched him disappear. For a split second she thought of pursuing him, but realized he was too fast, even for her. She wanted to yell out in anger, having been defeated by such a revolting creature. But before she could even build up enough rage, a window opened over their heads, and a stallion reached out his head.

"You darn kids; we're trying to sleep in here!"

He slammed the window shut again, leaving the group in confused silence.